Abuja, Nigeria.
"My Jalilah."
"Daddy, I want to be left alone, please," she said, not even looking in his direction.
"Let's talk this out, dear."
"Talk about what, Daddy? You getting me married to Ya Jalal without my consent? If that's the talk, then I don't wanna have it."
"Okay, I won't force you to have this conversation, but please take it easy on yourself. Whenever you're ready, okay?" He gently patted her head with a smile.
"When am I getting conveyed?" she asked, catching him off guard.
"After your graduation," he replied nonetheless.
"Okay. I'm turning in." She yawned, heading to her bed.
"It's only 8:30 p.m.?" He raised a brow.
"Yes. Goodnight, Daddy. Please turn off the lights."
Alhaji Abdurrahman smiled and nodded. "Goodnight, Princess."
As he stepped into the parlor, Hajiya Khadijah asked, "How is she?"
"Acting all cold, but she'll get over it soon, In Sha Allah."
***
"Good morning, everyone." Jalilah greeted with a smile, drawing a chair at the dining table.
"Good morning, Jalilah. How was your night?" Maheera asked, smiling.
"It was good, Alhamdulillah," she replied, munching on her breakfast.
Hajiya Khadijah and Maheera exchanged glances, surprised by Jalilah's calm behavior. They hadn't expected her to be so composed. Still, Alhamdulillah, they were grateful for it.
As expected, Jalal didn't come for breakfast, and soon everyone left for their rooms, with the kids heading to school.
"Wow. I didn't expect this, for real," Banina remarked in the car.
"What?"
"You're acting all calm. I thought you were mad about... well, the whole thing last night."
"Funny. Do you expect me to dwell on it? The deed's already done, so whatever I do won't change it. Life goes on." She shrugged, and Banina nodded in understanding.
At school, even though it was difficult, Jalilah decided to tell Aslam and get it over with. That way, she could accept her fate and move on with her life.
"Aslam, we need to talk," she whispered during their civic education class.
"About what, Cupcake? You seem off today."
"The teacher is still here. We'll talk during the break." She waved him off and continued taking notes.
During the break, Jalilah led him to a quiet spot on the field.
"So, what do you want to talk about, Cupcake?" He smiled, his one-sided dimple showing.
"I'm a married woman," she blurted out.
YOU ARE READING
Affairs Of The Hearts |✅
RomanceCOMPLETED ~JALILAH~ Jalilah, a sweet, lively, and beautiful sixteen-year-old girl, knows no care in the world. An orphan since her parents passed away when she was just a year old, she has lived her enti...
