"Do not delude yourself with this thing called love. It's just a way for life to hurt and taunt us more while we smile ignorantly saying we're in love. Give it time."

Dedicated to salmmarrhh

•••• •••• •••• ••••
Dinner was awkward. As soon as they'd gotten home, Muhammad carried her luggage from the trunk into the house, he turned on the light and her eyes widened slightly.
On the floor, rose petals were well arranged leading to the dinning where a candle-lit dinner awaited her.

Muhammad carelessly walked to her bedroom making sure to scatter the petals with his feet as he moved, Amirah stood gazing at the sumptuous dinner arrangement. Muhammad came into the dining room and blew out the candles, packed them all and disposed of them in the bin.

"What are you doing?" She'd asked in a low voice, he ignored her.
After he was done disposing of the candle and the huge bouquet of flowers which had been on the table, he sat down and began to eat. She quietly sat down too and dished food for herself, he'd prepared jollof rice and plantain with fish pepper soup.

The clutters of the cutlery was the only sound ringing through the house, Amirah constantly glanced at Muhammad as they ate but not once did their eyes meet, his was solely focused on his food.

She stared up at him as he stood up carrying his plate to the kitchen, she heard water running indicating he was washing his plate. Amirah's appetite was lost, he walked past her and she heard the door of his bedroom bang as he shut it.

The night dragged on and she rolled and turned on her bed willing herself to stop thinking and just sleep. She was scared, scared of opening up to Muhammad, scared he'd leave her if he found out about the things she'd intentionally kept hidden from him.

He might claim to love her but would it be enough to hold their relationship together when he finds out? She was scared he'll leave her vulnerable right after she's trusted and opened up to him. If there was one thing Amirah hated feeling, it was weak.

When daylight streamed into her window, she found her eyes dropping and only woke up when she heard the shrill sound that enveloped the house, someone had rung the bell.

Her bedside clock read past 1pm. She grogingly turned muttering to herself as she settled back on her pillow hoping Muhammad would answer his visitor after all, it was a Sunday meaning he didn't go to the hospital today.

Just as she was falling asleep, the sound rang out again. Amirah hissed before picking up a knee length brown hijab as she went out of her bedroom. In the sitting room, a mat was splayed by the corner and Muhammad was on it praying.

She headed towards the gate and a plump short woman was outside, she smiled at Amirah.

"Hello. I was begining to think no one was around." The woman said, even her voice was kind, Amirah thought warily.

"Hi, how can I help you?" Amirah hoped her voice didn't display the annoyance she felt, this woman -whoever she was- better be calling for a good reason.

"I'm Mrs Biola Adeboye, I'm the wife to one of the senior doctors. I was hoping to invite you to a memorial I am organizing for the late cleaning lady, Mrs Jane, I don't know if you had the opportunity to meet her."

Amirah sighed guiltily, with all that was going on in her life, she'd forgotten about the woman.

She cleared her throat. "Yes, I did."

A bright smile graced Mrs Biola's features. "Great! It's also an opportunity for me to celebrate my husband's promotion so it's a double celebration."

Amirah's brow shot up, double celebration?

The woman gave a small guilty laugh, "uhmm, a celebration of a life well lived you know. Mrs Jane was an excellent woman."

Amirah nodded getting the gist of it, the woman wanted to celebrate her husband's promotion or whatever but probably suspecting not much people -especially the women at the estate- would bother to be in attendance, she'd used Mrs Jane's memorial to drag people into it, suddenly her kind voice and smiling face seemed shrewd.

"Okay."

"So it'll be next weekend at Allure Suites by 7pm and I hope you and your husband will be in attendance after all Mrs Jane was a friend to all." Her bright smile in place.

"Indeed." Amirah said before turning and heading back inside. The sleep had been cleared off her face.

Muhammad was sitting leisurely scrolling through channels and he didn't look up as she came in.

"Uhmm, we've been invited to Mrs Jane memorial alongside some promotion celebration something." She said to him.

"Okay." He replied still not looking at her, she rolled her eyes and just as she began sauntering towards the kitchen for brunch.

"Please sit, I want to talk to you."

I want to talk to you that sentence was enough to halt her movement and her heart rate increased, she swallowed before settling on the couch farthest from him.

He took in a deep breath. "I made a huge mistake and we are both paying for my selfishness. I was only thinking of myself when I proposed marriage even though you vehemently refused, I'm sorry."

"This thing isn't working and I'm not sure if it would with you making an effort to sabotage mine in making our relationship what it used to be when we'd first met. I'm tired of being hurt by you, your rudeness to me and your inconsideration regarding my feelings. Sometimes I fear you've forgotten I'm human.

I'm going to give you time to think about what you truly want, and in that time I'll give myself time from you, maybe you want us to live as strangers. So in that time, I'll work on weaning myself off of you and you'll think truly if you want this to work or not and if not I give you my word to honour your request and to divorce you. Just take as much time as you need because once it's over between us Amirah, wallahi there'll be no going back."

His voice was strong, warning her of the impending danger that might come with the decision he was sure she'd be leaning towards more.

A/N:

I know it's short and I'm sorry but short update is better than no update ko?

So Amirah is letting us reeeeaaallly slowly into her fears and Muhammad just did a huge U-turn concerning her.

So what do you think now with the D word hanging between them?

To those of you who hates Amirah's guts and how she treats Muhammad, I got inspired to write this book because I really wanted a story where it's the guy that is really in love with the girl and she in turns isn't really into him. I wanted a one-sided love but this time the love will be on the guy's path and the girl would be aloof so bear with the plot, it gets better😗 .

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO VOTE AND COMMENT!