Kano State, Nigeria.
2012.

"Is this some sort of stepmother story I read in some local books in my primary school?" She scrunched up her face so cutely, looking at him ad though some of the nuts in his head had unfastened.

"No, that will be easier than going deep into the story of your life. And about my brothers, they are not as bad as people portray them out to be. They're very caring when it comes to their family..." Falak scoffed at that with a yeah-right look.

"....they love me, mom and dad very dearly and they'll love you also. Mom always talks about you and they couldn't wait to meet you but after seeing you today, they all act somehow or maybe they're not expecting such beauty." He attempts to wink at her but failed miserably, incompetently.

"They didn't talk to me after saying Hi." She pouted, lying down on the soft mattress, already feeling sleepy just by doing that.

"Because, they're still trying to warm up with you, I won't say the same about Ya Shaddad though. That one hardly talks and when he does, it's either scolding or something like that." Imad got down from the hammock and trudge to the door.

"Where are you going to? I said I want to sleep with you just tonight." She pouted again, sitting up from the bed.

"I'll just change into my pajamas, my room is next to yours by the right. You should also change into something comfortable before I get back." He verballed, opening the brown oak door and leaving to change.

She stood up and opened the huge wardrobe to check anything 'comfortable', to verify what this 'comfortable' thingy means. Since she knows what a pajamas is, she brought out a silky pink shirt and it's matching pants, which is pinfolded in the same hanger, and then transformed into it in the bathroom, not wanting to risk anyone coming in.

Imad came back and together, they fell asleep not before hearing almost everything about the palace from him though. She still thinks that she's dreaming and is nowhere near a castle but then let everything go with the flow, it's her destiny and maybe, it's a beautiful one designed for her for all her patience, she had endure a lot of hardship in the village and she deserve this.

Next morning, the same maid walked into Falak's room. She's still sleeping because her exhausted self still didn't want to wake up from the fluffiest mattress. She always wakes up around five in the morning, pray and put water for everyone in the house to bath back in the village of MatanFada.

The maid woke her up and ask her to take bath, that her uniform and all other school necessities are here for her to wear. The King and the Queen don't want her to dwell and reside herself into thinking about her father's death so they want her to go to school to take her mind off things.

Falak was surprised but delighted and she skipped into the bathroom to take a short bath because if she's to take a long one, she'd be late. She prayed before taking the uniform from the maid, admiring it with a wide smile that almost split her face into two. Her happiness is radiating in waves which has the maid smiling too. The girl is a breath of fresh air with all her cheerfulness and ebullience.

She got into the knee length grey skirt with tiny white, yellow, and blue stripes adorning it and good pleating that's well ironed. Adding the white long sleeved shirt, and a jacket on top with already knotted tie sitting underneath the clothes. The maid helped her adjust it before combing her longs hair and packing it in ponytail then adding the beret on top.

She twirled several times in front of the fully length mirror that's covering her wardrobe doors. The maid gave her two white new socks and put the other eleven packets in her chest drawer where she removed some bras and panties from. Falak blushed when she found out that they knew her size, from bras to panties.

Her pink backpack was kept by the door and her beautiful black foreign loafers also sat by the door, immediately categorised as extraneous. She sprayed perfume before fleeing to the door, sliding her legs into the loafers before draping her backpack and off she went straight to the dining with two guards behind her.

She finds it weird that they are following her and that makes her heart pound because she's not ready to have them following her around the school, that'll get so much attention and weird and also wacko-ish. Keeping that thought aside, she manage to take herself to the dining room, where she ate dinner yesterday, with no trouble. The palace is not really as enmeshed or entangled as she's thought.

"Good morning, everyone." She greeted with a beam and grin etched on her lips, making Shaddad roll his eyes since it's because of the girl he was asked to eat breakfast with everyone and that is the new routine. But he just rolled his eyes! What the hell is going on with him?

Chorus of morning emitted from around the room before she settle herself in between Huzaif and Harith. They both threw a smile her way which has her mother beaming, that is the start and she's sure she's going to bring everyone out of their mollusks in no time. None of them like getting all eathful around people like quilted coverlet, but she could see that they are already liking her daughter like their own sister.

"So, are you excited, princess?" The King asked from the head table, also liking how she's warming everyone up.

The dining table is always dead silent with only click and clacks of spoons and Imad's rare complains. He hates that his children and nephews don't like to talk if not business or hospital related. Not that they have bad experience or a tremendous past, that's just how God brought them to him and he's accepted that since. Now, he wants to see how it looks like to study your children just by looking into their eyes and Falak is doing that job. He also made sure they didn't make any errant decision so it's all good.

"I'm so excited and I can't wait to start doing practicals, especially in chemistry." She rambled, serving herself some sausages and omelet with orange juice.

"You love chemistry?" Yazid, Asad's twin brother grimaced just by the thought of chemistry. He often wonder how three of his siblings are doctors and his stepmother, he can't do that shit.

"Yup, it's amazing how they talk about the chemicals and how acids change colours. How it turns blue litmus red, how it reacts to some metals to liberate hydrogen, and with bases to form salts and all that." She said with stuffed mouth.

She knew that's bad manners but can't help answering him whilst stuffing her face with yet another new food. She likes tasting everything and so she served everything in her plate while tasting them one after the other. There is nothing that she hated so far and didn't think there is. Everything around the city just kept amazing her and so she wants to see around the city and new people, for when she came, she's grieving and still is but wants to take her time and look around the city this time.

"You really can become a doctor then." Huzaif mumbled softly from beside, shaking his head like he's thinking it through.

Falak didn't miss how Shaddad's eyes narrowed at his cousin even though he immediately composed himself before anyone could see him giving a reaction. She thought about what Imad said yesterday about him not talking nor glaring and he's always calm, but why was he talking to her and giving her so many reactions. Or is he in love with her also? Her heart raced at the thought, albeit it sounds stupid to her ears, she can't help that it made her heart beat more than it should, it went feral for some unknown reasons.

"I know right, she is great." Asad complimented and from Falak's point of view, he knew what he was trying to do, he wants to provoke Shaddad and seems like he's succeeding.

"And what do you want to specialize in?" Her mother asked this time, forking a piece of nice chopped papaya from the huge bowl in front of her.

"I love children and so, paediatrics." Falak's answer came almost immediately.

"That makes the two of us." Her mother beamed at her to which Falak gaincome, and they continue to talk about how they'll enjoy spending time together whilst taking coffee after saving each child's life.

"You are late!" Shaddad's voice bounced around the room making her shiver in both pleasure and displeasure, he scrape his chair and stood up, leaving the room in process with his guards and jaws on the floor.

Falak look around the table and seems like everyone's expression is the same, surprised and shocked. Maybe he never really talks and this left a heavy impact. This only makes her baby brother's talks true. How can someone not talk to his own family members? That is just absurd, incongruous and ludicrous to her.

"You should go! He's right, you're late and it's just your first day." Harith said from beside her and so everyone around the room stood up and left with his guard not before wishing her luck.

Her mother kissed her forehead and left too.

When she reached the school, her mouth is already gaping at the huge cream coloured building with stripe of maroon red at the end of the walls. How on earth is this a school? All this space is just for school? She can't believe how city people are just enjoying life while they don't even have the right blocks to build their homes and are always afraid when it's rainy season because their so called building might collapse and degrade.

The guards escorted her to the school and collected her schedule before she begged them to let her be around the school. She won't be comfortable with them and so they abide and sat outside the school premises. Her first class was English Language and so she went to the room that was written and find herself in a class with bunch of teenagers like herself.

"Hello, you must be Falak Muhammad Ingawah?" The reached politely asked, stopping what he's checking on his table and turn to look at her.

"Yes, sir." She answered, not feeling a little bit uneasy even with so many eyes fixated just on her, unwavering and staunched.

"I'm Mr. Ekpo, your English Language teacher." He introduced himself before asking her to go and sit down.

She find herself sitting next to a sad looking girl. The girl has dark flawless skin looks like melanin is dripping and she looks unique with white eyes. She knew the girl is going through something tough from the look in her eyes which may reflect hers. She knew how to hide her emotions so she's sure it's not as obvious as the girl next to her so she made a mental note to befriend the girl after the class ends.

Right after the class ended, Falak yawed her gaze to the sad looking girl and continue to observe her till the girl turned around to look at her with questioning gaze and then a friendly smile graced her lips, misting her eyes at the edge. She stuck her hands out for Falak and waited till she held it before shifting her position to face her completely. She got the feeling that they'll be great friends in the future.

"I'm Jabrayah Ibrahim Waziri and you're Falak right?" She asked, taking back her hand, shifting on her seat because Falak kept scrutinizing her with her gaze.

The girl is like a robot, she changed faster than the clock ticked second. One minute, she looks sad and the next she's friendly and even got to keep tabs about the school to know that her name is Falak. So everyone knew about her now? Is that how Ss3's are or is it just that the city is like her village where everyone knows one another. She flicked that thought off and try to talk to the girl so as to not scare her away from her first day.

"Yes, I'm Falak Muhammad Ingawah." She smiled back, no, she beamed at the girl who looks kind of confused about it but smile back.

*****
Yoyoyoyo!
How is you? Hope y'all are doing perfect like I am. Hey, Falak is already going to school, that is amazing huh? What do you think about Shaddad talking to her, hehehe, she is driving our dear Shaddad crazy.
RQ; Would you rather not be able to use search engines or social media? Hehehe, I don't even know o😂 You?

©Aishatu.