Salam alaikum.

"What the hell got into your head? Is this how Inna raised you?" Sadiqu slapped Jameel's cheek out of anger. It had been two days since he found him on the street and it turned out that Jameel was only in a drunken state not in madness.

Sadiqu had cried and decided to stay back in the city before he goes home. He has to go home with Jameel.

"Don't you dare slap me again." Jameel shouted through gritted teeth. Sadiqu looked at him for a moment before he thought of a way to handle this better.

"Let's do things like the gents we're. What happened bros?" Sadiqu sat beside Jameel eager to hear what all happened.

Jameel's eye turned to Sadiqu with disgust, hatred and disdain. "You're the last person I want to see. You're the reason behind my suffering. Inna loves you better and so, she didn't take you to almajiranci! Give me way to pass." Jameel hissed and stood to leave.

Sadiqu held his hand. "Jameel you're not like this." He sniffed unaware of what to do or say to his brother.

"I do know about that!" Jameel bawled. Sadiqu got angry at the way Jameel was proving to be stubborn. He got on his feet and grabbed Jameel by his collar. His eyes were already red in fury emanating what he's feeling from the deepest core of his heart.

"You must listen to me!" Sadiqu roared.

"I refuse, just leave me alone merciless brother. I don't know between you and Inna who's more cruel!" The last sentence broke the camel's back. Sadiqu began to send fists to Jameel's face and body. They boxed for what seemed like ten minutes, exchanging hard and painful blows before they finally released each other.

Jameel made his way out. "Father, will never be proud of you." Sadiqu said in between hard breaths. That made Jameel stood still.

Sadiqu continued. "He had always admire you and his only wish was to see you all grown up to represent the family but..." Sadiqu stopped to offer a supplication that's being recited when there's thunder.

"You can't go out anyway, it's about to rain." Jameel sat by the door of the room. They lodged a room in a house called gidan maza where homeless single guys normally hire and stay.

"It's just that you're so blessed and luckier than me in life," Jameel shrugged and extended his hand out to feel the rain that started dripping a moment ago.

"You know what? When you're so engrossed in counting people's blessings, you will never see yours. Allah in his infinite mercy created us the same but wrote different destinies for us." Sadiqu stopped for a moment when one of their housemate came in drenched in water.

"Ah! How many fishes did you caught for us?" Sadiqu asked him in a teasing manner. The guys laughed before they all minded their various businesses.

"Look at yourself Jameel, do you have any disability? Have you ever realised that Allah gifted you everything free of charge?"

"Do you think Allah created us just to enjoy life all the time? Well, for some life is all rosy. Others have to go through some challenges before they make it and that's not because Allah doesn't love them. In fact, He tests whom he loves." Sadiqu had tears by the corner of his eyes. This were all his father's speeches to him when he complained about his disability.

"I'm now a drug addict. I'm already a mess so allow me to continue my life the way I desire it." Sadiqu sharply looked at him. His heart shattered at the sight of Jameel's dark chapped lips.

"You mean all I have been saying is falling on deaf ears? Do as you wish then! You're not a small kid!" Sadiqu's patience loose away.

"I'm not regretting this at all. It's all your fault and you all have to live with the pain." Jameel retreated and stood up fuming. Sadiqu briefly closed his eyes thinking of a new way to solve the giant obstacle that befell on his family. He had to act like the role model he was.

That's a great responsibility!

****

"Can't believe you're actually a graduate today!" Maleekah held Mimi's gown as they stared into the mirror. In the span of three years, a lot have changed but nothing changed between the duo bestfriends.

"If not you chose law we would have graduated together." Mimi zipped up her skirt and collected the gown. She looked at herself and smiled gleefully. She can't really believed it was her, a graduate! How time flies. Her father did lost the election but being a rich farmer, nothing changed with regard to their lifestyle or how their house looked like.

"Yan mata sun girma, saura aure. I'm still waiting to see my in-laws you know." They turned to see Maama by the door. Mimi scrunched her face such that she looked like an angry baby and said

"Maama please stop this," she looked over at Maleekah who was laughing at her.

"Well done Maleekah, I'm referring to both of you." It was now Mimi's turn to laugh. When the laughter subsided, Maama left to her own room.

Each of them thought of that one person they had been dreading to meet. It may be years but he was still lingered to their minds.

Sadiqu.

Mimi slapped Maleekah's arm. "Look at how you're grinning like a crazy girl. Is Ya Armaan proposing today?" Maleekah's heart skipped a beat. Ya Armaan?  She had totally forgot about him at the moment. All she was envisioning was her and Sadiqu.

She gulped bitterly and fluttered her lashes. "He is and I can't just wait to get married to him and leave you single." She stuck her tongue at Mimi playfully as they walked out of the room. It would be a lie to say she love Armaan. She just liked him because he was gentle and sensible. Nothing more.

"Who says I am single?" She pursed her lips and opened the fridge at the corridor to take a drink. She handed Maleekah a bottle of Fanta and took coke. Maleekah's heart skipped a beat. What is Mimi and Sadiqu had been communicating all these while? If it turned out that way, she will gradually loose her mind for sure.

"Nobody need to say it because it's the plain truth." Maleekah sat on the sofa while they wait for Hajiya Maryam to get ready since they were going altogether.

"Remember that young love I told you about? I'm still nurturing it but in few days to come it will be ripened." Mimi closed her eyes dreamily.

"I wish I will know the name of the lucky guy." Maleekah opened the bottle of her drink and sipped it. Truth was, she didn't really wanted to know.

"Okay since it's you, I will be telling you the letters of the name after one month. Each month one letter by then I know he's back to harvest his love." Hajiya Maryam's heel got them alerted and they hurried out.

"Now tell me." Leek said eagerly.

"The first letter is S." Leek choked on her drink and began to cough seriously. When Mimi was out of sight to bring water for her, tears rolled down her cheeks. She's been always afraid to ask that question for the fear of what the answer will be like. Now how will she be able to cope?

"Here," she took the glass with trembling and cold hand. Hajiya Maryam came out and they drove away to Mimi's university.

****

Sadiqu was tired to bit. He had tried all his ways to make Jameel understand but things were only getting worse between them. Jameel blamed Sadiqu and his mother for all he went through. He refused to admit that it was all part of his destiny.

"I'm going home today. If you're not following me, then fine and good."

"It's not like you really care!" Jameel brought out a wrapped sheet from his pocket.

Sadiqu snatched it away. "You're not taking any of this in my presence! I know how to deal with you." The room fell silent. Minutes later, someone knocked at the door. Sadiqu looked at Jameel whom was sleeping or pretending to be sleeping. He tiptoed out and permit the guys dressed in uniform in.

"And you call this love?" Jameel shouted at Sadiqu while a handcuff was put around his wrist.

"They're not police. They're taking you to rehabilitation centre. When I get home I will know how to explain things to Inna, from there we will know what to do next." He finished with a sigh and hoped that, the rehab will help.

***

"You and party are inseparable." Leek shook her head and opened the booth of Mimi's 'end of discussion' model car and dropped the bags on her hand.

"Is first class a joke?" Mimi was throwing a graduation party the next day.

"It isn't." Leek surrendered.

"Suit yourself then." They laughed and entered the car.

Mimi has just inserted the key and was about to put the car to ignition when she noticed that someone was leaning at the back of the car.

Mimi tried to see who was it via the rear mirror but couldn't see the person because he wasn't facing his front.

She hissed. "I don't know why some people are just annoying."

"Maybe he didn't see when we entered the car. Go out and tell him to move." Leek suggested.

"No, allow the idiot! I will just put the car to ignition and drive. If he falls shi ya sani." Maleekah held Mimi's hand.

"I will never allow you do that. Let me get out and talk to him." She hopped out. Mimi changed her mind and hopped out too.

"Excu—" Mimi beat her to it.

"Can you please carry away your dirty body off my car? Urgh penury is such a bad disease." She slapped her forehead in annoyance and mockery. She was still the same after all.

"Ya Allah. Mimi that was too harsh." All the while, the man pretended not to see or hear them.

"Assalamu alaikum gentleman can you please move away from our car? We're in a haste to move." Maleekah calmly entreated in her best voice.

"Oh I'm sorry about that." He turned and his eyes fell on them both.

"No wonder, Miss Mimi Bashir! What a small world." They all rose their head sharply and looked at him.

Leek's heart skipped a beat.

Sadiqu?

But to Mimi, she found it hard to recognise him. The guy before her was extremely handsome and matured. Who could he be? Whoever he was, he must be special because the moment her eyes fell on him she felt as if she knew him and as if she's fulfill an unknown wish of her heart.

"Don't say you didn't recognise your pauper." He added. What? Your pauper?  Leek's palm began to wet and her legs felt so weak to carry her.

Did he even noticed her?

"Ya Rabbi! You grew up... I mean you look so matured."

"You too," He replied with a smile.

"I'm sorry for leaning on your car. You can go." He shifted away.

"You should also learn how to talk to people from your friend. Soft speeches soften the heart." He pointed and briefly looked at Leek.

"When prophet Musa and his brother Haroun were sent to Pharaoh, Allah told them to be soft in their speech because it might help in convincing Fir'aun." Leek stared at him since he begun talking. He's really changed a lot. If not because she has seen his leg, she would have said it wasn't him.

"Jazakallah khair." Leek managed to mutter but he was busy ogling at Mimi.

"Your digit?" Mimi actually thought she said that in her mind.

"Sure." He dictated it to her. She flashed him and he saved hers too.

"Let's go Mimi." Leek's heart was shattering into pieces and she feared that she would collapse if she stand for another minute.

He didn't recognise me!

He didn't recognise me!

She kept repeating in her mind even after they left the place.

—————

So Jameel😑

I'm heartbroken💔💔💔
Sadiqu what's this?

Ehen let me see🤔

Team Sadiqu/Maleekah where are you guys?

Team Sadiqu/ Mimi let's see ourselves.😂😂

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