"Yaya, please help me with my box" Said Laila, trying to be ostentatious."It's too heavy please, Ya Al-amin."

They arrive late yesterday, so Laila slept in his apartment. She's leaving for her dormitory now.

"Just from here to the hostel; i should help you with your box?" He shot her a deadly glare. "Do i even look like someone who carry luggages to you?"

"No Yaya. I can take this one, but the other one is heavy" She pleaded, making her best puppy face. "Please Yaya" She fluttered her eyelashes ostentatiously.

This is a sister he loved all his life, A sister he swore to protect. Why can't he? Just to help her carry a box?

"Let's go" He hushed, as he languorously walk and lift up the box.

"Thank you Yaya"

They entered her room, drop the boxes; when a lady of 15 years old came out of the bathroom. She doesn't mind seeing a guy; she's only in her towel. "Hey! Are you my roommate?"She asked, sitting at the edge of her bed, applying a lotion.

"Yes. I'm Laila Muhammad," She answered, smiling.

"My name is Inas Abdulkarim. Nice to meet you"

"Thank you. This is my brother; Al-amin" Said Laila, gesturing at Al-amin; whose head is hung low looking at his phone.

"Oh Hi!" She waved at him. He looked up "Hello" He waved back, briskly.

"Hey, I'll be on my way" He informed and went out.

"Bye Yaya. Thank you" She yelled. "Don't forget to eat your lunch please"She added, obseqiously.

He prowled to his apartment which is very close to the girls dorm. Ya Allah! I didn't call Aisha. I wanted to call her before we leave but didn't know what procastinated me. May be she's there all worried about me. I'll call her later insha Allah. He closed his eyes ruminatively.

***
Ummi is sick. Her body ache, heart ache, chest ache, Everything in her body aches.

She's in the living room since morning. Didn't take her lunch, Aunty made one dry jollof rice; she had been bossy today.

She sprawled on the center rug, thinking how in pain she is. No one can understand what i feel, even if i vocalize it.

She only get up and pray when it's time. She neither bath nor did she clean her jumbled room. She prayed her Asr prayer and fell into a restless nap.

"Assalamu Alaikum"Ummu salamed, entering the living room, waking her up.

She slowly squinted her eyes "Wa'alaikumus Salam" She answered, sitting upright; resting her back on the wall.

"Ummi are you sick? You look pale"

"Hmm, i'm not just sick; but dying inside" She answered lugubriously.

"Eyyah sorry"

"How's Momy and Mama? Tell them I'm very sorry please, I'll come and greet them tomorrow insha Allah"

"Ok I'll Insha Allah" Ummu answered, scrupulously looking at the TV; watching Jodha Akbar.

"Ehen that reminds me please, where can i do my hair? It's messy wallahi"Ummi groaned in irritation.

"I'll take you to Anty mansurat's house tomorrow Insha Allah"

"Thank you" Said Ummi, fixing her gaze on the television.

Aunty came out and they say their greeting with Ummu before she advanced to the kitchen; doing only god knows.

"Ummi go and dispose this waste, it's full" said Aunty when she comes out of the kitchen.

"Ok I'll, when i'll escort Ummu" She answeres briskly before turning to the TV again. The drama is intriguing.

"Will you just go and dispose it now?" Aunty sterned, egoistically.

"Ohh Aunty, I'm sick wallahi, I'll dispose it when Ummu is going" Said Ummi, making her best sorry-face.

"That's always what you say, i'm tired of your attitudes. If your father knows that i'm the one disposing the waste all day, what do you expect? You know him well ai. Just for you to go down and dispose it that will be a problem. I'm tired of your narcissistic attitudes. You think you're too big to dispose a waste in the bin. Mtsww" Said Aunty, shoting hateful glares to Ummi. "Ummu go and dispose it please"

"Ok" Ummu answered.

"Hmm Aunty, as well as you're tired of me; i'm way much tired with this fucking building called a House. You can ask Baba, i never wanted to come here, i prefer living with my Mother; the obsequios one, who will never get tired of me, as well as shower me with love; wether Baba is around or not" Said Ummi, tears cascading down her cheeks unstoppably.

She kept sobbing hysterically. Mama i can't take this anymore wallahi. This woman pushed me to the wall, if not for Baba's sake; something worst might happen today. I can't take this anymore from her Mama. She hit the send button and sent the Audio note to Mama via whatsapp.

Ummu came back and they advanced to Ummi's room. Their was a deathly hush, Ummi was cleaning her room, while Ummu chatting on her phone. She is still sobbing.

When Ummu left, she sat in her room; glumly ruminative of how her life turned into a mess in the blink of an eye. Ya Rabb! See me through. Ya Allah! Ease my pains.

***

This girl really don't know me. Maman Hajia was right, she was really sent here to snoop on my life. If not why will she come here after 2 days of her sisters wedding? I have to make her life a living hell Insha Allah. They messed with the wrong woman. I'll follow Maman Hajia's advices. Aunty kept thinking of the terrible ways to torment Ummi's life, so that whenever she heard the name "Lagos" her heart will pang, even the word it self with terrifies her life out. She won't ever dream of coming to Lagos. Never!.

Ummi was languorously eating her dinner; A plantain, fried with palm oil. She never in her life; see or heard where a plantain is fried with palm oil. Never! She's just eating it because she's famished.

"Ya Ummi, Aunty said you should wash the plate you use" Rabab infromed and sprinted back to Aunty's room.

I will not wash it. Let her do her worst!

She finished eating and sits down on a sofa watching TV at the same time reading a book on wattpad. Wattpad i her only companion.

***
"You're beautifull" Inas complimented, sitting beside her. "You see, My name is Inas Abdulkarim as you know. I am Arab, but was born in germany, i grew up there to. I choose United states for my University, but my Mother was first against it, i have to beseech her before she agrees" She smiled at her "And you?"

"My parents died since i was four years old. I was born in Nigeria; grew up there. I lived with my paternal grandmother, but my Uncle took care of all my needs. That's Ya Al-amin's father" Laila informed, smiling fleetingly.

"So he's your cousin brother?" Inas asked. "He's grumpy"

"He was jovial and loving before" she informed lugubriously.

"What changed him?"

"You see; we grew up together with him, did our childhood together, albeit he's older than me, but it doesn't matters. He loved me so much. I started having feelings for him when i was in SS2, we didn't attend same school. I realises the feelings i have for him is Love. I didn't procastinated, so i barmily told him that i love him. He told me he's already in love with another girl; i should just take heart, may be it's obsession"

"His words besetted me. I thought he alo love me; but i was wrong. I started obscuranting my feelings from him, but to no avail; I can't. I told hajia about it; she talked to Abba and he said we just wait for till it's time, that's when we both start loving each other." Laila stated lugubriously, her eyes glisten with tears.

"So that's why he started being all grumpy to you?" Inas asked, baffled.

"Yes. Since then, he started snubbing me, yelling at him, acting cold around me"

"I'm so sorry my friend. It's your time to get your love back." Inas assured.

"Really"

"Yes! Just bath and get ready"

"Okay! You're a sweetheart"

***
Ummi was still at the living room when Baba knocked.

"Welcome back, Baba" she welcomed him and collected the leather in his hands.

It is cold watermelon, banana, amd many fruits. Baba's love for watermelon is unbayanable.

"Thank you Ummi. How are you feeling now?" Baba asked, sitting down on the three sitter.

"Much better, Alhamdulillah. Only the cattarh"

"Okay. Go and tell her to give you procold; it's in my fridge"

"Ok Baba" she entered Aunty's room and informed her.

Aunty give her the tablet. "Should i bring your food?" She asked Baba.

"Yes please. With the fruits"

"Ummi go and wash that plate, i want to use it" Aunty sterned, enragedly.

"Ok Aunty" she replied amiably.

She washed the plate and was taking her watermelon. "Why did you give her cold watermelon?" Baba gruffed.

"I didn't give her, she's asleep" Aunty answered haltingly, walking away.

"Not Rabab, Ummi. Can't you see she's having cattarh?"

Aunty stood there, mouth agape. Her mouth stiffened. "I thought she'll keep it till it melts. Since she's not a kid"

"Still, you're bigger than her"

A truimphant smiled tucked in her lips. She gave Aunty the; I-feel-loved look.

They nattered away with Baba for an hour before they called it a day.

***
He was watching a movie when it somersaulted in him; he didn't call Aisha.

He picked his phone from the other side and dialed her number.

"Oh God! I miss your face Aisha" he stuttered, when she appears on his phone's screen.

She doesn't know it's a video call, she just picked the call and placed the phone on her laps; combing her hair.

"OMG! Stop looking at me! You're incorrigible" she snapped at him. "Let me wear my hijab"

"Aysha I'm sorry" he said, smiling lopsidedly at her.

"Sorry for what Al-amin?" Her forehead creased in confusion. She fathomed what he's sorry for; but just choose to play dumb.

"For leaving without telling you. I know you knew it" He hung his head low, showing his sincerity.

"Ohh! It's nothing. I know it was not easy that is why you forgot to tell me" smiling fleetingly at him. Trying so hard to control the tears threatening to fall. She had no chance but to obscurant her worries for him.

"Thank you Aisha for understanding me. You'll make a good spouse" He smirked.

"Stop this! I don't want to blush" covering her face with her palms.

"I love you Aisha"

"I love you too. Where's Laila?" Looking around through her phone, practically looking for her.

"Hey! She's in the hostel, do you expect us to share the same apartment?" He chuckled.

"I was...." She is intruded with Laila's voice yelling "Yaya! I'm home! I know you missed me right?"

Laila hugged him tight, smiling sheepishly at him. She's in a Red fitted English gown.

Ummi's eyes stiffed, she was looking at them, mouth agape.

"Get your filthy body off me" he snapped at her. "Look Aisha, I'm very sorry" he stammered.

"It's not her fault, that's what she's used to"

She ended the call, hugged her legs with both hands. Why always me? Why? He just said he loved me, but only to see another lady hugging his life out. He beguiled me into believing he loved me; not knowing i was wrong. Why can't i fathom between true love and an enshroud? Why? She burst into tears, crying hysterically.

Wayyo Allah bacci😭😭😭😭

Hmmmm... who's curious about Inas?

One word for Laila..

So Aunty never changed, it was just enshroud..

One word for Aunty..

I pity Ummi's life wallahi😭😭 who will join me going all river niger because of the tausayi we have for Ummi?

Chaii!!!! I'm really tired Wallahi.

This update is a suprise.

I didn't write it intentionally. Some mugaye ensnared me, so i must type😭😭 Poor me.

I started writing this chapter around 12:40am but didn't finish until it clocked 3:00am😭😭😥😥

Shower me some love please😥❤

Here is an update Napheesat9 fareedahmuhd,PharynEaysherh,ummahanieey I can now rest in peace😥.

It's longggg so no update sai upper week😉

Enough of my surutu...

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Soko juur🙌

Ayshatou__👑