Chapter 29: Chapter 29

Halima’s POV

I did not make an attempt to talk to Teemah and neither did she. She must have thought I was too proud to reconcile with her but I wanted her to realize her mistake.

Infact I was too busy to talk to her, I was busy with my chores at home and sincerely I was starting to enjoy them. I was getting the hang of it.

But instead of me cooking alone and making a mess of things, mummy would show me how I should do it and I’d do it and Alhamdulillah everything was going well.

And I realized that mummy did all she did for my sake. Here’s what happened….

Flashback

I hurriedly ran down the stairs and entered the kitchen. It was 7pm and I didn’t know what to cook. I opted for one of the things I learnt how to make from the culinary school I attended.

Shawarma. I knew that wasn’t the best food to make for dinner but I had no choice and most of the ingredients were ready.

Mummy had already shredded chicken for dambun kaza which she’d make so I took some. There was sliced cabbage and pounded peppers. Infact everything was ready except for the bread.

I made the bread and mixed the filling. I placed my fillings rolled my shawarma and grilled it. When I was done I called mummy down for dinner.

Daddy traveled but was coming back the next day. Mummy looked at the shawarma and snapped, “meye haka? Is this what you expect me to eat? In the night fah! I understand that you can’t prepare tuwo or any other food but why shawarma for crying out loud! I won’t eat this, no thank you!”.

And she stood up to leave. I couldn’t keep it in, I fell to the ground and started crying. I’d tried to please her, to understand why she was acting like that, why she was treating me like a maid, but I couldn’t make out a reasonable answer.

“ haba. Mummy what did I do dan Allah? If I had ever offended you I’m sorry. Please. Wallahi I can’t take this anymore, first Teemah fought with and insulted me, now I cooked and you are saying you won’t eat”, I was crying uncontrollably.

She looked at me then knelt down to my level, “Halima, try and understand. You know I’m your mother and I love you. I’d never do anything to hurt you. Kinsan Hajiya Hadiya koh?”, I nodded my head.

“toh her daughters ai kinsan they were divorced and under what circumstances ai koh?”, I nodded in the affirmative not understanding where the conversation was going.

“toh I was now comparing them to you. And I noticed you might end up even worse than them so I started making you work”, she continued explaining how she loved me and how she was doing it for my own sake and I understood.

I hugged her and we made tuwon semo together with miyan kuka.

She asked me to get a book and pen and she explained numerous recipes and how they can prepared through various ways till after 1am.

End of flashback

Mummy had traveled to India for the launch of her latest Saari. She promised to bring me at least three.

We had finished our examinations and the ss3 were throwing a little party after school with the permission of the school. Some seniors would in be attendance.

It was for the ss3 students only, but they could come with one more person so Ya Sa’eed invited me. I had accepted him but we were taking things slowly even though we had my dad’s permission.

So I was going as his date. We were just going to be together, no harams such as kissing, making out and all those other stuff.

So I decided to go and atleast try talking to Teemah. I went to her examination class. I checked for her and she wasn’t there.

Maybe she’s at the back, I thought. And I was right. But what I saw surprised me, I was flabbergasted to say the least.

She was standing with the one and only Amir Aliyu. And guess what, his hands were draped around her waist, his finger drawing circles around her butt. And even though she seemed uncomfortable, she was smiling.

I went close and I tried to eavesdrop on their conversation, “sweetheart, I need you there. You know all these useless girls in this school are going to be there and they’ll be after me so I need someone who can keep them away”, that was Amir’s voice.

“haba habeeby no I can’t, but I’ll try to ask Ammi to allow me. Since Ya Sa’eed will be there she might allow me. You know Ammi has restricted my movements”, it was Teemah talking.

But I was confused, Habeeby, sweetheart? When did that happen?

It was as if Amir heard my thoughts because he said, “you know since that inter house sports, you’ve made my life similar to paradise on earth. Thanks darling”.

Oh so it was during the inter house sports.

“oh hi there. Nice work Teemah. Keep it up don’t relent”, I hissed “see how he’s holding your waist sai kace mijin ki, if Ya Sa’eed, Ammi or Abba see you like this how will you feel? Will they be proud of you?”.

I then faced Amir, “and as for you keep your filthy hands off my best friend. What is your problem? Oh so that’s why you decided to turn me down. I regret the day you came into our lives Amir Aliyu. The only good thing about you coming into our lives is Kalt”.

“look Halima, it’s not like I don’t love you or something. It’s just that I love you as a sister, I can’t possibly date you”, Amir said letting go off Teemah’s waist.

“I don’t want to listen to any of your lies. No wonder Ya Sa’eed said to stay away from you”, I was close to breaking down so I turned to walk away.

“Look Halima Audu Kalshingi, you better stay away from me and my boyfriend or else, you don’t want to see the other side of me”, Teemah said.

“I won’t stay away from you and I’ll never stop showing you the truth. You’re my best friend and maybe Shaidan ne yake busa miki kunne but I’ll try to make sure you understand me. If you don’t, then I might have to resort to more drastic measures”, I said and I didn’t wait to hear her reply as I walked away.

I decided to go tell Ya Sa’eed what I just saw. “I have no say in this”, he said as he blew another balloon

“Haba you’re the only one who can talk some sense into her head. It’s like that Amir has her wrapped around his fingers”, I said cringing as I remembered what I saw some minutes ago.

“I have promised to stay out of her relationship and I’m doing that. And you know that Teemah never goes back on her decisions”, Ya Sa’eed said turning his attention to me.

“you’re right”, I had not given up yet. I’d never give up on my bestie. She’s my better half, my one and only. Through thick and thin we’d be together forever till death do us apart.

Infact even if we died, I would like us to be together in Jannah.

With that on my mind, I set to get my best friend back, by hook or by crook!

Fatima’s POV

How could she?! How dare she?! Who did she think she was?! I felt like slapping Halli.

But I didn’t. I wouldn’t. I still and will forever love her as my sister, best friend and everything.

But I couldn’t stand it when she started saying shit and to top it off, Amir tried being nice to her and she decided to be rude to him.

After calming down, we continued talking about the party. He suggested a gown that would match with the color of his suit for the party.

It was a grey off shoulder fitted mermaid gown with a slit at the back that reached the mannequin’s knee from the back. It hugged the mannequin’s body and it had net that which served as the sleeves and the upper part of the gown.

The net was grey coloured too. There was a huge bow at the back of the gown by the waistline. It exposed the mannequin’s chest a bit.

I liked it but it exposed too much skin so I said, “Amir I can’t wear this. Look at it fah. Won’t you get jealous when guys ogle at me?”.

Guess what his answer was, “nop! I won’t get jealous. Why would I? When I know you’re mine and mine alone. So they can ogle all they want. Look but you can’t touch”.

I’d never met a guy that’s not jealous of his girlfriend, like seriously! After series of arguments I finally gave in. I’d do anything for him. Anything to make him happy.

I asked what kind of viel I should wear and he laughed hysterically saying, “which yeye veil? Who veil help? I was thinking that you’d design your hair and let it loose like an attachment. I’d love it”.?

I didn’t feel comfortable with it yet I let it be. I didn’t want it to cause a rift between us. I didn’t know how relationships worked but I was already thinking of a future, my future with him.

If only I’d known…..

We parted ways and I went home grinning like a fool. Ya Sa’eed noticed but didn’t say anything though he kept glancing at me from time to time as if to check if I was okay.

I stretched my hair then took a bath. I wore a tight and top with kimono then rolled a viel on my head before begging Ya Sa’eed to help me talk to Ammi and tell her he was taking me along.

She agreed and we left. We arrived at the school and I left with my phone and a grey clutch at hand. It contained a silver wetlips and a powder with kohl.

Yeah, I’m not a makeup fan. My phone pinged and it was Amir, “sweetheart, I’m by the girl’s dressing room”. I replied with an okay and sauntered to the girl’s dressing room.

We actually had a dressing room for the theater actors and actresses.

I saw Amir standing all clad in a grey suit and trouser with white inner.

His hair which I got to find out was a wig, acuci mata, as he called it, all gelled and scattered around but in a handsome manner. All in all he looked stunning, except for the pimples that suddenly decided to make their appearance few weeks after he started Aflon.

He said that it was the weather, water, food and everything. I looked at his face and he was smirking. I blushed and he handed me a bag.

I opened the bag and I saw the gown he had showed me earlier and a tiara. I wore it and applied powder, lined my eyes with kohl and lined my lips with a brown liner and wet them with my wet lips.

I perched the tiara on my head and let my hair flow down. I looked at the mirror and I looked outstanding. But I wasn’t comfortable.

But as I said, I’d do anything for him. I walked out and reached the corridor. I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me. I held unto the wall.

It was suddenly windy and eerily quiet in the corridor. I felt like my soul was being pulled out of my body. I couldn’t even feel any of my limbs.

Everything was… I can’t find the word to explain my feeling. It was as if something was being forced into my body.

I then heard an ear piercing scream. And I think it came from my mouth. I then felt another wave of dizziness hit me and darkness started to engulf me…