Team chapter is too short, cut me some slacks abeg. My fingers hurt and I barely managed to type this, make do with it. I will see you all Friday for your next update in shaa Allah. 

Also, we have reached 30k views! Thank you all!!

SA'ADATU'S POV.

KANO, NIGERIA.

"Ashadu anlailaha illallah wa ashadu anna muhammadun rasulullah!!"

The sound of Faiza's screams filled the air as she sprinted away from me the moment she saw me appear. Dropping my bag by the door—unbothered by where it fell or how it fell along with its belongings, I took off my crocs, took one of it, and chased her around the room.

I am so killing this girl.

"STOP! WAIT, WAIT, WAIT A MINUTE!" She screamed on top of her lungs, evading me as she ran all across the room, and I chased her with every bit of energy I could muster. "WHAT DID I DO NOW?"

"You will know when I send you to heaven," Realizing I will not be able to catch her with this cat and mouse game of ours, I stopped, heaving and she did as well—on the other side of the room. My eyes narrowed, and I rose the shoe in my hand up, before aiming it in her direction and throwing it.

Faiza ducked away just in time with a squeal, before she peeped up from behind the single couch she had managed to hide behind. "Haba now, you cannot kill me. I am your other half."

"Which is why I am giving you the shahada first because ba wasa I am so killing you today. Now, repeat after me,"

"You are mad," Faiza stated as a matter of fact, as if she could not believe I am actually doing this at this moment—that we are doing this.

"We are both mad. But your madness pass mad." I hissed, "Do you have any idea what you did today? Kinsan how much your embarrassed me?" I narrowed my eyes at her, shivering slightly as I remembered the horror I went through.

Her lips slowly slated upwards into a laugh, then she uttered in a very much amusement laced tone, "I heard you even fake fainted." She giggled from where she stood.

Blood drained from my face, feeling as though an ice bucket had been dumped on me. "Where did you hear that?" I had not contacted her since—heck I did not spare my phone a glance lest the embarrassment comes crashing on me again in waves. So, she has no idea what happened, and the moment I stepped into the room, I charged at her without so much as an explanation.

Plus, she does not know anyone in my class. The only way she will know is...

My eyes dilated, "It can't be..."

She stifled a giggle, then stared at me with one of the stupidest grins one could ever muster, "He called me,"

"Nashiga uku," I collapsed on the floor, burying my face between my palms. That is it. I really should just drop out—for real this time. Wai ma me zanyi da masters? Wallahi du fake life ne.

Faiza's laughter reached my ears, and I found myself picking up the nearest throw pillow beside me and throwing it at her. This time around, it caught her by surprise so she could not avoid it—and that eased off some of my anger.

The girl's smile still remained prominent though. Dropping the throw pillow aside, she made her way over to me, then came to settle down beside me. I threw her a glare, and she offered me a toothy grin, "Masoyiyata..." She wrapped an arm around me, or at least attempted to.

I smacked her hand away, "Leave me alone. Ai ba ni ba ke." I hissed, looking away.

"Haba now," Faiza still wrapped that arm around me, then added. "If you cut our ties, how will be become in-laws then? Because I know my brother is not giving up."

This time around, I did not hold back—I slapped her hand away, earning an 'ouch' from her before I slanted my eyes at her, my expression serious. "Wallahi Faiza idan baki fita a idona ba..."

"Alright, alright, I am sorry, okay?" She raised her hands up, her expression matching her words. "Yi haquri, you know I did not mean to embarrass you." When I looked away, still very much pissed, she added with a slight nudge of my shoulder with hers. "Come on, babes—ni ce fa. You know I will not do you bad like this. Besides, how was I supposed to know your phone will connect to the speaker? It was meant to be for your ears alone wallahi."

I knew that—underneath my anger—which will subside soon enough, I knew she is not to be blamed. If anything, I should blame my mischievous character that led me to this. If I was not mischievous, then I would not have landed myself in this situation.

I am well aware that she has no bad intentions to begin with, but it does not change the fact that this girl caused me to suffer that much.

Turning my head around to face her, I pinned my glare on her, "What was up with the voice note? We never spoke of your brother before? What is with the sudden discussion?" The last time I remember us speaking of him is on that fateful day—since then, I guess she understood the last group of humans I want to get myself involved with is that gender.

Why did she suddenly bring him up? And why did it have to be today of all days?

Faiza sighed, "It was just a joke..." Noting my glare did not sway, she then added. "...kind of."

I huffed out a breath, then looked away, leaning my back against the wall before I uttered in a low voice. "Forget, it does not matter. What is done is done—na riga da na gama embarrassing generation ina. I should just drop out at this point, hankali kwance."

The sound of Faiza's slight snort under her breath reached my ears as she leaned against the wall beside me as well, "If I get paid any time you mention dropping out, then I would be richer than Elon Musk at this point," She stated, sounding so certain. I notice her turn around to face me from the corner of my eyes, "Face it, we both know you will never drop out—you cannot." She then leaned down to whisper, "Not when you now have such a fine Professor..."

"Faiza..." I warned, shifting my soon to be permanent glare on her, my expression serious. "...stop it. It is not funny anymore." At this point, it truly is not. I am simply fed up—I do not find it to be amusing in the slightest again.

She chuckled once again, "Alright, I am sorry," When her chuckle died down, she then added. "If it makes you feel better though, he did not call to rat you out, but to rebuke me for making you go through that. I got an earful wallahi—and he was not joking. I was even scared for a second."

I glanced at her, my expression speaking my disbelief. As if.

Faiza's expression was ever so serious though, "Allah I am serious—you should hear the way he was lecturing me about how I am no longer a child, and that I should know what to say, and what not to say lest I hurt someone in the process--"

"He is not wrong about that," I silently agreed, earning a glare from her this time around.

She did not refute it though, knowing it is true after all. So, with a sigh, she then continued. "Really though, I am sorry for making you go through that." This time around, all I could see on her expression is genuineness, and that melted away my anger.

"It is fine," I waved it off with a sigh, "It is not the first time I made a fool of myself in front of him anyway," I added in a low tone, "And it may not be the last." At this point, I think making a fool of myself in front of him is a norm—I should simply stop allowing it to get to me.

I do not know if she heard him, but if she did, she did not say a thing about it. Instead, she changed the conversation, "Enough about that. We are seeing each other for the first time in two years, is this what our reunion is supposed to be like?"

I looked around the slightly messy room—ranging from the crocs on either side of the room, the throw pillow on the floor, and to my bag by the opened door. Not to mention, my now all rumpled up jilbaab and the pajamas very much in display.

A chuckle escaped my lips realizing how it must look. I faced her, then asked. "I look like a mess don't I?"

Faiza held back her laugh as she reached out and tucked back a single strand of my braid that managed to slip out of the hijab in front. "Yes..." Her gaze drifted to the pajamas, and the laugh broke out. "...but a cute mess in Barbie pajamas. Please tell me this is not how you went to school." Her eyes pleaded with me to confirm her statement, but I could not.

Instead, I found myself laughing at the weirdness of the situation. "Ina ruwana. Nobody buys me clothes in the school—besides, once again, who sets classes during the last ten days of Ramadan please?"

"The latest, and youngest professor in town apparently," She chuckled, "Bear with him—he is still not over the hype of becoming one."

"I do not blame him sha," I sighed, then gave her an amused look as I added, "We make a huge deal out of becoming degree holders, imagine becoming a Professor. That is top tier," Faiza hummed in agreement, but I noticed the teasing glint in her eyes so I held my hand up to stop her before she could utter what is on her mind, "And I do not want to hear a thing about you romanticizing me defending him. I am merely stating facts."

Once again, she hummed in a way that shows she does not believe me. But, she did not press on it. "Well, I am merely stating facts when I say..." She turned around to face me fully, before throwing her arms around me, "...I missed you so much, idiot."

I chuckled, wrapping my arms around her as well, "I missed you too," I muttered back, my heart swelling with happiness being reunited with her. I truly had not realized how much I missed having her around until now that she is back.

"We have so much to catch up on," Faiza stated, pulling back after a moment of our hug. I nodded in agreement, "But before then," She looked around the room, as if she is looking for something before she met my gaze again seeming confused, "Let me see your Eid outfits. Anty said you were stopping by the tailor to get them."

"Oh, that?" I had forgotten all about that—reason being, someone who shall not be named, but once again, manages to look ridiculously look in glasses successfully managed to single handedly mess up my senses with a single statement.

My mind drifted to the moment earlier at the hospital, and his words played in my mind vividly as if it was captured by a high tech camera and recorder.

'I should be the one doing the chasing this time around.'

It has been so long since a single statement managed to mess up with the configuration of my mind truly, and I do not know how I was able to compose myself and get through it.

I remember my mind going blank the moment he said that, but it did not truly dawn on me then. So, I managed to get a hold of myself, hold his gaze with my unbothered ones, then responded with a single statement.

'Have a good day, Professor,"

With that statement said, I turned around and walked out of the room—never looking back, leaving his statement hanging in the air unaddressed. It did not fully dawn on me until I found myself in the confines of my car—a mystery for I had no idea who brought it here, but they did place the keys in my bag and I found it in the parking lot. Only when in the confines of the car did it dawn on me, and it had been clouding my mind throughout my drive.

The thought of my stupid tailor? Long forgotten. Only when my gaze fell on Faiza did I forget of his words, and my earlier rage returned.

"Walida," She nudged my arm slightly, making me blink as I snapped out of my trance. "You okay? You zoned out."

"Yeah, I am fine," I waved it off, "And for the tailor, I will just go tomorrow. It is too late today and I need to come back and help Anty prepare for Iftaar."

She nodded in understanding, "Speaking of Iftaar, Ya Mama said to extend her invite. You should come tomorrow; she is hosting an Iftaar as well."

I admit, the sound of meeting up with both Ya Mama and Faiza in the same place sounds tempting, but I can count 1001—technically, one—reason why I do not want to go.

"That sounds good but..."

"If you do not go because you are avoiding him then you would only make him think you do like him," Faiza stated, already knowing what is going through my mind. There was nothing teasing about her expression though, only seriousness. "Jokes aside, I know moving on will not be easy for you, but I hope you will not allow your past, or my brother, to stop you from having a good time. This is your moment, it is your story, enjoy it, okay?"

She is right, on more levels than one I admit. But, it was not the mini speech that got to me. No, it was her next statement.

"Besides, if you do go, you will see Amani since she refuses to leave her cousins and follow me."

There. I am sold. I am going.

But, only for Amani. A certain man with glasses will fully be ignored on all levels. Sounds like a plan really.

~*~

Keh yanxu Faiza it is clear you and your brother have the same character, wato birds of the same feather inji bature mai jan fata. You will not allow us to rest, sai anyi ta tsokanan mu.

Yo ni qawar Saadatu ina zamu sa kanmu? Gaskiya sai mun rama. Prof we are coming for you!!

Oh wait, ashe we are ignoring him. Okay...Okay, we wee see. Saadatu you better stand your ground o, make i no see person bend once we hear any 'Saadah'. Ko Saa zai ce mana we will not cave in, yawwa!

Toh Jamaa, empty your stomachs, we have been invited for Iftaar o. Yawwa, daman i never chop since last night.

Also, i realized a while ago that i have never written any ramadan or eid scenes in my books before--e shock me so i am trying to add it here. Let us see how it will end up.

Oya oya i will start charging you people for ANs because apparently you fiful like my ANs. So, zan cire subsidy. Start paying me for ANs o, gari yayi zafi. I dey walk around all day at the hospital, then come back and write for you people at night, irris not easy--my leggedez benz don tire. 

I don tire for real, have a good night single people. Be wicked to men, but wait until after you get August 1st gift, yawwa, thank you. Sisterhood is proud of you.

Stay safe.

Love, Jannah Mia.