Embraced (#2 Natives series) #ProjectNigeria

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

               FATIHA'S BODY SAGGED IN HEAVY relief she nearly slumped to the ground. Luckily she was caught by Safiyah who held onto her arm. "It's Munir," she mumbled with her eyes closed and her heart filed with gratitude.

"You know him?" Safiyah asked.

The question alongside the not-so-silent gushing and oohings coming from most of the girls behind Fatiha were crucial enough for her to get back her bearings. Her relief began to wash away and was swiftly being replaced by an all too familiar anxiousness.

Fatiha watched silently as her best friend's brother sauntered over to her. A huge uncomfortable gray cloud pressed down on her chest as she thought about she and Munir's conversation last night.

When she'd chatted with him the night before, she hadn't expected to see him the very next day! "This is so awkward. What is he doing here?" she mumbled.

"Do you know him?" Safiyah whom had caught onto Fatiha's words asked again.

"Who is he?" Busayo asked bluntly with a slight frown. "Is he your ex?" Her arm tightened around Fatiha's as if to say she wouldn't be letting go.

While trying to free her arm from the younger girl's hold, Fatiha responded to the question. "No, he is not."

"I wouldn't complain if he was mine, because this stalker fine abeg." One of the girls, whose name was Oyiza whistled in approval.

Safiyah's eyes narrowed in her own disapproval. While the others seemed pleased with what they were seeing.

Before she could tell them that Munir wasn't a stalker and respond to a sister asking her to hook him up with her, the acclaimed stalker stopped a few feet away from the girls.

"Asalamualaykum," he greeted with a polite smile and a nod of his head to the girls. Avoiding everyone's gaze but Fatiha's. His single dimple flashing with his smile.

Fatiha wanted to groan-badly-but chided herself against it.

"Chai, God abeg. See beauty naw." Oyiza muttered not too silently.

Ya Rabb. Fatiha couldn't fault the girls for falling for Munir's gorgeous looks because at more than one point in time she'd also nearly been tempted by his good looks. Even now, she forced herself not to marvel at how wonderful the man looked. Masha Allah.

"Fatiha, who's your friend?" Muminat, the one who'd ask Fatiha to set her up with Munir asked while jabbing into Fatiha's side with her elbow.

"He's my best friend's brother." The reply came without hesitation.

Munir's eyes gleamed as she spoke and Fatiha could swear she saw the corner of his lips curl up ever so slightly with that teasing smirk of his.

"Oh, that theme." One of the girls, Fatiha couldn't tell who, muttered amusedly.

Munir looked from the girl to Fatiha perplexed. She merely ignored his confusion.

"Everyone, this is Munir Adam Madaki," Fatiha announced in English as she introduced Munir to the girls. Then to him, in Hausa, she asked, "What are you doing here? I thought you were in Nasarawa."

"Oh, I've been in Abuja since the day before yesterday. I came for an interview." Munir explained.

"You did not tell me that when we talked last night," Fatiha's tone lashed with accusation.

"You did not ask," came the man's response.

"Fair enough, but what are you doing here? In this hotel." She pressed.