The awara above🖕

"I love this awara," Maleekah hummed and Mimi joined her.

"I love it too. I wonder who gave them the idea to add it to their menu. I'm giving this awara a five star." Mimi dropped the skewing stick and gulped the ginger drink beside.

"If there's six star rating, I will rate it six. It's scrummy and delicious. Next time I will order the one with kitchen sauce." Maleekah forked the tofu and dipped it in ketchup.

"I'm done already. Be fast please." Mimi murmured impatiently. Minutes later, they were out of the restaurant.

"I started reading that letter, I mean note." Mimi huffed.

"Oh," Leek shortly replied.

"It's full of sarcasm and craps." Mimi hollered.

"I told you." Leek shrugged before she opened her car and hopped in. Mimi opened the other side and sat and she started to drive.

"Mimi do you believe in love at first sight? I mean do you believe one can fall in love in few seconds?" Maleekah asked as she steered away to Mimi's area.

"Well, I have never been in love I don't know if it happens but it may be possible," Mimi stared at Leek's expression but she couldn't read anything.

"Okay. See you tomorrow." She parked at Mimi's parents' guest house.

"My regards to Ammi and your brother, not the soldier the other one." Mimi winked and hopped out.

"Tell me your crush. I will be going somewhere tomorrow, I will come and pick you please." They busted.

"Okay till then." She waved. The gateman opened the gate and she entered.

★

"Inna I'm telling you. They're real racists," he closed his eyes briefly.

"That's why I'm telling to be exercising patience wherever you're. It's a matter of numbered days. Patience always pays off I repeat this to you." Inna adjusted her headgear and turned to look at Sadiqu who was cooking lunch for them.

He thrust the firewood underneath the coalstove. "Inna you know I'm a patient person. I met the girl who snatched our treasure and I helped her. Isn't that an example of patience?" He fanned the woods until the flame was ablaze.

"Good of you. Forget about what she did to you. The All Seeing is seeing and will not leave us like that. Just look at how I'm making profit out of this business." Bareerah passed the plate of rice to him and he washed and poured it to the boiling water. He had cooked the soup earlier.

"That's true. Because of you, I have forgiven her." Sadiqu sighed.

"That's nice of you."

"I'm famished Inna." He rubbed his belly.

"No wonder you became big. You eat a lot of food there koh?" She jested.

"It's because I don't go anywhere." He laughed at her joke.

"Since the business is going well, Fatima and Maimuna should be back home I think. For the boys, enroll them in government boarding school." Sadiqu suggested.

"That's a nice idea I will look into it. Check the food." Sadiqu smiled. If not because of rules of life, his siblings would have been at home studying. His father would have been alive to cater for them. Perhaps he would have been in his final year in the university by now. But this was a life, which one had no control over it. A life with some many mysteries.

***

The uncompleted building became a home for Jameel. The first time he was introduced fully to be a member, he avowed to never come back but after the first, second, and third trial he became used to everything. After every successful operation, he's given a five hundred naira.

"Once it's 3 am, you go and rob that shops by the corner. I heard that the men leaves their belongings in the shops. You, Jameel as usual, you stay by the door and guard." Qarfe instructed to the younger boys. He's a gang leader, guys around his age rob houses while the younger ones go to the shops.

"Take this," he threw some drugs at the older guys and left. He normally comes to the uncompleted building every Thursday but on any other day, he isn't around. He's always moving because he's a serial armed robber and a kidnapper.

Once it was 3 am, the boys got set and left for the shops. Jameel watched as they all took some drugs which he had never taken before. Shortly after their arrival at the shops, they heard siren.

They became terrified, and afraid especially Jameel but they were too late. Some were able to escape. The police were so fast to catch Jameel and three other guys, two of whom were almajiris.

"I swear I'm not among. I'm only standing by the door," Jameel cried.

"Shut up there!" The police ordered as he pushed Jameel into the car and they drove them away to the police station.

Right there, Jameel detested life. He realised that *penury* is a disease. He hated it with all passion. He hated being an almajiri.

He re-realised that an almajiri was nothing when the other boys were bailed and he was left all alone among many other crook criminals.

He cursed the day he was brought to almajiranci life. A life with no freedom, deprived rights, maltreatment, lack of wisdom and education.

★

"Fatimah, what again?" Dr Muhseen asked.

"Ya Muhseen I'm fine." She whined with a smile gracing her face.

"I hate to see you keeping quiet you know." He raised an eyebrow.

"You want me to be always talking like a parrot? No! Never!" She twisted her lips which he found adorable.

"Do that again," he walked closer.

"What?" She rubbed her face and looked sideways.

"Twist your lips?" He said in a questioning voice. After the journey to Fatimah's hometown, she became so free with him. She talks freely and nonstop whenever he's there, he's her new saviour.

"So that you will cut me with a knife huh? Take your food and leave me to work please." She handed him the plate and continued cleaning the cooker with a disposable handkerchief.

"It's okay since you're shunning me away Fatimah. I will leave." He feigned an anger.

"I am joking fa." She stopped to look at him.

"No you're serious. My girlfriend is waiting for me daman." He informed her with a smirk. He looked at her but her expression was plain. He couldn't read anything from it. He kept bringing up topics but Fatimah didn't utter a word. When she was done, she silently slipped away out of the kitchen.

Dr Muhseen smiled in triumph.

★

Sadiqu casually dressed to go out. He sprayed his perfume and wore a light brown Caftan. He looked at himself in the mirror before he looked at his legs. If not because he had no interest, he would have studied something that has to do with health.

It pained him to see that he's physically unright because of lack of proper medical routine. He had not been immunized but his mother believed it was a genie problem. Because he's attended school, he knew it was polio.

He shook his head because the deed had already been done.

"When you get out, make sure you visit your uncle." Inna told him. He reluctantly answered her.

"Ah Hajiya," Sadiqu stopped at the door where the lady from the city came. He had become more close with her by the days.

"Malam Sadiqu stop calling me Hajiya." She eyed him and they laughed.

"Okay what's your name?" He asked keenly. He used to hate seeing her because she reminded him of Mimi. After meeting her for some times, she began to impress him due to her humbleness. Although she wasn't his type obviously, he couldn't help but admire her.

"My name is A'ishah." She replied as they walked into the house. Inna saw them and smiled. She loved the girl so much because she's humble.

"That's a nice name." He complimented.

"My name is Isma'il but I'm known with Sadiqu." Her mouth flung open and her body began to shake.

"Okay, it's like you're going out," she managed to say.

"Yeah I'm going to meet my friends." He turned to leave.

"My name is A'ishah but known as Maleekah." She whispered cautious of his expression.

"Nice, let me go. See you when next you come." He left, while Maleekah stared at the path he followed.

There was no doubt about that! She's in love with Isma'il Sadiqu.

*ehem ehem*

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