•Aaliyah

Akhram.

The loving and way too beautiful Akhram is my boyfriend. Sometimes I can't believe we're actually together. He was so kind hearted he couldn't hurt a fly.

If he heard me cry, he'd abandon all that he was doing just to attend to my needs. At times, I feel like we're married because of how protective he is.

He advices me to dress in the proper attire to ward off the eyes of 'underground rivals' as he had put it. He said he couldn't afford to loose me to another 'rat' knowing how indecisive women could be.

I worry that he doesn't trust me. Knowing that I trust him greatly infuriates me. Having trust issues is one thing and being so trusting of someone is another which is extremely risky.

Sadly, I can't help myself to have so much trust in him. But I don't have a reason no to! He was the one that helped me get a therapist when I almost committed suicide, he helped me get over everything with two things; a listening ear and a distant shoulder that I happened to always cry on.

What else?

If not for him, I probably wouldn't have graduated and come out with such an outstanding result.

To cut the story short, the new and refined Aaliyah wouldn't have existed without him.

Most of all, I'd like to thank Allah for blessing me with Akhram in my life.

I can't wait to introduce him to uncle Hakeem. I hope he accepts him.

It wasn't long since our plane landed. He decided to come to Abuja to celebrate with me before going back home since we never attended our graduation after party.

He actually lives with his parents in Lagos. Being the only child, I know he must be lonely. At least he has me now!

We were both the only children of our parents. That was the tether to our connection. Sad right? I think it's a bit too cliche.

I can't wait to also see what uncle Hakeem has become. From riches to rags to riches. Everything seems so far away, from the murder of my parents to my completion of University, but I still remember everything as if it was yesterday.

I knew with his business sense he would develop the company into something bigger. And he did. Now I'm trending on every platform. Both in Nigeria and Abroad.

What would I do without him?

I'm happy he didn't choose to betray me. What I did was risky. I left everything in his hands just so I could concentrate on my education fully. I know that's not a reason to let him wield such power but I wanted to test the waters to see just to what extent he could be trusted.

This doesn't mean he has passed the test. It just means that I'll be able to be less skeptical of his activities behind my back.

"Babe you need to rest once we get off this plane."

"You don't have to tell me twice. I'm super tired." I yawned just as I stretched my arms wide.

"That's my girl. Lazy! Just like her baby here." He grinned.

"Shut up!" I glared at him.

All of a sudden he started singing for me.

This guy knows how shy he makes me and he's singing to everyone's listening ears.

"Babyna stop!"

"No! Ashe da rai nake son ki jaruma ba da zuciyata ba..."

Curse Hamisu breaker for this!

I don't even like the song but it was actually cute how this stupid challenge went viral with women dancing for their husbands.

"Dance a little for me babe!" He said as he continued singing with his other hand holding his phone in the air.

"Do I look like your wife?"

"It's only a matter of time baby and you'll become Mrs Sufyan."

"Insha Allah ba..." I blushed so much my nose turned red. Unfortunately I was lacking so much melanin so all I could do was cover my face with my veil.

"So have you spoken to your uncle?" He inquires.

"Not yet. I want to go home first and explain everything to him."

"What do you need to explain?"

"It's a long story babyna."

"You can tell me anything. What is wrong baby?" He asks in a broken voice.

"It's not really a big problem. I'll tell you after I've sorted things out with Uncle Hakeem. Can you please wait?"

Now I know why he worries about us sometimes. I give him a reason to, everytime a secret surfaces and I decide to keep him in the dark for a certain period of time.

"I will wait for you. Take your time. I just need you to trust me. No secrets remember?"

If only you knew how much weight this carried...

"I'm already learning how to trust you. I don't expect you to be very patient with me but I'll appreciate it very much. I just hope you'll still be willing to be with me after I tell you."

Knowing Akhram, he'd be angry for a while but he'll get over it in about 24 hours.

It may just be a day but it's as painful as it gets because he'll ignore you the whole day till he so wishes to speak to you again.

I remember when one of my friends, Dawud took me, Tobi, who is another friend, a girl in our department named Lola and Azeema for a birthday party one Saturday afternoon. I mean, who wouldn't want to visit Al Ain? He called me while we were already in Dawud's car. My phone was on do-not-disturb so reaching me at that moment was impossible.

That night he ranted so much I slept off while we were still on the call. The next day I called him back and he declined till he felt like talking to me which was in the night. I couldn't just let him win! I decided to play hard to get too and ignore him till after fifteen missed calls.

Memories...

I wonder if his family will accept me. I mean, I'm an orphan without a perfect lineage. My family barely considers me their own plus there's barely enough information about my family.

I'm proud that despite being the last progenitor of the Salman line, I've managed to keep the flag flying high even with the problems that seemed to always follow me.

Aunty Raliya Salman is dead to me so she isn't counted. Neither is Aunty Faridah.

I always wished Bilal was my brother but he is a descendant of the Babagana's and his only connection to me is his mother. Either ways he can never be a part of the Salman clan so being cousins is all we'll ever be.

He's still family though and I still see him as the elder brother I never had.

As for Abba the unwanted cousin, he's a ghostly reminder of my sweetly intoxicating past with a hint of pain and scars that damaged my insides to the point of irreversibility. I've managed healed immensely but the fact that memories existed for one to reminisce, my insides would always be damaged as the scars would never evade me.

Nadiya.

What can I say about her?

She used to be good to me. I wonder what changed. Her mother must've poisoned her mind. I don't know what she did to make Haidar marry her. I'm sure she only enjoys the fact that he's like the Ali Nuhu of our parents time. She enjoys attention why not? I don't even think of both of them anymore. I don't hate her or anything. It's not her fault my parents died but if she doesn't try to find me, she'll remain dead to me. Just like the others.

I'd like to keep an open mind and think that if they reject me for any reason, it'll be their loss.

Akhram's parents are extremely wealthy.

His mother, Mrs Safiya is the minister of finance and a fashion designer. Then, his father, is a politician. He has no specific job but he was once the governor of Yobe state.

I already spoke to Mr Robinson about giving me back the apartment I occupied before going to school but that specific flat was already occupied by another family so I had to opt for another, which was a bungalow that was situated in Area 1.

We parted ways in different cars at the airport with a promise to call each other in the night.

The Uber took me to Daisy hotel where I lodged for the night.

The next day, I went out with Akhram to buy accessories for my flat. We didn't finish till night time then he left back to his friends house in Apo.

It took me the whole night to fix everything in it's place but it was worth it since I was able to pray the Fajr salat before sleeping.

Akhram was to come and help me buy the kitchen equipments later today. I was also expecting the delivery of some furniture I bought from Alibert Yesterday.

"Babyn baby."

"Na'am baby."

"So where are we going to today?"

"Jenny plaza. I need kitchen equipments to start cooking. I'm tired of eating out. I miss my own cooking."

"If I go with you, you'll cook for me too. Deal or no deal?" He teased.

"No! You'll have to wait till we're officially married then you can taste my cooking."

"Fine." He muttered, "I've spoken to mama and baba. They want to see us both. Will you be able to come to Lagos with me?"

"I should be able to."

But I don't want to! And I'm not sure why...

Like I said before, I'm confused. Nigeria dug out memories I buried in it's soil before departing. Now that I'm back I have to face who I've been running away from. But what do I do? I stuck in the middle of a love triangle I created intentionally.

"That's good. Let's head out. Where's your bag?"

I run back to the room and pick it up from the bed and join him in the living room.

He takes us for ice cream in his rented car before we go to the plaza.

"I like this." I began, pointing at a toaster before reaching for it and dropping it in the cart.

"I like you." He gushed.

My hands were too occupied for me to cover my face so I looked away to hide from his gaze.

"Do you not like me Miss Aaliyah?" He gasped, feigning mock hurt.

"I'd rather not answer that." I meekly said.

"Whatever." He said.

Akhram could've been angry but I don't know. His facial expression made no provision for me to come to that understanding. He was quiet throughout as I picked out the other things.

He made a show of paying for me despite my refusal but we came to a deal that he'd stop being pissed if I let him pay. So we did as he wanted and he drove me back in his rented car with all my stuff.

Today, he helped me set up everything and called an electrician to set up the gas cooker and the microwave for me before he left.
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By the way, Aaliyah's family name is Salman while her surname is Mujib. So you understand that it's Mujib Salman.

~Aisha Safiyanu🥀