chapter thirty eight

Reciting my daily supplications, I came down from the bed yawning. I entered the toilet and a took a bath taking my time to scrub my sadness away even though I knew it is impossible.

I dried my body and applied lotion thinking of a cloth to wear. After two minutes of thinking, I decided to go with a simple A line gown. Slipping it on,I walked to the kitchen with a dull face. I heard my mum's voice laughing and another voice which I'm yet to recognize. Upon entering further into the kitchen,I met uncle Haroon on the kitchen stool also laughing. My heart skipped with happiness and I almost rush to go and hug him.

Aren't you supposed to be angry at him? He didn't even try to call you remember?

I frowned upon remembering. "Good morning mummy" I greeted my mum squatting respectfully and ignoring the presence of uncle Haroon. "I think someone has blindness of not seeing handsome people." Uncle Haroon sang out and I internally hissed.

Fetching my breakfast that I saw left,I quickly went to the dinning room and began eating my food in loneliness.

"Aren't you missing me?" A voice I recognized as uncle Haroon's whispered close to my ear nearly making me collapse from the chair. I glared at him and continued eating. "I'm sorry for everything I have ever done to you even though I knew I did nothing wrong." He said holding his ears in pleading manner.

"Whatever." I muttered not taking a glance of him. "Want me to tell you something interesting?" He asked.

"Ok continue"

"I persuaded your parents to allow you to go flex your life with Maya and guess what? They agreed." He shouted at the last part.

"Swear?!" I shouted with my eyes widening as saucers.

"Wallahi." He swore opening his arms for a hug and I went and hugged him. "Ok be quick and eat your food so that we can get going right?" He said breaking the hug and I nodded like a possessed lizard.

Stuffing my stomach quickly with the remaining breakfast, I sent Maya a text asking her to text me the penthouse's address and she did.

I went to my room and packed few clothes together with my toiletries. I bade my parent goodbye and thanking them over and over until they seemed to be annoyed.

The big smile planted on my face was unable to wipe away throughout the drive to the penthouse. I hugged uncle Haroon tightly and thanked him also.

"I'm sorry I got lot of work to do so I may not have time for you throughout your stays but insha Allah be expecting anything before tomorrow okay?" Uncle Haroon said in a sad tone.

"No need to be sorry. I'm so happy for this already." I assured him and he smiled. He entered his car and drove off.

I stared at the metal gate in front of me contemplating whether to knock or not. I tried calling Maya's number but its not going through and fortunately, I don't have Malika's number. I tried pushing the gate and it was surprisingly opened.

Uh,that's weird!

I walked further into the apartment to where assumed was the parlor's door. I knocked and I heard a small 'coming' and them shuffling of what sounds like paper?

The door was opened and Malika's smoke instantly faded away when the least expected person which was me appeared. She hissed lowly thinking I won't hear but I did. I ignored her and stood there waiting for her to open the the door wider for me.

"Ughh. You're here." She said rolling her eyes.

"Yes I am so can you pls get yourself out of my way and allow me to see my dear Maya?" I said giving her a tight lipped smile knowing so well it will annoy her.

Before she even had a chance to react,the door was flung opened by Maya shouting my name. "Khaaaaiirr pls come inside. I'm so glad you came." Maya said leading me into the well furnished living room.

"We're actually baking so mind if you could join us?" Maya asked and I grinned. "Of course." I shouted slipping my hand into Maya's and majestically made our way to the kitchen with Malika's grunt behind us.

"Oh fish! I need to call someone and I forgot. Khair can you pls whisk this egg?" Maya said in haste pushing me the bowl of egg. "Ok but immediately you come back,you gotta tell me who you are calling." I teased and she blushed rushing out of the kitchen.

"Now this cake will turn out to be as disgusting as you ughh. I wonder what Maya sees in your filthy and poor self to make her go all gaga whenever she sees you. I hate you." Malika said out of nowhere and I just couldn't bring myself to do anything except to stare at her unbelievably.

What on this earth have I ever done to this damn girl here? See me see trouble!

"Malika,I never knew you were such a ninny until today they you showed me yourself. I don't have your time idiot nincompoop kawai." I hissed and faced my work.

She continued ranting about everything and nothing. I would chuckle whenever she said anything that amused me. She became so annoyed and stomped out of the kitchen.

You know silent is the best treatment given to a useless fool like her.

Maya came back into the kitchen with a grin. "Okaaayyy,stop grinning like that and tell me the hot news already." I said breaking the creepy staring contest. "Its nothing hot. I just talked to Xavier." She blushed and I groaned not saying anything further.

.......

"Ok how are we going to sleep now?" I asked looking round the room and Malika that was scattered on the bed face timing who I don't care to know.

"I will hang up now. I have a situation to handle...ok talk to you later bye." Malika said disconnecting the call and facing me.

"This apartment has two rooms. Its either you sleep in the other room alone or sleep in this room on the floor,alone because a single bed can't contain us and I can't afford sleeping close to you." Malika explained making a yucky face and I huffed out a sigh.

Why is this girl always trying to get on my nerves?

"Malika you take the other room while Khair and I share the same bed for today." Maya suggested and I couldn't help but laugh at Malika's expression.

"You dare not Maya! I will surely tell my dad about this." Malika said abs bursted out crying. I rolled my eyes at her childish behavior and sang typical Nigerian nursery rhyme for her

"Tell tell tell tell ten naira buns." 

Maya was trying to suppress her laughter but I couldn't. Malika could go to hell for all I care.

"Khair stop that. Malika is staying here and Khair you're staying in the other room. Pls don't argue." Maya pleaded and I nodded.

I turned my heels to the door and walked outside. I turned to look at Malika before closing the door. She winked her eyes and poked out her tongue at me.

Such a nonsense creature!

I went to the other room thinking about million ways to get back at Malika because she's surely not gonna get away with this.

.......

"You need to wake up you ugly donkey." Was the first thing I heard as I opened my eyes as a result of hot sting I received in my lap. And woah la! The great Malika of Nigeria was on the bed towering over me.

I hissed and pushed her off me while reciting my supplications. "You need to hurry cos we are going out today. You're just disturbing me with your overloud snoring like a baby pig. Ughhh." Malika complained dramatically and I was just a second away from punching her when I remembered 'sabr' patience.

"Get out!" I coldly said pointing my hands at the door.

"Huh excuse me,you know this penthouse is owned by my dad right? And you dare..." She started with her annoying voice but I cut her off.

"GODDAMN IT! GET OUT!" I shouted at the top of my voice that I didn't know I owned.

"Eww! You have bad morning breath." She complimented rushing out probably because she saw the fierce look on my face.

I swear by Allah,if this girl continue like this,I might go to jail for whatever happens next.

"Breath in and out". I kept chanting to myself until I knew I'm satisfied. Right now,I will just let everything slide away.

I did my normal routine and came out of the room dressed in a black tight jean and white T-shirt.

"Good morning bestie." I greeted hugging Maya and she smiled.

"How's your night?" She asked

"So nice until a pesky human decided to ruin it."

"Who's that?"

"Who do you think it would be apart from your cousin?!"

"Okay okay I'm sorry." Maya said hugging me again. We ate our breakfast in silence and I didn't mind to ask where Malika is.

"Can we get going?" Malika said annoyingly and eyed me. "Yes we're ready. Khair are you?" Maya asked. "Yes I'm but let just get my kimono." I replied rushing to the room I stayed and picked up my handbag putting all the necessary things inside it. I applied some powder and lip gloss quickly.

Checking myself out in the mirror,I was satisfied with my look and I rushed out after tying my headgear.

"Finally." Malika huffed out as she saw me. I just decided to ignore her but I couldn't help but glared at her. "Ok let's get going girls." Maya said trying to  change the tensed atmosphere.

We walked out to Maya's car and Malika hurriedly entered the passenger's seat smirking at me. "You can eat the seat for all I care." I said getting into the backseat and putting my earpiece on to prevent the screeching sound of Malika's voice from penetrating into my poor ears. She was singing 'believer' along with the one coming from the car's radio and mehn! She has the sweetest voice.

The clicking sound from my phone bought me back to life. I clicked on the new message and saw alert of 30k from uncle Haroon. I didn't know when a gasp escaped my lips because of happiness. I quickly dialed his number but he didn't pick up so I sent him a short text thanking him.

Like he saved my life. Me thinking I was the poorest person that month but alas! Luck was on my way.

"We're here ladies." Maya informed and we squealed coming down from Maya's car.

"I think we should head to the clothing section first." Malika suggested and we agreed. We shopped for the necessary and unnecessary things.

"Holy Molly! Look at that guy." Malika exclaimed out of nowhere and we turned to the direction she was pointing at.

"Who's that?" I asked Maya cos I wasn't seeing the so called guy clearly. "Ibrahim." She answered whispering.

What the hell brought him here?

"Geez I think I'm falling in love already." Malika sighed dreamily spinning around. It took all the patience in me not to take the mannequin and hit her with it.

"This is why her parents decided not to take her abroad for her uni. She is obsessed with boys. I can guarantee you that she has ten boyfriends." Maya said loud enough for Malika to hear but because of her nonsense childishness, she didn't focus on what we were saying.

After all the shoppings,everybody paid for there own stuffs and I can't believe I spent 25k that moment. I was trying hard not to cry,like seriously trying hard.

We moved to the garden of the building after putting everything in the car's trunk. Maya ordered ice cream of different flavor for us and we started taking it talking mindlessly about everything and nothing.

"Oh my God I think he has finally noticed me. He's coming toward us, toward me. Omg where is my lip gloss?" Malika hyperventilated searching her purse for the lip gloss. An idea popped into my head and I giggled.

Ibrahim finally approached us looking all dashing with his fine smile. I glanced at Malika who was trying to pose well for Ibrahim.

"Hey ladies." He said waving slightly and Malika went all gaga.

I didn't think twice

I didn't think once

Hell,I didn't even think at all when I stood up and enveloped him in a hug.

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