MANAL

86: Manal

"Who were you talking to?" I asked, walking into the room. "I think I heard my name."

"It was Farouq." Farida was quick to answer. "He was asking about you."

"He shouldn't ask about me o, abeg!" I chuckled. I didn't want a repeat of what happened before. It'd be better for him to keep his distance from me.

Farida laughed. "Do you still hate him?"

I smiled. I just noticed it was the first time I had seen Farida laugh after the death of her father. I had seen her smile now and then, but it was the first time I saw her laugh. Indisputably, the person she just finished talking to—Farouq, had put her in a good mood. "Hate is a strong word. I don't hate anybody. I believe he did that because of the extreme love he has for you. He didn't want to lose you at that time."

"I know, but was that reason enough to use you to make me jealous? To get me to agree to get married to him while in school?" She sighed. "by the way, it's all in the past. I've moved on."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "So the two of you are back together?"

"Not yet," Farida responded. "I want him to sweat before he can get me back. Next time, it'd make him think twice before deciding to fool me."

"Uhm..."

"Yes. About you?" She asked.

"What about me?" I asked back. Farida seemed to be in a good mood today. I was glad.

"And that boy, Na'eem, did you accept him?"

I didn't want to talk to her about Na'eem because I knew she'd end up belittling him. "We're cool," I simply replied.

"Okay." She shrugged. "I guess you don't want to tell much to me."

"There's really nothing much to tell," I replied. "We're cool. That's it. He understands me a lot."

"Don't be too sure about that. For all you know, he's just trying to emotionally blackmail you."

"For the umpteenth time, I will say this, Na'eem isn't a manipulative person."

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes. "So I learned Imani has been freed and you were the one who pleaded on her behalf."

"Yes, I did," I admitted. There was no point trying to hide it from her when she had already find out the truth.

"For Jawaad to free her because you asked, should tell you something."

I already knew where she was headed, but I kept mute and gave her the chance to finish.

"I think he likes you."

I suppressed the urge to snort.

"Don't give me that look." She rolled her eyes. "I think it's obvious already. Jawaad keeps talking about you every time he calls me."

Nonsense.

"I'm your friend. It's only normal." I retorted.

"I have many friends, but he doesn't ask about them. He talks only about you."

"That's because you told him I'm your best friend." If I said I wasn't surprised by Farida's words, then that'd be a blatant lie. Since the day he dropped me off at my house and I said all those things to him—which I later realized was a little rude—he hadn't texted nor called me. But if what Farida was saying about him liking me was true, that wouldn't have been the case. It was obvious she was just making up stories.

"No, it isn't. Jawaad isn't the kind of p—"

"Can we please stop talking about your brother? I once had a crush on him, but not anymore. I was a naive kid then. I'm grown now. I have much better things to focus on."