Free Me

SEVEN

The environment looked dusty, with the wind blowing away dirts in different directions. The cloud was dark and one could hear small sounds of thunder. It was about to rain. Before Abdallah and Nusayba could find a shade, it had started drizzling. They quickly doubled their steps and took shade in Theatre 1 since it was the closest building to them. They just returned from BUK new site. There were few people in the theatre so the two of them occupied two seats in front. Nusayba was shivering from cold.

"Are you okay?" Abdallah asked when he noticed her quivering body.

"I'm cold" She said amid shuddering lips.

"It didn't look like it was going to rain else, I'd have brought my jacket" She said still shivering.
On the mention of jacket, Abdallah remembered he had his, in his bag. It was always there in case of days like this. Ammie had always told him to keep one with him.

"Use this" He said handing her the jacket and she smiled. She quickly collected it and put it on. It felt warm. Though it was too big for her. She looked at Abdallah's hand from the corner of her eyes. He was wearing a short sleeved shirt so the goosebumps were visible. He was cold too.
When she had stopped shivering, she removed the jacket and passed it to him.

"Put it on. You're cold too"

"No I'm fine. You should wear it"
She insisted but Abdallah wouldn't listen to any of it so she simply wore it back.

"Abdallah I have to go home now" She said searching for her phone in her bag. She was going to call her driver.
Glancing at his wrist watch, it was just few minutes past three pm. And they had a last lecture to attend by 4pm.

"What about the last lecture?" He asked looking at her. Nusayba let out a deep breath. It was their fifth day of meeting so he was yet to know that she had sickle cell anaemia.

"You know, there's something I haven't told you about me" She said in a sad voice, hoping that he wouldn't leave her after knowing she was a sickler. That was the reason why she never made friends. Most of her friends left her because they claimed she was always making them go to the clinic. And that she was always sick. They made her believe she was a liability. That was back in secondary school.

"It's okay. We're still getting to know each other" Abdallah's voice brought her back to the present. She was now used to listening to it.

"I'm not like every normal person. I'm always on drugs, sick today and healthy tomorrow"

Just then Nusayba's phone rang. It was her nurse. She picked up.

"Hello"

"Nusayba it's raining where are you? We're in your school" came her nurse's voice.

"Theatre 1" was all she said and hung up. Abdallah noticed her change in mood.

"You were about to tell me something" He said and she nodded.

"I'm a sickler Abdallah. I have sickle cell anaemia" She blurted. Abdallah smiled. Was that why her mood changed completely?

"I understand. I'm a sickler t.... " Abdallah's phone rang, stopping him from completing his statement.

"Ammie" He said immediately he picked up.

"Abdallah please come home. I need to get Salim to the hospital"

"Okay. I'll be on my way in shaa Allah" He said and hung up.

"I... I need to go home now" He said picking up his bag.

"Wait... We can drop you off. The driver is already here" She gave him a pleading look and he nodded in agreement. Just then, her phone rang again and it was her nurse.

"We're in front of the building" said her nurse.

"I'm coming" She said and hung up.

"Let's go" She said to Abdallah and they walked out of the building. Her nurse spotted her and quickly came out with an umbrella. Abdallah greeted her and she responded with a smile. She guessed he was Abdallah. He was all Nusayba talked about.

"Go with him first. Then come back for me" Nusayba said and the nurse acknowledged it with a nod.

They were soon in the car and the car zoomed off.

"Where do we head to?" Nusayba asked Abdallah.

"Jan bulo third gate" He said and Nusayba almost squealed.

"That's where my Uncle Mik lives" She said all smiley. Abdallah smiled too. In their little encounter, he had heard about Uncle Mik several times. She talked about him more than she talked about her parents.

"Nusayba your jacket is on the seat. Put it on" Her nurse said and she replied with an okay. Then she motioned Abdallah to put it on but he shook his head. She repeated her sign language but he still shook his head and both of them laughed. Her nurse looked at her from the rear mirror. Ever since she met this Abdallah, she was always happy. She no longer looked lonely like she was. And her laughter was always a hearty one. She was glad for her.

The sound of Abdallah's ring tone drew their attention to him and he picked up.

"Ammie I'm on my way" He said.

"Abdallah hurry up he has passed out" Ammie said worriedly and Abdallah muttered an 'innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilaihi raaji'un'.

"What's wrong?" Nusayba and her nurse asked simultaneously.

"It's Salim my brother. He passed out. It's his crises I think" His voice was laced with worry.

"Is he a sickler?" Nusayba's nurse asked and Abdallah nodded.

"We're all sicklers"

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