All The Stars In The Sky

Sky 4

Rahama's POV.

I sit looking at him questioningly.
"How am I sure?"

"Come on listen to yourself" Kashim says shaking his head.
I asked him to drop me off at Laila's house.

I have known him for over 8years, we met at the airport when I was going to school for the first time, I was just 18 years. I've always liked him but for some reason he doesn't feel the same way for me. It's sad how I always try to stay in contact with him.

"Are you sure? Because I'm not" I reply back.
"Fatima is going to be there" he says trying to convince me using my sister.
Big mistake, if I hear my sister planning to do something I had intentions of doing I cancel because it automatically means something irresponsible as far as I am concerned.

"Seriously? Don't you know how Fatima is?"
"Please come with me, I'll stay by your side throughout the whole festival"

If he had said that from the beginning I would already be inside with Laila thinking of what to wear.
His cousin is throwing a party but he's calling it a festival so girls like me would actually attend it.

"Sure but you're staying with me the whole night"

"Of course"
I open the door and walk out closing it.
"Come pick me up at home".

"Wait! What about Faisal?"
"He's not in town so you can come over"

I walk in.

Laila lives with her younger sister, their parents don't live here in Kaduna so she's always either at home or the hospital.

Immediately I enter she hugs me tightly.
"What took you so long to get here?" She asks letting go and looking at me with a scowl on her face.
"Kashim just dropped me off"

She bursts out laughing looking at me like I am pathetic.
"You should have told me that. Your feelings for that guy is just insane, crazy girl".

I hiss "You're the one still dating your cousin, you guys have been dating for 10years and you still won't get married to him".

She glares at me.
"I said the same" Farouq says when he comes in.

I look at her and then back at him with my eyebrows raised.
"Rahamatu ( pronounced as Ra-ha-ma-tu) why are you looking at her like that?" he asks picking up his phone and car keys.

I have known Laila for 12years and the same goes for Farouq, they were always around each other so I got close with him too.

I roll my eyes at his annoying nickname for me.
"Anyway I should go before my father strangles me for picking him up late" he says walking over to the two of us who were still standing by the door.

"Oh! Since it's the same way can you please drop me off? I need to get dinner ready before Kashim picks me up later"

"You're leaving me already?" Laila asks with a frown "but you just got here"

"Come on. You know how Ammi is, the only reason I came by was because I promised I would" I reply back adjusting my side bag. "Okay let's go. I'll wait in the car" He hugs Laila and walks out.

"Peace" I smile and jog out.
"You're insane she shouts out".

When I got in Farouq already started the car so we just drove off.
"I thought Faisal doesn't allow you to go to parties" asks.

"He's not in town and I can't––"
"–decline Kashim, I know" he says cutting me off.

"It's obvious?"
"Yeah plus you and Laila talk about it all the time"

I nod.
"Just be careful not to get your heartbroken. Sometimes we guys just need a push. You never know how he feels about you—Just find a way to ask him without making it obvious"

"How?"
"Uhm—" he stays quiet for a while "Like you could ask him like a joke—For example you could just ask him what he'll do if he was asked to marry you or how he'd feel?"

"Then?"
He gives me a 'do I have to do everything' look.

"After he tells you whether the response is good or bad you just make fun of it—Make it seem hilarious and too far fetched, after that you pay serious and close attention to his reaction, if he gives you a positive response and you make fun of it and he feels bad or sad I think you should give it a shot, sometimes he might give you a negative response but the most important thing is his reaction towards your jokes about his response—You get it?"

"No"
"Ugh!" he groans "If he's sad about your response then he might have feelings but sometimes his sadness might not be because—In fact forget it just talk to Laila about it I'll explain it to her, okay?"

"Seriously? I understand but you really give crappy advice I hope you know that?"

"I do actually" he smiles.

:

After getting dressed and going all out Kashim texted me that he was just going to come by to greet Ammi and talk to me for a while, it sucked because I had to go wear something simple so I don't seem desperate.

My phone chimes and I pick it up.

Kashim
Ay! I'm here waiting outside
but I brought a friend along
if you don't mind.

I don't reply instead I just go and open the door for both guys.

"You could have just replied" he says sitting on the couch.
"Wouldn't you find it weird and awkward if I did?" I ask.

He nods. "Anyway this is my friend Hafiz"
Hafiz just looks at me and smiles then continues using his phone.
I didn't smile back since he didn't even look at me long enough for him to see my response.

I sit next to Kashim who was seated across his friend.
"Wow!" he says snatching my phone from my grasp, something we do to each other a lot.

"You look amazing" he comments on my new photoshoot.

"I know right"
He gives me back the phone "Send it to me".

He was only going to be here for two hours but he was so busy talking to his friend, they just included me in their conversation once in a while.
The door opens and Fatima walks in with Idris trailing behind her.

"Kashim? I'm surprised to see you here" she says sitting next to me and Idris standing behind her.

"Of course you'd say that since you forgot about my existence"
She just laughs at his reply.

"Fatima?" Hafiz calls her. We all turn around and look at him.

"Oh hey—How are you?" She asks smiling like she just saw a long lost friend.

"Why isn't it surprising that she knows him?" Kashim whispers in my ear and I burst out laughing.

"I'm heading out" Idris says. Fatima walks him out and comes back.
"Goodnight" she says before going in.

"That's your cue to leave" I say standing up.
"Are you kicking me out?"

"Yeah"
He groans "let's go Hafiz before this girl humiliates me" he turns and looks at me "Are you escorting me to the car?"

"Nope"

After wasting time and throwing tantrums he finally left. And 5mins later I was already missing him.

::