SHEILA'S AWAKENING ( A Nigeria Story)

love, loyalty and lies

Sheila was quite taken away by the text message on her screen,, she didn't even notice Ahmed walking out to pick a call until he came back into the coffee shop. There is a concern look on his face, "what's wrong Ahmed" asked Sheila
"I need to travel to London tomorrow, my grandma is sick and my father is insisting I go and check on her or even stay with her for a while", said Ahmed,
"Tomorrow, does that mean she is seriously Ill?"asked Sheila her hand reaching out to Ahmed's
" I guess so, don't get me wrong I love my grandma so much, but the thought of being away from you is what's bothering me Sheila". Ahmed said while squeezing her hand .

Sheila's eyes filled with empathy, and she squeezed Ahmed's hand reassuringly. "I understand, Ahmed. Family is important, and I'm sure your grandma needs you right now." She paused, thinking for a moment. "But I'll miss you too. We'll make it work, though. We can Facetime and keep in touch regularly." Ahmed's face lit up with a grateful smile, and he pulled Sheila into a warm embrace. "Thanks, Sheila. Just knowing you're here for me makes a big difference." As they hugged, Sheila's mind wandered back to Abdulahad's message. She hadn't responded yet, and a part of her felt guilty for even thinking about him while Ahmed was going through a tough time. But another part of her couldn't help but wonder what Abdulahad wanted to talk about.

Ahmed pulled back and looked at her with a serious expression. "I know we'll be apart for a while, but I trust you, Sheila. And I know you'll be here for me when I get back." Sheila nodded, feeling a surge of love and loyalty towards Ahmed. "Of course, I'll be here for you. Always."

As they finished their coffee and prepared to part ways, Sheila realized she still hadn't responded to Abdulahad's message. She hesitated, unsure of what to do. But as she watched Ahmed walk out of the coffee shop, she felt a pang of curiosity and decided to send a quick response.

"Hey Abdulahad, hope you're doing well. What's been going on?" She hit send and felt a flutter in her chest as she waited for his response.

The next morning, Ahmed was already at the airport, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of his grandma and the upcoming trip, Sheila  had woke up early to escort him to the airport, after saying their goodbyes, she quickly rushed off to school, she remembered she has Mr Ahmed class and his class is not one to miss.
On her way to class Sheila's phone buzzed with an incoming message
She thought  it was Ahmed until she saw Abdulahad's name. "Hey Sheila, thanks for responding! I've been thinking a lot about you for the past few days and wanted to reach out. Would love to catch up with you today after class Incase you are not busy",as she read the message, she couldn't help but ask the same question again,What did Abdulahad want from her exactly?

Sheila's curiosity got the better of her, and she found herself wondering what Abdulahad wanted to talk about. She hadn't expected him to ask to meet up so soon. She hesitated for a moment, then typed out a response. "Hey Abdulahad, I'm not busy after class today. But I'm not sure if meeting up is a good idea. Ahmed just left for London, and I don't want to do anything that might make him uncomfortable." She sent the message and waited for Abdulahad's response.

As she walked into Mr. Ahmed's class, she couldn't shake off the feeling that she was getting herself into something complicated. But a part of her was excited to see Abdulahad and find out what he wanted to talk about.

Abdulahad's response came just as she was taking her seat in class. "I understand your concerns, Sheila. But I promise this has nothing to do with Ahmed or your relationship. I just need to talk to someone, and I feel like I can trust you. Please, just hear me out."
She decided to agree to meet up with him, curiosity getting the better of her. "Okay, fine. I'll meet up with you after class. But just for a little while, and we'll see how it goes."
After class, Sheila made her way to the agreed meeting spot, a quiet café on the outskirts of campus. Abdulahad was already there, sipping on a coffee and staring out the window. He looked up as she approached, and their eyes met for a brief moment before he smiled and gestured for her to sit down.