Layla

The heated early morning sun shone brightly on my face, waking me up instantly. It's a trick I used when I must wake by the aurora, opening my curtains so that as soon as the sun went up, I was up. A smile was spread on my face while I stretched both my arms while muttering some duas. I rose up and went to the curtains, dragging them to cover my room so that I could have a little of privacy. By that time, people might be awake.

That was just an introduction to my daily routine. I immediately rushed inside the bathroom for a bath, one of the few moments I loved. I dried my hair with the magical hair dryer that stretchered my stubborn thick and coiled hair before I stood in front of the mirror for a quick check-through.

I tied my hair in my usual style and slipped into my long black skirt, white ruffled dress shirt, and black jacket. I found my white-coloured veil which went well with my garb dress and rolled it up in a beautiful turban. I was pretty much good to go.  I just powdered to brighten my moisturized face.

"Ummi, I'll meet you two at the graduation ceremony," I said as I washed down the breakfast I had with a hot cup of tea after.

"Okay. Be careful on your way. Allah Ya bada sa'a." Ummi prayed for luck with a smile from across the table.

"Ameen," I said kissing her cheek before making my way out.

I opened the passenger's seat and dropped my load of textbooks. Being a law student wasn't the worst except when you had to carry a great deal number of kilograms with you in form of textbooks. I was allowed to drive by myself most of the time, but I used the driver's service sometimes, and my brother's whenever he was less busy and wanted to spend time together.

I was supposed to meet my family at the graduation ceremony of my nephew, Adnan, at noon and I've only one class before then so I should be good.

"Hello, girls." I greeted before sitting at the table.

"Pretty girl, how're you today?" Rahina said with a big smile. Too big for Rahina because it's Rahina, she wasn't the biggest fan of smiling or being nice at all.

"What does she want, Rahilatu? She's scaring me." I turned to her twin sister, Rahilatu with a questioning look.

"No idea. But she definitely wants something."

"What do you want? Stop smiling at me, it's scaring me. For real."

Smiling? Normal, of course. But the thing was, Rahina was the meanest friend among us.

"I didn't want anything but since you're bugging me now, I'll request something." She said dramatically.

I huffed. "Finally. What do you want?"

"Do my essay. Please." Rahina said with begging eyes.

"No," I said.

"Please, baby."

"Nope."

"Please."

"No."

"Pretty please."

"No."

"Oh, common on. You'll run out no to say."

"Don't do it for her, please. She deliberately refused to go for that particular class." Rahilatu said. "Because apparently, she wanted to rebel."

"Oh, you knew what she wanted?" I asked in interrogation.

"Well, yes but I didn't know that's what she wanted to ask," Rahilatu said while laughing. "But don't do it. At least not for free."

"True. What do I get?" I asked turning to Rahina. I put my hands under my chin for emphasis.

"Anything. I promise. Anything you want."

"Oh my God. Are you listening to her?" Rahilatu said putting her hand on my shoulder. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us. Think carefully. Let's think carefully."

"What's happening babies?" Someone sang from behind Rahilatu and I. It's Lulwa. The fourth of us.

"Rahina is promising to do or give anything I want. Anything. As in anything." I said grinning.

"No. Is the world ending?" Lulwa said running to my other side. "Hope you have not said anything. This will probably never happen again."

"That's right."

"Ugh. Just say yes. Y'all are just making a big deal out of it." Rahina said while huffing.

"Oh, please. It's not like you ever do anything. You never do anything." Rahilatu said to Rahina.

"Exactly. So now what do you think, Layla?" Lulwa asked.

"Uhm, I'll just use it some other time. Might come in handy in the future." I said after some thinking. I might need something later that I won't be able to get from her except if I compel her. "Let's do this. I write your essay but use my chance to get anything later. Deal?"

"Deal. Deal. Deal. Now start typing." Rahina said bringing out her MacBook from her bag and passing it to me.

Rahina and I take the same classes every year because we're from the same faculty, LLB. Sure enough, she was absent from a class on commercial law last week and the professor gave a presentation on a postulated sequence of case scenario and asked for an essay to be submitted on it.

"No, that won't be needed. Switch on your airdrop." I said while putting on my laptop.

What I did was, because this is supposed to carry a mountain of scores, I wrote three essays to choose from. So now, I've two additional of almost the same kind saved.

"Why?" Rahina asked looking puzzled.

"I typed three, now I've two extras," I said in a strut way.

"Owh." Lulwa and Rahilatu hollered.

"Nah, that's a good game," Lulwa said while raising her palm to clap Rahilatu's.

"This is not fair." Rahina cried.

"Life isn't always fair, love." Lulwa smiled evilly.

"Why today of all days?" I cried out of frustration.

We finished classes at 12 pm today and it's past 1 pm already and we weren't at the graduation. Rahina went back home, Rahilatu had one extra class while Lulwa and I were on our way to the school for the graduation.

The car started taking a comparatively long time to move forward. It started making a sharp piercing sound, so I pulled over by the side.

"I've not driven it in long, I think that's why. Adda Malika will kill both of us if we don't make it." I said with a sudden mass of what might happen to us.

Adda Malika, my eldest sibling's first child is Adnan, and she excessively doted on him, she menacingly indicated that if we didn't attend, even if it meant dodging a class, she was going to deal with us. Ya Abdullah, Adda Malika's husband, was Lulwa's older brother so she's getting dealt with too.

"This is why Rahina says your driving is jinxed. We're dead. I was already eyeing to get Adda Malika's bloody red heels today." She said with dreamy eyes. "I would die before she gives it to me if I don't attend this graduation." She stomped her feet on the car floor.

"We're not getting, you mean. Ya Abdullah got her a new Abaya last month and she promised to hand it down to me, now I can only dream." I said with a sad face with my lower lips thrust out while dialling the driver's number.

Adda Malika was nice but she's nicer to you when you're nice to her babies. At the moment, if after all the threats and our wants for her stuff, we didn't attend this graduation, we could have to kiss the Abaya and the heels goodbye.

Running from the parking lot to the main school hall was a whole work on its own. We were able to get a hold of Malam Daha to come pick us. It's already 2 pm, they should be getting ready to round up if they're going along with the docket.

I was running like my life depended on it, Lulwa behind me. Way behind me, guess I'm more fit than she is. The sun had started becoming hot in the afternoon too. Usually, when the coldest season of the year ended beginning in January, it dragged into a few days before it started becoming warm, but the year seemed different.

"Wait... wait." I heard her breathlessly saying a good long-distance behind me. "Don't leave me." She said and I turned to look back at her as I collided into something solid. The impact was enough to jolt me back to reality, and I stumbled slightly, catching my breath.

My heart raced as my hands instinctively reached out to steady myself. I found myself staring into the chest of a man, broad and firm, the fabric of his shirt warm under my fingertips. My gaze traveled upward, and I was met with his eyes.

I froze.

It's the guy with the weird eye lens color from Ya Malik's office.

No.

His left eye was strikingly different, with a deep, dark iris that seemed to taper down at the bottom. It wasn't the usual perfect circle, instead, it looked almost like the iris had a small notch, as if a piece of it was missing. And the color, I couldn't pinpoint a particular shade. I had openly and clearly hoped never to meet him. Wait but how high is the possibility?

For a moment, time seemed to have frozen. The noise of the surroundings faded into the background, leaving only the sound of my heartbeat pounding in my ears. His presence was overwhelming, a sudden, unexpected interruption in my otherwise hectic day.

I blinked, realizing I was still holding onto him, my fingers lightly placed. Embarrassment flooded through me, and I quickly let go, taking a step back.

"Sorry, I didn't see you there," I mumbled, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. My voice sounded small, almost apologetic, as I tried to regain my composure.

He smiled then, a quick, fleeting smile that softened the edges of his stern expression. "No harm done. Are you alright?"

I nodded, though I was still flustered, trying to gather my scattered thoughts. "Yes, I'm fine. Just in a bit of a hurry."

His jacket was crisp and well-fitted, with a clean sharp line that accentuated his broad shoulders. His formal attire gave him a distinct aura.

I shouldn't have stayed, walking away would have been better. It still sounded like a better idea, so I proceeded as if nothing happened. We're supposed to meet in never. Never in this life not a week after.

"Layla," He said as if he made a finding.

I turned to face him and spoke. "Yes, it's me. Can we pretend none of what happened that day ever happened? Please. You were not supposed to hear any of that. I didn't even know you were there, to be honest, so..." I was cut short by my friend's voice.

"Layla," Lulwa said breathlessly. One second, she was trotting and the other, she was bending down. "Layla. I'll... kill... you."

He smiled. "Okay." He said curtly. That's peremptory short. Rude.

Now, I'm more embarrassed. What did I say? I'd have just walked away when I said sorry. Why. Why. Why.

The perfect chance to get out of the mussy position. I'd completely forgotten I left Lulwa behind. I managed a weak smile before hurrying past him, my heart still racing from the unexpected encounter. As I walked away, I could feel his gaze following me, and I resisted the urge to look back.

Inside the hall, I looked around, there was a huge crowd, so it was hard to spot my family. But after squinting my eyes and following every row, I found them. They're on the sixth row from the top.

Ya Abdullah, Adda Malika, Ummi and Aunty Yamaniya from the left. Amani, their second child and first daughter who's 6, sitting on Ya Abdullah's mom's lap while Amaya, their second daughter who's 4, was on my mom's. The kids had a pompon consisting of a ball of tufted wool.

The left side consisted of the students that go to the school and their teachers. The students had pompon in their hands as well, so I figured that's where Amani and Amaya got theirs from.

"You two are not going to sit today. They're almost going to throw their caps, go and get a defined video of my boy for me. They're going to throw their caps any moment from now. Both of you. Go to the front." Adda Malika stormed at us the moment we saw us.

"Malika, let the girls be. They just came back from school." Ummi said.

"Ummi, they're supposed to be here by 12pm. Now, it's 2:17 pm." She finished while looking down at her wristwatch.

"Queen of mothers," I muttered under my breath.

Lulwa collected a water bottle and then we proceeded to the front of the room.

The graduating students were sitting in 10 lines of 7 rows. Adnan sat confidently and proudly at the front with his classmates. He smiled and waved at us when he noticed us standing.

"Now, the time the graduating students have been waiting for. Let's all rise up as they move their tassels and throw their caps to note the end of their primary school years and the beginning of their secondary school years. As always, we wish you all the best. Now, at the count of three." Mr. Chase, the headmaster of the school said.

Lulwa, Rahina, Rahila, and I attended and graduated from the same school so I knew a lot of the teachers.

"3.2.1." He said in a deep prolonged loud voice. They moved the tassels and threw their caps to the roof.

It was beautiful, I was so glad I captured every moment. That was a guarantee to get a new Abaya that's only been worn once. Win.

"Why didn't Ya Malik attend?" I asked Adda Malika when she finally sat down.

Adda Malika and Ya Abdullah threw a party for Adnan and the other 14 students in his class. There's a cake with 'Year 7, here we come.' written in letters that are set down in full words, snacks, and drinks.

Ummi went back home with Aunty Yamaniya and Malam Daha. Lulwa, who lived in Adda Malika, and Ya Abdallah and I followed to help them with the party. The party started at 5 pm.

"He had an important meeting and on the face of it, he couldn't cancel because 'it's so important'." She air-quoted the last part.

I shook my head in amusement. "Okay. Now..." I was cut off short by Lulwa who just appeared in the living room with a plate in her hand.

"Who's that fine guy? Please tell us." Lulwa said in Hausa while sitting by Adda Malika's side.

"Which guy?" Adda Malika questioned.

"Yeah, which guy?" I asked with a puzzled look.

"The guy from the graduation. Sunglasses, fair, handsome, suit, drop-dead gorgeous." Lulwa said with a mischievous smile.

The weird eye-coloured guy. Oh crap.

"Owh, who's that? Tell us. Tell us." Adda Malika shook my arm, her tone dripping with mischief as she wiggled her eyebrows.

"I don't know. It was just... an accident." I felt myself heat up as faced them.

"Adda Malika, they're having a full-fledged conversation. I promise I saw her really talking to him. Believe me." Lulwa said trying to make a cute face. That weird choice of words as always.

"I wasn't paying attention, and he just... appeared out of nowhere. It wasn't a big deal." I protested, though the memory of those eyes, so unusual and captivating, still lingered in my mind.

"Oh, it's a big deal, alright. You don't bump into guys like that every day. And in a suit? At a graduation? That's like fate handing you a gift," Adda Malika made a swooning gesture, clearly enjoying every second of it.

"Why are you even asking me in front of her of all places?" I asked looking at Adda Malika but directing the question to Lulwa.

"If I ask you alone, you'll not even look my way, will you? But my Adda Malika will make you say it. Right, Adda Malika?" She wiggled her brows at my sister.

Adda Malika got every single piece of information into her possession. If she had a superpower, that'd be hers. Getting information out of people. More like forcing information out of you. It was no wonder she was so good at her job as a social media influencer. That, along with the fact that she shared great oecumenical content.

"I don't have to bug you to tell me, you know. I'll just give Lulwa that dark brown wood colored Abaya that has a copper undertone. Really beautiful. Compliments the skin. Expensive. Cris..." I cut her off as she dreamily described the abaya I've been dying to have in possession.

"I'll tell you. I will. But the Abaya is mine." I said in surrender

Adda Malika raised her right eyebrow and waved her indicating I go on.

But wait...

"Come to think of it, I really have no idea who he is." I tried stretching my mind to its limit. "I really don't."

"So, Lulwa about the Abaya..." Adda Malika said turning her face to Lulwa.

"No, no, wait. I really don't. I met him at Ya Malik's office once and I kinda might have sort of abashed myself a little. I was talking to him about that day at the graduation about the other day. He's fair, true. Very well reserved, I think. Rude, maybe." I said with uncertainty in my voice.

"What's his name then?"

"No idea. Oh. Oh. He's Ya Malik's friend and business partner. They're having a meeting at Ya Malik's office the day we first met. And he has weird, colored lenses in his eyes. Yes. Adda Malika, do you remember Engineer Abdulmajid Nyako? He came to our house a few times. Apparently, that was his son."

I waited as Adda Malika's face turned from confused to plain to realization dropping on her eyes and bulging them out of her head.

"Engineer Abdulmajid Nyako? His son?" She asked scared while her eyes slowly bulged out. "Ah, what's his name? What's his name? What's his name? Yes, yes. Azad. No, no. Ah. Asad. Yes, that's the son's name." She said with so much force and optimism glistening in her eyes. "You guys don't know him?" Fright and revolt were visible on her face.

"Are we supposed to?" Lulwa asked with wide eyes.

Adda Malika is dramatic, everything she does is dramatic, she's drama.

"Yes, of course. You, especially. How are you still an engineering student? Huh?" she pointed the questions at Lulwa.

"Who's he? Is he an Einstein? Does he have an IQ of 160?" Lulwa questioned with bulged eyes.

"I don't know. I'm not sure. But what I'm sure of is he's a brainiac. He took over his dad's company a few years ago and the company hasn't been the same again. For like three consecutive years now, the company has been honored as the fastest-growing company and most income-generated in the country and top five in the whole continent. We attended a conference organized by his company some time ago. And you're right, Lulwa, he is gorgeous. I've seen him once and damn..." She said, pipe dreamily. "His eye color is really weird now that you said it. He always wears sunglasses." Adda Malika tilted her head to the side while looking into space. "Do you think that's his real eye color?" She asked me.

"To think you're married." I sharply reflected on her. "No also, that can't be an eye colour. Lenses, for sure."

"That's my type. He's my type. Adda Malika, he can't be married, right? Please he's not." Lulwa pleaded.

"Oh, he's not." Adda Malika replied with a smile. "I am sure of that. I meet his sister often at Adnan's school. Her kids go there as well."

"You two are impossible. It was just one of those weird moments. Nothing more."

"Now, how do I get him?" Lulwa asked with a sheepish smile, making me groan inwardly. No surprises, Lulwa has a crush on every handsome man out there that lasted for a day only.

"Very funny, you two. Very funny." I replied though I couldn't help but smile.

For in-laws, Adda Malika and Lulwa really got along. Lulwa and I met each other during Adda Malika and Ya Abdallah's wedding and then, three years after the wedding, they relocated back here along with her she transferred to my school and since then we've been best friends.

"Aunty Layla, we want to cut the cake now. Please help us." Adnan's head peaked through the back door.

Thank heaven.