After dropping off Mina at her parents house, I dismiss the driver and take the car for a drive to clear my head.

What happened to her in there? What did someone say to her to make her act so aloof?

I have a feeling it's Sayyid, my stupid twin who doesn't know right from wrong. He's her boyfriend, and every single time, her mood depends on him as a person. She loves him so much I fear that would be her undoing.

I know they kissed yesterday, she didn't tell me. But I know. And Amina never has physical contact with males, her mum trained her better. But she put her home training aside for Sayyid. And Sayyid is just a stupid teenager who smiles at anything in a skirt.

Maybe Yas would have answers. Yas is my sister, but she stays with Sayyid and our dad. I stay with my mum and her new husband. How that happened is a story for another day.

I take a u-turn, turning the car around and then head back to school. I'll talk to Yas and she'll tell me everything.

By the time I reach school, all the seniors are in the various classes they're heading. I make a first stop at the class Amina and I together with one guy in SS2 are supposed to be heading. After noting that the guy is doing a job well done, I head to the primary section where Yas is heading a class.

I find her passing around some papers and call out to her. She gets out after letting someone else do what she was doing.

"Yaya, did you eventually find Mina?"

I nod and tilt my head a bit, "What happened to her?"

Yas shrugs, "How am I supposed to know? She just came and shouted at us, took her bag then left. You know Amina and her temper."

I can tell she's lying. I lean against the door frame and smile without even meaning to.

"It seems you've forgotten who is here, in front of you, Yas. It's Sayyad, not your dumb brother Sayyid. I know you're lying. You know something." I push myself off the wall and Yas instinctively steps back. I roll my eyes at her theatrics.

"What happened to Mina, Yasmin? Don't make me force you to talk."

"Ya Sayyid broke up with her and got together with Kiara."

I am taken aback by her statement.

"Come again. You said Sayyid broke up with her and got together with one of your best friends? And Kiara agreed?"

Yas shrugs, as though it's nothing. "That's just who Kiara is. She's done it to one of us before. She snatches people's boyfriends."

"And you guys are still friends with her, why?"

"She's basically our sponsor."

I palm my face. How stupid are these girls?

"And about the gifts Mina gave you guys?"

"That wasn't me, I was against it. You know I love Amina, she's basically my boyfriend."

I cut Yas off, "Ew, don't call her your boyfriend please, that's very homo."

"Well, that was all that happened. And she has cut us off. I suggested we all go over to her parents house after school but only Tanisha has agreed. We'll go and apologize."

I just simply walk away to go see if I can find my stupid dumb brother anywhere. But after roaming the school for almost twenty minutes, I don't find him. So I do the one thing I despise doing — I call his phone.

"Baby Hussain, you remembered me today."

I immediately close my eyes.

"Don't call me that. My name is Sayyad. Where are you?" I hate the name Hussain with passion, even though it was initially my name until Ammi legally changed my name to Sayyad.

"I came home. You know home right? The house you're supposed to be in, with our father?" He laughs again and I hear him gulp something down.

"I'm on my way. We need to talk." I end the call before he can get a chance to say more.

Without thinking twice, I drive to my father's house where Yas and Sayyid stay — another story for another day.

When I enter, the house has no particular scent attached to it; a huge contrast to the home our mum and I stay in which scents like vanilla and Maiduguri because of the turaren wuta and scented candles Ammi is always burning.

I find Sayyid in the sitting room with a glass of something I don't even want to consider in hand.

"Why are you squeezing your face like that? Relax, it's just champagne. I don't drink." He drops the glass and stands up.

"Let me get you a glass, sit down. How long has it been since you came here? Six months? Seven? Nine? One year?" His voice fades away and I don't hear what he says but then he returns with a glass exactly like his.

"I'm not here to sit and drink champagne. I'm here to talk." I adjust my stance.

He ignores me and pours the champagne in the glass and tilts his head towards it.

"Well, we sure aren't barking now, are we?"

"What did you do to Mina?"

"Amina? Your crush that is oblivious to the googoo eyes you make at her?" He laughs and drops the glass.

"I got bored of her. So I got together with one of her friends. Kiara is such a good kisser baby Hussain, you should check her out once I'm done with her."

I don't know how, but all I see is red and the next thing I know, I am holding my brother by the collar of his school uniform and my shaking fist is barely an inch away from his nose.

"You are a monster, you know that right?" He nods at my words, taking his glass from the table and taking a sip from it.

"I know. But girls love monsters. Which is why you can only look at Amina from afar, but can't have her. While I can, and have kissed her, touched that slender waist, had that soft chest chest against mine. I even squeezed her bum."

I can't help myself from landing a punch square on his nose. Might be my imagination, but I heard a crack.

"What is happening down there?" That sounds like my father, and I sure as hell do not have any interest meeting him.

"Your father is around?"

Sayyid lifts himself from the ground and uses a thumb to wipe under his nose where I notice blood is dripping from. Did I do that? I didn't mean to do that. Regardless of anything, he's my brother and I don't enjoy hurting him.

"I'm sorry, Sayyid. I didn't mean to hurt you. You just said so many things and I lost—" I'm cut off by a sloppy punch to my jaw.

"Imbecile! I'm your brother dai! And the girl you just punched me because of, she's not worth it. She's forever going to see you as a friend. In fact, she might be a lesbian like her mother, like your mother, who knows."

I jump him and slap him, punch him and slap him again, but that doesn't sate my anger. Sp I continue to punch him until two strong hands pull me off him.

"Hauka kake? You come into my house and beat my son? So swearing me off as your father hasn't been enough? What is that woman feeding you?" He pushes me to the ground and I watch through hazy eyes as he helps Sayyid to the couch.

I stand up and turn to leave but his voice stops me.

"Your mother, her mother, your stupid sister who Abba won't let me throw out of this house and that stupid holier than thou girl are all the same thing. They are the same thing! Homosexuals! That's what they are!"

I can't help the scream that leaves my mouth as I rush over to punch him again. But our father stops me before I reach him and strikes me across the face, making me stagger back.

"Punch me, hit me all you want. But it doesn't change the truth."

Before I can reply to him, our father take a hold of my hand and starts dragging me towards the exit of the house. He drags me past the parking lot and to the gate.

"The day anyone at all let's this stupid boy inside my house again, I will most definitely fire them and make sure they have no job for the rest of their miserable life." He then turns to me, "And as for you, tell your mother to come get her car herself."

"I brought it here, I'll take it back."

He ignores me and simply walks away. I try to walk back to go get the car but one of the security holds me and drags me outside the gate. He locks the gate and I stand there, sweaty and wondering why the hell I even parked inside the house.

Sighing, I pull out my phone and order an uber after noting that the edge of the screen is cracked. I forgot it was in my pocket. The screen must have cracked while I was bent over Sayyid.

Seven minutes later, an Uber arrive and I head home. I am not surprised to find Ammi's car in the house. She told me she was going for therapy today.

Sayyid wasn't completely wrong. One of the reasons our parents got a divorce was because Ammi had a tendency to be attracted to women. But she'd never acted on it. And it happened because Abba was never around to satisfy her sexual needs.

She told me this when the final court proceedings regarding the divorce had been completed. They'd successfully kept out that part of their lives from the court. Maybe it was because they both had reputations to uphold, or maybe because Abba had done enough to make that bit of information irrelevant.

That was three years ago, while I was in JSS3. Ammi made sure we all understood what she was saying, even though her sister had said it was a bad idea because we were just kids. But were we? Sayyid had already given up his virginity by then. And I was still struggling with Sayyid's effect on myself.

But Yas was a child. She was just in JSS1. And Ammi tried to keep her out of it, she really did. We all saw it. But Abba made sure she was very much involved in every single thing. Abba tainted Yas, and that's just one out of the many reasons why I hate him and if not for Islam, would've started bearing Ammi's surname.

"Sayyadi? Why are you just standing there like that?" I raise my head to find Ammi in a long hijab by the stairwell. She probably just finished praying walaha.

"Nothing. Abba said you should go get your car yourself." I walk up the stairs and she kisses my forehead.

"What? Which of the cars? And how did it reach him?"

I sigh, "I went to meet Sayyid. And we fought. I kind of beat him up. And then Abba threw me out of his house."

Ammi sighs, "Kai ma bakaji wallahi. I keep telling you not to go to that house. Amma you are stubborn." She shakes her head.

"Knowing your father, he'll start something with the divorce clause and whatsoever. Now I have to call the lawyer." Ammi leaves me standing there and I decide to take a bath and clean up before I go to see Mina. She'll need as much emotional support as she can get.

And school isn't closing until 12pm. I'll have to see her before Yas and Tanisha go over there. Just as I enter my room, my phone rings in my hand.

I am shocked to see that it's Yas who's calling me. She hardly calls me.

I accept the call and put the phone to my ear hoping that Abba didn't vent his anger on her.

"Yaya, I just came home and I'm seeing Ammi's car here."

I rub my forehead.

"Yeah, Abba said she has to come get it herself. She's talking to the lawyer right now."

"Tell her to leave the lawyer. It's the weekend tomorrow anyways, and I'm supposed to come. I'll come in it. I'll send someone to come get the key." She ends the call.

I drop my phone on the bed and take a quick bath. I am oiling my skin when my phone rings. Someone is here to get the key. I give the person and head to Mina's parents house.

It's a trekable distance from Ammi's house, a little over fifteen minutes distance if I walk fast. I reach the house within eleven minutes, I don't even know how I did it.

Instead of knocking on the door, I pick a pebble from off the road side and throw it at Amina's window. I always do that to alert her of my coming. Since I hardly ever enter her parent's house.

Normally, she shows up at the window minutes after I throw a pebble. But I stand there for over ten minutes and she doesn't show up. Is she asleep? Or in the bathroom?

I decide to go inside the house. So I walk to the gate and knock.

Amina's father, Major Muhammad Baba is in the army, so the security at the gate are soldiers. The guy at the gate sizes me up, his huge gun in his hand as if readying to shoot me.

"Is he the one?" He asks one of his colleagues and the colleague nods.

"We have been given strict orders to not let you into the house."

My brows fly up in surprise, "That must be my twin. I'm a twin you see."

"We know, we were asked to not let you or your twin inside the house for any reason whatsoever." The man slams the door in the face and I just stand there shocked.

Surely, they must be mistaken. Why would Amina tell them to not let me in? I understand her telling them to not let Sayyid in. He's an ass and he just broke her heart. But what did I even do wrong?

I pull out my phone and decide to call her. Maybe they didn't hear her right.

The call goes straight to voicemail the first time I call. The second time, it says line busy and the third time, switched off. So I decide to just leave her a text message.

I was just at your house now, and the security at the gate said they were ordered to not let me or Sayyid in. I need to talk to you. I hope you're okay. Take care and don't let anything get to you.

I send it and almost type I love you at the end before changing my mind.

I walk back home and decide to get some training done. That's the only thing that helps me to think. Training for my basketball.

I change into my basketball shorts and take off my singlet so I am just in my shorts.

I am practicing my slam-dunks when I hear female voices.

"What does her dad coming back have to do with anything?" I turn around to see Yas and Tanisha.

"I don't know, but I've managed to convince the rest of the girls to a sleepover here. I'm sure Ammi won't mind. We need to evaluate our actions and the depths of their effect." That must be Yas talking.

"I know right! I feel so stupid and guilty wallahi. Mina is our best friend wallahi."

"Exactly, I love her so much. We can't be doing this to her. Especially not you and I, we are her from diapers fah. It's not fair on her."

I stop training and gesture for Yas to come. She tells Tanisha to go inside while I sit to have some water. I can see the way Tanisha eyes me up like I'm some sort of snack.

"Did you eventually go to see Mina?" I drop my bottle and use the singlet I'd taken off before training to wipe my sweat off.

"Ew Yaya! Yes, we went but the security wouldn't let us in. They said her dad came back or something like that. But they said they were given strict orders to not let us in. I know it's definitely not Amina's mum, she loves us. So it has to be Amina. She's still angry at us."

I hum and stand up.

"I also called her but her phone was switched off. She never switches off her phone. She must be very angry and heartbroken. Or she's excited because her dad is back. She last saw him when we were in primary five."

"Okay. You can go."

Yas turns to leave before turning back, "Yaya please don't ignore Tanisha. You don't have to lead her on. Just be nice to her."

I nod and wave her away while chugging down the rest of my water. I know what she's trying to do, I also know that she knows it's not going to work.

It's Monday and I am sitting in the bus, waiting for the driver to go and pick Mina so I can smack her or something. Her phone has been switched off all throughout the weekend.

I went back to her parents house on Saturday and even yesterday but the security still wouldn't let me in.

I am shocked to see the driver drive right past Mina's parents house.

"Paul, we didn't pick Amina." I shout.

"The VP admin said I shouldn't pick her anymore as from today onwards."

"Did she tell you why?"

"No, I just follow orders."

I know the reason can never be because of bus fees. Mina's dad is a major in the Nigerian army, and Mina's mum is a senior nurse in one of the largest private hospitals in Nigeria. In fact, she works in both National hospital and Nizamaye hospital. So what could be the reason?

My thoughts are scrambled up until we go to school.

The moment I get down from the bus, I decide to find Yas and the rest of their friend group.

As expected, they are in class talking about God knows what.

"Hey, I need to talk to you all."

Kiara eyes me weirdly, "I'm pretty sure that's not my boyfriend, right Jasmine?"

Yas waves her off, "Yeah, it's Ya Sayyad. Why do you need to talk to all of us?"

"I haven't gotten through to Mina since Friday. Her phone is switched off and the security and letting me into her parent's house. I'm worried. So I want to know, has any of you heard from her?"

"I told y'all he likes her." The girl with brown braids says popping a gum in her mouth. I think her name is Eva or something. I don't really know.

Taken aback, I raise a brow. "Excuse me?"

"Nevermind. I haven't even attempted to get through to her. Amina is a child when she wants to be. What we did shouldn't warrant her ignoring us and giving orders to her guards at the gate to not let us in. Let her throw as many tantrums as she wants, she'll be fine." Eva blows a bubble with her gum and I hiss.

"Yas, you haven't spoken to her? Tanisha?"

Yas shakes her head, "I called her mum and asked to speak to her but Amina wouldn't take the phone from her mother. But she's fine, her mum said she is."

"Actually, her dad was at our house yesterday." Tanisha's small voice comes up.

"And?"

"Amina's dad was given a new house in Asokoro by some minister as a gift. So they will be moving there by the end of the month. Amina will be changing schools. We are also supposed to be moving but my dad says he's going to wait until end of the session."

Yas turns to Tanisha with a deep frown, "And you didn't think that is important information you can tell us? God you all are something else. I need to get a phone and call Amina."

An idea comes to me at Yas' words so I immediately head to the reception.

"Mr. Patrick, good morning. I need a favor."

Mr. Patrick shakes his head, "You and your favors. What is it now? Pizza again?"

I shake my head, "It's Sayyad, not Sayyid." People always mistake me for him.

"Oh, what can I do for you Sayyad?"

"I need you to call Amina Muhammad Baba's mum and ask for Amina, when she takes the phone, you give it to me. Please."

"Okay."

I watch as he uses the school landline to make the call. It takes almost seven minutes before he nods me over and hands me the phone.

"Hello?" Her voice washes over me like cold rain on a hot day.

"Mina."

I hear her breath hitch, "Sayyad, leave me alone. I don't want to have anything to do with any of your family members, or any of my friends from that school. Stop trying to get to me. Forget you ever knew me."

Before I can speak up, she ends the call and I just stand there wondering why I always have to pay for whatever my stupid twin does.

He was the one who broke her heart, yet here I am losing my best friend because of that. Her friends were the one who deceived her, yet I am the one who is suffering for it.

I knew her before Sayyid, yet she fell in love with him and I had to stay back and watch him play around with her like he was a cat and she a mouse or some piece of meat.

I hated every single second of their relationship, yet, I couldn't show it because I know there was no way that she could love me back. If she could, she'd have since junior secondary school.

I give Mr. Patrick back the phone with a forced smile and thank him.

The announcement for assembly goes off and I head to the assembly ground.

All the while, Mina is on my mind. I don't even know how to go about my day anymore, knowing she's not here. Knowing I won't get to see her probably ever again.

But then, I remember that Ammi and Mina's mum are very close friends. And they meet for tea every twentieth of the month. Maybe I'll get to meet Mina there.

I don't know how, but I get through the day and the moment I go home, I meet Ammi. I find her crying.

"Ammi? Did Abba come here?" I look around but see zero evidence of my father being around.

"Sayyadi, remember the promise I made you when you were in JSS3? During the divorce fiasco?"

I walk towards Ammi and sit on the floor by her feet.

"What's wrong Ammi?"

"I told you I'd go to therapy, and that if you stayed with me. I'll change. That if you didn't follow your dad and siblings, I'll try to get through my homosexual behaviors and become a better mother for you." Ammi sniffs and takes my hand in hers.

"I tried, I really tried. I went for my therapy sessions. But I met someone at the hospital I was seeing the doctor, and she understands me. And we were together. And I broke my promise." Ammi sobs, placing a shaking hand over her mouth.

"I... She called me today, she said she was stopping everything. She said her husband had apologized and everything is going well for her. So she doesn't need me anymore. She said a lot of hurtful things. And I deserve them Sayyadi. I broke my promise to you." I hug my Ammi and just let her cry in my arms.

Forget Amina, I need to be there for my Ammi and help her get through everything. I need her to be normal again.

29-12-2023
Unedited

I did tell Y'all updates would just be anyhow.

So, we're sticking to the long chapters.

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