Elhaam!

Chapter 23

"Whatever you need, whenever and wherever you need it, you'd always have me trying my best to provide for you..."

The same sentence kept echoing in my mind, filling every bit of my thought.

How far was Milan ready to go for us, yet wouldn't succumb to us leaving the camp.

I was starting to think he wouldn't let us leave because he was too attached and not because of some made up rules. Personally, I wasn't sure how authentic the rules were, except the one I'm living through.

"Thinking about me?" Ayan interrupted barging into my room. I had no idea he was home.

"Why would I? Its not like I was missing you" I snorted a reply giggling at the end.

"Its not like I was missing you too" he mocked sticking out his tongue childishly. A habit of mine that rubbed off on him.

"So..." He began

"Its almost time for your afternoon walk. Your fiancée would show up anytime now. Shouldn't you be ready? " he mocked sitting on my bed.

"He wouldn't be if you hadn't insisted on us having a regular afternoon walk. It doesn't even make sense to me" I mumbled in a defeated tone. After months of it, I still couldn't quit nagging each time.

I couldn't understand. Did he really want me gone that fast to keep pushing me away.

"You could just appreciate it you know" he casually shrugged pinching my right cheek out of habit.

Nevertheless, I stood up and proceeded for a wide veil, drapping it around myself like a shawl.

"Really? A veil? The wind could fly it away you know" he protested.

"We are in Maiduguri Ayan. And its a little past four. I assure you there isn't any wind. Quite sulking" I replied adjusting my appearance by the mirror.

Right on cue, a knock came on the main door.

I stayed back knowing the two had to exchange greetings and whatnot they talked about before I was called upon.

For months, ever since the walks started, we'd spend half an hour just strolling around without saying anything to each other except the opening greetings. Then at the end of the day, we'd end it with barely proper words to consider a farewell.

I would assume today was no exception.

"He's waiting" Ayan stated poking his head by the door.

I released a huge sigh, before casually making my way to the two by the front door.

"Try and spend more than an hour today having actual talks like a normal couple" Ayan called out behind us.

Sometimes I asked myself, was it normal for a brother to be as excited as mine giving out his sister? Yet the answer was always 'no'. It didn't matter to me whether that person was his best friend.

"How are you?" As usual he asked as if that was our first encounter for the day.

"I'm good. And you?"

"Alhamdulillah"

That was it. We kept walking in silence passing by kids, women and all sort.

I waited for him to perhaps bring up the topic of discussion earlier, to show any sign he cared to know what happened, but nothing.

Side glancing at his features, he had a subtle look, making it hard to decipher what he perhaps would be thinking.

Deciding to break the silence by bringing the topic personally, I started. "I spoke to Milan today"