Her Little Secret(Prior)

Chapter 18 *clash*

Jameelah

My heart keeps beating erratically. I kept going, each step harder to take than the last I took willing to stop his gaze towards Haleemah, towards them. But what? It was Nadeer.

Haleemah had to pick Nadeer to meet out of all the guys she could meet. I stood rooted, eyes glued to them. To Haleemah as she watched him get into his car and drive away before she got back into hers.

If it was in a normal circumstances, I should be happy that Haleemah is proving me right. I knew its a matter of time before someone cracks her up. But the person being Nadeer is something else.

I gasped as my eyes met that of Mudathir who was glaring at me. If looks could kill.

I couldn't find it in me to call him back as he stormed pass me with a silent promise that I was just beginning to suffer from the consequences of my action.

*

Life isn't fair.

But then, life isn't meant to be fair. I thought when my phone screen light up for the third time within the last ten minutes.

Here's this Mus'ab guy being persistent in winning me over day and night and here I am having suicidal thoughts over a guy who wants my sister. The look he was giving Haleemah yesterday bothers me.

It bothers me more than him ignoring me.

And as usual, Haleemah didn't notice, she never does.

I notices everyone's reaction to me. Whenever I entered a place, I know the person who gave me a once over, I know the one who couldn't take his eyes off me, I know the one who steals glances at me and I know the one who didn't seem a bit bothered by me.

Years ago when I was still in school, I was gifted an embroidered Senegalese boubou and I loved it so much. I threw it on one Friday and paired it up with matching veil, bag and shoes. I topped it with a killer spectacles and I knew I looked stunning. When I got to school that day, even the nerd of our class who never openly admires me had his mouth opened.

That's me, I notice everything.

But Haleemah, she bothers me.
I looked over at her as she opens one book or the other, and types this or that on her laptop.

She's just perfect.

The perfect worker, the perfect daughter, the perfect girlfriend, and the perfect everything.

"Haleemah" I called.

"What would you do if you were betrayed?" I asked.

She thought for a while. "I don't know... I won't take it well" she says and I nodded.

"What happened?Why do you ask?" She asked and I found it a bit annoying.

"Nothing, just asking."

"Hauwau Jameelah! What did you do again?"She fired. To say I was shocked was an understatement. I was startled.

"What?" I started, edged.
"What do you mean what did I do again"

"It's not like I don't know how selfish you can be"
That was it. That statement!

I saw red!

I didn't think before I took a few steps to her. And before anything I landed her a slap and then asked her what she said again. She didn't answer which infuriated me more, not that her answering me would do anything to my anger.

I wiped her front clean with one sweep of my hand. Not even bothering where her laptop fell or what happened to her phone.

"Selfish! How dare you! What. are. you. to. call. me. that?" I barked slamming my hands over the table.

She said nothing.
"You! You. are. the. most. selfish. person. I . have. ever. seen."I spat spelling each word to mark my ground.

"Yet everyone thinks you are a saint"

She stood up and was about to side step me when I dragged her back."where do you think you are going?"

*

"So you slapped her?" Addah Maami asked.

I refused to answer.
"Jamee!" She called for my attention and when I looked up she said "that was wrong" outright.

"You cannot just slap someone, anyone if you are angry. You need to try to control yourself more"

"And Haleemah!" She called.

"How could you insult your sister that way?" She asked.

I couldn't care less. I should have given her the beating of her life for calling me selfish. If she wasn't selfish enough.

"She's your Addah, and you know that. That's no way to be respectful."

"Addah, my laptop..."I heard her start but she kept quiet again.
"I'll replace it, so you both should..."

"Addah maami, you don't get it" she cut her off midway and that was the first time I raised my head to look at her.

"She crashed my laptop" she said lowly and I saw the livid change in her expression. She isn't even talking about the slap. If Addah maami is like me, we would all gang up on her. She is my sister before she is hers. Addah Maami, our eldest sister shares the same mother as me.

"Addah that's my life. All my life, I've had only one laptop. My work, my life, everything is in it. But what? You will replace it?"

"And I was wrong to tell her what she really is. You all want to tell me that you haven't realize at a point in time that Jameelah is selfish? She thinks about herself, and herself alone. Everyone else can go to hell"

"Have you all forgotten the story around that laptop. I never forgot since twelve years ago. Hajja bought it for both of us, same colour, same brand as a gift after our BECE. But she broke her own and replaced it with mine. I didn't complain, I got it fixed. Then a year later, she told me what happened and demand that I give her back, because I spoilt her charger. I did, you all knew about it. And now what?"

"She crashed my laptop!" she said again, this time louder.

I didn't care. Or do I?

***

Sabr!

Sabr ya Allah!

No words😀

Let's meet in the next chapter!

Ciao