Her Little Secret(Prior)

Chapter 22*summer and winter*

Mudathir

It's very unlike me.

Taking out my anger on someone else is very unlike me. Resenting someone this much is very unlike me. Heck! Falling in love this deep is also very unlike me.

It's been two weeks. I haven't done anything tangible for these two weeks. Always indoors, in my room. Eating a little and taking out my anger on the maids.

Mother knew something was wrong with my visit hence she made her own enquiry. The result though, I care not about.

Her being her still didn't know it would have felt better if she consoled me or even pretended to care. But she gave strict instructions for the maids to take care of me instead. The maid could've bore me for her too.

It's not the first time, and it won't be the last time. Baba always end up playing her role in her stead. Except that it took two weeks before he did this time.

He had been out of the country for weeks and just came back only to meet me this way. He had boxed me out of my depression this morning and had told me to get ready for a ride with him in the evening.

It's more of a reason why I strongly believe there's something behind our births that they aren't letting out. Dad overly cares, mum never cares.

He will be busy, busier than her obviously, but will still make out time for his kids. Or his grown children, given that thirty one years in this world is no joke.

I took a long relaxing bath taking my time to sooth my aching joints, which would ache more tomorrow. Baba can be brutal when boxing. I am his child for goodness sake. He's supposed to go easy on me. I'm not the enemy here!

But when I came out and dressed up, I was feeling a lot better. And the next thing I wanted to do was go out on a drive. To a certain place in sharadda quarters.

Moments later, I was pulling over at the Sa'ads eager to give Mujahid the beating of his life for not checking up on me within these two weeks that I was out of it. Sweet wickedness!

*

"Mansur please" Mujahid pleaded as I had barged into his room and held his arm to his back before sending him flat on his face.

Only that his facial expressions changed when he saw that it was me. He was in his chair reading whatever in a book and I would have done the same even if he was holding his phone. Thankfully he isn't.

"When did you receive Mansur's psychic spirit that I had no idea about?" He asked groaning as he sit up.

"That is for not checking up on me for the past two weeks"

"But I called you right before you board your plane and you told me everything was okay"

"If anything was wrong, will I have told you on phone while I was about to board a plane?" I scolded.

But he nodded calmly that I just knew something was wrong somewhere even if he isn't saying anything about it.

"So what happened to you?"

"Nothing. Kawae na shiga wani hali ne. Me sef I didn't understand myself these past few days." I walked in finding my best spot on his bed and sat down.

"Something happened back in Yola" he concluded.

"Ka bari kawae. Ai I made sure to let her know my stand with her. How dare her deceive someone into love." I rambled on telling him how I made sure to get under her skin.

"So you decide to marry her instead dukda haka ?" He asked.

"Yeah. Toh ya zanyi? Haleemah is one fierce lady that I would be joking with myself to think I can cajole her into marrying me. And Mum will just make things difficult for her if there was ever a sign that she didn't like me. You know how it is nah, Mujahid"

He nodded understandably. The thing is I am afraid of what Mum will make the girl go through. I was going to tell her beforehand if it was someone I loved, but if it's Jameelah she brought it upon herself.

"But she has someone sef"

"What!" He exclaimed and I felt him being empathetic with me. It calmed me more. I found myself narrating the whole encounter I witnessed between her and the stranger who looked strangely familiar.

My eyes lit up as I saw something. It was the shopping bag I saw when I visited last time. Before I left to yola, that is. If it has the same thing I saw inside that day then it's definitely mine.

Mujahid cannot control himself around new things. He would have worn it one way or the other. Except it was meant for a certain day which is yet to come. So, I scanned my memory for any special day where Nike sneakers would be needed and I found none.

Come to think of it, I have to go on a ride with Baba this evening and it's almost 'asr. I should leave.

Yes, I should! With my gift in the shopping bag of course. I'm itching to try it on on a field.

So I stood up and reached for it while Mujahid watched me with curious eyes. I goof at him and said my goodbyes as he shakes his head to dismiss my childish attitude.

Congratulations on your engagement. I'm your best friend until your bachelor's eve only. Find a new best friend for your wedding!

The card read. And they said I was the childish one among us.

I smiled and found myself looking forward to my wedding, hoping a miracle would happen and I would end up getting married to the same person I had wanted to at first.

________

This is for you UmmAmmaar1

Sorry for the late update. I promise to make it up to you.

Ciao Bella...