Behind My Walls✔️

Chapter 40

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"Hello Khalil". I said rushing down the stairs.

"Ikhbal you know this is your last paper and getting late is your last priority". He reminded. Khalil has been a good friend to me lately, sometimes goofy and mostly annoying but he was a friend I never thought to have before.

"I'm just leaving the house now, 'alarm'". I huffed. "Goodbye Abba". I waved at Abba who was seated watching TV and he beamed and waved back.

It has been what felt like ages of filling my brain with whatever readable course we were offering, which was just months of writing our Final Exams and now it was the end of it.

"Aunty which one should I wear?". Raliya announced showing me her veils by the stairs.

I groaned. "The red one!". I said sharply, getting fed up of being late. "Okay I'm not the only one getting us late now". I placed my phone back to my ears.

"Uhh! Don't blame it on Raliya again, you are always late, I have to be serving as your time keeper". He said, as I imagined him making his usual funny face.

"Thanks for that Khalil, now I have to drive, will talk later". I ended the call and hopped into the car whilst Raliya walk_run to the car.

"Aunty sorry for keeping you waiting". She said adjusting her seat belt.

"No 'P'". I smiled knowing that, that was my routine of making her wait for me.

I drove her off to her school and drove to mine. The school which was getting crowded with student's celebrating their final Exams, mostly Graduating students just like me, perhaps the nostalgia flowing in me was that time flows speedily as I could remembered us applauding the Graduates just years ago but it was now our turn to be applauded.

I parked at the parking lot, strode amidst the crowd to the Exam hall and showed my ID card before entering. I sat, logged into the computer and started answering my Exam, which was somewhat easier than expected and the time lapse was 2hours, whilst I finished before then.

"Ikhbal!". A feminine voice yelled my name.

I turned swiftly to Zainab running towards me. "Ohh! Zainab what happened?".

She halted, breathing. "You left your calculator". She handed it to me.

I took it. "Thank you". I smiled.

"Can't believe we are actually done with our Exams and literally the school". She grinned.

"I know right, like we are now graduates". I dusted my shoulder while she laughed.

"Pretty!". Layla said walking toward us. "Sallam Zainab". They shook their hands. "Pretty how was your Exam?". She asked. "Like I was eagerly happy writing mine". She added before I responded.

"It was great MashaAllah".

"..and the Graduation is just in five days". Zainab beamed.

"I can't wait". Layla and I both said and we started laughing.

"Alright I have to go, will meet you guys on Graduation day". Zainab said.

"Same goodbye". We waved at her.

We drove to pick up Raliya, as Layla followed me that Aunty Safiyya would pick her up from work. The moment Ali(gate keeper) opened the gate for us, I noticed two cars parked at the parking lot. I parked, hopped out and we trio walked into the house to meet the owners which unfortunately turned out to Abba's two elder sisters, hence Abba was the only male of his family. His two elder sisters, Aunty Asma'u (the eldest), followed by Aunty Amina, and his younger sister Aunty Asiya( who was my favorite and my closer one among them).