Embraced (#2 Natives series) #ProjectNigeria

Chapter One

Chapter One
12 Years Ago...

           "HOW CAN YOU PEOPLE EAT that?" Aabidah asked, her arms folded across her chest, her face set in a grimace.

"Dan Allah," Basmah rolled her eyes as she took another bite from the cupcake in her hand. "If we don't eat it, will you?"

"She won't," Fatiha replied in her friend's stead as she picked up another chocolate bar. "Ooh," she cooed as she read the label on the wrapped up piece of candy. It had almond nuts in it, one of her favorite nuts, other than cashew nuts. She unwrapped the bar, took a big bite and moaned around the mouthful. 

Aabidah scoffed with an eye roll that was aimed at the girls in her room. Fatiha and Basmah were chewing on some of the treats Aabidah had gotten as an Eid present.

"See? You'll only waste them. And it's not good to waste food, you know that. Besides, if your brother finds out you even accepted a gift from Ahmad, he'll kill him and beat the hell out of you, friendship aside. However, as your good friends, Fatiha and I have decided to do you a favor by eating them." Basmah argued, a big grin on her face.

"It's true," Nooriya the youngest of the four affirmed from her position on Aabidah's bed.

Unlike Fatiha and Basmah who were indulging their taste buds with the sugary delights, Noor had a box of Aabidah's sister, Rufaidah's makeup spread out in front of her.

It was the annual Eid-Ul-Fitr get together at the Alis. Fatiha had arrived at her friend's house with her family immediately after Eid prayers and ever since had been cooped up with the girls in Aabidah's room. All four families had known each other for generations, so it had only been natural for the girls to be friends too.

"What are you doing?" Basmah queried as she stood up from her place on the tiled floor then went up to where Noor was seated. 

"Yaya AbdulWahid is around." The girl's eyes sparkled. She didn't need to say more since the girls were privy to the huge crush she had on her cousin.

"So, are you going to finally tell him?" Basmah asked, lying down on her stomach, her hands cupped her chin as she grinned mischievously at the giddy girl.

Fatiha looked at Noor who was applying a coral pink coat of lip gloss on her rosebud lips, and without thinking yelled, "No."

Three pair of eyes fell on her instantaneously. She swallowed.

Aabidah had moved over to join the girls. Fatiha felt her cheeks burn at the sudden attention. She always felt so self conscious in the midst of these striking young women who were her friends. If it wasn't for their families, Fatiha told herself that they wouldn't have ever considered beings friends with her.

They were all still quiet young. Aabidah and Basmah were sixteen years old, while Fatiha and Noor were fifteen. Noor who was two months younger than Fatiha had dark skin, a shade lighter than Basmah's and she had those striking facial features the Madakis were known for. She didn't even need makeup to accentuate them.

But her... Fatiha mentally shook her head to dispel the depressing train of thought. It was Eid, she chided herself, a day of fun and goodness, not depression.

"What?" Nooriya's almond shaped eyes, the light brown of her iris grew as round as it could behind her cat rimmed glasses as she stared at her friend. "What's wrong?"

"Um," Fatiha took another bite of the chocolate bar in her hand to conceal her nervousness. You've been friends with these girls forever. It's unnecessary for you to feel so insecure around them. Was what she told herself every time but still these sorts of illness takes time to heal. A long time. "Why don't you go for a more natural shade with a light pop at the center instead?" she recommended.