SARAUNIYYA: Heartstrings

Chapter 10

Imran was my very first boyfriend ever. He was my first kiss, my first love. Every experience that we shared as lovers had a newness to it that made it more special and gave me more bliss than I could ever imagine.

"How many roses are even in this bouquet?" I moaned as the floral aroma of the bunch of flowers in my hand sent my brain into a pleasant frenzy.

I had been seated in Imran's passenger seat, and it was the day of our one- month anniversary. He'd just picked me up from my dorm with a surprise bouquet.

"How many?" He laughed as he repeated my question back to me. "It beats me." He let off a light shrug, and he was wearing a very smug look on his face.

"I don't even remember ever telling you I liked flowers." I moaned again, I was pleased.

"How are you even like this?" He continued to laugh. It was obvious that he was enjoying himself.

"A rare flower like you." He teased me in a Nigerian-ish accent, I couldn't help how hard I smiled whenever he sounded like that. "How wouldn't you like flowers?" I rolled my eyes at him, in a weak attempt to downplay how good his flirting made me feel.

"You fucking player." I kissed my teeth. "You probably played several girls to get this good." It felt good to tease him back.

"So you admit that I am good?" He smirked at me, and then I kissed my teeth again.

It didn't matter what comeback I had, Imran Shehu would always have one even greater.

He made me tick, in every correct way possible and the most dangerous thing about him was that he knew this -it was also the most seductive thing.

According to my boyfriend, we had a long day ahead of us. First, we were scheduled to get brunch at Ben's Cottage, Fatima-Zarah and I's favourite cafe to go to in the entire city of London.

After eating our first meal of the day and snapping the cutest pictures of each other and ourselves together on our phones, we were back on the road -this time headed to Imran's house for our next activity of the day, which he later disclosed to be a movie date. He wouldn't let me know what one activity was until we were towards the end of the one before it.

Before long, we had arrived, and our movie date at the Shehu-Abubakar family's residence kicked off not too long after. Bruce made sure we were brought refreshments, as per Imran's request.

"This is some of the finest popcorn I've ever tasted." I nodded in approval at the popcorn bucket between us. Imran nodded his head too.

"It's Gombe Gold corn, and butter, too." He helped himself to a handful while I just sat there next to him, impressed. "Tastes just like Nigeria, for real."

Gombe Gold Limited was the name of the Shehu-Abubakar family business, a billion-dollar agro products company which was founded by Imran's father, the Emir himself, during his years as crown prince to his own father, the then Emir.