The Precious Figure

Chapter 15

Worry! I felt that way since I walked out of Technair building. I've been on tenterhooks, wondering what would be the fate of our relationship.

I spent my days staring at my phone with niggling gropes, longing to receive a text or call from Najib. I was wishing that he would express his regret and explain that he had experienced a bad day at work, which was the reason for flaring up.

It never happened. It was a week after the unfortunate incident at his workplace and he never bothered to call. Not even for once!

I made up my mind that I wouldn't tell anyone about it; not even Raqibah. My mom oft-times asked of Najib (she had started to like him since the visit, and after he narrated his sorrowful story).

Although she noticed that I was acting a bit unusual (Desolation cannot be hidden completely), she never bothered to ask. She would probably think that we were having a little misunderstanding; just like other couples do). But this was more than a misunderstanding.

Something weird had occurred and I could never tell what it was.

We had completed our exams since two weeks ago but the school management had instructed that we re-write a paper again (Evidence had it that the paper had leaked before the examination). The exam was scheduled to hold by 8:30 am. I woke up before the crack of dawn to revise my book, dabbing at my eyes and forcing words to stick in. I would read for a minute and spend the next five minutes looking vacantly at my phone and wondering what I could have done to Najib.

'I'll never forgive Najib if I don't perform well in my examination,' I muttered when a hand touched my right shoulder.

"Mom," I said with husky throat, rubbing my bleary eyes and yawning groggily.

"Are you okay? You've been really quiet since last week." She stared at me with sympathetic eyes.

I tried to chuckle. "I'm fine oo. Is it not this school that will make us re-write a paper that we've written long ago? Imagine throwing your books away and taking them back again to study."

"I understand you. After completing your exams, you have to re-write a course again. But don't worry...it will all be over today, okay?"

"Okay mom," I smiled at her.

"Go take your bath. It's almost seven. I've boiled yam and made egg sauce."

"Thanks, mom. I will take my bath now."

An hour later, we were in school, lining up for screening into the examination hall. The exam lasted for two hours and about two and a half minutes later, we were on our way to our favourite buka to have lunch.

Munib had promised to sponsor our lunch. I couldn't help staring at Raqibah and Munib as they were smiling at each other in a loving way. Raqibah's voice seemed lower and sweeter than it would usually sound and she was speaking more intelligently; watching the words that came forth from her mouth like they were eggs. Munib, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear. I wondered if his cheeks did not hurt.