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KANO STATE, NIGERIA.

Lateefa grumbled, turning off the computer on her desk to leave the office knowing she is really late back home that day and her mother will skin her alive for being late and switching off her cell phone yet again but she needs to finish her work for the rest of the week and focus on helping Amirah deal with Imad. She feels the need to be there for her friend and help her through it since she is willing to give her the chance to unlike couple of years ago when she blocked them.

Unwrapping her skinny jeans clasped legs against one another, she unfolded her height of the chair and took her tote bag from the table clearing all the things she won't need for the next day. She might be a cuckoo but she don't like any place being pigsty and all that. Satisfied with how it now looks, the bits and touches of feminine nude pink, coral and fuscia pink pigmented the table space meant for her.

Just as she yawed around to check whether her boss left or not, she bumped into Salim who was whistling his way down to her boss' office. It took all the courage inside of her not to bash his head on the wall close to her because whenever she sees him, she just feels this anger taking over her entire being. Whether he breaths or stills, it makes her head pound in utter annoyance and irritation.

Flared nose and high chin, she brushed past him and decide to walk towards the parking lot sooner than she'd wanted. She wanted to go check in Amirah then thought against it, the woman leave as early as she could to tackle with her other work. Poor girl, she always sympathise with her when she thought about it. She wanted to press about the matters with the reason she needs to work so many jobs at the same time but little by little. She is already working towards the end line.

She was about to call the elevator when the man she brushed past behind her called out her name and not any other name, the useless nickname he gave her and she had to stop to make sure she is not hearing things. "Hooligan!"

That awful moniker she's almost liked with her foolish head.

After making sure she's heard him right, she touched the button to call the elevator, totally ignoring his existence. He does not have the right to even breath the same air as she does but what can she do? She must work there to save herself from getting harassed by her mother to get a husband especially after her father's death. If she takes care of herself half the time, her mother won't remind her of how much a burden she is at her age. She is just twenty for goodness sake!

That woman somehow got circled with Hausa women and they are filling her head with their mentality which is unnerving. Just because your daughter has finished schooling at an early age doesn't mean she must get married. How about if she were studying law? She wouldn't have graduated for the next two years or so, then what would she have done? Still force her to marry while schooling not that she is against it? She just won't burden it up for no man!

Few months ago, she would've jumped into that idea with the aforementioned man but right now, the mere thought of settling down makes her nausea. Men are scum! She won't be surprised if Amirah says Imad broke their marriage or did something terrible to it. She's long gone forgotten how incredible love could be. One poisonous relationship could ruin all other expectations. No cap!

The elevator just wouldn't come and she is hearing footsteps echoing throughout the eerie hallway behind her which means the man is coming towards her. She looked up at the white ceiling shining with snow lights, she don't want to create scene so she is summoning as much calmness as she could. Murder shouldn't take place and she won't kill him on Friday too. He does not deserve to die on a Friday night, not any good day anyway.

"I want to talk to you." He is now standing right beside her from her right but she didn't move an inch. It is as if there is no human there breathing deliberately as if a wrong pattern will trigger a hungry lion.

"Lateefa, I am talking to you." There is this strick of impatient now and it makes her feel awfully good. It is getting under his skin and little things get underneath Salim Sani Kilishi's skin.

The elevator finally came and she was quick to enter but unfortunately, she cannot ask him to leave the space so she leaned back nonchalantly while taking in her appearance in the mirror.

Her head is sheathed with crepe merlot veil in haute, her button up knee length cherry shirt rolled around the sleeves. Her legs are clasped with denim jeans with a bit crazy style at the edges then lastly, her feet clasped in Malono Blahnik scarpins.

A bit startled when Salim burst her bubble of self admiration and also her personal space, she couldn't stop the glare from paying a visit to her eyes. Her eyes are quelling and really scary but the man merely narrowed his own eyes in annoyance. She bit her lips, the man is freaking handsome and it is messing with her head big time. And not to forget about what has happened between them months ago. Darn it.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and she knew downright he is agitated. He was whistling when he walked in. "You will listen to me or I stop this elevator from moving. Will you?"

Her eyes widened in fear and his own yawed to look of disbelief because her eyes have this huge line that says I don't trust myself with you and it broke him, literally. He might act like he doesn't care what she feels but he does, he never stopped loving her anyway. So that mistrust in her eyes was his undoing, he pushed her back to the other end of the elevator, looking squarely at her with eyes filled with hurt that she flinched and looked away.

"Why are you using my illness against me? Did I create myself like that?" Lateefa glimpsed at the sheer anger in his eyes, clenched teeth and fist, she shook her head hard in no but he kept raising his voice anyway. "I'm a nymph who almost raped you but stopped because I knew you mean the world to me and I can't ruin everything because of my stupid disorder and then what? You broke up with me because you can't take the simple truth of who I am and the flaws marring me? And now you act as if you are the victim and not me?" He shook his head in disbelief, hands rocking his hair and neck.

Lateefa whimpered at the naked truth in front of her and the vulnerability in Salim's eyes. The anger is there but there is betrayal, layers of love and also pain -which she's caused him. It wasn't intentional, she just couldn't wrap her head around that fact about him and is taking her time acting crazy to not acknowledge the reality of her own. She plays matchmaker to stray away from her own cups of problems.

What happened few months ago with Salim was a mistake that should never happen again. He didn't mean it and had stopped the minute she said no, he was back to his senses. He is no nymph, that is just every man's reaction after being with a woman for more hours than necessary. They start to get aroused and that was what happened to Salim, he is not a nymph!

When he kissed her, she didn't back away because Satan has already pulled her and surfed through her veins then. That is why it is not advisable to be with a man in a confined place without a chaperon, Satan is the next person with you and will make sure you commit the most grievous sin known to mankind. It was a miracle they stopped and also because it was uncomfortable in the car. She got back to her senses latter than she would want.

She avoided him to take care of her own thoughts and think where she should go but then saw him with another woman the next week. He was not doing anything to the woman, just photos with her on his personal social account that people won't see. She was so hurt that he moved on quicker than she could think and thought she took too much time. He tried reaching to her but she walled it all for her rationality.

She won't be too sure he didn't touch those women he takes pictures with!

So with that surge of anger in her blood, she decided to act adolescent and defensive. "Don't blame me now because you are lonely and the women don't satisfy your needs. Yes, it was my fault but you moved on, didn't you, big boy?" Her words are soaked with mockery and smile damped with aspartame.

He cursed series of words down his throat forgetting he is also at fault and is now pointing his finger at her. Of course, he had to act like a big guy so she won't think he is hanging around her each breath which he was. She might not have seen him but he was always there, even in her sleep. He had to back out a little, he has crossed the line after all and she made him feel like a monster this whole time.

He couldn't live off the guilt that he almost ruined her innocence, took her first kiss and just moved on like that. What would she picture as a Muslim girl who was thought not to get five inches close to the opposite gender? Of course she'd think the worse of him but not enough to cement him off her life like he was never there. They were willing to make it official when it went downhill for them both and now. . .

"I'm sorry, okay?" He wiped his palms down his face. "But I offered marriage, Lateefa. I told you I want to marry you but you threw that on my face because I am not a man. You did say that, didn't you?"

Lateefa wants to beat this man in front of her black and blue but she refrained like a little kitten drained of energy to even whine. He is trying to pick up arguments with her like always and he is succeeding in getting her to give up this time around. She would like to leave it like this, anticlimactic. She just wants to astute this small cave as soon as she can to breath back her sanity.

With a sigh that screams capitulation, she uttered. "Think what you want, Salim, I don't care. You offered marriage and I rejected. Why? Because you were lying and you knew that yourself. You just said that so I won't feel used but in reality, you never want to settle down anytime soon. You've said it yourself countless of times and now if you can please leave me alone, I want to find someone who is ready to settle down and not when he wants to wipe away his sins. Taking my first kiss isn't going to make you superior, I'm still a shiksa and many men will fight for me. So go and keep your fucking love to yourself and stop disturbing me. I'm warning you." Her forefinger is raised in front of his eyes.

His eyes widened and he shook his head in disbelief again. He was here to bring her back and not to cut all ties with her but seems like he is doing the exact opposite and knowing Lateefa, there is no turning back once she is done with someone. It looks like he has ruined the little bloom of relationship between them.

He opened his mouth to explain again. "That is not what I mean, Lateefa. I swear I wanted to marry you and thought you were serious about the man part. You said I am just a kid, I took it to heart. Please don't do this." He is moving closer while she backed away.

"Save it, Salim. I am not interested anymore and don't ever come in between me and my work or I walk out of this company for good. We are done, over! Nothing will ever happen between..." She pointed at the small space between them, "...us! It is over, over!"

There relationship was a secret this whole time, she wanted to tell her mother about him but decided against it. That woman would've gotten her married to this senseless guy had she told her about it. She is obsessed with royalty and Salim's father have such important title in that page so she won't hesitate but she thanked God immensely for not making that mistake. Salim was a mistake and will forever be one.

He ruined her perfect image of fairytale and if Amirah and Imad don't get back together, she will die a spinster with lots of cats and dogs. They bloomed the idea of love in her chest and also motivate her to make a move on her crush, Salim. She didn't know he was an a-hole, she does now though. The man should die alone without a woman beside him or he will make her bald with worry and deepest shades of depression. He has anger issues too, something she can never deal with.

She is temperamental, if she marries someone like Salim, it won't work. Both of them will climb at the same time and he does not know what he is saying half the time till it was too late. She has advised him into going to a therapy but he is perfectly fine in his words and just lose it sometimes. That is not sometimes, he does it all the time but won't like getting his flaws pointed at.

"Lateefa, please hear me out one last time." She flip him off, strolling to her car after leaving the elevator in quick strides. She cannot wait to be out of his vision but he darn followed like a dog.

"Seems like you don't know what over means." She gave a sigh as if tired of explaining what stealing means to a baby. "Over means, done, expired, terminated, dead, ended, irrelevant, concluded, lapsed. Pick anyone you want, it's okay." She gave a sheepish smile.

She could see it in his eyes, he is going to say something he will regret but she stopped for the blow. She needs that final push to get herself to move on again too. She won't mop around for that and succor her toasted heart with those hurtful words. You keep wanting something that is not good for you and you won't notice that till they hurt you beyond words could heal and acerbic taste to your tongue. That hurts more but it is better.

"You know what? Go and fuck yourself! You always want to act like a Queen and want everyone around her to obey her wish, I am not that man. You want a man? Then go get married to those sugar daddies lurking around to see you walk. I'd rather die single than be with a woman like you who dictates everyone's life with toxicity. Good luck finding a man." He spatted and turned around to leave.

Her heart clenched angrily, she took a stone from the floor and hurled it at him then get into her car and left. She's seen the stone hit his back and he turned around to find her but she has maneuvered the car out of the lot and speed right out of the building. She is sure she won't be able to keep much if she stays there again.

He is right, she dictates people's life around her but she thought they enjoyed it? He liked it when she is being outspoken and says her mind but he is insulting her now with it? Better then, she should die a spinster and dictate over her dogs and cats!

Fuck conjugal life anyway, it is not meant for her.