From Aliya to Hafiz

Twenty-seven.

Aliya.

"Fuck," Aneesa cussed, falling into step beside me. "Remind me why I'm doing this again?"

"Um, you think lab coats and scrubs go exceptionally well together?" I suggested.

She halted, turning to gawk at me. "That better be a joke or I swear I'll hit you with this textbook."

I shrugged. "Then I won't answer you."

"You're unbelievable," she muttered, taking her phone out of her pocket. I understood her well enough to know her actions meant she couldn't be bothered to speak with me. Over the past two months, I noticed one or two quirks she had in common with Nikita, like the way they made their dismissal of you obvious if they found you annoying.

It was the final day of the office licensing exams. The last examination was Performance Evaluation where we had real patient encounters. It lasted for eight hours and it was as exhausting as any day in the hospital.

Not that I would know.

I was just glad it was over and done with. I was contemplating whether getting licensed in Nigeria was really that important. I didn't want to go through something like this again.

Aneesa waved at me. "I'll get going, I'm meeting my parents outside the gate. We're going to see my grandparents."

"Okay, my regards. Have a good rest."

"Don't have to tell me twice," she stretched. "My regards to Aunt Niki."

"Will do," I smiled.

I watched her walk away before settling down on a bench in front of the building, waiting for the familiar black urus. I whiled away the time online as I waited when a shadow suddenly fell over me.

I looked up, and I immediately turned guarded at the sight of the person in front of me. "What do you want?" I asked, voice frosty.

Jamie awkwardly replied. "I, can I sit?"

I stared at him flatly.

He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry! I was helpless, I had no other choice!"

I frowned. It wasn't like I didn't get where he was coming from, Nikita filled me in on the entire thing. Apparently, it was masterminded by one of Hafiz's old lovers. How much lower could he get, messing around with messed-up people like that?

Disgusting.

"I know, and I get where you're coming from," I said.

"Then you—"

"But that doesn't excuse your behaviour. There are a lot of helpless people out there, life isn't fair, I know. But you can't use your predicament to ruin somebody else's life. It's selfish and wicked. I've never done anything to harm you, and you coming after me maliciously like that? I can understand, but I can't forgive you."

He stared at me, guilt overflowing from his gaze before dropping his head. "There was nothing I could do," he whispered, tone filled with despair.

"That's not true and you know it. If you had me marked from the beginning, there was no way you didn't know my connection with the Hakimis. You could have told me or reached out to Hafiz. But it was easier to screw me over right?"

He shook his head, taking a step back. His hair was rough, green orbs filled with denial. "There was nothing I could do."

I sighed. "You're entitled to your choices as I am entitled to my forgiveness and understanding. Let's never meet again."

I was thankful Nikita chose that moment to show up because I was getting fed up with the conversation. I entered the car, relaxing on the comfy chair, the AC blowing cold air on my face.