Kano State, Nigeria.
2012.

Falak shocked everyone to the core when she bluntly stood in front of the dining room table where everyone is sitting with tears gushing down from her eyes like a waterfall. All the princes except the newly married -Huzaif, Humaid and Suwaid- are there looking with vigilant eyes as she hysterically cried like she was just sent a message that her mother or closest friend died. Everyone around the room is stunned beyond words. Why is she crying just like that when they know that nobody died or had an accident?

Shaddad for the first time let his emotions visible and displayed on his face, not that he showed what he is feeling. Inside, he felt confused, concerned and worried but outside, he is only exhibiting the side of confusion and discomfit. She looks bad with her eyes puffy, runny nose and terribly shaky red bowed lips.

She's sniffing, erasing her nose with her veil. She's also staring at her hands, gaze very distant and empty which is something you never see with Falak even if she's thinking. Her cheeks trembled and her scrunch position on the floor is only making her look more dreadful and unpleasant. All in all, she looks like another human thrown in place of Falak, not at all the bubbly, energetic, exuberant and over enthusiastic Falak they are all accustomed and habituated to having around.

"What happened to her?" Someone asked from the table but no one moved a muscle and kept staring down at her like some alien. Even the guards and maids stopped in their tracks when they saw her quaking shoulders on the floor and their heart reach out for her.

She's always being kind to them and likes helping them out. No one has ever seen her looking so sad, well, ever since the very day she came and that was when her father died.

"Dear, what's wrong?" His Royal Majesty asked, standing up from the head chair with his wife in tow and her little brother, Imad.

"Is it wrong to love someone?" Her voice is very tearful that it breaks with each syllable, it sounds dull, matte and empty to everyone's ears, not that the princes are hearing her whispers.

"No, it's not wrong to love, my dear. Why?" Her mother is very concerned about whatever it is that is bothering her daughter. She was the one who brought bliss and joy to the house but look where they are now, she's the one who is sad and that won't work for them.

"Why is it that my love won't be reciprocated even after countlessly showing him what he means to me. I'm I not beautiful enough?" She didn't know that her words came out clear to the King, Queen and Imad because she thought she said it to herself.

A bittersweet memory flashed to her head when she remembered how he asked her to bite on her tongue so she won't say her mind out to people but, that thought flew away from her head. He is the one hurting her right now more than anyone. Is this love or is she only obsessed with him?

"You're very beautiful. If he doesn't love you back, then he is the one missing his chance with a very beautiful woman. Don't cry, he will come around when he finally realised that you're one in a billion." Her mother consoled and try getting her to stand up and take her to her room but she didn't move an inch.

Both geriatrics don't know who this he is but Imad knew who this person is but he kept quite since it's not his place to say a thing about. He felt this tad bit anger towards his older brother for not liking his sister back or at least be nice to her but he doesn't know how it works to be in a relationship so this will only be the excuse his brother has.

After more comforting words from the older couple, Falak made a promise to herself that she won't ever beg for any man's love in her life even if that person will always be Shaddad.

The feeling is just too strong for her to just make it dematerialize by a vow but she is not going to beg him to love her. She will make herself great and make sure this challenge that she accepted and the source of everything comes out with great colours. She will become a very renowned Paediatrician and be more popular than him. That is her oath, she will put her all to it.

She closed herself in the room after begging her stepfather to please let her go to school earlier than the actual time. He thought about it for a minute before accepting and called someone to make arrangements for her stay in the hostel. He has someone to look after her while she is there so that won't be any problem.

Asad made the arrangement for her passport and visa and she's to leave in two days. Those two days, she spent them alone with her thoughts and packing. She did a lot of research about the school she's going and about India in general. She also learnt that there are social media that she could take away her boredom and so she asked Harith to download them for her and teach her how to use it which he did and even felt honoured she's talking to him. She is not talking to anyone else.

The accounts she has all have the same username and password so she would not forget, like Harith wants to put it. She got ahold of everything on the net in just a day and started getting so many followers on Instagram and Twitter. She found out that Hudhafa -Jabrayah's cousin- is also going to India to study Civil Engineering but not the same school as her. He followed her immediately after she followed him and they started chatting.

"I don't know what I'm feeling." Jabrayah said to her friend after she told her that she is leaving the next day.

She finally got out of her room and walk out of the main palace to the other wing where all the princes' Chambers are. She is going to say her goodbyes to her new step sister in-laws and remove some of the sadness that is trying to depress her.

"I know but I need to leave this palace for awhile. I hope what I'm feeling for him now disappears, not that I don't like what I'm feeling but I feel suffocated since it's not reciprocated. It is really asphyxiating." Falak forced a very tight smile across her lips, it was very tight that it looks like she's grimacing.

"Since you want that, I hope it's the best for you. Let me ask if I can go see Junainah." She stood up and ambled into her room where Suwaid is to ask for permission to go and see how her sister is coping in her new home. She didn't see her sister since when they left their home.

She came out shortly with alkyabba and together they walked out of their apartment to Junainah's only to bump into her husband, Huzaif who smiled and exchanged a few words with Falak promising to accompany her to the airport also. She beamed and walked in to find an extremely sad, sorrowful, weary, mournful and lonely looking Junainah in the dining side of the apartment.

A longing gaze is very obvious even from the front door. Her always cheerful face is sullen and unsmiling so very unlike Jaiyana. She continue to rub her arms through the sweater she's wearing and even talking to herself. She had sighed almost five times since when they entered the house and she didn't even notice their presence, not even after the taslim slipped out from their lips.

"Jaiyana!" Jabrayah's voice yanked her out of her reverie or in this case, daymare.

Jabrayah couldn't believe her eyes! She thought she'd see her sister sitting on one of those mint green Royal chairs or in the kitchen eating noodles to her hearts content so that she would gain weight because she said she's too small. This is not what she expected in the first week of her marriage. Is he hitting her? Or just purely wicked in his own way? Is it true that the princes are rude?

"Jabrayah, Falak, hello you all. Come into my house and feel at home because you guys are going to cook for yourselves as I don't have leftovers for you and I don't even know that you two are co-" Jabrayah cut her off when she gave her a quelling look that could freeze the liquid.

"Stop with this charade, what's wrong with you. Just look how thin you are now and see those bags under yours eyes. You look like a lunatic!" Jabrayah said in one breathe, her voice sounding shaky.

"Yes, you look like someone who just ran away from the asylum." Falak chirped, not able to keep quite after taking in the sight in front of her. Jaiyana is in a baby blue sweater and black maxi skirt with scarf closing her head.

"I'm very very okay and fine. You girls don't have to worry, if any of you is ready to cook noodles, please add another because I will like to add some in this belly of min-" Falak cut her off this time.

"Will you just keep quite and tell us what's wrong with you?" Her impatience could be seen clearly.

"He hates me..." And she told them everything in between hiccups, sobs and tears.

"What?! He said that to you? I'll go and meet him right away." Falak seethed through clenched teeth before running out of the room to go and see Huzaif and have some words with him only to bump into Shaddad and she surprised him when she sidestepped and continue walking when she wouldn't have done that before. She would've greeted him or do something just to rile him up. Well, it's better this way, he thought before moving with his guards to his Chamber.

*****
Yoyoyoyo!
How is Corona Virus in your place? Ah, I don't like this forced holiday at all and curfew. How's it in your side and where do you live? I live in Kaduna, anywho, what do you think about Falak up there? She's really something else now, and do you love her courage.? I sure do😌
RQ; Would you rather never use social media apps/site again or never watch another movie or TV show? Ah, I can never give up on social media, that's just a very huge NO. What about you?

Aishatu.