Halima places her head on Sa'eed's chest with a sigh. He in turn holds her waist with one hand and loosens her headtie with the other.

"What did you want to tell me? I've managed to get Hidaya to sleep." Sa'eed takes a deep breath, this is it.

"I have some things to tell you. Don't interrupt me please." Halima looks at him skeptically before she nods.

"When we were in Ss1...

"Well that something, is nothing you need to worry about. But the person, is none other than, Sa'eed Abba Sulayman." Thirteen year old Aleesha says, chuckling evilly.

"What happened to Sa'eed Abba Sulayman?" Sixteen year old Sa'eed comes from behind Aleesha making Lash's eyes widen.

"Romeo na." Aleesha whines turning to face Sa'eed. She engulfs him in a hug.

"Leesh, ya akayi?" Aleesha's response is muffled by Sa'eed's shirt and he chuckles then pulls her out of the hug.

"Tell me."

"There's a party at Kehinde's house today. Are you going?" Sa'eed thinks for a while before shaking his head.

"Ammi and Abba are coming back today. If they find out I went to a party, they'll kill me." Aleesha pouts and lowers her head sadly.

"Hey! Don't be sad okay? I'll find a way. We'll go to that party together In Shaa Allah." Aleesha nods sadly.

"Now give me a smile." Aleesha doesn't smile so Sa'eed turns away from the rest of the class even though no one is looking at them.

"I'll tickle you." Aleesha doesn't answer him so he sighs.

"I'll tell Ammi we're having a sleepover at one of my friend's house then I'll come." Aleesha's face lights up at that and she hugs Sa'eed.

"See you at the party." She goes back to her seat and Lash follows.

"Aleesha! What are you planning?" Lash's eyes are wide but Aleesha just rolls her eyes.

"Relax Humaira. You'll find out. You're also coming to the party." Lash nods skeptically.

Later that night, at the said Kehinde's house, the party is in full blast. Bodies are rubbing and there's a Stench of alcohol and beer in the air. The party was supposed to be a pool party but because some of his classmates are Muslims and would probably not be comfortable wearing swimming clothes in public, they decided to go with a regular party.

Aleesha drags Lash up the stairs to an empty room. Sa'eed is laying on the bed with a smile. Lash scrunches her nose up.

"Is Sa'eed... Drunk?" Aleesha nods with a cheeky smile.

"Why?! You know drinking isn't good and..." Aleesha rolls her eyes.

"Are you going to help me, or not?" Lash sighs. She knows Aleesha. If the girl put her mind to something, nothing can change it.

"So here's the plan. I love Sa'eed, I know you already know that. But the point here is that I want us to be together in the future, that's why I'm doing this." A drunk Sa'eed cut her off.

"You want us to be together in the future? Aww, Leesh baby." Lash looks at Sa'eed with subtle pity. Aleesha doesn't love him, she's literally obsessed with him. And she won't listen to anyone that will tell her otherwise.

"We're going to have sex." Lash gasps.

"Aleesha baki da hankali ne? Do you even hear yourself?" Aleesha rolls her eyes.

"Humaira if you won't help me it's fine. I'll find another person to help me. I knew you wouldn't do it. You don't value our friendship." Lash sighs. Here comes the emotional blackmail.

"What's the plan?"

"When we have sex, I want you to tape it. Then you'll make him forget what happened this night. In the future, I will use it to make him marry no one but me." Sa'eed hiccups and Lash nods. This is a bad idea but she knows trying to convince Aleesha is a no go area.

She watches as Aleesha strips herself naked, while Sa'eed looks at her with lustful dilated eyes. She brings out the phone as per Aleesha's request and tapes the whole thing. When they're done, Lash casts a lain relieving spell on Aleesha, making the pain of losing her virginity extremely mild. Then, she waves her hands around until a dark smoke gathers around Sa'eed.

Sa'eed shakes vigorously for sometime before he falls limp on the bed. He's not completely unconscious, so he can still hear snippets of what they're saying.

"Even if he wants to, he won't be able to remember what has happened in this room. The only memories of this night he'll have will be of what has happened before now and what will happen after now. Until his 30th birthday."

"Wow." Halima says.

"I... I don't know what to say." Halima sighs and gets out of Sa'eed's hold. He expects her to leave the room but she doesn't. She simply sits with a faraway look in her eyes, sighing every now and then.

"But wait, you're not turning thirty, are you?" Despite himself, Sa'eed chuckles.

"I'm turning twenty eight." Halima nods. So all Aleesha and that other woman did was just them stressing unnecessarily over something that's not supposed to happen until the next two years.

"Sa'eed, whatever happened that day, it wasn't your fault. You were drunk and you didn't even know what was happening. And even now that you remember, it doesn't change anything. You just have more bad memories, which equals more lessons." Halima hold his face in her hands.

"That was the past Sa'eed. And this is the present. You can't do anything to change that past. All you have to do is to make sure it doesn't repeat itself. I love you." Sa'eed hugs Halima and kisses her hair.

"I'm so lucky to have you." A thought occurs to Halima.

"Where is Aleesha anyways? She called me when I was in Paris and was saying a lot of nonsense"

"She's dead. According to the doctors, she was trying to leave the mental asylum and she snatched a gun from a police officer on patrol. She shot three of them and another shot her. He didn't know she was mentally unstable. She had already been diagnosed with Delusional Jealousy and was on treatment." Halima sighs. They are both quiet for a while before Halima speaks up.

"Is it bad that I don't feel anything regarding Aleesha's death? Like I'm not happy or sad. I'm just... Indifferent." Sa'eed pulls her closing to him and rubs her back.

"It's not." The night is spent with neither of them sleeping a wink. It's not the baby, or anything. They just can't sleep with the millions of thoughts that have stolen their peace of mind.

After fajr though, Halima manages to start sleeping. Sa'eed on the other hand, he can't sleep. So he walks out and decides to visit the garden. It's as empty as a graveyard. He'll have to buy some seeds and plant them here.

"Good morning Sir." A voice comes behind him and he turns. It's the security guard Audu appointed to the house. He was once a lieutenant but some thing happened and he left the army. What he's doing now, is repaying Audu's numerous favors.

"Yes Paul?" Somehow, the name Paul makes Sa'eed feels some things crawling up his skin.

"A package arrived for madam." Sa'eed collects it with furrowed brows and thanks Paul.

He takes it inside the house even though he's curious about it. It's a sealed brown envelope.

Sa'eed finds Halima trying to pacify a hysterical Hidaya. The sight makes him smile.

"Yarinyan nan kawai ta tashe ni da kuka fah." Sa'eed chuckles and takes her off Halima's hands.

"Ai ta mayi kokari. Rabonta da kuka fah tun jiya da yamma." Halima nods, agreeing with him.

"Gashi." Halima collects the envelope with furrowed brows and opens it. There are two letters and a flash drive.

Halima reads the first one.

Halima,
I'm sorry you had to go through all you went through because of me and Aleesha. I shouldn't have done what I did. It was stupid of me.

No words will be enough to make you feel better. Everyday since we fought with Aleesha, guilt continues to envelope me. I'm sorry.

I don't have anything to justify what I did. And I can't say sharrin shaytan ne. It's all on me. I'm really sorry.

Apologetically,
Aisha Humaira.

Halima robotically hands the paper to Sa'eed. He drops Hidaya on the bed and collects it. He reads it and folds it back.

"Dayan fah?" Halima opens it.

"It's for you."

"Read it."

"Sa'eed,
Hey. It's been a long time. I hope you are doing well. I don't deserve to exchange pleasantries with you. Because what I did to you, you didn't deserve it, no one does. You took me as a friend, and I did nothing but betray your friendship. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me.

The flash drive that contains the video is there. Aleesha kept it with me. And I know you should have it. Not me. Whatever you do with it is, it's your decision.

I'm sorry.

Apologetically,
Aisha Humaira."

Sa'eed sighs and takes the flash drive. Halima follows closely behind him with a dozing Hidaya in her hand. She watches as he douses the flash drive with petrol and sets it on fire.

That's it.