Shirk in Disguise

Chapter 22

Like the buzzing of bees in a beehive, the dormitory was abuzz with activity as the term came to an end. As Azeema made her way into the dormitory, apprehensive of what lay in store for her at home, she passed a group gossiping girls who immediately steered the thread of conversation to her.

"Here comes the Queen Bee's maid-in-waiting!" An impish-looking girl exclaimed with a mock salute as the others burst into laughter.

Azeema didn't look perturbed. She had a more pressing issue to worry about. However, the girls were undeterred and continued flinging taunting remarks at her.

"I wonder what she even sees in her," remarked one of the girls.

"Me too," chirped in another. "She isn't more sophisticated than any of us."

"The only sophisticated thing about her is her name!" A bespectacled girl contributed, soliciting another round of laughter.

"Seriously," the bespectacled girl continued after the laughter had subsided. "She seems like a charity case...I wonder how she even managed to afford the school fees!"

"Perhaps she's exactly as you described her – A Charity Case!" another girl exclaimed loudly to the hearing of Azeema, who seemed oblivious and lost in thought.

Suddenly, the laughter seized as the giggling, gossiping girls noticed the Queen Bee's entrance. They quickly straightened their postures, beaming at her in the process. However, to their dismay, she didn't even award them as much as a second glance as she made her way to Azeema's bed.

"Hey, Friendy!" she called, hurrying to meet Azeema.

"Yeeeeeeeees," Azeema replied in a tired voice.

"I've been looking everywhere for you. You just seemed to disappear!"

"I'm sorry," replied Azeema. "I just feel out-of-sorts."

"Oh, that's a pity. The Vice Principal asked to see you."

At this revelation, Azeema's face lost colour. The Vice Principal never asked to see someone unless it was a serious case. To her knowledge, she hadn't done anything wrong...so what could the matter be???

Noticing her friend's abrupt change of mood, Bilqees moved closer, her hand on Azeema's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll go with you."

Azeema gripped her Bilqees's hand, thankful for her presence. She let out a sigh and nodded her head. Hand in hand, the two friends left the dormitory, leaving murmurs behind them.

In the Vice Principal's office, the two girls timidly greeted the vice principal who replied warmly much to their surprise. They wondered why the V.P seemed unlike her usual self, she who was nicknamed 'the Iron Lady'!

The V.P once again looked at Azeema with care before dropping the bomb – Azeema's grandmother was dead.

Shock coursed through Azeema's veins in large currents, making her feel faint. Bilqees, on noticing her friend's condition, quickly led her out of the office onto a chair just outside it. She pitied her friend but couldn't find suitable words to console her as she stood tongue-tied.

Suddenly, she regained her composure as an idea occurred to her. "I'll be right back," she said to the petrified Azeema. She quickly went back into the V.P's office and asked for a phone...

A week later found Azeema residing, not as a guest but as a welcome resident, in the Marzuqs' mansion. It had been a decision she took out of desperation, having nowhere else to go.

After overcoming the initial shock, Azeema had wept on the enormity of her plight. With both her parents and now her grandma gone, she was left almost alone in the world for, as far as she knew, her mother had no relations and her father's relations were as good as non-existent.

Bilqees had acted the part of an angel and had come to her aid with her generous offer which she accepted, albeit reluctantly.

"B-B-But I don't want to be a burden on you and your family..." Azeema had argued tearfully.

"It's alright, Friendy," Bilqees assured her. "You're already like a sister to me."

"I know, but I still have to go home for the mourning period."

"That's okay; I'll even accompany you!"

Azeema's free flow of tears stalled for some seconds. She just couldn't believe her ears. So friends like Bilqees actually exist in real life!

"I'm very grateful, Friendy," she managed to murmur as she gripped Bilqees in a tight embrace.

Therefore, it so happened that Azeema followed Bilqees to her home situated in a posh Government Reserved Area in the city of Zaria at the end of the school term. On their arrival, she felt so small and out-of-place in the huge mansion. But her apprehensions were short-lived as Bilqees, being an only child, was ecstatic to have a live-in sister and the other household members more or less accepted her as one of them. Life seemed to smile on her once again.

On the other hand, when Azeema visited her grandmother's home to commiserate with her relatives, she didn't meet a single welcome face. She therefore rushed the greetings and made her way back to where she was more welcome. It depressed her that her own kin seemed eager to see her go while complete strangers welcomed her with open arms.

A sad life, right? 😢

Do you think life will continue being a bed of roses for Azeema?? I doubt it.

Anyway, vote, share and comment. It's encouraging!