It was the day of the party, and Anisa was elegantly dressed in a long gown. She looked beautiful without any makeup, relying solely on her usual touch of red lipstick. She grabbed her handbag and the flower, which served as the gate pass for the event, then descended the stairs, putting on her eyeglasses.
Auntie Nusaiba emerged from the kitchen and noticed Anisa, dressed up. She shot her a curious look and asked, "What are you dressed up for?"
Anisa replied with a question, "What else would I be dressed up for?"
"Don't answer my question with a question," Auntie Nusaiba said, walking closer to Anisa.
"Of course, I'm going out. We have a school party, and this flower I'm holding is the gate pass," Anisa explained.
"You're not going anywhere. A school party? What if it's dangerous?" Auntie Nusaiba said, folding her arms across her chest.
Anisa gazed at Auntie Nusaiba's beautiful face and asserted, "You've all wanted me to go to school, so let me enjoy my school life. I'm not your property anymore; I belong to someone else now. So, bye."
Auntie Nusaiba's lips slightly parted in surprise as she fixated her gaze on Anisa.
Auntie Nusaiba's heart raced as she observed Anisa leaving the house. The words that left her speechless and surprised echoed in her mind: "Besides, I'm not your property anymore; I belong to someone else." She wondered if Anisa had discovered her and Ashraf's marriage.
Perhaps maybe she has discovered it. Anisa tended to keep quiet about things that hurt her, expressing herself indirectly at times.
Auntie Nusaiba wondered about Ashraf's whereabouts; she hadn't seen him since morning. She wanted to ask him if he had informed Anisa about the marriage. If he had, she anticipated being quite upset with him.
Ashraf lay on his bed, feeling unwell since morning with a fever, a headache, and unexplained pelvic pain. He took medication prescribed by his friend, Dr. Mus'ab Hamad, who had come for a friendly visit without wanting anyone at home to know about Ashraf's illness.
Among Ashraf's friends, Mus'ab stood out as the most gentle and sensible. Ashraf liked him the most, especially since Mus'ab recently returned to Nigeria. As Ashraf peacefully slept, Mus'ab sat beside him, watching a cartoon on Ashraf's laptop with earphones on, as cartoons were his favorite.
.............
Anisa arrived at the party, encountering some girls and even Jiddah. Together, they approached the door, presenting their flowers to gain entry.
The event seemed to be a gathering for the affluent, hosted in a stunning house. Music from 'Wizkid Summer 2022' played as they strolled in. At the entrance, a banner caught their attention, reading "Ashawo Village Party Night" pasted to the side.
"What-the-fuck. No one told me it's an Ashawo party." Anisa said staring at the banner.
"It's not exactly an Ashawo party; it's just a challenge. You know, the one that's been trending on TikTok, where you dress like olden days Nollywood prostitutes. Can't you see the way some people are dressed?" one of the girls explained.
"Yeah, and at the end of the party, they'll select the winners of the challenge and reward them with something. Well, dressing up is optional," another girl chimed in.
"What's so amazing about dressing like an Ashawo?" Anisa questioned, looking puzzled.
"iPhone 14 and five hundred thousand naira are what make it amazing to dress like that," the first girl replied.
YOU ARE READING
Gossip to secret
General FictionAnd you come across people who look as if they have nothing to worry about, that they have no burden inside them, that there is nothing wrong going on with them, but only Allah knows what they're suffering from in secret. It's only in closed doors t...
