A Promise to Aabidah (#1 Natives series) #ProjectNigeria

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

          "I HAVE A FEELING YOU'RE about to tell me I won't be able to see you again for the next — how many days will this one be?" Aabidah asked, sighing. She looked away from a casually dressed AbdulAzeez and shook her head.

"Aabi..." he called softly, leaning forward to get a better look at her face.

She looked back at him, her lip stuck in between her teeth. The last time she had seen him was a week ago before he had gone to Keffi to work, she hadn't even known until he'd gone there. She had been so mad at the time that she had lectured him on why doing things like that wasn't just right. He had apologized over the phone but Aabidah had been reluctant to accept the apology.

Two days back when he came back, she had been the first person he'd gone to see and because she knew taking it too far would only be childish, she had accepted the second apology.

Today, when he had messaged her to meet up with him, she had hoped that perhaps he wanted to go on a date. But a girl could dream, right? Instead, he had wanted to tell her that he would be traveling again.

Aabidah let her hand fall helplessly on the plastic table. "What do you have to do this time? Where are you going? What sort of painter travels all around just to paint houses?"

"It's not just painting. I like fixing up old houses and remember I told you I'm considering going into renovating houses with a university friend. You know that." He looked at her with unbelieving eyes. "So, why would you say that?"

"It's because I don't understand!"

It was unbelievable! Aabidah couldn't believe they were arguing a few weeks after getting back together.

Was she so naive to have expected something better out of this? She was stupid to have told herself that since they were now adults things would be different — perhaps even easy. But relationships were all the same. She had realized. Forget age, once you become so close and intimate with a person regard for that person's feelings just gets shoved into a bin and it's just like both parties can't help but irritate the other with the slightest mistake.

Mayhaps that is why people say relationships takes time and effort. It needed a ton of patience and asked for a huge amount of consideration. Was this why Basmah cursed the term love?

"What don't you understand?" AbdulAzeez asked, his tone flat.

Aabidah released a breath. The plate of food AbdulAzeez had ordered for her was left untouched. "I don't understand why you need all these side jobs, it's only reducing the time we have to see each other and besides, didn't you say you got called back for an exam by the school?"

"So?"

"So, take this time to rest before you start working as a lecturer. I'm not sure about the pay but I know it'll be better than what you're getting from burning away under harsh weather."

"And how are you sure I'll get the job?" AbdulAzeez inquired, his own food pushed to the side.

Aabidah eyes sparkled at the enquiry. She shifted in her seat, placed her hands on the table and smiled up at him. "Because you've worked hard for it," she moved closer and whispered behind her palm, "and because I've been praying and fasting on your behalf. I know that getting this job will do a lot for you, so I've also asked my uncle who works there to –"

"You did what?" His voice was so quiet yet Aabidah couldn't deny the existence of pure hot rage she heard in those few words.

She dropped back in her seat. "I just told him to –" Again she couldn't complete her sentence.