Hayfah woke up with a throbbing head ache, those weeks were terrible and afflicting. She couldn't think straight, she was always afraid that Umma could tell Abba, due to the glances she had been earning from Umma. She was happy since Abba left for Cotonou, she knew Umma wouldn't tell him over the phone__or never. All thanks to Amna, she believed it was Amna's talk that changed Umma's mind.

Her phone's ringtone jolted her out of her reverie, she heaved a sigh and slide the pick button. "Hey Besty, how have you been?" Hayfah asked, adjusting herself on her bed, as she picked her pillow and rested her elbow on it.

"Besty, I'm flummoxed by your behaviour recently___fake besty isn't himself too. What are you two hiding?" She asked, she knew Hayfah might not tell___just like Malik called her; saying he wants her to help him with something related to Hayfah___but he couldn't tell her what it was.

Hayfah palmed her face, she couldn't believe Betty could tell Fareeha this__she thought he would give up; since she haven't been picking his endless calls. "Besty, this is a whole topic of discussion___you couldn't understand___I too am confused; seriously. How have you been?" Hayfah needed to change the topic, she couldn't even explain, the words are just too much for her.

Fareeha slowly hissed__they're just so hard to deal with, but she knew something huge happened to make them act like this. "Besty! It's okay then, I think I'll come over___because I have a very good news for us," her voice was enthusiastic enough to tell Hayfah she wasn't lying.

Hayfah's face suddenly lit up, she trust Fareeha with good news___she could tell a news that could make your whole month___not even a day. "I'll be waiting for you, make the news ginger please," Hayfah marvelled as she ended the call, smiling at herself.

She placed the phone beside her pillow, as she headed to the kitchen; it was past Asr time___and she still haven't had her lunch. She was always afraid of coming out of their room, it has became her sanctuary___as she was always afraid of what Umma would say, she wasn't ready for any spasm of pains.

As she picked up the warmer, Umma's angry voice made her flicked in fear "What do you think you are doing? I'm tired of feeding you in this house. You have to get married soon, I cannot be cooking for a whore," she bellowed in an egoistic tone.

Hayfah had to stifle the tears that urged to cascade. She needed to act strong, it's high time she get used to Umma's words. She slowly turned; her face devoid of emotion. "I'm sorry, Umma. I can be cooking the food if you want___but please don't get me married, I seriously don't love him," she slowly muttered, hoping how her husky voice sounded innocent would soften Umma's heart. But it seems she had slept on the bad side of the bed.

"Good job, Hayfah. A whore has naturally gained a notoriety of sweet talking___but unfortunately dear daughter___your lame words can't shangai me. You have to marry him___by hook or by crook. Who knows wether he's the one that made you like this. Just drag your smutty legs out of my kitchen joor!" She thundered, as she enigmatically moved towards Hayfah; whom was frozed in her spot; Umma's words didn't even know the way to enter her already shattered heart. The heart was shattered into tiny shards.

"I'm sorry, Umma. Your words really hurts. Would you for once say something tender towards me? Even if it's a façade___I'll elatedly appreciate that," she whimpered, as the tears made their way out of her eyes. She looked at Umma before she sauntered to their room, after dropping the warmer on the floor.

Inlieu of her to cry, she took her phone and began scribbling the love peoms she had been scribbling since the 'moving on' day. Whenever she feels sad, nor the feeling of needing someone, or when his undying love began ebbing uncontrollably in her heart___she would only find peace upon writing the peoms. They makes her feel unscathed, they makes her feel as if he was there with her, she was the one writing the words___but it felt as if it was a message sent through her heart.

She was almost done writing when Fareeha called___she dabbed a powder on her face, smeared a lipgloss on her lips, and applied a kajol on her pale eyes. She picked the call "come in, besty," she had to make herself look normal, because she wasn't ready for Fareeha's unending questions.

"You know how Umma is, come let's enter together," Fareeha protested, as she ended the call.

Hayfah wanted to scream, how would she go out? She knew Umma; she's capable of doing everything she could to make a tear slip down her face. She hope she wouldn't humiliate infront of Fareeha; albeit she knew almost everything___that also would be disgressing.

She draped a veil over her shoulders and swiftly evaded out of the house. "Let's go in, bes..," her words became guttural, when she saw who brought Fareeha. He was clad in a brown captan, with a matching zanna bukar, his face looked pale, he has bags under his eyes___emanating he wasn't himself.

Fareeha's touch on her jolted her out of her trance, she didn't hesitate; when Fareeha dragged her towards the car, as she stood between them, flashing them her inquisitive look. "So I have to bring all of you here, so we could talk about what has been eating you guys up, you weren't the same people I knew, you've changed___that too completely."

"Besty, fake besty," they both spoke at the same time, which made them looked at each other. What Hayfah saw in his eyes___she was sure she had once saw that in 'his' eyes, when he was about to tell her something on that faithful day. She hoped he hasn't leave.

"One at a time. Fake besty, start up," Fareeha spoke, with a tone of finality laced on her voice.

Malik mustered all the remaining courage left in him, as he looked up to Hayfah___whom has her gaze fixed on the ground. "I love her. I've loved her since the first day I met her, she suddenly becomes a part of me, I couldn't spend a minute___without thinking of her. I've kept this in my heart for all those years___all in the name of; fear of rejection. But when I finally think it's time to let her know, she rejected me. Had it been I knew she doesn't have some feelings for me, I would've keep this till my death, but I didn't. By Allah I think she has something for me, I really love her. I want to make her mine," he enunciated, directly looking at Hayfah, whom was looking everywhere but his face. She looked awkward, he was nervous too, all this felt bizarre.

Fareeha was looking at him since he started talking; mouth agape. Upon all her series of thinkings about their problem, she hadn't bring something close to this as the cause. Ya rabb! She didn't know the feeling to welcome, happiness? Empathy towards Hayfah? For she knew she wasn't over that 'guy', she could always see his love in her actions. How she could stare vacantly at the floor and be smiling like a nincompoop. Or is she to feel sorry for Malik? For it was obvious___he was in desperate need of Hayfah's love.

She palmed her face, this wasn't going to be easy as she thought. "So Besty, do you have something to say?" Hayfah nodded her head as a No. But Fareeha couldn't miss the glint of sadness and pain in her eyes, she knew what she might be going through.

"I think this isn't a problem. He loves you, and why wouldn't accept him? You all can have time so she could teach herself how to love you, then gbam! The wedding of the year," Fareeha had to be enthusiastic, to less the over tensed atmosphere. She didn't know what to do when they protest; she knew Hayfah.

Hayfah think this would be the best solution, since Umma has avowed she would get married. If she beguiled Malik into believing that she still needs time to start loving him, then he would probably concurr to her idea___that when Abba talked to him about the marriage thing, he should say that he wasn't ready.

"I think we should do it as she said. But please, I do me a favour___if Abba asked you about 'us'; tell him that we're still sorting things out," came her husky voice, as she wasn't looking at their faces. Only her knew how her heart was squirming, the guiltiness of betrayal gnawing at her.

Malik's distraughted face broke into a wide grin, "Thank you so much, Betty. I love you," he spoke enthusiastically, he felt like hugging her, or Fareeha, for she was his life saviour.

"Ohh___my innocent ears," Fareeha panted, as she closed her ears exaggeratingly___which made them chuckled.

"Let's go inside, I owe you the good news uno?" Hayfah spoke, as she began dragging Fareeha towards their door.

"Hey! Let go of me, this is the good news nah. But it's like I've heard that the first batch of NYSC had been posted, so we might need to go and check wether we're among," Fareeha informed, as she was trying to re99move her wrist from Hayfah's grisp.

"She isn't going anywhere! What you guys had been doing isn't enough, and you still had to go back? The Alaji's and boyfriend's are desperate huh? And you also. I knew you___you must be the one that made her like this, shamless whores," came Umma's thunder, as she came out of the house___she wasn't wearing a veil nor a Hijab. Her face was all red, as she was fuming, seething with rage.

Fareeha felt her world collapsing, as Hayfah took hold of her shoulders___as she slightly squeezed them. "Don't cry please, do all it takes for Malik to leave here; with you also," Hayfah's voice whispered, but her voice wasn't whisper-like, so Umma heard her.

"Ohh so he's even here, I guess he was tired of having you outside___that's why he wanted to marry you; I hope there was a true intention though," Umma bellowed, as she moved towards Malik; whom was flummoxedly looking at her. He didn't know how Hayfah was living in their home till now___he wasn't fully told; but still got some hints.

"Umma! I beg of you, don't say something again, let's go back inside; you can beat me, break my bones, and do whatever you feel like with my flesh. But for once; do me a favour; and don't talk again, please," Hayfah was now in tears, as she moved towards Umma, holding her hands in a beseeching way.

Umma flinged off Hayfah's hand on hers, as she wrathfully began looking at sobbing Fareeha and bamboozled Malik. "Back to you too___you," she pointed her fingers towards Fareeha "You were that pompous girl that spoilt her with money, who knows wether you're a lesbian, whom has doubled her business and becomes a whore___and you dragged her into your smutty acts. And you even have the rights to come here? So wow of you young lady," Umma enragedly clapped her hands, as Fareeha completely slumped on the ground; what kind of life has Hayfah been living?

"Umma.. please, I beg of you. One more word___and you've ruined me completely," Hayfah choked between tears, as she was flashing Umma a beseeching look; her breath wasn't steady___it was seizing.

"And you," she infuriatedly pointed towards Malik, whose brain couldn't assimilate the whole situation. "I guess you were the first person that deflowered her, I know you didn't love her, just want the sweetness of her body___of course; my daughter is beautiful, and you couldn't help but want the sweetne.." she couldn't continue, when they heard Fareeha's wail___as she was vigorously convulsing Hayfah's petite frame.

Mon Amores❤ Thanks for reading😊

Don't forget your promise😊