Chapter 58: Chapter 58

ABUJA, NIGERIA.

Hanan walked sluggishly out of her room to go get something to eat and had she been the Hanan she was months ago, she would've demanded one of the maids to bring it for her but she's changed for the better. She don't care whether people think she is weak or not and besides, the sister who taunts her about being a cry baby is dead, she won't have to worry about any bully. Sometimes, she can't help but feel bad being happy her eldest sister is dead because she feels like she became a bad person because of her bully. And after her death, she met Murad who showed her new way of life, a new view, a happy bright side of it shining with colours.

She feels bad wishing something as ill as this to someone who is dead but it's a feeling she can't shake off. Her sister has the largest share of becoming who she was more than the murder she has committed for self defense, that is part of it that helped her. The past where she thought made her stand stronger than any other, it was a lie.

The whole villa noticed the change in her and they are extremely glad about it. She hardly leaves her home now, she spends time in her room reading, attending classes, talking to her elder sister Jiddah and so on. The house helpers keep on staring at her like an alien so she snapped at the one day after getting agitated, she was tired of being labelled as the black sheep of the presidents children, she is nice as she was years ago. People tend to mistaken bravery and façade as rude and bad girl.

"Stop staring at me like that or you all shall lose your jobs. Just because I am suddenly nice doesn't mean I'll let you guys do what you want to! Don't double cross me and go back to your work immediately." She sighed after that because they scattered away like bunch of ants making her feel bad as they were older people amongst them. Even when she was bad, she always respected those old people, they are frail and have places in her heart.

She is still wearing her pajamas as she made it to the enormous kitchen she started visiting just months ago. She hardly goes anywhere in that villa but her home, the garden, pool, lake and some other beautiful places she can spend her time and not bother her mind. The maids always bring the food or what she wants anywhere she wants, just a buzz and they will be there. But these days, she goes there all the time to serve her own food to her liking and even got to see how people cook food for the first time.

She noticed and realised just how pampered and bratty she grew up. Even before her father got the position as president, he wasn't poor, he was wealthy right from the beginning and she was borne in wealth. He has been in politics for as long as she could remember so getting the position of a president wasn't hard for him, people love him. He still has his bad side that comes with being a politician but she really adores her father. He loves them, gives them time just to bond up even with his hectic schedule.

She served herself cabonara and chicken then sat on one of the kitchen chairs, keeping her lemon juice beside her. She don't go to gym now since she don't get to see Murad everyday, he is currently out of the country and she feels like gaining some weight again. The new change in her is really something no one could wrap their heads around, she has changed a lot. Even her physical appearance has changed so much. She is glowing, she has gained some weight that makes her body chubby and well molded. She likes herself better, she has all the female curves which surprised her.

In a matter of just three months, she is way too different from the person she was months ago. Her sister won't stop teasing her about what caused the change and she will brush her off, she is dead sure there is a man in her life though she's never seen her sister sneaking out to see a man, she was just sure there is by instincts. Hanan never agreed to her since she is sure what she have with Murad is nothing but friendship like he's said. Nothing more is between them, she could feel it in her bones.

She brought out her phone and stared at his number again which she's dialled more times than she could count wishing that it would go through so she could hear his voice again to be sure. Whenever she wakes up or before she goes to sleep, she will call his phone hoping that once, the phone will go through and she can talk to him for a few seconds and have peace of mind. Her hands have this ache to confirm his well-being and make sure he is alive in wherever he is. She's prayed for his wellbeing too, asked a few scholars to pray for him and to always make him safe. It is the first time she is doing this, it makes her feel like she is not herself.

The thoughts of him are always there to meddle her head at night, her dreams too. There is always a dream that he was shot dead in this special force, she wakes up sweating, crying and clutching her pillow. The more days he spent there, the more prominent the nightmares become and she is now like a zombie with bags underneath her eyes. She always gets afraid to sleep at night for that nightmare awaits her all the darn time. Sometimes, she even sees that he was bombed and they could only find his toes, it's horrible.

"Little sis, whatchu doing?" Jiddah bounced into the kitchen now in her gym attire as she is the one going to gym now for she has gained more weight than before, all her curves are trying to shrink into fat and she don't want that. Her body is almost like old Khloé Kardashian's now, that sexy.

"Washing clothes." But her sarcasm is still intact, more than ever, it becomes sharper. If she cannot become rude anymore, she can be sarcastic to keep herself in that shell again. This is the one thing she cannot keep aside, it runs in her blood right from the beginning.

"You don't have to be sarcastic, bitch. You know what is going to happen now?" She inclined her head with a naughty smile because she won't miss this opportunity for the world as what she is about to do is a once in a lifetime occurrence.

"No, I don't. And if I'm being frank with you right now, I don't want to for I don't trust whenever you are this hyper." She narrowed her eyes to her half finished cabonara, sipped her juice and relax back a little. No matter how much she tries to eat a lot, she always end up just pushing few pieces of food down her throat all the darn time. As soon as her stomach flatten, she will go for more food though, not caring if she is not hungry.

"You are a buzz kill! Anyway, I want you to go get my shoes, they will be delivered now and I am still sticky and sweaty. Please get them for me, they are quite expensive." She gave a sheepish smile and ran out of the kitchen to the balcony where she could see what is transpiring. A smile is wide set on her face, both her hands clutching her new Samsung to take a quick video for the future.

Hanan glowered at her sister's retreating figure because since she left, she cannot argue about not going again. With a heavy sigh, she wrap the veil tightly around her head and made her way to the door still wearing her cotton pajamas, so annoying. As if the delivery person knew she was coming, he rang the doorbell loudly making her more irritated. Doesn't he know that there are people living in the house and might be asleep for some reason? He is doing it as though he is not in the presidential villa, stupid man.

"Can't you ring the doorbell more subtly? We know you are here." She grumbled then looked at the person because she felt something different as soon as she opened the door, the gush of air that strike past her is not the sweaty smell of a delivery man but someone else who happens to be none other than the source of her nightmares, Murad.

"Nice meeting you too, sweetheart. Such pleasant, warming welcome back words it is." He gave her a frown and instinctively, Hanan leaped to his arms to just make sure he is not in her nightmare again. To make sure he wasn't shoot, bombed or anything close to that for she is afraid if that nightmare becomes a reality, she will lose herself too.

"You are not dead." She kept mumbling then she will sigh and bit on her lip, totally forgetting that she is in his arms. The security she felt being in his arms is too good to let go of just like that and so, she hung on.

He didn't move, he just stood there motionless for he didn't expect that from her though he wished to have such impact on her after leaving. This is some twisted fate he don't understand but who is he to deny that he enjoy seeing that reaction? It actually boosts his self confidence in her life and he shall continue to build that place in her heart till she accepts that she is in love with him. He likes her, she is true to herself and an honest person which will make it easier for them to work out in future. He could feel that they have a long way to go, they shall reach there together.

"I am not! Do you wish to see me dead?" He jested while mildly pushing her away knowing how inappropriate it is and she blushed. She looked at everywhere but him then she suddenly remembered why she was at the door. That sly girl, she tricked her!

"No, I just had nightmares about you, you know.." She trailed, arranging the veil around her just to keep herself busy from looking at him. She feels embarrassed throwing herself at him like that, she shouldn't have done that but she was overwhelmed with so many emotions and also...missed him a lot.

"Well, I'm perfectly alright and your nightmares are just, nightmares. How's your health? Mentally?" He added the other word when she gave him incredulous gaze to interpret it clearly and he did. He's been thinking about how she is coping after she told him everything so he had to ask that first even though he has more questions lined.

"Can you come in?" She invited, moving beside the door so he can come in and he did, she guided him to the living room and they sat down opposite one another, she gulped, she feels awkward, "About my mental health, I'm fine now and have no nightmares except for the one with you." She shrugged, she will act nonchalant from now or she will just humiliate herself.

"That is good to hear and the nightmare should stop now, I'm back safe and sound." He grinned, he made her heart stutter at the sight for she has seen many handsome men but Murad always manage to do things to her. Hmm, maybe because he is her best friend and that is how it feels?

"It will stop, I was just scared of losing you." She shrugged again with a small smile and his own grin enlarged, she looks cute while smiling like that and so he commented what he's been meaning to say.

"You have changed. You look more chubby, thicker now and in a good way. Don't go to the gym anymore?" He wiggled his brows at her when she blushed again because she didn't think he was going to talk about it so straightforwardly. He should've twisted the words so she won't feel conscious of her body now.

Doesn't he like that she stopped going to gym and gained some weight like any other woman out there? The thought really made her anxious of what is about to come, she don't know why she decided to gain weight too but she just felt like being a woman. Jiddah was extremely surprised when she said she was going to quit going to gym for the time being and maybe go there in future but not then, she wants to gain a little weight and get curves at the right places and granted, the curves are there. Her breasts from 30D are now 30DD and same goes to her behind from 26° to 43° which is great improvement on her side. But she can't gain more than that, she won't be fat for she can't stomach it after being thin her whole life.

"Ah... Yeah, I stopped going a while ago. Don't I look good now or what are you trying to imply?" She wants to fish out what he thinks about her now look while trying to look offended. His words would matter to her more than she had initially thought so she will just hold her breathe and listen to him taunt or praise her.

"Noo, I love it actually. You look much more mesmerizing if I am being truthful. Keep it up, you look more beautiful, trust me." He smiled, that heart stopping one that always makes her heart stutter. She gulped, his smile just encouraged her to gain more weight but she won't. Why does he have so much effect on her just after becoming her friend? Is that how it works? She will have to ask him later on, not now.

"Well, thank you." She blushed again, not knowing where to strike the next conversation then she thought, she didn't ask him how his mission went and just joyfully thought he is alive and not dead. Oops, that is how unfeeling she has been, she don't question, she answers.

"Uh, how was the mission? I hope no one is dead or injured from the soldiers and the captivated civilians?" She wring her fingers around one another, her mind going haywire because the way he was staring at her at the moment makes her shiver involuntarily. It is as if he is looking at a treasure or a flower he's never seen in the winter. Whoa, how could his stare make her feel so much? She wrapped her hands around her arms to keep her warm and escape from the clutches of his eyes.

"Well, one of our soldiers is badly injured and they've killed one lady amongst the civilians, that is it. We've caught them all, the bandits and hand them over to the country's military base, they are free of those threats now. Alhamdulillah!" There is this cheerfulness in his voice as he said those words with accomplishment and passion for his work. It makes her proud.

"And there is this honoring ceremony that will be held in two weeks for us, you can come." He beamed and she smiled back, a much wider smile this time feeling honored herself getting invited to this so called honoring ceremony. She's never been to one, she never bothered going to her celebrate with the soldiers of her country. She does not appreciate them but now, she is definitely going to show her appreciation.

"I'll be there in shaa Allah." She beamed then stared at her legs seeing she is still in her pajamas, her face heat up again with another wave of embarrassment. Why did Jiddah trick her like that when she is just in her pajamas? She should've asked her to get dressed! Oh, no, does she have drool too or the food she ate is still stuck to her teeth?

Damn, she won't live off this embarrassment!

"I should go." He smiled again which is starting to annoy her, it is making her heart flip and leap to air so she gets afraid it might rush out of her chest.

"Oh, okay." She was disappointed, she wanted to tell him she would go and change then they can continue talking from where they stopped. Well, she can now call him huh? "What about your cellphone? Does it work now?"

"Yes..." He trailed off, his brows scrunched then he chortled when he realised something, "Have you been calling my number, sweetheart?" He raise a perfectly arched brow high up his forehead close to his hairline.

"N-no, I only tried once and it didn't get through so yeah, I called." She frowned, she has told him the secret and now he will think she is desperate and clingy, ugh.

"I will try to believe that. Take care, I'll call you." His lips turn into a lopsided grin before he bid her a more proper adieu and left, leaving her heart to flutter and her stomach flushed.

What is he doing to her now?