Scarred For Life

Chapter 36

*
Afrah had straightened up and smoothed out her gown by the time Adnan came up the balcony. She had more than enough time, seeing as he got lost twice on the way up, with no one to guide him. The first time, he wound up in the upstairs kitchen where he found a man who appeared to be just as lost as him.

"I... I was looking for the bathroom," he said, with his phone pressed to his ear and a guilty look on his face. "D... Do you know where that is?"

"I'm afraid not," Adnan shook his head as he withdrew from the kitchen.

He emerged nearly five minutes later on the balcony, where Afrah was leaning against the balustrade with her back turned to him.

"Let me guess," she said, "you got lost?"

"Your house is bigger than I imagined," he said as he walked towards her.

Afrah turned to look at him, smiling.

"So, miss Aminu, might I ask how your journey back to the capital went?"

"It was fine," she replied.

"Congratulations, by the way," he said. "I'm sure you must be thrilled."

"Thank you," she replied. "But shouldn't you be offering your congratulations to my parents instead?"

"What for?"

"It's their party," she said. "They're the ones celebrating today."

"As much as I'm happy for them, I didn't come here to see them," he said. "I came here to see you."

The way he said it caused a tingling sensation to wash over her. Afrah stared down at her hands as she felt the heat rising to her cheeks. He was watching her, a playful and yet oh-so appealing smile on his face. It was almost unfair that one man should be blessed with this much beauty.

"Adnan," she sighed, looking up at him.

"Hm?"

"I'm... I'm sorry," she said. "About what happened in Kano. I was wrong to act that way."

"Afrah," he said, "it doesn't matter. It's in the past."

"I know," she replied.

"And the way I see it, we can either run from the past, or learn from it and move on."

Afrah narrowed her eyes at him.

"Are you going to whack me over the head with a stick now?" she asked.

"There are no sticks close by," he said.

"You did not just say that," she glared at him.

"I'm thirsty," Adnan said. "How about you?"

"I'm good," she replied.

Adnan whistled at his brother down below, leaning against the wall and looking out of place. The latter looked up, a bored look in his eyes.

"The lady is thirsty," Adnan said. "Be a good lad and fetch a drink for her."

"At once, Your Grace," he bowed, heading towards the table.

"Your Grace?" Afrah turned to look at him. "Who is he?"

"Yusuf," he said. "My younger brother," he added, seeing the confused look in her eyes.

"Oh," she blinked. "You watch Game of Thrones?"

"Is there anyone who hasn't?" he asked as Yusuf returned with two bottles of coke. He threw one up into Adnan's outstretched hands, who grabbed it and passed it to Afrah before grabbing the second one.