AISHAT

Chapter 1

         Aishat and Emeka walked into class smiling. It was a custom that for every new year in Campville High School, when students go to buy their books for the new year, they pick from randomised papers for their class and seating position.
          In each class, only 15 students were allowed. Now Aishat and Emeka were smiling because, as best friends, they had both picked class A and numbers 14 and 13, respectively.

          Usually, the above was the class format, and fate always decided it. Group A, the smarties, always had the first six smartest people in the class. Group B, the musketeers, always consisted of those random three good friends that were inseparable. Group C, the back of class, always consisted of those noise makers and lazy students. Group D, the lover's group, consisted of a girl and a boy who either fell in love or started dating soon enough.
         If they already knew who would sit where, then why go through the stress, right? It was more fun anyway.
         Numbers 12, 13, 14, and 15 were always at the back of class. That's why Emeka and Aishat came into class smiling, knowing they would be in the same group. They were now stepping into SS3A and saw their class teacher was Mr Ubong, the best and youngest physics teacher ever employed. As they stepped into the class, Mr Ubong shook Emeka and ruffled Aishat's all back before saying, " Oya, Emeka to group C, Aishat, you're in D."
         At first, Emeka wanted to join Aishat to protest before he realised that he was sitting beside his girlfriend, Daniella Joseph. Aishat wanted to protest further, but she knew the rule, no seat could change. She walked to her seat in the lover's group and looked at the empty seat to her left and thought to herself, ' Tade is going to kill me if he finds out.' Aishat then made up her mind to pay the boy no mind till the end of the term. That could save her. It was the only way she'd survive. Aishat didn't notice when he sat down beside her. All she'd heard was the most perfect male voice saying, " Hey, I'm Ahmed Kadiri, you?". She turned out of shock and saw a Greek god sitting down beside her. He was half caste, maybe Arabian and Nigerian, his skin a little darker than usual white Arabian skin. He had long, curly black hair that was like a halo around his head with almond eyes that were a very pronounced chestnut brown. Between his eyes was his narrow upturned nose and a birthmark under his right eye. He had heart-shaped lips that were naturally a bright shade of  pink. His lean build seemed really tall even from where he was sitting. Aishat wanted to scream," I'm Aishat Ibrahim, please marry me." But she knew better and reluctantly tore her eyes away from his handsome existence and pouted as she faced the board.
          Two periods later, they were having maths, and Aishat could no longer take it and stylishly placed her head on her locker, drifting away to other lands. The break bell woke her, and she ran out of the class to get to the restroom. Soon, she could be seen walking back in. She yawned and put her hand under her locker to get some money for snacks, and was shocked to find a red velvet cupcake with a note attached. The note said, "Look left," and she stupidly did and saw Ahmed with a goofy smile plastered on his face as h3 was balancing a pencil on his nose, " Hey, you like?" He said, wiggling his nose to point at the cupcake. Aishat, the talkative she was, quickly forgot the no talking rule and smiled as she said, " These are my favourite. Have you tried the milky doughnuts, aunty success makes, and sells at the cafeteria?" Ahmed chucked, " Who knew you had mouth like this? Will you buy the doughnut for me?" Aishat laughed, " With whose money?"
          In the same class, someone smiled and brought out their phone and took a picture of them laughing and gisting.
          Because it was the first day of the year, the remaining periods were free, and Aishat and Ahmed gisted the day away. When the closing bell rang,  Emeka rushed Aishat out of the class, and they left the school premises. He bought her okpa, and they boarded a keke to go back to their district of the estate.
          As Emeka walked her home, he kept teasing her about Ahmed, and she just laughed it off and stepped into her house. In her house, her brother, Yusuf, greeted her by stoning her with a cashew, which stained her white shirt. He blew her a kiss as she chased him around the house while emanating a bloodthirsty aura. He grabbed his car keys and zoomed off, leaving Aishat home alone.
            She hissed and went to go wash her shirt. No matter how hard she scrubbed, the stain remained victorious. As if it was the intervention of God, her phone rang. She picked it up and saw it was Ahmed. She answered and said, " Do you know how to wash away cashew?". After some silence, Ahmed burst into laughter, and she pleaded with him before he told her where to go and what to buy.
           

          She and Ahmed talked even long after Aishat's shirt was hung up to dry.
They talked, and she laughed loud, knowing she was the only Ibrahim at home.

             AISHAT'S P.O.V
      This Ahmed guy was my kind of vibe, but I knew I had to stop talking to him for my own good. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK, who would be coming at this time? Yusuf was at a sleepover, and her parents were in another state. Who the hell was it? I hissed and brought my phone along with me so I could continue talking to Ahmed. " Who is at the door?" I heard Ahmed ask, and I hissed and replied to him by saying, " Am I not going to check?". As I opened the door, I almost fainted out of shock and quickly hung up on Ahmed as I saw who would dare intrude at this hour. Of course it was Tade.
           Tade was what you would call handsome but not fairytale handsome like Ahmed or Emeka. He was at least 179cm tall and had a burnt caramel complexion with an ordinary Yoruba boy face and a lean build, which was the product of lazy gyming. He was on his good Christian boy disguise. A plain white button-up shirt, black chinos trousers, and a black tie from chanel. He stepped in and looked around.
                 After he'd realised that I was home alone, he threw his tie off and popped a few buttons open before looking at me with a poker face. I stretched my hand out to touch his face, " Hey babe, how was your day?" I didn't even realise he'd slapped me until I'd hit the ground. He kept his poker face as he closed the door and brought out his phone and showed me a picture of me and Ahmed sharing a cupcake. " After all the money I give you, all the love I show you, you still go around chasing useless boys, right?" He picked me up like I was air and threw me against the cream leather couch. I felt all the air leave my body as I hit the couch edge hard. I just lay there, hoping my silence would stop him. He walked over to me and kicked me in the stomach. Once. Twice. I just stayed there, tears rolling down my cheeks onto the white tiles as he walked away screaming profanities at me. I sat up as I saw him rushing towards me with a lamp stand and put my hands up to shield myself as I screamed, " Tade!".
       A second passed. Maybe two more. Nothing happened. I lowered my hands and opened my hands to see Tade frantically opening the makeup bag he always brought when he wanted to beat me to look for foundation to cover the fingerprints on my left cheek. He kept whispering," I'm sorry," "I didn't mean it," "You know I love you." As he skillfully covered the bruises. That night , Tade bought me more designer clothes and took me to famous restaurants around town. Like always.
           
 
           AHMED'S P.O.V.
        This Aishat is mad o. She wanted to end the call without warning, abi? It's good she only acciddentally muted my end of the call. I would wait and unmute myself and surprise her. But first I had to wait till she was alone so I listened to what was happening at her side.
          It sounded like a piece of cloth was thrown across the room. Then I heard her say, " Hey babe, how was your day?" I was not surprised that she was taken, but before I could laugh, I heard WHAM! The kind of sound one heard when giving an animal a dirty slap. No one could do that to a human being, right? I heard a man's voice say, " After all the money I give you, all the love I show you, you still go around chasing useless boys, right?" Before I knew it, I heard a loud SWOOSH and a THUD. Like something being picked up and thrown. No, not something. It was definitely someone. I heard Aishat gasp like all the air was slammed out of her, and I knew the idiot had thrown her. I heard his footsteps before I heard WHOP WHOP, I knew he'd kicked her twice. He started screaming insults at her, and before I knew it, I heard a sound like something heavy going down, and I heard her scream, " Tade!" And I choked, I felt disgusting, I couldn't do anything. I'm sure if I tried, I'd make it worse. It was silent, and I let out my breath, knowing he did not hit her. I heard him begging for her forgiveness, as she cried silently. It disgusted me. Why didn't she break up with him on the spot?
       It disgusted me so much that I threw my phone against the wall. My butler, who I considered a father, Mr David, rushed in, " You spoilt boy! Another phone?!" I gave him puppy dog eyes and said, " Samsung, please, I already used the iPhone." Mr David rolled his eyes, and before he walked out, I said," And also, get me any leads on any Tade connected to Aishat Ibrahim." He nodded and left. It wasn't my business, but she was being stupid. I had to help.