OCTOBER 10TH

SEVENTEEN

BAUCHI STATE, NIGERIA.

"October 10th."

Mahnoor couldn't sleep since the day before and when the time clocked that date, she leaped from the bed and went to pray. That connection with her Lord, she wants it and some more.

She used the whole four hours praying, praying some more for ascendancy and felicity. She prayed to get back her happiness and buoyancy after all of this is over because the life she's been living is no fun, it makes absolutely no sense to her. She is just moving about without any motive so she will activate her old life again and live through with it, this one should dematerialize and never return.

She stood up from the bed she's been lying on, watching aloof without any emotion in her eyes. Ferrying to the ensuite, she stripped and entered the semi-oval shower cubicle. The ensuite is quiet pretty and cozy like all the other parts of the house with a nice twin basin, pink tiles all over the four walls, a shower cubicle and modern toilet.

Everything about Surayya's house screams nothing short of perfection for a woman as independent as she is. Not married, have no will to do so too. Her story, for another day like she's said.

Mahnoor didn't find it weird that there are some women that do not wish to marry in their lives. Oh, yes, it might take a toll on them one way or the other but it doesn't mean the marriage will not bring them joy.

For one, she should be amongst those women that never wish to fall in love or remarry again but she wants to keep giving life a try, she's always been a happy person and someone who accepts challenges with open arms. Whatever happens in her life has been planned, she might as well go with the flow and allow herself to feel loved. After all she's been through, she actually deserves this more than anyone else.

Maybe she won't be as open and vulnerable as she was at the beginning, but she won't stop trying either.

Done scrubbing and scouring some more of her ivory skin because the need to look extra clean and bold today is overwhelming, she stepped out from the ensuite wrapped in white towel. One secured around her thoroughly shampooed hair.

Her luggage was brought to her by Nufaisa. That lawyer is one smart woman, not leaving any stone unturned with the way she handled things. She never goes out alone whenever she is doing something related to this case and also do everything in disguise as prevention is better than cure, her motto.

She sat idly on the vanity stool, move forth her lotions and started rubbing all over her body with more delicacy and leisure. Anything to feel calm and collected and cool.

Today is the day. Everything needs to be done with utter perfection and flawlessness for anything less than that will flat her out and she's been planning for a very long time to permit anything come in her way. She's pictured everything unfolding, even the outfit she's seen in her dream, she managed to get them intact.

Her phone rang from the bed, she sighed and went to pick it up knowing this could be no one other than Asad. He takes that calling him everyday and talking for an hour straight serious because he's called her everyday and they talked for even more than the time she's said and she never minded.

He takes her mind off things with bits of jokes, jeers and teases which aided her mental health a lot. He made sure to bring her spirit up whenever she is down, always there to offer advises on what she should do and whatnot. He is a lover, a brother and at the same time, her tutor. She is one lucky woman, losing one brother and gaining the other.

And true to her words, Asad is calling so she went back to the vanity table, answered the call then put it on speaker.

"Good morning, little sunshine." He greeted mirthfully. Everyday comes with it's new nickname for her, she smiled at herself in the mirror seeing a little glimmer of life coming back in her eyes, a sign of triumph.