ALIYA

Chapter 35 - Aliya

"Gosh, so you mean you love the Bilal guy?" Said Samira, while plaiting my hair. She had decided to pay me a visit after quite a long time. Anyways, she was happy to know about my story with Bilal and Fawad.

"I don't really know if I love him but I think he's the only man my heart beats for" I said with a huff. "How I wish I am ready for this love of a thing"

"Come on Aliya, quit that crap. How many more men do you want to shun? The last man you shunned, I ended up getting engaged to him and he's a nice man" She said adjusting my head.

"Yes, and I am happy for you Samira" I said recalling how the man chased me to their house that day. It was the same day I went to BLD for interview.

"Thank you! So, just give Bilal a chance. After all you are not growing any younger, or do you want me to start having children before you get married?" She said making me to hiss at her.

"You are not serious, Samira. The fact that you are engaged doesn't even mean you will marry before me" I said pouting even though my face wasn't facing her. I was sitting on the rug facing the the TV while she, on the other hand, was on the sofa doubling my hair.

"Hhhhh" She laughed out loudily. "I am on the race already, so it's likely I will get married before you"

"Says who?" I scoffed.

"Says mr fact!" She said twirling my hair.

"Orch, you are hurting me!" I slapped her hand.

"Sorry, miss Bilal" She said making me to sigh.

"Not so fast, by the way he's married with a kid already" I muttered.

"Yes, yet he can still marry you or can't he?" She said making me to gulp hard.

"Well, he's rich" I cleared my throat and continued. "So I think he can handle up to four wives but will his wife agree to it? She's a nice woman though but..." I was saying when my phone began ringing. "I am coming please Samira" I said as I stood up and walked over the phone, it was on the far end of the center table. "Hello ma!" I said the moment I picked the call, the caller was Amirah - the General Manager.

"Hi, don't tell me you are still plaiting your hair" She said making me to chuckle.

"Sorry ma, we are almost done" I said as a matter of factly.

"God, who's that slow plaiter?" She asked.

"It's," I paused turning to Samira. "One of my friends, Samira"

"Oh! No wonder she's slow, because it's free of charge or are you going to pay her?" She said making me to burst into laughter.

"Pay kini (what?), I ain't paying any kobo (dime) to her o!" I said laughing more harder.

"What's going on there?" Samira asked, earning a glare from me. And the moment I was done talking on phone with Amirah, Samira folded her arms across her chest - refusing to plait my hair again until I tell her what we were talking about.

Well, in order to have my hair plait in time I decided to tell her everything and surprisingly she laughed it out and continued. She said she wasn't really good at plaiting hair fastly, unlike her mother who was very good at it since childhood. We kept talking until she was finally done.

"Thanks dear, I feel good now" I said standing to my feet. "Hannun ki is good like always wallahi (i.e a complement)"

"Don't mention," She said beaming at me. "I know Bilal will not recognize you if he sees you today"

"Ahhhh!" I rolled my eyes at her. "Why the Bilal thing always?"

"Because he's our soon to be groom" She said.

"Hmm, whatever!" I rolled my eyes at her again and headed to my room to prepare myself. I would be meeting Amirah in the market today, about the lady she said resembled me. She said she suspected we were somehow related even though I told her we hardly could be related.

After preparing myself I wore a very wide and long hijab, the one Bilal bought for me few days ago. He said he didn't want people to be seeing my shape. Sorry, I hope you are not confused? Verily, a lot had happened in the past few days and seriously I could say Bilal and I are getting more closer to each other every passing day. He was very kind and loved spending his time with me.

As for Fawad, the last time I heard about him was the day I warned Bilal not to ever bring his topic to me. I didn't want to hear anything about Fawad because it used to remind me how he had tried raping me. If not for Balaraba, he would have gotten what he wanted. So why should I worry about him? I had even wanted telling our moms what had transpired between us but Bilal implored me not to.

While on my way to the market, Samira decided to drop by their house. We had boarded the same tricycle. "Wuce, zan biya miki (go, I will pay for you)" I said as soon as she alighted from the vehicle.

"Thanks dearest, bye!" She waved at me as she widened her teeth.

"Bye!" I waved back at her as we rode away.

It was a short drive to the market, the roads were less busy the fact that today was Sunday. I dropped at the second gate, paid the ricyclist before dialing Amirah's contact. It seemed she was in a crowded area but hopefully, I was able to get what she said. She told me to wait for her in the second gate which I did, and in less than five minutes she came and asked me to follow her.

"That's the shop over there!" She said as we walked over to a mall. "The middle one" She added.

"Oh, that one?" I pointed.

"Stop pointing! Yes it's the one" She said.

"Okay" I gulped as we approached the shop. I was eager to see the girl she said resembled me.

"AsSalama Alaykum" She Salaamed leading the way into the shop, it was a small grocery shop.

"Wa'alaykumus Salam" The lady inside responded as she walked over to us. Actually, it wasn't a girl as Amirah described. It was a grown-up woman, probably Amirah's agemate. "Good evening" She greeted us with her eyes on me. I was also looking at her, she was fair and chubby like me... yes, but did we really resembled each other? Or wasn't she the one Amirah was talking about?

"Evening dear" Amirah replied her. "Actually, we are here to..." She was saying when the woman chirped in.

"Who are you?" She said referring to me.

"Aliya, how about you?" I asked her.

"Rashida" She replied walking over to me. "You look just like someone in our family, she was my stepsister before she went missing decades ago"

"Eyyah (alas)," Amirah chimed and continued. "It also seems you two look pretty much alike"

"Yes, somehow" The woman huffed looking deep into my eyes. "She also has our eyes, the dots inside and almost everything wallahi"

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Hmm, another update o!

We are moving towards the end.

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