SHEILA'S AWAKENING ( A Nigeria Story)

Betrayal and heartache

"Did zarah tell you that"?, Sheila replies to Ahmed text
"Does it matter who told me, are you with him or not"?,
Sheila felt like she was being scolded by him, so she chose to ignore him.
Ahmed, feeling ignored, sends another message: "Sheila, answer me! I deserve to know what's going on."

Sheila, still hurt by his tone, doesn't respond. Instead, she focuses on her study session with Abdulahad, who notices her unease.

"Hey, everything okay?" Abdulahad asks, concern etched on his face.

Sheila hesitates, unsure how much to share. "It's just Ahmed. He's being really possessive and accusatory."

Abdulahad's expression turns thoughtful. "Maybe he's feeling insecure because of the distance."

Sheila nods, but her mind is racing. Is Ahmed's behavior a sign of love or control?
"Do you see a future with him"? Abdulahad asked out of nowhere
Sheila looked at him like he was insane for even uttering such words
"I...do"? Her response was off a little it's sounded like she was asking herself a question rather than answering one.

Abdulahad notices Sheila's uncertain response and leans in closer. "I'm just asking because I care about you, Sheila. You deserve someone who trusts and respects you."

Sheila looks away, feeling a flutter in her chest. No one has ever spoken to her like that before. Ahmed always says he loves her, but his actions often contradict his words.

"I don't know, Abdulahad," Sheila admits, her voice barely above a whisper. "Sometimes I feel like I'm just an option for Ahmed, not a priority."

Abdulahad's expression as he speaks, " you know he can't marry you, even he wants to, he can't, his family is very strong on their hausa heritage opinion ".

Sheila's eyes widen in shock, and she feels like she's been punched in the gut. "What do you mean by he can't marry me?" she asks, her voice shaking slightly.

Abdulahad hesitates, unsure how much to reveal. "Ahmed's family is very traditional. They expect him to marry an Hausa woman, and they won't approve of him marrying someone from a different cultural background."

Sheila's mind is racing. She had no idea about Ahmed's family's stance on this. She thought their love was strong enough to overcome any obstacle.

"But Ahmed loves me," Sheila protests, trying to convince herself more than Abdulahad. "He'll find a way to make it work."

Abdulahad's expression is sympathetic, but firm. "I'm just telling you what I know, Sheila. Ahmed might love you, but his family's expectations are a big part of his life. You deserve to know the truth, rather than wasting your Time"

Sheila face looks pale, she felt dizzy and nauseous, " I need to use the rest room" she says as she ran out of the library.

Sheila rushes into the restroom, her heart racing and her mind spinning. She locks herself in a stall and tries to catch her breath. She feels like she's going to pass out.

As she sits down on the toilet, she buries her face in her hands and tries to process what Abdulahad told her. She can't believe Ahmed didn't tell her about his family's stance on their relationship. She feels betrayed and confused.

After a few minutes, Sheila tries to compose herself and splashes some water on her face. She looks in the mirror and sees a pale, worried face staring back at her.

As she exits the restroom, Abdulahad is waiting for her outside, looking concerned. "Sheila, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Sheila tries to brush it off, but Abdulahad can see the distress in her eyes. "Let's get out of here," he says gently.