RUDIN ZAMANI

FIRST DATE

Sama-sama yake jan ta da hira har suka isa easy eat restaurant. Yana kashe motan ya bude kofa ya fita, Zainab ma takai hannunta ta bude nata kofar.
Atake ya daga mata hannu yace “Wait…”
Bata san meh yake nufi ba, amma dai ta jaa kofar ta rufe. Kafin ta juya ta tambayeshi dalili sai ji tayi ya rufe kofarshi. Juyawa tayi tana duba ina ya tafi, kuma mesa zai rufeta a mota ya hanata fita. Wani tsoro ne ya shiga jikinta, tafara nadaman meh ya kaita binshi. What if dan yankan kai ne? Innalillahi. Tana tsakiyan tunani kawai sai taga mutum yasa hannu yana bude motan ta gefenta. In da za a tsaga jikinta alokacin tabbas baza asamu jini ba, don daskarewa tayi ajikin kujera tana duk addu’an da yazo bakinta. Hawaye ne ya zubo a idanunta da ta gane Bassam ne, ba wai wani ne ya bude motan ba. Wani irin nutsuwa taji ya sauko mata.
Ganin hawayen yasa shi zare ido, ba shiri ya sunkuyo daidai fuskarta yana dubata.
“Idan baki so mu shiga ne yanzu zan mayar dake. Kiyi hakuri, bansan kawo ki nan zai bata miki rai har kiyi kuka ba,” ya mata magana cikin fargaba da kuma lallami.
Handkerchief ta ciro daga hand bag nata ta share hawayen.
Sai tace “Ba batun wannan bane,” gamida kokarin fitowa daga motan.
Mikewa yayi, ahankali ya kama shoulders nata ya sake zaunar da ita. Duk da a tsorace take, hakan bai hanata acknowledging hannunshi ajikinta ba. Saidai ba ma shine babban matsalar ba, yana daf da ita, ga kamshin shi yana saka wasu abubuwa suna mata yawo acikin jikinta.
Cikin damuwa yace “Idan ba shi bane, toh menene ya saka ki kuka?”
“Tsoro ne ya kamani. Naga kace min kar in fito. Sannan ka zagaya bansan ta inda kayi ba. Out of nowhere sai naga mutum yana faman bude mota.”
Dariyan kanta ta fara. Bassam kuwa kaman poster yana tsaye yana sauraronta with arms folded.
Ta cigaba “Na dauka wajen yan yankan kai ka kawoni ka tafi. At first tsaba na rikice, ban ma yi tunanin kai bane.”
Sai alokacin damuwar da ke fuskarshi ya ragu. Girgiza kai yayi yana murmushi.
“Ke matsoraciya ce ban sani ba. Allah ya so ni baki saka ihu ba, zakisa azo ace na sato yar mutane ne,” ya fada cikin zolaya.
Dariya dukkansu biyun sukayi sannan ya ce “Wai ni nazo bude miki kofa ne as a romantic gentleman. I am sorry I scared you.”
Sai lokacin jikinta ya daina rawa. Kunya ne ya lullube ta.
“It is fine. I’m sorry I ruined it,” ta amsa mishi cikin sanyin murya.
“Yanzu yaya za ayi? Can we go in? Ko dai mu koma muje wani wuri daban?”
Matsa mata yayi da yaga tana faman tashi, ya koma ya jinginu da kofar baya.
Fitowa tayi ta tsaya ta gefenshi.
“A’a babu komai,” tace dashi.
“Banaso in zama sanadin saka ki jin you are unsafe,” ya fada ba tare da ya matsa daga jikin motan ba.
Murmushi ta sakar mishi, cikin dauriya ta tura kofar motan ta rufe ta nufi restaurant entrance din.
“I told you I am okay. Muje.”
Big smile yayi mata, ya danna lock dake jikin car key sannan ya karaso inda ta tsaya tana jiranshi.

Suna shiga taji hankalinta ya kara kwanciya. Akwai mutane sun kai goma azaune kan kujeru suna cin abinci suna hira. Da yake restaurant din yanada girma, sam babu cunkoso.
Waitress ne tazo ta tambayesu a ina zasu zauna — anan ko kuwa ta kai su VIP. Bassam ya tambayeta ko akwai mutane yanzu aciki, tace mishi babu. Kusan lokaci guda shi da Zainab suka bada decisions daban-daban.
Ita tace tunda akwai available tables, nan din ma is okay. Shikuma yace mutane sunyi yawa anan, VIP will be better. Karshe dai decision na Zainab suka bi. Yace mata she’s the boss, duk abinda take so shi za ayi.
Within few minutes sunyi placing order an kawo abinci an jera musu. Shi ya zabi abinda zasu ci; Fried rice with plantain, meat sauce, and coleslaw. Sai orange juice. Bismillah yayi yafara ci suna ɗdn hira. Zainab sai wasa da spoon akan plate takeyi, da kyar take iya kai loma bakinta. Most of her time was spent just looking at him. Aranta tana ma kanta fada tabar yin abu kaman wawiya, amma ina, no such luck. Shima anashi bangaren hakan ne. Baya ko son ya cire idanunshi daga kallonta, saidai shi sam baiyi kokarin boyewa ba. Duk lokacin da ta kai idonta kanshi, sai taci karo da nashi akanta.
Ajiye spoon nashi yayi ya kura mata ido, “Abincin bai miki daɗi bane su kawo wani?” Ya tambayeta.
Gyara gyalen dogon riganta tayi.
“Yayi dadi mana. Ina ci ai,” ta bashi amsa.
“Ina ganin ki fah tun dazun darling,” sai kuma yayi wani tunani. “Idan ma don ni ne please feel free, karki takura kanki.”
Hannunta ta kai zata dauki drink nata ta bude. Da sauri ya daura hannunshi akai.
“Let me,” yace mata.
Cire hannunta tayi ta barshi ya dauka ya bude, sannan ya zuba mata acikin cup. Godiya ta mishi ta cigaba da cin abincinta. Ba laifi ta dage ta ci abincin sosai. Even though hankalinta rabi yana kanshi.
Suna hanyan komawa school dukkansu ransu fari sol. Tana mamakin yanda komai nashi yake burgeta. Growing up, TV crushes nata duk farare ne. Sai gashi Bassam with his chocolate skin has swooped in and taken her by surprise. Yana driving tana satar kallon idanunshi, eyebrows nashi, his lips, his nose, his manicured hands, his trimmed beard, his voice… She wants to commit everything to memory.

Masallacin da ke cikin school ya tsaya, sukayi sallah kafin ya mayar da ita department. Lokacin saura 10 minutes to her next class.
Kaman kar su rabu, yayi parking yakai two minutes ba wanda ya motsa acikinsu. Suna zaune shiru saidai suka yi ta satar kallon juna. Yana ji kaman ya ja motan su sake tafiya wani gurin. Ko ya bi ta su shiga lectures din tare. Ko ta bishi office domin duk juyawarshi ya samu ganinta. Shi kawai bayaso ya rabu da ita.
“Nagode da kika bani time naki yau. I can’t remember the last time my heart has felt this happy. Har wani tsalle yakeyi yanaso ya fito yazo ya rungume ki,” ya fada yana kallonta.
Matsowa yayi kusa da ita, har tana jin hucin numfashin shi a gefen fuskarta. Wani abu ne yake fizgar Bassam zuwa ga Zainab.
“I love you, Zainab. Mi yidi ma.” Taji ya furta.
Kaman mafarki abun yazo mata. Lumshe idanunta tayi na yan sakanni, tanaso ta juya ta kalleshi, amma ta kasa.
Ba tare da ta kalleshi ba, tace “Na gode Yaya Bassam. Bakina bazai iya furta irin farincikin da ka sakani aciki ba.”
Ahankali yace “Daga yau na cire ‘Yaya’ daga sunana awajenki. I am your boyfriend, right?”
Dayake yana daf da ita, maganan ajikin kunnenta taji. Daga kunnen kuma ya watsu zuwa sauran jikinta. Bakinta ya kasa motsi. Daga mishi kai tayi alaman “Eh.”
“Ki sa min wani suna daban, kinji?” Ya sake cewa.
Gyaran murya tayi tace “Wanne kakeso?”
Guntun dariya yayi yace “Your choice, darling. Your choice.”
Karar wayarta ne ya ceceta. Jamila ce ta kirata tana cewa tayi sauri ta dawo, time na class nasu yayi.
Fita daga motan yayi ya bude mata kofa.
“I miss you already,” yace mata.
Tana kallonshi da murmushi tace “I miss you too already.”
Da kyar suka rabu. Ya tsaya yana ganinta har ta shiga department. Tunani dewa suna mishi yawo. Yau yayi hakuri iya hakuri, amma yana ganin kaman yakai limit nashi. Zainab ta shiga ranshi fiye da yanda baya zato. Hakan ne kuma yasa yake ji bazai iya hakura ya barta ba.

Zainab tana class amma gangan jiki ne kawai azaune. Ko bindiga aka kawo akace ta fadi me ake koyarwa, bazata iya fada ba. Tana zaune kaman gunki. Ruhinta kuwa ya bi Bassam ya tafi. Dama haka soyayya yake da dadi? Gashi dai basu dade da haduwa ba, amma he occupies each waking moment. Wani lokacin ma har cikin bacci baya barinta. Ya shiga kowanni lungu da sako na zuciyarta ya mamaye. Ita fah ta gama tabbatar da cewa duk wadanda suke kuka akan soyayya toh basuyi sa’a kaman ita bane. Yanzu ne take kara yarda da maganan da Jamila tayi ranan, she has indeed won the lottery. Idan tanada Bassam meh kuma zata sake bukata awannan rayuwa? Dazun da yace mata he loves her, ji tayi kaman tana yawo a sararin samaniya. Kaman ta bude kirjinshi ta zauna aciki har abada. Tana ji bazata iya rayuwa idan babu shi ba.
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© Haneefah U.