HAFSAT ✔

EIGHT

8
Hamza rolled side to side on his bed. His energy was at the lowest today. He would've loved to lie still for a while but he still hasn't found a comfortable position.

His phone rang for the fifth time that morning. He stretched his hands and picked it up from the bedside drawer. He tossed it aside after seeing that it was one of his girlfriends. He don't know how but he was wishing it was Hafsah. The thought of her seemed to live rent free in his brain. It became more fierce since he hasn't seen her for over two weeks. So many times, he wished he had the courage to visit her at home.

An idea came to him and he sat up with energy he didn't know he had. He took his phone and opened his Instagram. He typed in Hafsah but the number of accounts that appeared gave him a headache.
What was he thinking? She wasn't the only Hafsah on earth.

The fact that he doesn't know her surname wasn't helping matters. He searched for Ameerah's name next. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw that she was following a little above hundred people.
His joy was cut short however when he couldn't access the people she was following. He let out a long hiss when it dawned on him that she made her account private.

Should I follow her?

He questioned himself. He tapped on the follow button before he had second thoughts.

To pass time, he got up and brushed his teeth then took a long bath. He checked his phone immediately he was out of the toilet. It has been an hour already. Luckily for him, she has accepted and also followed back.

Keeping the thought of dressing up aside, he went through her following carefully. He tapped on a particular hafsabba and his jaw dropped to the floor in surprise.

She had almost thirty posts and a few highlights. He tapped on each of them. They were all pictures of her and beautiful views. The most recent ones were those of skies, gardens or a cup of tea with a beautiful background.

He moved to her highlights. First one titled Gee's. It had both boys and girls and he hissed at how touchy and close the guys were with her.
The next one, Alhamdulillah, consisted of her holding an award or she was being presented with one. He smiled widely at that and his heart swelled with a feeling that was foreign to him.

He made up his mind to text her but something told him to first check when her last post was. It has been over a year. His heart sank with disappointment. He dropped the phone and dressed up instead.

Hamza was in his final year. He was interning at a great company thanks to his dad. He had to show up at work by 10am. After he closes by 5pm, he planned to always spend the rest of the day on his final year project.

•••

Hamza slipped on his shoes and walked to the gate where a rider was waiting for him. He collected his delivery and paid the man. Without thinking twice, he allowed his legs to lead him to Hafsah's house.

He peeped into the paper bag he was holding. He silently prayed she would accept it. His eyes caught sight of the wristwatch strapped to his hand, it was ten minutes after six.

As he stood at the front of the gate, he took deep breaths to calm his heart. He must be stupid to be doing all this. But there's no going back. If he does, the thoughts of her would make him go mad. Hamza would rather choose the former.

He heard footsteps approaching so he yanked his head to the side. Relief washed over him when he saw Hafsah.

"Hamza?" She asked, confusion marring her face.

"Hey, Hafsah."

"What are you doing here?"

"I..." His hand went over to rub his nape. He was suddenly feeling hot.

Hamza pushed the bag to her and she collected it, looking inside immediately. It could be something from Ameerah, she reasoned.

Her jaw dropped to the floor and the beat of her heart doubled. It was a canon camera. She doesn't have to be told how expensive this was, it was part of her long wishlist.

"Hamza? Wannan fa?"

"I got it for you. Let's be friends please."
Hafsah didn't miss how he placed emphasis on the please. Was he desperate?

"Um... I don't know..."

Hamza dismissed her indecisiveness and changed the topic, "I can teach you how to use it."

He knew he had no time on his hands to play around with a camera. Scratch that, he doesn't have the tiniest idea of how to use the camera.

I would watch YouTube videos and I'll learn in no time, he convinced himself.

That part of Hafsah that was crazy for photography overpowered her sensible side. In a heartbeat, she agreed, "Really? When do we start?"

Her smile was contagious, he returned a full blown one.
"Tomorrow?"

"In Sha Allah. Thank you so much, Hamza."
"How did you know I loved cameras though?"

"I kind of stalked your Instagram account?"
Kind of indeed. He looked through every single post.

Hafsah laughed softly at that. "Ohhh. It still exists."

"Yeah. When are you coming back? I saw you haven't been active."

"No idea. Soon, I hope."

He said goodbye immediately since there was nothing left to talk about.