After her nighttime routine, Jadwa was provided a concoction mixed in yogurt. She gulped it down, her senses dulled by exhaustion and compliance. At this point, she couldn't even muster the energy to put up a fight with the two women Ammi had brought. Jadwa understood almost everything they said in their language, though she could hardly respond in the same tongue, managing only in Hausa.

The two women bid her goodnight and she sat on her plush carpet, picking up her phone and scrolling through her camera roll. She saw all the pictures Zara and Hannan had sent to her phone and went through them carefully. As she did, her posture straightened when she reached the section with pictures of her and Imran.

A small, secret smile played on her lips as she looked at the photo where she had her head laid on his shoulder, his eyes gazing at her with a tender intensity. Another photo showed him looking at the camera, his expression serious yet affectionate. She favorited the pictures and moved on to the videos, watching them with a careful eye. Only two things were on her mind: first, they made the most beautiful couple despite her clear shyness; they looked as if they were the most in love couple.  Zooming in on his face, she admired the way the lamplight glinted off his freshly trimmed beard, highlighting the strong lines of his jaw. His low-cut hair, his skin the color rich dark chocolate, the beard framed his face perfectly.  The composed demeanor he usually wore seemed to have softened in this candid moment. Her admiration was cut short by the constant notifications on her Instagram.

Her jaw almost dropped at the sheer number of follow requests she received—thousands of them. She went to her explore page and saw multiple pictures of her and Imran trending. The blogs had posted all about them, and there were so many tags of them. She kept scrolling through multiple blogs and saw that they were the content of the day. She hadn't realized that the man she had just married was a dream guy to many girls in the north. Rolling her eyes at the "classless girls" spewing annoying comments about them envying her, Jadwa forced herself to focus on the positive.

Ahmad's story was a picture of her, then another of Imran alone, which she immediately took a screenshot of, and next, a picture of her and him together. She was tagged, and he was tagged. Jadwa didn't think twice before her fingers clicked on the tag, taking her straight to his profile. It was a private account with barely over a hundred followers and one post. He was in her requests. Muhammad Moriki. She accepted the request and followed him back, just as a knock on the door interrupted her.

Reluctantly, she posted a lone picture of herself and reposted Ahmad's tag. The door opened to reveal Hanan and Ammi coming in.

"Did he reach home safely?" Ammi asked, making Jadwa look at her confused.

"I'm sure he did. We didn't talk," she shrugged.

Ammi gave her a warning glare because she had told her to call him after he left. "You don't know how to do the right thing, ko?" She palmed her face, and Hanan snickered behind her.

"Ammi!! I am sure he is tired or asleep by now," Jadwa rolled her eyes frustratingly.

"If you like, don't put some sense into your head. All these hungry girls on social media will steal him by morning," Hanan interrupted.

Jadwa sighed. Would she actually care at this point? She didn't know when she let out a loud laugh.

They shook their heads almost unbelievably at her before they closed the door and left.

"Goodnight!" She shouted for them, still laughing.

As she said her night Adhkar, Jadwa picked her phone and texted him after so much contemplation.

"Hello, Hope you reached home safely?" She typed and looked at her screen again and again before sending it.

She closed her eyes, ready to sleep, when her phone beeped.

"Hello, Alhamdulillah, yes I have. How are you?"

He replied, and she opened it immediately.

"I am great but extremely tired" she responded. "How are you?"

"Great and tired as well. It was a long day." He replied.

"Sorry! You've got work tomorrow?" She responded, looking at the time. It was past midnight.

"It's a weekend" he sent back.

What's with his straight responses? she furrowed her brows before she realized even her much younger brother who is years younger than him texted like that, talk less of him.

Immediately, she saw he had accepted her request. Tapping on the notification, she was distracted looking at the only picture posted. It was a picture of him, Sadiq, and Anaya. A beautiful black-and-white photo from when they were all much younger and Anaya was a baby.

Before Jadwa went back to respond to the text, her phone started ringing.

She sat up straight and cleared her throat before answering. "Are you that tired?" was the first thing he asked, but Jadwa noticed his voice; it was lower than usual, as if he was just as exhausted.

"It just slipped my mind," she chuckled.

"You've been missing school, right?" He asked, a bit of humor laying beneath his serious tone.

She bit her lip, unsure how to respond. "It's not my fault they are caging me in the house," she said honestly.

"Why would they do that?" He asked, and Jadwa shrugged as if he could see her.

"Ammi, she has so many rules and cultures we must follow," she chuckled. "But exams start this week, so she will have to give up," she said, remembering her exams. She had been doing nothing apart from studying and the gyaran jiki.

"I didn't think it was a lot, just do what she wants at least for now," he chuckled. "I hope you are ready for it."

"I think so, but I'm not sure," she answered honestly.

"Why?"

"I missed some tests," she sighed.

Imran didn't respond immediately, as if he was thinking. "I understand. You are good now, though?" he asked finally.

"Of course," she said awkwardly, not fully understanding but at the same time understanding.

"Just study hard for now, so that you'll have enough to make up for it," he said.

"I will, InshaAllah."

"Do you usually stay up late?" he asked.

"A lot of times," she said, laying back down and her voice dropping low. "Do you?" she asked.

"Rarely. I always sleep early," he said, and she smiled.

"At your age, you need to," Jadwa didn't expect herself to tease.

"Right? My hair is completely grey," he said jokingly, and Jadwa laughed.

"Maybe not completely, but I spotted a few earlier," she said.

Imran chuckled before he spoke. "You enjoy this, huh?"

"Mhmm," she giggled.

"I'll let it slide for now," he said, and Jadwa continued to enjoy the conversation.

The conversation went on smoothly. Although very simple, Jadwa couldn't wipe off the small smile on her face as she was buried under her duvet. Fifteen minutes passed without her noticing until her eyes started feeling heavy, and he bid her goodnight.

***

The day of her exams came fast, and the week was over. Her routine was as usual: studying, body care, and choosing home items for her "house." The only thing different was the daily phone calls she now had with Imran. The more they spoke, the more she started getting comfortable and was now barely shy when talking to him. He didn't make it awkward; it was always just checking up on her and her studies. He didn't distract her at all.

She didn't sleep all night, nor all morning. It was now past noon. She dressed in black jeans and a long-sleeve top before looking in the mirror. The top was tight, and Ammi and all the aunts had lectured her on how to dress now. The last thing she wanted was to hear them lecture her all over again, so she put on a very lightweight black Abaya on top and wore her flats. Her exam was scheduled for thirty minutes past one. It was her first exam in the school, and she didn't know what to expect. She dropped her books tidily, picked out only her pens, and shoved them into her handbag.

She was too exhausted to drive, so she called the driver. As she settled in the car and rested her head until she reached school, time wasn't on her side, so she quickly rushed to the exam hall where the invigilators were already there and students were juggling into the hall when her phone beeped.

It was Imran.

"Good luck sweetheart" was all the text said. Jadwa smiled and reread it before texting him back.

"Thank you so much 🤍" she replied with a white heart emoji.

"What time will you be done?" he asked.

"In less than two hours" she responded and dropped her phone in her bag quickly after putting it on silent.

She picked just her pen and sat down in the closest seat she could find. The exam started, and Jadwa looked at the questions and internally smiled, knowing she was about to ace this. In an hour, she was completely done. She went through her work again before submitting it and leaving the hall. She had told the driver to go back, so she quickly called him and told him to return. As the phone was on her ear, she almost bumped into someone.

The call ended as she simultaneously looked up to see Imran standing in front of her in the quiet hallway. Her eyes almost widened in shock, and her hand went to her mouth.

"Ya dai? Did I surprise you?" he asked, looking down at her surprised face.

She chuckled before nodding, still looking at him when his hand went to her back to wrap her in a hug. "Pleasantly," she answered, her head resting on him before she looked up and giggled.

He let her out of the hug and stood beside her to walk out of the building. "How was it?" he asked.

"It was really good," she answered, and he collected the question paper, going through it.

"You'll receive an email from your dean. You'll have to do some assignments to make up for your midterms before Sunday," he said, and Jadwa's head shot up in the bright sunlight.

"Really?" She squinted her eyes excitedly, following him.

He looked at her and nodded as they reached an outdoor sitting area. The school was quiet today due to the ongoing exams.

"Thank you so much," she said gratefully, the widest smile on her face.

"You are welcome," he pinched her cheek as she smiled widely. "Make sure you do them right."

"Of course I will," she said.

"Your attendance isn't the best, Jadwa. Send them to me by Friday night before you submit it," he said, and she looked at him.

She bit her lip subconsciously trying not to feel embarrassed by his words because it was the truth "Okay," she sighed before looking at him.

she noticed he was in tan pants with a light brown linen shirt and sunglasses. Her eyes were focused on the off-white logo before she nodded.

"I like your sunglasses," she commented, a hint of surprise lacing her voice.

"You do?" He smiled, turning his full body to face her, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Even though they were sitting side by side, the gesture was endearingly attentive.

"I really do," she said, leaning in slightly to admire them, her sleep deprivation momentarily forgotten.

He took off the sunglasses with a smooth motion and before she could react, he gently placed them on her face. Jadwa shifted a bit, startled by the sudden closeness, but a spark of excitement ignited within her, chasing away the fatigue.

He fixed them properly, his fingers brushing against her cheek as he adjusted the frames. She peered around, a playful smile tugging at her lips, her hands instinctively flying to the sides of her face. "Is it too big on me?" she asked, her voice laced with a touch of excitement and a hint of self-consciousness.

"It looks..." he stopped for a moment, searching for the right word, "cute," he finally said, and she shot him a playful look that hinted at doubt.

"Let me see," she said, reaching for her phone instinctively. He chuckled softly and surprised her by handing her his phone instead. The image on the screen stopped her breath. It was her, bathed in the warm sunlight, the sunglasses perched perfectly on her nose. A wave of satisfaction washed over her; they did look pretty good.

"Keep it on," he stopped her before she could take them off, his voice a low murmur as he reached for his phone. He snapped a few pictures in quick succession, and Jadwa felt a blush creep up her cheeks. But shyness quickly gave way to amusement, and she found herself playfully posing for each click. When he was done, she took the sunglasses off and placed them on her head, pushing her veil back to reveal her face.

"I really like this," she said softly, leaning forward to get a better look at the pictures on his phone.

"Me too," he agreed, his voice warm. "Everything looks perfect on you," he said, then added with a playful grin.

Jadwa couldn't help but let out a laugh, rolling her eyes playfully. "Don't let them hear you say that," she joked.

Imran threw his head back and laughed, a rich, genuine sound. "You saw the comments too?"

"Of course I did," she laughed, . "I had no idea you were considered 'wanted' " the words slipped out before she could stop them, laced with a hint of amusement.

"When Lily was reading the comments last night, it was almost unbearable to hear," he said, his laughter dying down but a smile still lingering on his face.

Jadwa folded her arms playfully, feigning mock anger. "Of course you found it entertaining."

"Maybe a little," he admitted with a sheepish grin, taking a step closer and smoothly taking her hands in his. The movement was so natural, so practiced, that it took her breath away. "They said I married a girl too beautiful, someone they can't even stand a chance to compete with," he said, his voice dropping to a low murmur. Jadwa's heart skipped a beat. She recognized the exact comment from a particular blog post. "Isn't that entertaining? Other girls are jealous of my wife?" A teasing glint shone in his eyes.

And right there, Jadwa melted. Not just figuratively, but literally. Her gaze drifted down, unable to hold his. A shy smile played on her lips as his other hand gently came to rest on her shoulder, pulling her closer.

"They should be," she murmured shyly, her voice barely a whisper lost in the warmth of his embrace. He chuckled, a deep rumble in his chest that sent shivers down her spine.

A comfortable silence settled between them, a quiet intimacy that spoke volumes. Jadwa leaned her head against his arm, her eyes fluttering closed. The exhaustion from the previous night finally caught up with her, and she didn't even realize her head had dipped slightly, unable to quite reach his shoulder.

Imran watched her, his gaze lingering on her long lashes, the soft rise and fall of her chest, and the way the sunlight seemed to cast a golden glow on her skin. He could have stayed there forever, lost in the moment, but the gentle buzz of her phone startled them both back to reality. She slowly sat up, a sleepy smile on her face as she reached for the phone and answered it politely. He watched her intently as she spoke, mesmerized by the way her voice softened even further.

"My driver is here,"
She sighed, a soft sound that tugged at his heartstrings.

"Okay, let's go," he said, his voice laced with a hint of disappointment.

They rose together, the comfortable silence replaced by a charged tension. As they walked to the parking lot, Jadwa hesitated, about to ask about Anaya. But then she remembered their conversation the night before, and the knowledge that Anaya's exams didn't start until tomorrow calmed the worry in her chest.

Reaching the car, they stopped, a silent understanding hanging between them. Jadwa turned to face him, her hand reaching out to touch his arm. "Thank you so much," she said, her voice sincere.

"You're welcome. You should get some sleep immediately when you get home," he said, his gaze lingering on her face for a beat too long.

"I will. Say hi to Lily when you get home," she said.

"I'm not even going home, but I'll let her know when we talk," he said, his voice taking on a serious tone.

"Why? You've got work?" she asked, a frown creasing her brow.

He took a deep breath. "Yes, work," he started, then paused, his eyes searching hers. "I'm going to the airport from here. I'm going to Maiduguri."

Jadwa's expression dropped "You shouldn't be traveling all the time. You need to rest work can wait," she said, her voice firm yet laced with concern.

He surprised her by stepping closer, closing the distance between them in one swift movement. Before she could react, his hands gently went her veil, now sitting on her shoulders revealing her neat box twists and putting it back on her head. He looked into her eyes, his gaze intense before moving back.

"Work can wait," he said, his voice a husky whisper, "but how am I going to feed and take care of you and the rest of the family?"

The warmth of his touch, A blush bloomed on her cheeks, and her heart hammered against her ribs. She took a shaky breath. "Okay, Allah ya bada sa'a," she murmured, the words barely audible.

He smiled, a genuine smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes. He opened the car door for her, a gesture both chivalrous and tender.

"Ameen," he replied as she got in.

Jadwa's fingers brushed against the sunglasses on her head. She hesitated, then took them off and turned to him. "Don't forget this," she said, extending them towards him with a shy smile.

He looked at the sunglasses for a moment, a flicker of amusement crossing his face. "It is yours now. Keep it," he waved it off dismissively.

Jadwa watched him until he was out of sight, feeling a warmth she hadn't noticed before. She smiled to herself, looking at the sunglasses in her hand. Jadwa leaned back, feeling a mixture of excitement and contentment. She gazed out the window, replaying their conversation in her mind, a small smile tugging at her lips.

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