Chapter 3

Ibrahim told layla he had dated many girls, she asked why they left him, he could not give a response, he changed the topic. Layla has another friend named ibrahim, she wants to stop talking to him also because he remind her of her ex-boyfriend.

Firstly, she was devastated that he was drunk, he is a muslim, and in her religion alcohol is prohibited. It is a sin. But why would she be devastated, he is just somebody you met on WhatsApp, somebody you haven't seen physically not even through video call, you've only hear his voice and seen his picture once. But you are so stupid to fall for him at once, he took advantage of you because you are lonely. Why should you be sad because he committed a sin?

Secondly, she felt a big load on her chest upon hearing he placed a bet on her. She could not ask why as she was crying already, she stayed silent for a while and tell him "let's break up", she hung up the call and block him via any means he could contact her. She lived the next day like nothing happened to her.

Days went by, on her convocation her mom, dad, elder sister(yasmin), junior sister(maccidatulkhayr) and the twin(Abdullah and Aminat), came to her school to rejoice with her, they brought big coolers full of food to share to her friends and coursemates. Such a lively day that was.

Layla was walking down to her family, she bumped into some guy. Very handsome, fair, tall, with a broad shoulder and a captivating smell. So ravishing. ( thinking) Am I in paradise, what kind smell is this. sniffing it out in the air.

She heard him laughing, she composed herself and look at him, "pardon me, I was in haste. You look lost, need directions?"

"lost you said? I should ask you the same, you brushed your shoulder against mine...."

" I said pardon me"

" accepted, I am going to the auditorium where the students are being addressed"

" you said, you are not lost, but here you are asking for directions"

" I didn't disagree with you when you said I am lost."

"You didn't agree either. Go straight, take a right turn, you will see a big building, just ask for student entrance or call the person that invite you."

"Thank you, may I have your number?"

"Do not ask me out"

"Ask you out?, No, I won't, will like to say hi once in a while, our encounter is so cinematic like a scene right out from a movie."

" tsk, (shrugs) okay.

They exchange number and left the scene. He followed the directions and called his younger brother (Ridwan) to come outside. He waited for a while and heard his name, brother shakur, brother shakur. He looked back and saw his brother running to him with a big smile on his face. He lookes so happy, both their parents had died. They have been struggling to earn and eat. Abdulshakur has been the role model of his younger brother. He look up to him. Their father has a company which was manipulated to bankrupt but was taken over by their uncle. He is their only family and the only family they know.

He bought most the shares when the company went bankrupt and sack all the previous employees. Due to that their father crossed the boarder to the after life. Their mother was assassinated.

The uncle(Mr. Abubakar), thoughts his elder brother'wife (Mrs. Muhammed) was killed by his other enemy to avenge or satisfy their grudges held against his brother.

Mr. Abubakar and Mrs. Abubakar have 3 children in total( two boys and one girl). To them, their father is flawless, good person, perfect and all other good thing children see in their father to make him a daddy.

Months went by, layla has gotten a job, she woke up late, she had to hurriedly dress so she wont be late to school. Layla is not the type to always dress good or wear makeup. And the only makeup she has put on was lipgloss. Nothing out of the blue today except she forgot to brush her teeth and she was holding the toothbrush. She was inside the cab when she realises the toothbrush was on her left hand, holding her untidy bag on the right hand. She was really untidy, as she realises all that she started putting everything into places, dressed her trousers, put in the shirt properly and her tooth brush inside her bag (quite funny). She alighted from the cab, and was in front of a big building with a big signboard that reads(pet doc). Layla is a vetenarian, she finished her intern in this same vet. Clinic but was employed due to her efficency. She let out a big sigh and preceed to walk towards the building. Layla entered in to the office, changed her clothe and went to the wards where the animal patient are, as she entered the ward she saw her superior(Mr. Isaiah) juat wrapping up from treating a dog. She was about to turn back when she heard her name, "layla? Did you resume late today also?

"Resumed late?, hahahaha, resumed late? How can yo....."

"what says the time?"

"The time says 7:00 a.m(she spelt the a.m one after the other) sir"

"Oh oh oh, I guessed you graduated from a school that doesn't teach how to read clock, your phone, the clock widget is digital or analog?"

Don't know what to replied with because she doesn't know where he is driving to stammered

"di...gi..gi...analog"

"oh..... No wonder you can't read clock" (moving closer to her). "out of my way(using his hands to move her out of the way). He left and returned back to his office. Not quite long a man entered his office he deliver some messages to him and left. He stood up and call Layla.

" come to my office, Now" (then he hung up)

After a short while, she was in his office and he said

"Boss wants to see us."

"Us? Why not only you?"

"follow me, dummy"

They walked to his office, knocked thrice and enter. She felt somewhat strange (is this a culture or what, hahaha) all in her head.

She saw, to her surprise shakur, the boy she bumped into.