Gossip to secret

8.

We arrived home, feeling tired and drained. Khadija excitedly recounted our day, describing our experience in the elevator with the kind Korean woman. She eagerly showed Anisa the photo she'd taken with the woman and the exquisite gown I had worn. In fact, she also displayed the snapshot she had taken of me in the gown, emphasizing its considerable value.

"I've grown quite fond of Mrs. Farha; she strikes me as a genuinely kind person," I added.

"Yes, she's definitely kind-hearted," Khadija agreed.

Hanifa couldn't stop gushing about the picture, complimenting how stunning the gown looked on me. Our conversation continued, with Hanifa occasionally bursting into laughter, particularly when we playfully embraced our rural roots in our tales.

After our lively conversation, Hanifa kindly escorted Khadija back to her home, as I was utterly exhausted.

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Ashraf's POV

Auntie Nusaiba prepared a delicious dinner for the family. After the meal, she excitedly showed her husband a video she had taken of Anisa while she was at Sahara Chic Couture, where Anisa spoke confidently and even tried on an exquisite, albeit expensive, gown.

Yaya Awwal, her husband, was thoroughly impressed by what he saw. Just as I entered the room, Auntie Nusaiba urged me to join and see Anisa's achievements. "Ashraf, come and see your sister's fantastic moment," she beckoned.

I with a hint of skepticism, approached to view the video on her phone. As I watched Anisa's self-assured conversation and gazed at the pictures of her in the elegant gown, I couldn't help but be astonished. "Are you sure this is Anisa? It's almost like she's transformed," he inquired.

Auntie Nusaiba and Awwal burst into laughter, assuring me that it was indeed Anisa. Just then, the twins entered the room, engaged in a heated argument.

"Mommy, please tell Salamatu to stop calling me names. I just asked her to help me with my assignment, and she called me a dummy," one of the twins lamented.

Salamatu quickly responded, "We covered that topic in class five times; how couldn't you grasp it?"

With a hint of sarcasm, the other twin, Salma, retorted, "Thank you for the reminder that I'm not as brilliant as you."

Auntie Nusaiba intervened, attempting to restore order in the room. "Alright, that's enough, everyone quiet down," she implored, causing the room to fall silent as Salamatu and Salma exchanged intense glances.

Approaching the twins, Auntie Nusaiba left her phone on the sofa. Unbeknownst to them, I realized their attention was diverted, discreetly grabbed the phone, and swiftly transferred Anisa's videos to my own device.

"Thank you for keeping quiet, and please stop giving each other those looks," Auntie Nusaiba added.

With his arms folded across his chest, Yaya Awwal inquired, "Alright, now tell us what happened."

The twins attempted to speak simultaneously, resulting in a cacophony of voices. "Okay, okay, one at a time, please," Auntie Nusaiba urged, raising her voice to restore order. She continued, "Salma, you go first."

Salma, her face reflecting frustration, explained, "Mommy, I asked her to help me with my assignment because I was struggling, but she refused and kept calling me a dummy."

Salamatu began to speak, "Mommy, we've covered that topic multiple..." Before she could finish, Auntie Nusaiba interrupted her, saying, "I didn't ask you to speak."

Salamatu complied, her arms unfolded and her gaze averted. "Unfold your arms and stand properly," Auntie Nusaiba instructed. Once Salamatu followed her commands, she was permitted to continue. "Now you may speak."