Her Little Secret(Prior)

Chapter 20.*meelah*

Jameelah

"Meelah! I bought us a flower vase"

"Meelah! I got promoted at work"

"Meelah! I ordered this, what do you think"

"Meelah! Abbah asked what we would love to wear for Eid, what should we wear?"

Meelah, this. Meelah, that.

She was all I could ask for in a sister. Yet, she was all I don't want in a sister. If only I were a little more prettier, things wouldn't be this bad between us.

If only I were as good as she is.
If only I were as adorable as she is. If only I was as nice as she is. If only I could be as nonchalant as she is. If, if, if and if.

There were so many if's. But I'm sure of two things.

One, Haleemah would never forget the day I crashed her laptop. Which is good.

Two, I would never forget the day she stood to my face to tell me I was horrible. That I was selfish!

It was official. I hate her.

I couldn't face her the next day without feeling the need to strangle her. The feeling was mutual because she refused to sleep in the same room with me. It was better. It gave me the chance to prepare my travelling bag and sneak out of the house unnoticed.

I didn't let anyone know, not even my mother that I was going away. I slept at the airport terminal and left the next day after convincing myself to go to my maternal grandmother.

So here I am after two days, on kaka's bed away from her never ending visitors. Being away from home makes me realize how much luxury I enjoy at home. No one would disturb your peace in your own room.

But I felt better like this without 'the luxury of Haleemah' everywhere. Here, other than being admired and pampered, I do nothing at all.

"Jameelah! Kizo a miki lalle kema"

I dragged myself out of bed in compliance. I needed something to stop me from thinking, to stop from wallowing in my low self esteem. Would the story have been different if Haleemah is in my position and I am in hers? I wondered.

Having Hennah drawn on my hands and feet would do that much. I could trace the intricate designs and wonder how the drawing started instead.

Two hours later, I had washed away the henna and only the stain remained.

It looked beautiful.

*

"So, why have you decided to visit me abruptly?" I was taken aback by kaka's question which I wasn't expecting at all.

"Kaka! Is it bad to visit you again?" I asked seemingly tired by how nothing goes my way.

I squirmed seeing as she was assessing me closely.
"You ran away from home? "She asked.

Seeing I didn't plan on answering her, she looked away from me. "Zainab told me everything. Jameelah you don't live like that and expect peace in this world..." She went on and on and I blocked her out until I decided I have had enough.

"Kaka! I am nauseated"I complained before rushing to the toilet like I was going to empty my stomach.
I had a dose of locust beans in my lunch and I had been complaining ever since I ate. It was easy for her to buy my act.

When I closed the door behind me, I leaned back and begin to wonder what I should do next. Abbah didn't bother to call me, nor did anyone at home except my mom, not even Hajiya babba. And certainly not Addah Maami! They could all go to hell, for all I care. I had touch the apple of their eyes, it's not surprising.

So I tapped few times on my phone and I was satisfied that some certain people wouldn't reach me on my phone except I want them to.

I figured I was safe here the same way I was safe in my father's home. And it's not wrong to be here, so I hoped to myself that whatever kaka would say, she would not think of sending me back home.

If I have no traces of Haleemah anywhere, I am good. I don't mind what 'Aliyy Kamal would say when next he set his eyes on me.

Needless to say, I had planned to stay here for a very long period of time. Even though there was something gnawing at the back of my mind.

*

Short chapter!
This chapter even though small was hard to write😡

Jama'a one advice to jam-jam😀

Let's meet up with Nadeer in the next chapter... who's excited??