When Stars Collide

Meeting Sleepy Pilots

Guys, I've been nominated for an award but in two categories. Most friendly writer and writer of the year at the Arewa Wattpaders awards (AWA), so please vote for your girl. 🙏🏽🙏🏽Na beg I beg🙏🏽🙏🏽

Go to Arewa_Interviews open the book and vote for me. Please🙏🏽

Edit: please don't go to the nomination page anymore💔, nomination is over. Please vote for me in the 'most friendly writer' and 'Writer of the year' categories. I'll be very grateful. Thank you.

A knock sounded at the door and Hibba gently poked the dent in Ummi's cheek. Ummi was used to it already, so she smiled and let out a shrill laugh showing off red gums and a dimple in her cheek.
Hibba adjusted her and turned off the gas burner before going to the door, she shut the kitchen door behind her and her in-house flip flops flopped plap-plap on the carpeted floor.

Hibba swished the door open with a wide smile. "Mama." She greeted her best friend Mardiyah. Mardiyah didn't even acknowledge her greeting, she turned to Ummi who had smiled widely at Mardiyah and lifted her chubby arms for her to be lifted.

Mardiyah complied almost immediately and the Ummi's laughter rented the air. Hibba chuckled and shut the door behind her friend, helped her take down another pair of rubber flip flops and shelved Mardiyah's platform shoes into the small shoe rack at the door.

"How are you today? How was your first week at work? Was it enjoyable?" Mardiyah asked as she walked further into the small living room with her arms around little Ummi. Mardiyah had watched Ummi for Hibba while she was at work during the past week.

The three hundred square feet apartment housed a demarcated bedroom area, a small sitting room with one dark blue three seater sofa and a coffee table, the kitchenette and finally, the convenience. Mardiyah sat down on the sofa and curled her left leg under her to allow Ummi more comfort while Hibba got Ummi's bottle.

"My first week was fine, Alhamdulillah. The PR company was nice, most of them are graduates from no less than five years ago, my job is to fetch, give, be around for meetings, be a temporary secretary. I like it, because the hours are flexible.

I also don't like it, because I'll have to supplement my income very soon. The money my uncles gave me is about to finish." Mardiyah nodded, she knew how expensive it was to live in Abuja.

"So, you haven't seen anyone you like yet?" Hibba rolled her eyes and took a small handkerchief from the side table, handed it to Mardiyah before replying her.

"I can't even place each name with a face, talkless of seeing anyone I like. I'm not interested in dating anyone, especially since that rubbish Idris left my life. No more men until I'm ready to be hitched to someone." Mardiyah eyed her and made sucking noises at Ummi, Ummi reciprocated cutely making the two friends laugh.

"You can't use Idris as a yardstick for other men, you know that right?" Hibba sighed. She knew, but Idris left a mark that was unremovable. He had cheated on her with two girls in the same hostel and one of the other girls had the effontery to bathe her in palmoil water one day after seeing she was dressed in white. It was one of her most embarrassing memories as the whole hostel had pointed at her for days as the girl who snatched another's boyfriend.

"I can't, but I can guard my heart can't I? I don't want to date another woman's man." At that statement, it was Mardiyah's turn to roll her eyes.

"Which man isn't another woman's man? Every man was first his mother's man before anyone else, so?" Hibba sighed. Mardiyah was purposefully being a blockhead, so she decided to change the subject.