LAHADI (SUNDAY)

Chapter Nine

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My name is Amina Ali Hassan.
I am a man.
I am seven years old.
I love English language.
I want to be a _______.
My favorite color is yellow.

Mustapha had his eyebrows raised for quite a while after reading Lami's homework.

"This is your homework?" He asked in a strange voice.

Lami nodded,panicking she might not have done it correctly.

Mustapha made a sound like a sneeze was caught in his throat. Lami suspiciously thought he was holding back his laughter.

"Well some things here are not correct," he said bringing out his pencil and a memo.

After correcting her blunders he saw the blank she didn't fill in.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" He asked looking up.

Lami smiled and shrugged.

"A teacher?" He suggested.

"Yes," Lami nodded.

But if she were honest, she wants to be just like him.

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"Ya Musty! You've been doing this to me since last week!" Nasiba said barging into the classroom Lami and Mustapha used to study in.

"I told Mallam Nazir to be taking you home first. Why are you still here?" Mustapha shot back.

When Lami learned that Nasiba and Mustapha are siblings,she couldn't bring herself to accept it. Nasiba was bossy,spoilt and mean. While Mustapha  was nice quiet and selfless.

"If you won't leave then I won't leave!" Nasiba exclaimed.

"Fine then,your problem," Mustapha said going back to teaching Lami addition with remainder.

"If we go home today I'll tell Mami you're spending your time with a girl," Nasiba said after some moments,shooting a glare at Lami.

Mustapha stared at Nasiba for a very long time before zipping his bag and bringing out 50 Naira.

"Here," he said, "go buy yourself ice cream."

He and Nasiba then had a staring contest,before Nasiba snatched the money and walked off.

"Where did I stop?" He said,as if nothing happened.

But Lami wasn't listening to him. She was still wondering how they were related.

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"Are you going to eat your meat pie Sameera?" Aisha asked eyeing the meat pie like it's her last meal.