Unedited!

UMMULKHAIR QUREISH'S POV

Abuja, Nigeria.

It was a nice sunny Saturday morning.

The sound of the birds chirping echoed through my room. To me it was melodious, because they chirped harmoniously. There has to be about 20 birds out there.

The rays of the sun coming in through my open windows as my curtains were moderately drawn up a bit. Something I did when I woke up for Subh prayer and forgot to close it. The cold morning breeze made me snuggle more under my duvet, my soft and warm duvet. My one love.

The softness of my pillow made me bury my head into it. The eerie quietness and the peace it came with made me sleep more comfortably. It was promising.

This is definitely going to be a good morning.

There is nothing better than a Saturday. No school, no lectures, and you can sleep in late without any worries. Without having to wake up early to attend a 6am class that some wicked lecturers fix just because he has no wife. It was too obvious that wicked lecturers are just being mean because they don't have wives.

This is just what I love. Sleeping in all morning, all day if I may add, I don't care. That is until my mom makes me get out of bed. I seriously don't understand the thing with Nigerian mothers and seeing their daughters relaxed and doing nothing. Most especially when you're typing your phone comfortably, that's when their own juju wakes up.

That happy moment of mine didn't last for long because there was a knock on my door.
I ignored it. It was probably either my brother or sister. They wanted to go out today and Mama made me promise to take them with me. I don't understand why they just won't take a driver and leave with him instead. They probably just enjoy seeing me annoyed.

The annoying person that was knocking earlier walked in and yelled,

"Khairi get your lazy ass off the bed and get in the shower" My elder sister, Hamidah said in her over pitched voice which she uses when she wants to wake me up. She knew I hated that and that what she enjoyed.

What is she even doing here this early in the morning? She's married for Allah's sake.

I groaned putting the pillow on my head to keep her voice out. "Urghhh, Adda Hamidah it's Saturday fah. Pleaseee, just let me sleep" I said snuggling more under the duvet hoping that she would leave me alone even if I know the chance of that happening is next to none. It was literally impossible trying to change this woman's mind.

She hissed loudly and yanked the duvet off me "We have guests dummy, get up now" She said, now hands akimbo as her eyes narrowed at me slightly.

"No, let me be please" I whined try to drag my duvet back onto my body. But, she held it farther out off my reach.

She shifted before walking out.  I smiled going back to sleep as I drag the quilt into my body again.

Finally she left.

Suddenly I felt cold water on me and I jumped up the bed faster than I could ever thought I will be able to. The woman poured freezing cold water on me drenching my poor bed.

"What the hell!?!!" I yelled only to see my sister smirking. My eyes narrowed at her as I look down and looked at my now dripping pajamas. I shiver slightly from the cold.

She didn't seem bothered by me however. She only kept smirking,  "Good, you're up.  Now get in the shower" she said going out with the bucket in her hand leaving me with a soaked bed and clothes. The woman didn't even spare me a minute to argue with her.

I hissed and lazily went into the bathroom to freshen up. I sulked the entire way there, I was literally mumbling swear words at no one in particular. Let's just say I'm grumpy in the morning especially when woken from my sweet dreams. I don't know if it's just me or if you've noticed but I'm definitely not a morning person.

Well here's the thing about me and a brief introduction.

My name is Ummulkhairi Abubakar. I am 19 years old. I am studying at Nile University Abuja, with my three fools aka best friends Hanifa, Maryam and Ruqayya. I have 1 elder brother, Hamid , 1 elder sister Hamida who are twins, and a younger brother and sister,Ameer and Ameera, they are twins too. 

Yeah, I'm the only odd one in my family who doesn't have a twin.

Believe me when I say being stuck with two twin set of siblings is the worst.

I'm tall. Alhamdullilah. I'm 5'9 and I'm taller than all my siblings except Ya Hamid who's 6'4. I'm Hausa Fulani, as my father is a typical  Bahaushe and my mom is the Bafulatana. This is where I got my tan skin, doe eyes and a not so slender nose. It's more button-like. My lips are cherry pink. My friends often say it's like that because of how I continuously lick it when it's chapped.

Who can blame me please?

I hate chapped lips.

So that's basically it about me.

I took my bath and came out. My sister was no longer in the room so I got dressed in an atamfa blouse and skirt. It was a straight green with light touches of black skirt with a small slit and a high neck blouse with balloon sleeves.  I tied my headtie perfectly in the signature ture kaga tsiya before going downstairs to eat breakfast.

I heard voices coming from the living room as I made my way to the kitchen. They were oddly familiar though.  I forgot Adda Hami said we have guest but I shrugged it off and went straight to the kitchen to get breakfast. The information just slipped off my mind because I'm starving. The gears in my head doesn't turn without food in my system.

And yes, I'm a foodie.

There I saw the housemaid, Zaliha, we are age mates so we get along. She is basically the twin I don't have. She always takes my side when my siblings gang up on me which is why most of the times I address her as my twin.

"Tweenze, good morning" I said opening the fridge looking for something to munch on.

"Good morning to you too Khairi" She replied cutting the vegetables. Afterwards she placed them all in a bowl before moving to where the cooker is.

I brought out orange juice and poured in into a cup. Carrying a plate and put some chips, egg, and ketchup. I sat on the kitchen island enjoying my food peacefully with no interruptions.

"Adda Khairi, wai kizo inji Ammi'' my sister ameera informed me walking into the kitchen.

"Ina zuwa" I replied. I ate my food quickly and gulp down the juice till the cup was empty.

What? You didn't think I was gonna leave without eating it up right?

That's literally next to impossible in my dictionary.

I entered the parlor with a salaam only to see my parents , sisters, brothers, my uncle Umar, his wife Salma, and their children, aka my cousins. I haven't seen them since last year during our family week which we have annually. My cousins are cool though, we get along.

I sat next to ameera on the carpet and greet them, my head hung low as I fidgeted with the ring on my finger.

"Ina kwanan Ku" I greeted them in our native tongue I don't know why but I'm just so used to greeting elders in Hausa.

"Lafiya kalau Khairi, yaya kike" my aunt and uncle at the same time replied smiling like goofballs. It was kind of creepy you know. Don't get me wrong, they're nice people and all but this smile is just different.

"Alhamdullilah" I replied looking down at my fingers again once I realized that I was staring.

Why am I suddenly nervous?

I looked up to see my brothers, Ameer and Ya Hamid with my male cousins Usman and Ayaan smirking. If I didn't know them too well I'd say there's something they're hiding.

What's up with them?

Jerks!

I ignored their looks and looked back down at my fingers. My father cleared his throat then spoke.

"Ummulkhairi" my dad started making me look up.

"Na'am Abba" I replied.

"Wato your uncle umar here and I decided to unite our family more kamar yadda iyayen mu sukayi. Amana ce gare mu kuma Dole mu cika. And considering your age, manners and gender, we decided that a marriage is the best way to go about it. So you are getting married to your cousin Muhammad"

What the fresh hell?!?

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Complete book available on Selar and Okadabooks.