NAJMA | Unedited

17.

•ALI's POV•

"Bro you can't marry Najma, her heart belongs to someone else" I explain for the umpteenth time to Ismael who is more than determined to ask Najma's hand in marriage and I'm well placed to know that the answer will be negative from Najma.

"But I can try" he whines and I chuckle, shaking my head.

"Alright as you wish, go tell your parents and go straight to Numan's house and ask the hand of their baby girl"

"Deal !" He winks then leaves my house.

I grab my phone from the table then dial Abubakr's number. After three rings, he picks the call.

"Sup bro ?"

"Well, I'm broke and we are running out of milk, fruits, vegetables and whatnot"

I heard him huffing before opening his mouth to say "I'll be home shortly but I don't know how to grocery shop so you will do that"

I said okay to him then cut the call before dialing Ousman's number who as Abubakr picks the call after three rings.

"Bro I'm broke and we are running out of fruits, vegetables and whatnots" I say, smiling though he won't see me.

"There's money in my room, open the first drawer of my desk and you'll see it in my black wallet" he casually says and I thank him before cutting the call.

Okay so I'll take Ousman's money, keep it for any case of emergency then use Abubakr's money for grocery shopping. Yep that's what I'll do, they provide the money and I manage everything in the house.

Ever since mum left us, that's how I've been doing since I don't yet work. Not that I don't want but I don't have any job and I could've worked in my father's company with Abubakr and Oumar but I don't want to join the family business so I'm planning to do like Ousman instead.

After what felt like years, my brother finally comes and I follow him to his room to take the money from him then dial Najma's number to tell her I'll pick her up in a couple of minutes but rather, Leila picks the call and I tense up.

Don't get me wrong, I like Leila a lot and she likes me too but it's just that we rarely get along. I was about to cuss then I heard her cracked voice saying hello and decided against cussing.

"Leila what's wrong"

Silence.

"Leila is everyone fine at home ?" I ask again and I hear her clear her throat before telling me that everyone is fine and that Najma can not talk now then cuts the call without further explanation. Not even to me ?

I rush to my car then dri
ve as fast as possible to Najma's house.

"Najma" I scream upon entering their house but instead, aunt Maryam comes.

"Habibi how are you?" she says, smiling but I feel there's something bad.

"I'm fine aunt Maryam, why do you seem so down ? Where's Najma ? Is anything wrong ?"

"She's not feeling well and I guess she might need you. Please go talk to—"

Without waiting for aunt Maryam to finish her sentence as I know already what she was about to say, I run to Najma's room but stop at the end of the staircase.

What I'm seeing is not normal. Not at all. The one and only Leila is in tears, sitting beside Najma's door.

"Leilei what's wrong ?" I go closer to her but she says nothing "Leila look at me please"

After not receiving a reply from her, I lift her chin up so she could see me.

"Leila"

"A-Ali"