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"E-Eh!? Do we really? Cuz' I got me some French class that I need to attend to, ya know? We are talking about that ola la la shi—" Janan tried to wave off Fatima but was cut off by her.

"Girl just tell me! You know you can't live without me! You can't resist me! So just talk to me, please. Before I throw your behind straight to the boys' toilet, I heard their toilet is filled with living insects and bacteria that will be your new best friend if ya don't start talking! No offense to the boys."

Janan knew better than to cross Fatima when it came to what she wanted. She was a dare-devil who wouldn't even swear, unlike Janan's potter mouth.

"O-Okay! Sheesh, fine! But at least let us go somewhere... Like our place?" She fiddled with her fingers.

"Finally! Oh, and I'm calling Malik over to come too." Fatima looked smug over her victory while Janan cursed her bad luck.

~

"Speak, young lady." Fatima literally ordered. Fatima sat on the carpeted grass in a crisscrossed position facing Janan, while Malik leaned against the tree. As usual, his shirt was not tucked in. 

"Okay...but don't freak out! Okay maybe you might but promise not to look a little too shocked, especially you Fatima..." Fatima looked perplexed at the moment but nodded her head while Malik knitted his eyebrows in confusion.

"Alright, I really hope you find this funny because I really want to laugh too, haha, b-but I can't cause... Ammar is...sorta...kinda...maybe... myfiancènow..." She muttered the last part as fast as she could, one eye closed and the other peering at her friends. Janan bit her lower lip as her fingers fiddled with one another. Much to her chagrin, Fatima and Malik had heard every word she had uttered.

Shock colored Fatima's face a deep shade, followed by resignment. Tears didn't seem to make their appearance on her face — just blank. Malik was shocked too, but he snapped out of it as they both attempted to revive Fatima out of her shocked state.

Malik started with, "Your parents are gonna make you marry!? At this age and time!? You haven't even finished secondary yet! What kind of—!?"

Then came a sigh from Fatima, "Ah, so you two are getting married, huh? I didn't expect it to be this soon..."

Now it was time for Janan to reel back in shock.

"What do you mean!?" Malik threw his long arms above his head.

"You knew?!" Janan exclaimed, raising to her knees to shake Fatima's shoulders.

"That was the reason he broke up with me. Just to marry you..." Fatima's eyes clouded with sadness. Janan watched as Fatima pinched the bridge of her nose.

Janan sat back down on the grass, clenching the dirt.

"Wallah Fatima, it's forced! Don't hate me, please... It's the reason I have been avoiding you all day, banso na fadi miki ba (I didn't want to tell you)... Eventually, I had to tell you, but at least let me tell you the good news." Fatima and Malik looked at each other.

"The fact that I hate the guy's guts, he ain't my type. I see nothing of my 'types' that I see in—"

"Janan, he is totally your type." Fatima deadpanned while Malik nodded in agreement, joining them on the grass. 

"Meh!? But he doesn't have the proportional height—" Janan was cut off again.

"He's above six feet, just the way you like it since your 5 foot 5 inches, directly at his chest." Malik said, amused by Janan's defeated face as she slouched. Oh no, but she didn't give up just yet.

Too distracted about yesterday's meeting, she failed to notice Ammar's qualities and undeniable charms. Well, no, that was a total lie. She did, she just didn't want to admit he was a fine specimen. She hated the guy, and that spoilt the handsome image in her head.

"Is he ripped? Yeah, he seems like a fat, food shoving, lazy slob to—" She knew she was lying, talking nonsense to self assure her weakening resolve.

"One time, when I went to visit their house with my parents, I was thirsty so I went to the kitchen only to find a beast standing there, with only a towel and sweatpants. I guess he was done with his workout, but he did not expect his girlfriend coming early..." Fatima lightly laughed with an embarrassed blush on her cheeks, pulling a face.

"Hey, I'm ripped too!" Malik exclaimed and raised his defined arms to flex them. He was a lean, pretty boy who's boyish charms got him in trouble with the ladies at their school. He's fair-skinned and has curly hair, probably due to inheriting Fulani genes. But both females agreed to never admit such a thing.

"Yeah, ripped to shreds. Nothing but flabby remains." They giggled when he pouted adorably.

Janan was about to make another retort when she was cut off by Fatima, again.

"He has soft, curly black hair. Fair, inherited his genes from his grandmother who may, I say, is foreign. Foreign! Grows a 5 o'clock shadow when his father isn't around and loves chocolate but, for some reason, not the skin type..." She paused to shoot Janan a smug smirk, "Is that enough information for you, Goldilocks?" Fatima raised an eyebrow.

"See!? He's way out of my league! He's more suited for you, Fatima..." She glanced and pouted towards her petite, pretty friend.

"Oh, and I heard he's a skilled basketball player." Malik chimed in.

"I told you that you—"

"Okay, I get it! It'll be very hard to ignore a guy like that, but you know how stubborn I can be. So stubborn that I'll even make a panda annoyed. Yeah, and that's one patient animal for you." She laid on the grass in between Malik and Fatima.

Her scowl deepened as fresh tears pricked her eyes. Her friends looked down at her curled up self, wishing they could help.

"Y-yeah," Sniff. "It's gonna be okay... I know it," Sniff. "It's—"

A hug from Fatima tackled her with Malik petting her head gently and softly. This made Janan cry even more, though her sobs remain quiet.

"It's not gonna be okay." Fatima unwrapped her arms to cups Janan's wet cheeks, wiping tear after tear. "We'll be here for you."

She cried into Fatima's chest, pouring all her sorrows. Fatima cooed her using comforting words.

"Kiyi hankuri (have patience), my baby girl. I know everything happens for a reason so accept the brick that is being thrown at you." Yep, Janan considered those words comforting.

She giggled against Fatima's bosom.

"When...is the wedding?" Malik asked, still petting her head.

"In a month." She was about to say Inshallah but kept quiet instead. Yes, that was bad of her, but deep down she wanted some kind of tragedy to strike for the wedding to be canceled.

Another shocking look passed through Fatima and Malik's face. It was utter nonsense that it was just around the corner! Why rush it on an innocent girl...

The silence was so thick, it suffocated the two.

"I know! Let's go to Amigos after school. I heard their ice cream is on sale!" Fatima squealed as Janan literally sprang back to life, her depressed moment totally forgotten.

"Food! Yes, food, I've been dying to put you into my heaven of a mouth." She almost drooled right then and there.

"You mean gutter?" Malik raised an eyebrow.

"Shut up, you mule." Janan deadpanned, suddenly losing her enthusiasm as Fatima laughed at one of their episodes.

~

They soon arrived at their meeting place with Janan's driver.

Upon almost entering the shop, Janan stopped to tell them, "I'll be back in a minute, I just wanna buy some chocolates to go with it." Then she disappeared into the supermarket.

Looking at the line of chocolates, she couldn't choose any so she decided to walk further down. She was about to turn when she collided with someone.

Nearly falling off because the other had such a sturdy chest, she was about to apologize when she saw the person. How she wished she should've stayed with Fatima and Malik.

There stood a very unhappy and disgruntled fair figure, glaring down at her. A scowl marring his god-gifted features.

"What the f—"   

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