Chapter Seven

Aminat dug a hole each on the black earth as she paved through the forest with a kid brother behind her with a killing frown on his face. He was carrying an old bag containing their farm tools except from the cutlass in her elder sister's hand.

"If you like frown and hug transformer, you're going to this farm!" She laughed devilishly and Hassan almost cried out of anger, he could no longer bear the heart choking teases his sister was making him to go through.

He slipped his phone from the bag and went straight to Tlay's playlist. The artist voice disrupted the forest's bird's noise and it disturbed Aminat irritably.

"Off that music!" She ordered with a tone of authority. Hassan smirked in victory of having getting something at last to tease his sister with.

"Nooo!!!" He laughed stubbornly and Aminat felt like going insane with anger at the moment. Hassan's feet were already at alert to run if Aminat turns back.

"Is he not your crush?" He continued and Aminat cooled down in outmost anger.

"I'm not Rachel!" She protested, turning back but Hassan wanted to get something.

"He the crush of all the girls I've met so far. He's even my crush's crush!" He feigned a sad face at his face.

"But you're just faking that you hate him because all your friends are crushing on him too. Just accept and confess to me, I won't tell anyone, I promise" he laughed and Aminat laughed too in weakness with him. They hadn't got to the farm yet but he's giving her a negative vibe already.

"Oya be going home sef" she rolled her eyes in defeat at him. Hassan couldn't wait for his sister to finish before he started paving his way back home.

"Idiot come back here!" She laughed loudly with her brother's cunning plan.

"I'll only come back on one condition, tell me that you like Tlay" he raised his hand up with an air of finality.

"Ho-how do you want me to admit what I don't feel?" She helplessly frowned in frustration.

"You know I detest proud people with my blood bone and soul. And he's proud of his looks and success I only like his songs" she added with a finality tone.

"Then I'll go back home" he threatened with his lips twitching

"Okayyy. Fine! I like him" she finally admitted, raising her hands up in surrendering gesture.

"Again?"

"I really really like him"

"You see. I only asked you to say you like him once, but you kept repeated if twice. You're caught!" He gave her a devilish grin, dropping the tool's bag.

"You're very very stupid" Aminat remarked with an emphatic tone.

"Why?''

"Why are you disturbing me over a person that dose not know if I exist. Instead of you to cooperate with me and let's make mum proud. Don't forget we're all she's got" Aminat tried to sound emotional maybe she'd be able to drive him from his teasing mood.

He stood there, uttering nothing. Aminat picked up the bag herself and continued her walk. He spoke when it seem like he recovered his voice back.

"I thought you're educated and your mentality is built. I can't believe this?!"

One thing that dominated the tone of that statement was irritation which took his sister in surprise. His two furrowed his brows and Aminat felt so nervous that she'd pull the words out of his throat.

"What's that? Is it wrong by saying we should make mum proud?" She rolled her eyes at him.

"I meant you want to make mum proud by farming. You're educated for crying out loud! And you want to make your whole mother proud by farm" he frowned in disapproval, shaking his head in question at her.

"Where do I get the job? University graduates are roaming the streets with no hope, where do I stand? You know I've hustled enough.." Aminat chocked with tears but her brother cut the words from her.

"You can just start a business of your own. Entrepreneurship is what you go into! How would a beautiful girl like you stay in the village after school, it's disappointing actually. I've been waiting for a day like this to tell you" he explained with hand gestures to show the grave of his point, sitting on one of the bent trees in the forest.

"Do you remember I feed mum and you? Who's going to do that once I go to a city before I get the money, you?" She asked, pointing to him funnily.

"So you've decided to achieve your dreams in the village?"

Hassan stood up and took the bag from where she was standing. He wanted to show her that he never raised the discussion up because he wanted to delay their trip to the farm. He was just concerned of her life because she was the only twenty first century man he had.

"So you have bigger plans?" Aminat asked from behind and he could sensed her feeling hopeless and might wants to cry immediately.

"Yes. Plans that are bigger than myself in fact. Don't end your life in the village. Look at you, as beautiful as you're, Alhaji wants to marry you off to a man as old as himself and you're pleased with it"

"Who told you I'm pleased with it" Aminat screamed, choking at every word. Hassan felt he got her already. He slowly turned back and replied her.

"Your reaction"

"My reaction?"

"Yes! Your reaction" he smiled at her tensioned mood.

"If you're not pleased, you ought to have absconded from home. For goodness sake, you're not a kid anymore!"

That advise was a no no for her. Abscond? What will happen to her mother in courtesy of her father's other wives.

"Wait a minute, do you about our mum when you make decisions?" She chuckled on a sarcastic note.

"That's it! You don't want to take risks. How do you want to become successful when you can't even take risks?"

Aminat noted that her brother was too intelligent to argue with. He was attacking her points verily. She never knew the final outcome of Yemisi's phone conversation with her Father.

She'd ask her and if it's still negative, she'd think of running away.

"Thank you. I'd think about it today and get back to you" she said and urged him to continue walking to the farm.

Rachel and her church friend, Susan took time to walk into the forest webs and rough path. Fortunately enough for them, they hadn't met a snake in their way. Else, they'd have being on their way back home.

"Is that not Aminat and her spoilt little brat" Susan scrunched her nose in disgust at Rachel.

"Yes. Remember, don't pick fight with the boy, he's very rude" Rachel warned and Susan got lost.

"Are we getting the firewood from them?" A lost Susan asked.

"Yes!" Rachel screamed in reply as a result of irritation beneath her toes. That might be a snake, she thought aloud. She moved a bit from place and threw a stone at the leaves, it hit a black material and the two girls gasped in fear.

They threw a stone again at the material and discovered it was a rotten, old black cloth.

"Holy crap!" Susan laughed in relief while Rachel touched the ground with her palms, then at chest three times.

"Let's quickly follow their Aminat and her brother before we miss them" Rachel rushed her friend while they followed the path the siblings had thread few minutes before.

"Wait, how did you become friends with the girl?" Susan questioned Rachel, pointing to the spot they had seen her earlier.

"We are not close friends oh. We're just gist buddies, you know. I actually got to know her through Mofe. Is there anything wrong with that?" Rachel stopped immediately.

"Why did you stopped? I'll be telling as we walk" she threw her arms on her shoulder while they thread the path.

"Actually, Aminat and I went to the same secondary school. I know the girl very well"

"Really. I know her too. She's such a good girl, blah blah blah" Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Says who?!" Susan interjected with hatred and disgust in her voice.

"That girl is a big slut! I'm not trying to bad mouth her oh. I knew her very well! She sleeps with teachers, students... Anybody!" She clasps her hands in a disgustful manner.

"And.. To my surprise, if you tell her she's a slut and you know everyone she has slept with, she won't deny it. She'd be like, so?"

"Wow! I thought.." Rachel deliberately shuttered to infuriate the boiling Susan more.

"Don't think anything! It was when she came from polytechnic she started behaving like a saint. I wonder how your dad still let you roll with her" Susan rolled her eyes at Rachel.

Susana Bamako was one of the travelled champion of the village. The girls always see her as a girl who had made it beyond explanation. Her fame rose when she featured in one of Tlay's collaboration video few months ago.

Everyone was coming home for Christmas scantily. Susan's home coming was not just for Christmas celebration, but to check her fame status. Rachel had glued to her because of love for her fave. For the first time she knows a person that have seen Tlay face to face before.

They had suddenly become best friends since her arrival a couple of days earlier. She never stopped asking Susan how Tlay looked in real life.

"Thank you for telling me, I never knew she was a wayward person" Rachel sweetened and Susan returned the smile.

"Actually, you're a humble person" Rachel hypocritically remarked and Susan cocked her brow in question.

"I mean, despite what you've achieved, you've seen important personalities face to face yet you still follow me to farm!"

Susan smiled and tapped her shoulder.

"C'mon! It's nothing"

Hassan had listened to the entire conversation without a word. They were so careless in the bush, he thought. What if he had wanted to behead them, it'd be so easy like damn!

The rate boys, girls, the Press and everybody got their conversation revolving a twenty five year old singer baffled the boy. Boys wants to see him, girls wants to touch.. Everyone is just going insanely mad. He thought he was the only one that stalks him, he never knew he was better.

"Aminat!" Susan called her from a distance where she was hoeing the weeds away. The girl looked back with a shock expression on her face.

"Susana!" Aminat threw her hoe away and ran to the two girls. The warm embrace Susan gave Aminat shocked Rachel to her bones but she had to hold it. Apart from the fact that she was soaked in sweat, the way Susan had killed her with her mouth was too huge.

"See your skin!" Aminat squealed when they pulled back and Susan kept giggling.

"Thank you! Your skin is glowing too" Susan forced a smile out and Rachel cheeks hurt tormented her while trying to hold her laughter.

"You came for firewood abi, come over here. I'll get it for you" Aminat gestured to them and they followed her.

"Susan! You'll gist me about Tlay today oh" Aminat creaked and Susan winked her nose in disgust at her since they were behind her.

"Sure!"