•Aaliyah

Feeling like a boss, I sipped from my cup of coffee as I savoured the taste of the croissant lying on my saucer while I typed away on my phone. Since this plan worked out, I haven't had a problem.

Bilal came to see me whenever he didn't have to go to work or wasn't busy at all. I'm so grateful to him. If not for him I wouldn't be where I am today.

I had plans that needed executing but first I had to finish my breakfast, take a bath and maybe sleep for a really long time.

I had a number of things on my mind. The first was to find a way back to school then build something for myself; I needed something that I could make more money from. I didn't want to pay for my tuition and not have payment ready for the upcoming years.

I wanted to help the people around me but I needed to focus on my education first. Apart from that, setting things straight with my family was something that needed to be done.

Another was to get closer to God.

A knock on the door startles me and I stand up to check the peephole to see who it was. The dry cleaner was waiting at other end for me to open the door and take my neatly ironed clothes.

I open the door to meet a dark skinned man who looked too old to be working here as a dry cleaner but that was none of my business so I got money from my purse and paid him with a tip before I collected my clothes and shut the door.

Laying my clothes on the bed, I pick up my towel and walk into the bathroom to take a shower.

I come out after a long, hot shower then threw on my favourite peach Ankara gown that was flay at the bottom with fitted arms and pockets at the side which I matched with a white silk veil to compliment the dress.

Minutes later, Bilal calls to know if he can come over because he's driving to a bank that was close to the hotel. He arrives not long after he withdraws some money and to my surprise, Hamza is standing at the door beside him. I mentally thank God for the peephole and rush back to place some things in order.

I'm literally panicking right now. I don't even know why but I'm running helter skelter just to find the nicest fragranced perfume I have, neatly arrange my bed and adjust my veil before opening the door and welcoming them.

They both smile as I opened the door wide and shifted to the side for them to come in. I offered them sits that were situated opposite my bed. We talked for quite a while and I found out countless interesting things. Other than that, I now found out things I never thought I'd ever get to know about Hamza.

We talked about our interests, life in general, school, the kinds of music we listened to and love.

Love.

There was a way he spoke when we brushed the topic. His eyes lit up as he spoke about this girl he had met recently. It seems Bilal knows her too and she sounds like an interesting personality. I have to admit, it killed me a bit to know that he had feelings for somebody else but that only encouraged me to focus more on my goals.

Yes, I was goal oriented.

"What's her name?"

"I don't like to say her name because I feel like it'll jinx the whole situation."

"Tell me about her."

"There's a lot." He said, taking a long sip from his cup of apple flavoured fanta.

"She's very beautiful. At times, when I look at her, I feel like I'm going to lose my mind. She's very funny and makes me act like a fool."

"She is everything I'd want in a wife and I hope she'd want me as a husb-"

"I have to go. I'll be back later." Bilal spoke up after answering a phone call.

"Alright I'll leave you two to finish your gist. Just don't do anything I wouldn't do." They did this macho, boy-ish handshake that entailed shaking the others hands and snapping each other's fingers simultaneously, ensuing a loud noise as they laughed.

"Alright bye Billy."

He glared at me and I laughed, palming my face.

I shut the door and sat back down to continue our 21-questions session.

Scratch that -- more like 50-questions session.

"You call him Billy?" He asked, laughing.

"Yh. He calls me Lilly too. It's our thing."

"Wow. That's crazy. You both sound like twins. Billy and Lilly. That's cute." And cue, the contagious laugh I hold so dearly in my heart.

"Yh it is. So continue telling me about your crush."

He blushed.

He blushed!

He blushed!!!!!

"Don't think I'm cheesy but this is the only way I can put it." He said as his eyes darted to the floor and back up at me again.

"She is my everlasting heartbreak story, I fell in love with her mystified appearance at a wedding and since then she hasn't stopped wandering about in my head. She makes me laugh at times I am feeling moody and her intelligence making me fall for her even more."

"She was my endearing jungle adventure, it was hard to get her to trust me and her niqab showed me she saw her religion with prestige. Her eloquence and her persona being the reason I'm attached to her. But I just wished the feeling could be mutual."

"Whenever I'm with her, I do things I don't normally do and I say things that-"

"That's enough. I have to go." He smiled, rising up and briskly walking to the door.

He opened it and left without uttering a goodbye.

First off, rude.

A knock on the door brings me back to reality and I get up to check who it is.

Hamza again. Why?

I open it and he smiles apologetically asking for permission to come in.

I don't say a word, only moving aside to let him in.

"I came back to apologise and say goodbye properly." He says with his eyes glued to the ground and his hands deep in his pockets.

A pregnant silence hangs in the air before he speaks again.

" I'm sorry for walking out like that. I was just embarrassed. Goodbye Aaliyah mai idon zinare (Aaliyah with the pretty eyes)."

And that was how I was stripped of his presence again. He didn't wait for my answer. I guess my facial reaction gave it all away. I just hope he doesn't think that I'm crushing on him.

I closed the door before further embarrassing myself. Thank God he was gone.

Two, I guess he was a gentleman after all.

Three...

A message just came in on my phone, making the phone vibrate uncontrollably on the wooden bed side table.

Four unread messages dated from yesterday were left by Aunty Raliya and one that came in just now from Hamza. I wanted to ignore her's but why not save the best for the last?

Aunty Raliya [04/02/20 12:30]: Where are you baby? Come back. Everything will be fine.

Please, how stupid does she think I am? She must be joking! This was probably her Trump card. I was too conversant with her manipulative ways to even fall for them again.

Aunty Raliya [04/02/20 14:00]: Have you received my message? Please call me. I miss you.

Aunty Raliya [04/02/20 14:50]: Aaliyah Mujib better bring yourself back to this house if you know what's good for you!

Aunty Raliya [04/02/20 17:30]: I know you're with one of your boyfriend's and I'm going to find you. If you don't want to die come back to this house you foolish girl!

And that was the last from her. Moving on to Hamza's.

Hamza🥀 [05/02/20 12:00]: Let's talk tonight?

Aaliyah [05/02/20 12:05]: Alright Hamza fari mai farar aniya (Hamza with the good heart). 10:30 is fine.

****

Right on time, his name flashes on my screen and I sit cross legged at the edge of the bed before answering the call.

"Salamu Alaykum Cinderella."

His voice sounded rough and tired, like he had been coughing all day.

"Wa Alaykumusalam Prince charming."

I could already imagine that his stupid signature smirk plastered on his face now.

"So how was your day?"

"It was good. How about you?"

"Well...I came to see you with Bilal, went to the office and went to flavours for more."

"I love that place."

"Really?"

"Yes. It has like the best ice-cream in Abuja!"

"Nah Cherry on top has the best."

"Nooooo, I totally disagree." I said, laughing and snorting in the process.

Oh my days!

As if he didn't notice, he carries on with the argument .

"I'll bring some for you the next time I'm coming with Bilal then you'll finally admit defeat." He laughed.

The resonating sound of his laugh sounded like a Katy Perry song so much it made my ears tickle.

"We'll see."

Suddenly there was silence on both ends like we were both hypnotized and lost in thought. We didn't speak for a drag of what I think was seconds but in reality could've been minutes.

I don't want to believe we're both sharing the same thought. That same nagging thought that has been pestering my pretty little head all day.

Was he really talking about me this afternoon?

In a way, I hope so and in another, I hope not.

I wanted to face my studies without distractions but this was a 50/50 situation where I desired it and disliked it at the same time.

I'll let Allah decide for me.

My heart hammers against my chest as I swallow hard, waiting to hear what he had to say next.

Oh the silence was killing me. I feel like ripping my hair off my head.

And he finally spoke!

"Aaliyah?" He said my name in the most calm way. You'd think my name was glass and it could break if you said it a pitch louder.

"Na'am (yes)."

He's about to say it!

My God, I'm so dead.

"I want to ask you something and I want you to answer in the most sincere way possible."
___________________________

~Aisha Safiyanu🥀