YOURS, JANNAH

#SEVENTY

Staring at Jannah trudging up the stairs wearing ebony wide palazzo, matching knee length dress shirt with a belt around her tiny waist and her bag clasped in her armpit, Adnan suspired. She didn't even falter after seeing three other unknown men with him. Well, Ammar is not really unknown and Bilal too. Had they met before now since he left her village? He doesn't think so, Bilal would've told him about it.

Jannah came to stand in front of them looking at them one after the other. When her eyes fell on Bilal, she widened them then furrowed her brows as though she couldn't believe her eyes. Is she seeing the man or his younger brother perhaps? She's heard about Bilal Hashem Garo but years ago she never bothered to find out about his last names. So he is Aisha's half brother? She just clicked them now and confirmed her suspicions.

"Lalu?" Her voice lowered in that husky throatiness Adnan always loved. He sulked beside her, jealous that she didn't acknowledge him first.

"Nannah." He grinned stepping forward as if to hug her but they stood there taking each other in. They both don't know what to do.

Jannah broke the silence. "I didn't expect you to be thee Bilal everyone is talking about. I'm just putting the puzzles together. You do look like your younger sister."

Bilal scowled at her, a usual banter of theirs. "Please don't compare me with that white brat. I'm dark skinned."

Jannah giggled behind her palms before she mimicked him. "I'm dark skinned. Oh, please. You want to be dark skinned but it is not working so far. Just give up already."

Bilal's smile became reminiscing, serene and just too adorable. She's missed this guy. He was the only closest person she's had in her entire life and him disappearing on her took a mad toll then. After hearing about everything from Aisha, she knew he's become responsible though doing Adnan's bloody biddings in a clean way. His reputation was something she's expected because even back then, Bilal was so not the nicest man. Only to her.

What is with her and getting close to men with mysteries flowing through their blood? They are all mysterious, a little coldhearted in Bilal's case while Adnan? The man is an entirely different story. She intentionally refuse to look at him, he was the first person she should've acknowledged but the man won't have her for free no matter how much she wanted to wrap herself in his strong arms and lie down on his broad chest.

"C'mon, you should appreciate my effort because I've tried. It is not easy shifting from fair to tan, it worked. I'll get to the dark skin too soon, just wait for it." Bilal rocked on the heels of his feet appearing to be slightly nervous.

Of course he was nervous realizing he still loves her very much but doesn't have any chance with her. He wouldn't even try getting to her no matter what. Whether Adnan consider him to be his friend or not, they've got something between them and he won't betray, not even with his life. One of his qualities, he is extremely loyal like a dog. Jannah is now out of his reach, gone forever into the arms of another man. She was never meant to be his.

She's still very much beautiful but just like Muhammad had said, she's changed a lot. Her dark skin is now glowing, she's grown taller with a body to die for not that he could see much with her outfit. He is just being a man. Her features appear to be more rested, bathed in milk and whatnot? Money is too good. No one will prove otherwise, it is going to be a futile attempt.

The seventeen year old girl he's met is not the same as this twenty three year old all thanks to wealth. And he was reminded of her birthday, something they contemplated over for three days straight before she decided to confirm it from one of her brothers who came to visit at that time. She couldn't ask her parents about it knowing they were going to scold her for remembering such trivial things. If he could recall, she is turning twenty four in just seven days exactly.