He stood in front of the house, hissing softly. He didn't know why his Ummi had to force him to come to this house. He was fine living in Dutsinma and didn't have to bother with anything or anyone on his case. Even though he had even lied to her the he had a test he needed to study for, Ummi was still adamant that he had to visit the house and spend the weekend there.

It was her brother's house and despite knowing so well that Bilaal wasn't in good terms with anyone in both his families side, she still forced him to come. That it had been years and he needed to let go of everything and continue being friends and warm to his family. But he wasn't ready to do that. It hadn't been years for it.

Even if it were to be ten years ago, Bilaal will never be able to forget everything that had happened and he didn't wish to. He didn't know how to avenge for all that had happened to him, but he knew he didn't forgive everyone yet. He'd find a way to at least reveal the truth even if he wasn't going to avenge on it.

He knocked on the gate when he realized he had been standing by the door for almost five minutes and the gateman hurriedly opened the door for him.

"Good evening," they greeted each other at the same time as they shook hands while Bilaal tried to smile at him.

"Wajen wa kazo, bawan Allah?" He asked who he came to the house for, because it was pretty obvious that he had never seen his face in the house and Bilaal pointed at the building.

"I can't say, honestly. But it's my Uncle's house. If you can go in and tell them it's Bilaal, they'd know."

"Ah, Hajia told me to expect you, Malam. Sorry I kept you standing, please come in." Immediately recognization hit the gateman. He tried to collect Bilaal's school bag that was slung over his shoulder but he shook his head at him.

He walked him to the front door and knocked for him while they waited for someone to open the door. It was Amir, the oldest son of Baffah Jafar and he hugged Bilaal immediately he saw him.

"I had to go out but since when Mom told me that you'd be coming, I had to stay and wait for you. God! If I knew you've been in Dutsinma all these years? Bilaal I really would've been visiting you!" He was thrilled upon seeing Bilaal and Bilaal had to smile at how excited he looked.

"Amir, you're still as talkative as I remembered you to be. Good evening and allow me to sit first before you run my ears off, please." They were age mates and now that Bilaal remembered, Amir contributed a lot to Bilaal having a normal childhood that wasn't as choking and suffocating as the rest of his life had been.

He was his childhood best friend and confidant. They fell out when Bilaal left for school and then everything changed for him.

Quickly brushing the thought away, he smiled as he heard Amir telling the maid to rush and tell Mom that Bilaal has arrived while he sat down beside him. "I've missed you, so much. How have you been? And how's...school?" The word school came out like a whisper and Bilaal smiled at how reluctant Amir was.

"School is fine. We're at our final semester, actually. It's both hard and great at the same time." He answered. It no longer bothered him, the conversation about school and what not. He had gone past that and was okay with it now. "How about you? How's work? Where are you working now?"

Amir smiled and answered him, "NMCDPRA, it hasn't been so long since I started, actually. And business? I actually fear you when it comes to business, Bilaal, how's your company doing now? Hope it has remained unaffected?"

He realized that Amir meant no harm yet he's being reluctant in asking him questions that it what happened didn't, Bilaal would've been the one to tell him himself. He smiled and nodded his head. But before he answered him, Mom walked into the living room, smiling broadly as she walked down the stairs.

"Is it really Bilaal I'm seeing? We're really angry at you. If your mother hadn't informed me that you've been at Dutsinma for all these years, you wouldn't have remembered that you have a family here and visit, right, Bilaal?" She said, reprimanding him with the sweetest of smiles. She was a good soul. A sweet one, actually.

"Aunty Amina, good evening. I really intended to visit but you know how hectic school can be. It hadn't been easy. But here I am today." He said with a lovely smile. All these conversations were taking a toll on him. He wished they will all be silent for some time and take a break from how much they've spoken.

The maid placed all sorts of refreshments for him and he nodded his head at her to show his appreciation. They kept on conversing with both son and mother because the other kids weren't home. The young girls were at a friend's wedding and the boy went to play football.

After Amir took him to his room and he kept his bag, he urged him to come out and escort him to his girlfriend's house. He had been waiting for him so that they can go together. And no matter how Bilaal wanted to say no, Amir was so persistent that he had to agree, it wasn't like he had a choice.

On their way to the house, Amir kept telling him everything about himself that he missed and Bilaal felt so bad about cutting off everyone. They really were good friends. After they arrived at the house, the girl came out and immediately they exchanged pleasantries with her, with Amir introducing him as his best friend and favorite cousin, Bilaal walked back to the car to wait for him.

He sat down staring at the street as he thought of her. Slowly, Bilaal pulled his phone and searched her name. He had had her number since when she started working at their school three years ago. And not for once had he made the mistake of dialing her number.

Often times, he would try to do so but immediately end the call even before it started ringing. Or he'd compose a message and end up deleting it because he just couldn't bring himself to do so. He seek solace by staring at her. Closely and a far, it just didn't matter so long as she'd be the one he was staring at.

He didn't know how this obsession of his started. He was his lecturer for heaven's sake. And it wasn't like he had a chance with her, he knew he didn't and there's a part of him that wasn't even interested in him having that chance with her because he knew how chaotic his life was and she was too precious a soul to be dragged into it all.

But recently, they had been having recurring encounters that were becoming so hard to ignore. And then there was that phone call he heard. If that woman was truly her mother, Bilaal felt so bad for her. He wished there was a way for him to comfort her because after she had looked up at him that day, he realized there was a pain she had been hiding all that while and no matter how hard he had looked at her, he had never seen it until that day. Damn, she hid it so well.

Absentmindedly, Bilaal thought it was late enough for Amir to come out so they can go back home. But instead of him to dial his number, he dialed the number that was on his screen, which was hers. And she picked at the first ring. Probably a mistake from both sides. Because who picked a call from a random number at the first ring?

He wanted to end the call. It was a mistake, he didn't intend to call her. But hearing her voice shaking, evident that she was crying was enough to make him stay.

"Hello, Sareena, is that you? I thought maybe your credit finished and I was about to call you back. You don't have to call her or come over, it's too late, Sareena. I'll just go to the neighbor's house and stay for the night, okay?" Her voice was breaking as she spoke and one could sense the agony dripping from each word she had uttered.

"Hello? Sareena can you hear me?" He wished he could speak. He wished he could ask her what went wrong. Why she was crying and what happened that she was talking about going to the neighbors house and staying for the night.

Who was Muhibbah and what was she going through in her seemingly perfect life?

She kept saying 'Hello?' Until she got tired and ended the call and he just sat there, thinking so hard that he wished it was possible to come up with an answer. She was crying so hard. And there was pain dripping with every word she uttered. He wished he could know what happened, what went wrong and how he can help her.

Instead of calling Amir so they can leave, Bilaal sat in the car silently as he thought. He wished he can call back and ask her. Bt she'd be furious like she was the day he went to her office unannounced. A soft smile broke on his lips when he remembered how furious she had been. How she had thrown a pen's holder at him.

Apparently, she wasn't so perfect as well. She got angry too. She reacted when she was mad. It was kind of cute staring at her, flaring her nostrils in anger with her eyes a maroon hue. He kept replaying that encounter in his head, all in an attempt to forget how he heard her crying today. Because if he can't do anything about it the best thing to do is forget about it.

Amir found him in that situation and they left home, with him saying it's nothing no matter how many times Amir asked him what was wrong. After Amir had parked in the parking lot, Bilaal was trying to walk to Amir's chamber when he called out to him.

"Mom said Dad is back and you should go and greet him, don't you think?" He simply nodded and they walked to Baffah's Jafar's living room together.

They exchanged a few pleasantries with Baffah Jafar and some chitchat before Bilaal claimed that he was sleepy and got to his feet. He was about to go out when Mom walked in holding a bowl in her hands.

"Ah, you guys are back? I was just about to send the maid with your dinner to your room. Go and collect it yourselves then, I don't like her going to your side, especially at night..."

Amir immediately cut her off, "Mom!" He whined, "someone will think I'm a bad person or something. I've since told you not to be sending her too, didn't I? Let's go and collect it Bilaal." He didn't wait for her response when he held Bilaal by his wrist and they walked to the main living room where Bilaal got shocked to his bones.

Sitting on the carpet with her eyes fixed to the bowl of fruit salad by her side was Muhibbah, her eyes puffy and so red that one could think she had a severe eye problem. Being extremely fair in complexion, her nose gave way to how much she had cried and for how long.

In reality, one would think she's staring at the fruit salad but a single look at her and Bilaal could tell she was deep in thoughts. He didn't even understand what was happening, but he was simply over the moon that he saw her. Because all this while, he wasn't able to take her off his mind.

"Ah, Miss Lecturer!" Amir exclaimed with a soft smile as he walked towards her. "Oh no, what happened, Addah?" Amir said, probably after noticing her face.

She looked up at him and tried to smile but failed. "Amir, good evening. How have you been?" She tried all she could to fake it, but it was pretty obvious that she was failing at that.

Mom walked out of Dad's living room. "Amir, don't disturb my daughter please. She's not feeling alright today, let her rest and you can disturb her with all your talks tomorrow, okay?" Mom reprimanded, walking further into the living room.

"Mom, I wasn't going to disturb her, but okay." He said and stood up, because he was already squatting in front of her. Ready to probe her until she told him what happened.

"Ah, Bilaal, Mero didn't bring you the food?" Mom asked when she noticed him standing as he stared unblinking at Muhibbah.

At the mention of his name, Muhibbah looked up at and their eyes met. Instantly, shock registered on her face as she probably wondered what was happening and how he was there.

"Addah, he's that cousin I was telling you about, Bilaal. My Adamawa best friend. Or Runaway best friend." Amir said when he noticed them staring at each other.

"Oh ayyah. I think he's my student, right?" She asked, trying to make light of the atmosphere that had heated with their stares and unspoken words. She kept on wiping her palms on her face as if that's going to remove the crystal signs of her tears.

"Yes, good evening, Malama." Bilaal greeted and hung his head down. Because for the first time, he realized looking at her was provoking something in him. A feeling so strong it was hard to tame.

"You can bring the food for us, Amir, I'll be in your room." With that, he left without waiting for hear his response, his heart beating as fast as it never had.

What's all this? Did she live in this house or was it the neighbor's house she spoke about?

He couldn't wait for Amir to be back and the moment he closed the door behind him, Bilaal threw the question at him. "I heard you calling her Addah, is she your sister or relative?" She could be his relative from his mother's side, Bilaal wondered.

He chuckled and smacked his shoulder playfully. "If she was, I would've begged Mom to get me married to her. She's our neighbor, few houses away from ours. I think they have an issue again with her mother. They mostly do whenever the mother wants her to marry a certain person and she denies. Truth be told, the mother never brings us a good choice, they're all bad men."

"But why? I mean..."

"Bilaal! Are you sure she's just your lecturer? I saw how you were looking at her back then. Don't tell me..."

Bilaal hissed and collected a bowl of fruit salad from him. "I'm just curious," he countered.