17years back.................................
Kaduna Nigeria (2002)
Aisha where have you been I have been looking for you all over the school premises jalila questions Aisha who seems exhausted from climbing the staircase of their school. (Jalila is the first child of alhaji aminu and Hajiya Halima. She was dark in complexion and had a shapely figure. Her hair was mid night black and it flowed over her shoulders. She had a pair of thick arched eyebrows looked down on sweeping eyelashes. She had a cheerful personality and a soothing voice. Jalila was in ss3 was seventeen years old). I went to meet the principal regarding some issues that I had Aisha answers jalila reluctantly. Jalila wanted to ask her best friend what help she could offer but she knew she wouldn't dear to do that after what happened the last time.
Ok forget all that and guess what jalila asked Aisha with a face full of excitement trying to ease the tension between her and her friend," what!!! You forgot how to eat" Aisha teases her best friend, "your house is on fire" jalila hurriedly replied Aisha while trying to hold a serious face. Both the girls burst out laughing before jalila cuts in. Ok Aisha lets be serious now. Actually yesterday our visa for the trip to Saudi Arabia came out and we are going for our first family trip to abroad , ohhhhh my God jalila you can't be serious, I am so happy for you guys. How are the preparations going do you need any help Aisha throws several questions at jalila making her stare at her in awe. Jalila finally cuts her in after a while of starring at her. Easy young lioness I have already finished packing and I am so excited although the trip is in a months' time.
Honestly jalila I am so happy for you guys and don't forget to pray for us Hajiya jalila Aisha teases jalila. It was the bell that interrupted their conversation indicating the time for their classes both the girls bid their good byes and left for their respective classes. (Jalila and Aisha have been friends for over five years now. Since they were in jss1, Aisha was an art student while jalila was a science student but that didn't affect their relationship because the two girls always met whenever they had free time.
The school was finally over and jalila stood at the gate and waited for her best friend as usual. But today was quite different, Aisha didn't show up and it had already been thirty minutes. Jalilas wait was finally over when Fatima came to tell her that their driver was waiting outside for them. Jalila hesitantly dragged her legs to car because if there was one thing she didn't want to miss after school it was the little conversation she had with her best friend.
The three daughters of Alhaji aminu got into the house with Fatima and jasmine following suite behind jalila .(Fatima was 13 years old while jasmine was 12 years old. Both Fatima and jasmine were very skinny. The only thing that was different between the two girls was the length of their hair and their complexion. Fatima was fair had a long hair while jasmine was darker had a very short hair. ) Jalila led the three girls into their mother's room where they always greeted their mother whenever they came back from school but today was a bit unusual because they were back late so they met their mother praying (. Jasmine and Fatima didn't wait for their mother to finish and left for their room but jalila sat there and waited for her until she was done. Jalila greeted her mother in a calm and low tune. Her mother straightened her legs on the prayer mat before she answered her with her eyes were still on the book she was reading. (Hajiya Halima also called mama was a short and fair woman, Hajiya Halima was in her late 30s but she looked quite younger than that people often refer to her as jalilas sister whenever they were out together. Hajiya Halima had long a very long hair which was the only thing jalila got from her mother). Jalila wondered how much her mother has changed so much in past two years she used to be so close to her mother, but now sitting with her mother felt so awkward. Jalilas eyes filled with tears as she felt the pain that she couldn't share anything with her mother anymore, she just couldn't understand why her mother blamed herself for everything that happened and pulled away from them and their father. Jalila dashed out of the room in other to hide her tears from her mother whose concentration is now on her misbahah (a misbahah is a tool which is used as an aid to perform dhikir. It is often made up of wooden or plastic beads).
Jalila flung the door to her room. She dropped her bag on her bed and fell onto her bed letting all the tears out of her eyes. Her room was painted with warm hues which made her room more comfortable and cozy she had a French empire bed which was paired with an antique venetian- stripe carpet. Jalila laid on her bed after crying her heart out and continued thinking about how bitter her mothers and fathers relationship had turned even the family trip was beginning to make sense now, her father just needed an excuse to bring the whole family together maybe it might ease her mother's pain. Jalila let all her tears out for a while before she sat up on her bed and picked her bag which laid right next to her. She brought out the letter which saif (Adnan's younger brother who happens to be in the same class with jalila. He always collected and passed letters which were sent from his brother to jalila) handed to her earlier. "Adnan "the name itself filled her stomach with butterflies, ( Adnan is the first son of malam Hassan and Hajiya Fatima his father is a well-known politician and has been in politics for over 10 years. Adnan had a stern and yet peaceful face. He was light in complexion and had deep brown eyes. Although he was slender he still had a physique which could impress women and scare men away. Adnan travelled to London for his university after he finished his secondary school. He has been there for over two years now. Jalila and adnan have been dating since she was in ss1. )The only person who she found solace with at least for now. Jalila thought to herself before tearing the envelope of the letter and taking the letter out.
19 Greentham st, south sea
Portsmouth,PO1 2AB
United Kingdom.
Dear jalila
How are you? How is your family? I waited for your reply as always but didn't get any. I hope you don't think that I do not think of you.
I am reminded of you every day, and not a day goes by without the thought of you. How is the weather over there
Is it getting cold already? The weather is getting a bit chilly here as soon it will begin to snow very soon.
Oh my beautiful jalila, how I have missed you in the past few years. Everyday felt like a thousand hours. I always slept and woke up to the thought of you. My love for you always remains like the first day I met you. But it seems I have finally reached the end of this torment. As my eyes will finally see what they have been yearning for and my soul would be able to quench its thirst.
My love, I am coming back home next month. I am looking forward to seeing you.
Yours forever
Adnan.
(Adnan travelled to London for his university after he finished his secondary school. He has been there for over two years now). Jalila knew she wasn't ready to meet Adnan, she felt insecure about their relationship, it's been four years already she has changed a lot not just physically but she wasn't really the jalila he knew a lot has changed in her life over the years and she didn't know whether Adnan was ready to accept that change in her. Even at beginning of the relationship she had felt insecure about herself because she never expected herself to be dating some like Adnan, he was literally every woman's desire, whereas she was just the fat dark jalila. Jalila put the letter back into the envelope and and stashed it in the drawer where she kept all the letters Adnan sent to her in the past few years.
What do you all think about jalila. And Adan I don't think she should be ignoring him this way. Well it was the letter for me. Why is her mother so cold towards them. What must have happened.
YOU ARE READING
Jalilah
General FictionThis is the story of a girl called Jelilah whose father happens to be the only person that moved from rags to riches. Follow me as we dive into the life of jelilah because it is going to be a roller coaster ride .
