Chantel quickly bought everything she was supposed to buy and went to the counter to pay for them when she saw Kevin approaching her. She rolled her eyes and gave a frustrated sigh. Kevin stood beside her and spoke to the lady who was standing behind the counter.
"How much is the lady's items?" he asked the lady.
"No need. I can pay for them myself, thank you very much," Chantel angrily replied. "How much are they?" she asked the lady.
"Three hundred and fifty cedis, ma'am," the lady said.
Chantel paid for her items and quickly left the counter. She walked towards the car park and placed her items that had been packed into a coloured polythene bag into the back seat of the car. She was about to open the door to the driver's seat when she heard a voice behind her. She really had not bargained for this. She rolled her eyes once more and turned towards Kevin, who stood some meters behind her, holding a colored polythene in his hand. His other hand was in his pocket.
"Chantel, please, can I at least get your number? I really need us to talk," he said.
"What makes you think I would just give out my number to someone like you? I've got dignity. Do not think you are so important in my life because you are not," Chantel said.
"Chantel, please. I beg you," he walked closer to her, aiming to close the gap between them.
"Go away, Kevin. I do not want to see you or much less, talk to you again. You disgust me," Chantel said and quickly sat in the car. She drove off without even looking at Kevin once.
Kevin was hurt with what Chantel said. He knew it would be hard for Chantel to forgive him but he did not know Chantel hated him this much. It hurt him so much that Chantel felt disgusted by him. He walked back to his car slowly and put the polythene bag into the car. Then he sat in and drove off.
Chantel got home filled with so much anger. She rushed into the kitchen without greeting her mother and Travis who were both in the living room playing scrabble. Travis and his grandmother looked at each other in confusion.
"What might have happened to your mother?" Mrs Asare asked Travis.
"I don't know. Maybe someone wronged her on her way back?" Travis replied.
"Let me check. I will be back," Mrs Asare said and walked into the kitchen. She found Chantel angrily unpacking the items she bought. She placed them on the kitchen counter while she looked like she was murmuring something to herself.
"What happened? And why does it look like you seem to have a problem with the items you bought? Are you okay?" her mother asked her and stood beside her.
Chantel breathed in slowly and turned towards her mother. Her eyes were red from all the anger she was feeling. She was not smiling either. Her mother frowned when she saw the expression on her face.
"What happened?"
Chantel just sighed and looked away from her mother. She crossed her arms and leaned on the kitchen counter.
"I saw Kevin today," Chantel replied.
"Kevin? Which Kevin?" Mrs Asare asked, looking a bit confused.
"Travis's father. I saw him at the mall today," Chantel said.
"What? Wait! You mean you met Travis's father, today?" Mrs Asare asked again.
"Yes, mother. That idiot had the audacity to ask me to forgive him, after all the pain he put me through."
Mrs Asare just shook her head. "So, what did you tell him?"
"I will never forgive him even if he was on a death bed, mother. He hurt me a lot. Because of him, I became the laughing stock of the whole school. They called me names because of him. And what did he do? He went around and started dating the girl who was making my life a living hell. No, mother. I will never forgive him for what he did," Chantel replied angrily. She clenched her teeth trying so hard to suppress her anger.
"Chantel. Listen, it's been fifteen years already. Don't you think it is time you forgave him? I don't think he is still the young boy you used to know. If he really asked for forgiveness from you, then that means he really wants to right his wrongs."
"Well, it's too late for that mother. He should have done that when I gave him a chance to do so. But he rather decided to betray me," Chantel replied.
"I know you are hurt, baby girl. But, you know I never raised you to harbor so much hate for someone. I raised you to always learn how to forgive others. Please, at least can you hear him out?"
"Yes, mother. I know you did not raise me to hate anyone but what Kevin did hurt me a lot. And there is no way I can ever forgive him. I can't," Chantel said.
"Who is Kevin, mother?" Travis suddenly asked making mother and daughter to turn towards his direction.
"Travis? How long have you been standing there for?" Chantel asked in shock.
"I just got here and heard you mention his name. Who is he?" Travis asked again.
"He is no one important. By the way, why are you here?" Chantel asked dryly. Her mother glared at her but did not say anything.
"I only came to get some water to drink. And also, find out what was keeping grandmother here for so long," Travis replied.
Chantel nodded. "I will be in my room." She said and left the kitchen. Travis looked at his grandmother in confusion and she slightly shrugged her shoulders.
Kevin got home with a gloomy look on his face. He walked into his three bedroom apartment and found Bismark already seated in his living room, watching a match. He sat beside his best friend without properly greeting him.
Bismark saw the look of sadness in Kevin's eyes. He turned his attention towards him and patted him on the shoulder.
"Hey man. Is everything okay? What happened?" Bismark asked him.
Kevin sighed sadly. "I saw her, Bis. I saw Chantel at the mall today."
"What? Really? Were you able to talk to her? And what did she say?"
"She was not happy to see me. And when I tried to talk to her, she just walked off. I tried talking to her at the car park but, she said she does not want to talk to me or see me ever again."
Bismark looked sadly at his friend. "I am sorry about how that, man. I really am."
"Thank you," Kevin smiled slightly.