OCTOBER 10TH

FIFTEEN

BAUCHI STATE, NIGERIA.

Dressed in shadow leather pants, grey colored knitted jumper and iron swing coat over the entire outfit just in case the weather changes again as you cannot predict anything in September. The weather is a bit chilly and rain might fall any moment, she needs to be ready in every situation so she won't be rendered destitute by any chance. That is something she cannot afford no more, being helpless is not for her after all she's been through for the past few years.

She tied her hair into a low bun around her nape, pinned it down with a half dozen of pins then remove one of her many crinkled cotton veils, iron color and wrap it around her, pushing it inside the coat. She's closed her face with sable face mask for more discreetness, not trusting the entire Bauchi State with her unfamiliar face. Or familiar? You never know with these sneaky rich folks you see around.

Reaching out for her wedged heels, she slipped her feet inside then stood up. She's changed a lot! People who've seen her few months ago won't believe she is the same person now. She's stopped wearing the colorful outfits she's always loved for years, since her childhood. She's vowed to wear those shady colors of grey, black or white to mourn her son's death and only return to her old ways when his murderer is safely locked behind the bars. She can't and won't allow herself such felicity when she still hasn't won, when she's still failed as a mother. Things are about to change though.

The old Mahnoor might be dead or locked somewhere because this new one doesn't tolerate a lot. She now wears makeup to perfection by herself after watching tons of tutorial courtesy of not having anything else to do except painting and she cannot paint all the damn time. Apart from her now flawless makeup, she's trained herself to wear heels and walk like a grownup woman her age. She is twenty two for goodness sake, she needs to act like a twenty two year old like her friends used to scold her to.

Her eyes pierced into her face in the mirror, her perfect long eyelashes combed with mascara, eyelids seasoned panda smudge that makes her look more daring and bold which was the aim. Her lips painted with bold red lipstick to make it stand out against her ivory face. She tilted the mouth sideways in yet another sardonic smile she always give herself whenever she thinks about how much she would enjoy seeing Zubairu Ajuji and his son rotting in pits of abysmal hades. Oh, the joy and felicity that will envelope her then will know no bound. The man who thinks his power can do everything for him is sickly mistaken because she is also a determined hurt mother.

Taking off a sable saddle bag, she wrapped it around herself in a crossover then leave the small apartment, locking the door behind her. Her neighbor walked out just right at that moment, she looked up at him and gave a small wave then turn around to leave.

She's been living in the building for a long time but she never bothered to befriend anyone around. The only time they clash is when she is leaving the house, she'd wave at whichever one she's come across then continue on her way like nothing is wrong which it isn't. She won't make any friend in that building, she is going to leave as soon as the case starts, she won't be safe there. She's asked Asad to get a new house for her somewhere no one would find her or even think a human lives there.

That is where they are going after visiting her lawyer, Attorney Nufaisa Rashidi. After celebrating their small victory yesterday, Anila gave her her number and asked her to call her for an appointment instantly which she did and luckily got asked to come the next day. The art exhibition has been postponed until the end of the week in three days making it fall on a Sunday. She wasn't happy about it but she is at the same time because seeings Nufaisa Rashidi is something she cannot wait to do. She needs to make sure everything is going according to her plan.

She walked down the stairs and outside the lobby to the waiting car outside, Asad's silver Audi RS Q8. She can easily drive herself with her own car but he insisted on taking her because they haven't been spending time together and he's missed her a lot. She's been too occupied with her paintings to think about their growing relationship, she wants to distance herself from him to make sure she is not making another mistake due to her loneliness. Like she's done with Aman and regretted it the next morning but with Asad, it's genuine. Something serious is happening for the first time in her life.