I See Fire

30 | Molotov Cocktail

Farouk drives with increasing speed to his stop point. He was close but he felt any minute he lost on the road was a minute lost on his way out of Abuja. He didn't have a plan but he knew if night fell and he was still there, a hotel would be his best option. Not even Mujaheed.

"We have finished Professor Danjuma test o. You no go show again? The man said he'll allow you take the test because you're a good student but na after school. Where you dey so?"

"I no go show again o. Abeg tell him I will do the carryover." He knew there was no test for him to write if he didn't pass the current one he was in. "Popsy dey vex. I no fit stay for house again."

"Wetin your papa talk?" What did your father say? Mujaheed asks Farouk on the phone.

"He said I should wait for him in my room but the look he gave me just made me run. I'm going to hide somewhere for some time."

"What do I do with the money you left with me?"

"I'll send you Yusuf's number. Call him and tell him you have his money."

"I thought it was your fathers money?"

"Just take it to him please, I'll explain when I'm back. I'm on my way to Aisha's house. I want to tell her not to worry about me while I'm gone."

"It's done." He laughs "You really love this girl."

"Yes I do. Thank you too, you're the only one I can trust at this moment."

He stops the car in front of her house and walks to the gate which was unusual but he wasn't here for a long visit. He knocks and waits for the security guard to appear outside.

"Aah Farouk, come inside with your car now." The body man said, going in to open the bigger side of the gate.

"Wait." Farouk called, removing #500 from his pocket and sticking it in his sticky palms "Please call Aisha for me."

"I'm coming." He runs in jumping like a clown with now brain.

Farouk returns to his car and sits, with his heart thumping fast in his chest, unsettling feeling in his stomach and sweaty hands. He looked like he'd committed a crime. He leaves the locks open so when Aisha comes she just opens the door and sits in.

"Baby are you ok?" She looked outside her window "You didn't want to come in?"

He longingly sniffed the air consumed by her scent of vanilla, ignoring her question. She looks at him terrified as if she was sitting beside a recently pronounced mad man.

"Farouk!" She snaps her fingers in front of his face before he turns his eyes to her.

"How was your day?" He smiles, forgetting his worries as soon as he looked into her eyes.

A warmth spread in his chest with the realization that they were endgame but he was saddened upon realizing he'd be leaving her soon and he wasn't sure if they'd ever meet again if this cash or crash issue wasn't resolved.

"Talk, please. You're scaring me." She frowns deeply, obviously scared for him though she felt strong enough to handle whatever news it was he came with.

For a second the thought of him breaking up with her crossed her mind but she waves it off and continued to wait for him to speak.

"Aisha, I love you."

"What's new?" She pouts, her fear simmering to butterflies in her tummy "I love you too."

He sees her blush and his chest fills itself with a pain that he'd make her cry before they left here. Aisha was mean and didn't like to show weakness but when it came to him, the smallest issues could break her. He could be sick and she wouldn't be able to eat. She loved him like that—his was even more.