This might not be a good story compared to others you've read. That's understandable, considering the fact that I'm a newbie in writing books. However, your reads, votes and comments will go a long way in developing my writing skills.

Here's a new chappie. Hope y'all love it ❤

CHAPTER 7

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Was it disappointment? Dissatisfaction? Surprise? She wasn't sure what the look on Ilyas's face had portrayed. And the reason behind the temporary look in his eyes wasn't a rocket science.

Ilyas- she mentally noted, was a handsome guy. He had prominent cheekbones, with a straight nose which she was sure when placed a ruler against it, wouldn't miss a centimeter. The common features he shared with the rest of the guys she was flirting with, was the deep, almost black brown eyes. His full eyebrows was scrunched together into a frown she found quite cute as he took in her features. The only one she made accessible to him— her eyes.

" how are you doing?" She waved her hand in front of the camera, a small smile graze her lips.

" Ameerah?" He asked. Disbelief was clearly evident from the tone of his voice. Apart from that, it was just as she had heard in two days a row. Deep, and husky with a slight Sokoto accent which she found amusing.

" That's me," she said, keeping her voice as low as possible. Zainab was still around and the last thing she needed was someone ruining the facade she had spent almost an hour coming up with.

" Wow," he breathe. " you're a niqabi?"

She shook her head. " I'm not. Just not comfortable revealing my face to you yet".

Okay, that was a bit too straightforward and maybe she shouldn't have said that in a flat tone. However, Ilyas slightly flinch, a look of hurt flashed in his eyes, and then he was quick to blink away. But she saw that, and that was a look which she secretly never wished to see on his beautiful face in a lifetime.

" is that so? I understand " he said.

" didn't mean to make it sound like that, " She said, the words coming out in a small, pleading voice.

The focus of the camera changed as it seemed like he tilted his phone, and she could now take notice of the surrounding, his face not in anyway on the screen.

The surroundings made it appear as a GRA or private estate. If she had swept under the carpet the thoughts of him being filthy rich from the expensive wristwatch, and ring on his thumb before, now it was glaring and she affirmed the fact that he was from a rich background, and pretty much loaded.

It would have been an exciting realisation if she was a gold digger, and was only after the looks and wealth. But her mother was a financially- independent woman who owned a clothing line, and at the same time, a nurse with insanely high pay. Her biological father owned a multimillionaire company with branches all over the country. And damn it if she wasn't proud of that fact.

Her thoughts flitted elsewhere. What were they supposed to talk about? The weather? School? Work? Her mind went totally blank as horror washed through her. What if he already concluded that he didn't want to be friends anymore? Where would that leave her?

Were they even friends to begin with? Sure, they did flirt from time to time.
Okay, maybe the right phrase there should be 'all the time'. But they weren't a couple either.

His face returned back on the screen earning simultaneous blinking of the eye on Dayesha's part. They had been very subtle changes which was easy to miss as the mole at the bridge of his nose. His hair was tousled like he had ran his fingers in his hair.

" Fulani huh?" She spoke breaking the awkward silence and eye contest.

" Yeah, was it obvious?" He asked as his eyes pierced into her soul.

Under the fabric which kept her facial features except her eyes hidden from him, her mouth curved into a smile.

" of course,it is. The hair, the eyes, and the skin".

Her comment brought a smile on his lips for the first time since the past five minutes she had picked up the call. It didn't seem to go unnoticed by her how he subconsciously brought his hand to his hair and ruffled it. Seems like something he did quite often, she noted.

" when are you going back to school?" He asked.

" most likely, in two days time. You won't believe how glad I am that schools are resuming. Just few more years, and I'll never have to worry about any strike," she rambled.

" That's great. You would be a nurse in few years time. Nurse Ameerah," he chuckled lightly.

Ameerah eyes slightly widen at the voice. Who makes a chuckle sound sincere yet flirty at the same time. Thanks to the melanin in her skin, or she'd be blushing red by now. Not that he'd notice that anyway with the layer of fabric she had on.

" have anyone ever told you that you have captivating eyes, Ameerah?" His voice dropped a few octaves when he said this.

" I'm flattered".

" you've probably heard this alot from your admirers, but your eyes are beautiful and it keeps drawing me in. They're magnetic, " he added a wink at the end.

Her heart skipped a beat, as she tried to form a coherent response despite the hammering sensation in her chest. Ilyas sure knew how to make a girl's thoughts run wild. And what was that with the wink? It was... tempting.

" Astaghfirullah," she mouthed to herself.

Clearing her throat, she regained her composure. She couldn't let a guy disturb her mental health, and put her fragile heart at risk of an heartbreak. She wouldn't.

" what about Fatima? How is she?"

" still the same Fatima as expected. I mentioned you to her an hour ago".

She froze. " you told her about me?"

Ilyas brought down his phone to his chest level. She could see the rise and fall of his chest and her eyes followed the movement of his Adam's apple as he spoke.
" not really. Don't worry, my sister's is not scary. Everybody likes her, and I'm confident that you won't be an exception ".

Raising herself from the bed which she lay, her head reached for the packet of bubblegum in her bag. While Ilyas spoke about his job, and the new project he had coming soon, she stylishly popped a gum into her mouth from beneath the niqab. Atleast, that'd help calm her racing heart until his face was out of her view.

They spoke for another twenty minutes before the call came to an end. Ilyas bade her goodbye with a grin and it took all her will not to beg him to keep smiling like that with his teeth in display.

" Ya Salaam," she let out a breath of relief, and removed the niqab.

Pondering over the last few minutes with Ilyas, she knew that he could lead to her doom. She liked him even before seeing his face, and now that she had seen what he looked like, a new feeling erupted in her stomach.

Her life was starting to sound similar to the last novel she had read. This was too good to be true.

" who would have thought that I was chatting with a hot dude?" She grinned at her phone.

Zainab barged in just as her fingers graze across the screen in fantasy.

" from the look on your face, I'm assuming he looks your type, " she smirked.

Dayesha's mouth that was curved in a smile became flat. " you were eavesdropping," she accused Zainab.

" you're right. Atleast, I didn't come inside the room, freaking you out and ruining your love session with him".

Having no strength in her to argue with Zainab, she muttered a 'whatever ' and unlocked her phone.

Zainab plopped down on the bed beside her, and stared to fill her ears off about the guy who she had fall in love with.

**********

" are you sure this is the address?" Dayesha asked in uncertainty.

" Oh please, this is the fourth time you'll be asking me if the address is correct". Zainab huffed in frustration.

" Well, I needed to be sure that we're at the right place. The last thing I wish for is to be kidnapped or something ".

" stop whining like a spoilt brat Dayesha. Humans live here, so there's no way anyone would be kidnapping us in broad daylight".

Dayesha walked behind Zainab as they crossed a gutter in the middle of the street. Today was the day Zainab would be meeting with her online boyfriend and Dayesha made sure she tagged along despite the obvious disapproval on the latter's part.

" I shouldn't have wore my precious baby-pink gown. Now it's going to have patches or stains on it in the worst way possible ".

Zainab pretended not to hear her as she only focused on arriving at their destination. Because the road was too narrow to allow free movement of cars and humans, they had no choice but to park their car at the extreme end of the street.

The street was filled with hawkers who sold virtually everything, ranging from bubblegum  to secondhand clothings. Stalls were at the sides of the street and from what Dayesha took quick notice of, mainly consisted of food-related items.

Dayesha stopped walking as she bought some local sweets from a young girl hawking it. "I've missed this," she moaned as the sweetness melted on her tongue. Quickly shoving a five hundred Naira note in the girl's hand, she requested for more which the girl happily obliged.

" Nagode(thanks), " she said to the girl who was staring back at her with her doe-eyes in appreciation. The sweets remaining in the transparent plastic bucket was worth two hundred Naira or even less.

Pocketing the sweets in her purse, she looked ahead only time find her partner out of sight.
She panicked. " Where's Zainab?" Her eyes desperately searched for her amidst the crowd, hoping to see a familiar blue veil.

She rummaged through the purse she had with her, and fished out her phone instantly, her heart hammering against her chest. With shaky hands, she typed her password, unlocked the phone, dialing her number. Her lips quivered, and her eyes twitched slightly as a bead of sweat rolled down her neck to her leg.
" pick up the damn phone Zainab ".

Her legs were already moving against her accord as she walked in the direction of the route most people were taking. Unaware of how she stood out in the crowd because of her outfit, the only thought running in her mind was finding her friend.

" excuse me," she approached a middle-aged woman who sat by the road selling kuli-kuli(groundnut cake).

" menene(what)?" The woman questioned with a sharp voice as she took in her Dayesha's clothing.

It was at the very moment that Dayesha wished she knew how to communicate in Hausa. Even if it was just the basic conversational sentences. Now, she was in a dilemma and unable to form basic sentences to explain her plight. Gritting her teeth, she walked away from the woman, silently scolding herself for the lack of knowledge. Dialing the number yet again, her brain was already creating the worst scenarios in her head.

What if she had been kidnapped by Street thugs? Bandits? Or even worse, Ritualists?

She made her way to a nearby stall where a man was selling milk. He seemed to be a Fulani man. Hopefully, she can get him to help her look for Zainab.

Would he even spare her a glance since she wouldn't be patronising his business? How would he even help her look for Zainab? What would she tell her mother, and Aunt Rahmah?

Oh mum, Aunt. We went to meet up with an online buddy of Zainab's. I paused for a minute to buy some 'kayan kwadayi' and the next minute, she had disappeared into thin air.

That was the lamest thing she had ever thought of. Her mother would definitely sent her back to Spain once she came to know.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed in her hand. She immediately picked up the call. The deep baritone on the other line as they responded made her look at her screen. It was an unknown number.

If she was sweating in her pants before, now she was few seconds away from urinating on herself in the middle of a local market.

You're doomed Dayesha!

*****