"If you see how your boobs were dangling, all the boys were just staring at you" Rumaisah sarcastically said, laughing through the phone.

"Shegiya kawai, I hope you are happy now for what you did?" I uttered, annoyed.

"What I did? Ban gane ba, what I did as in how?" she said, pretending as if she didn't know what she did.

"You forced me to change my hijab, remember?" I said, prompting her to burst into another scornful laughter.

"Did I really forced you? I only recommended it to you, remember?" she said, trying to defend herself.

"Makaryaciya (liar), have you forgotten how you dragged me to your room?"

"Dragged you? When?" she smirked. She was obviously joking with me.

"Zaki ci uban ki ai, bari mu hadu" I said, feigning angry.

"Yo, abun har ya kai..." she said as I ended the call,

"Mtsww" I hissed, activating flight mode.

I didn't want her to call again and disturb me, after all I had a lot to do in the kitchen right this moment. From pilling yam to frying it with eggs.

Bismillah... I withdrew from the bed, wore my head scarf and headed out of the room.

The moment I arrived at the kitchen island I met mom already pilling the yam. Nice!

I was somehow happy, but the way Ya Siyyama was smiling evilly, and how mom frowned her face, I just felt like something wasn't right. Perhaps I should just take over the work from her.

"Let me continue, mom" I said about grabbing the knife from her when she turned and glared at me.

"Sai yanzu kika ga daman fitowa ko?" she said, blaming me for not coming in time.

"Sorry mom, wallahi I was making a call that's why" I pleaded.

"Call?" Ya Siyyama chimed in, "So your call is more important than this?"

"No, Ya Siyyama, it's not like that..." I said as she snapped at me,

"Oho dai, go and continue with your call. But if you start feeling hungry later, Bunmi Restaurant is waiting for you. Daman an saba" she said infuriating me.

"Mom, kina dai ganin Ya Siyyama ko?" I complained to our mom thinking she would do justice for me, but then she sided her.

"Me ta yi? She didn't say anything bad ai, ke ce dai ba kya son gaskiya" mom said.

Her words hurt me badly. I didn't even know when I began feeling the presence of tears in my eyes.

In anger, I left the kitchen and went back to my room. How I hated humiliation!

I actually didn't deserve that from them, where was the motherly and sisterly love? All gone overnight?

What pained me more was the way our mom supported Ya Siyyama. I felt like I wasn't home seriously, I felt like I wasn't with my family, they had literally turned into strangers to me.

I took my car keys and left the house. While driving to Sayyada's house, I deactivated flight mode and dialed her number.

"Hello, are you at home?" I asked the moment she picked the call.

"Yes, I am at home. Any problem?" she asked.

"No, just want to come and disturb you a little" I sarcastically said.

"Right?" she giggled, "Sai kin zo toh"

"Alright then" I ended the call and concentrated on the road.

When I arrived at their house, I was amazed to see it fully re-innovated this time around. Her father really tried, seriously.

I slowly drove and parked where I usually park my car, thus I alighted and walked straight to the gate.

After knocking for some seconds, a boy came out. He greeted me and asked if I came to see Mallam, meaning Sayyada's father.

"No, I am here to see Sayyada. I am her friend" I told the boy.

"Okay, wait please let me go and call her" The boy said and went back inside.

I had never seen the boy around, he must be new... a relative from the village maybe. If only we knew each other, he wouldn't have asked me to wait outside the gate.

...

"...Kai, and you left her outside? With that your big head like plastic cup..." I heard Sayyada scolding the boy from inside the gate, "Haba!" she added and quickly pulled the gate open. "Welcome Minal, please come in" she made way for me to walk inside.

"Thank you, Sayyada" I waited for her to shut the gate, "How have you been?"

"I am fine o, I've been busy lately though" she huffed, "By the way, I am sorry about Yunus. He's new in town that's why"

"That boy? I thought as much"

"Yeah, he's my nephew's stepson"

"Nice!" 

She took me to her mother, we greeted, and then we proceeded to her room. "I even forgot to inform you, Minal"

I looked at her, "About what?"

"About the Qur'anic Graduation that is going to take place here next week, I hope you are not offended?" she awkwardly lowered her head.

"Wow, no... I am not offended, next week right?" I asked to be more sure.

"Yes, by 9am. Since the children aren't many, we might roundup anything 1 in the afternoon. Zaki zo?" she lifted a brow.

"In Shaa Allah, I will come" I nodded positively. 

"Ma Shaa Allah" she smiled.

We then chit-chatted for a while, and in the evening her sister walked in and informed her it was time for them to start cooking dinner.

"Okay, I am coming" she responded and turned to me, "Minal, kitchen is calling me. Duk lokacin da kika shirya wucewa, you let me know... okay?" 

"Okay, but... wouldn't it be better if I help you guys?"

"With what?"

"Cooking mana," I pulled off my hijab.

"Hmm, Minal! Just don't worry..."

"Why?" I glared at her.

"Well, because... hmm, our method here is different from the one you are used to. Plus we are not using gas or electric cooker here. It's firewood, and I don't want you to burn yourself or end up smelling smoke" she said, making me to giggle. Like seriously?

"Please, I don't care. If I go home, I will change. So can we go now?"

She huffed and shook her head, "Well, if you really want to help then, no problem. But please don't go near the fire" she sarcastically said. 

"You are making me feel like I am somebody meanwhile I am not" I said, – she tried to argue with me on that but I continued, – "please Sayyada no, let's not argue about that"

"Okay then" she scoffed. 

"Good!" I muttered.

I trailed her outside to their kitchen, it was a small room with a roof.

While we cook, she, her mother and her sisters didn't even allow me to do much work like that. They were very agile, even the okra I was given to cut it was Ruwaida, her cousin that cut the remaining ones.

And before you know it, food was ready. It was tuwon masara and okra soup, so sweet! I really enjoyed it. The maize flour was good and it was well prepared.

Before I finished eating, mom started calling me on phone. I deliberately refused to pick her calls because I was still sad with what she and Ya Siyyama did to me. Suddenly, a text message popped on the screen...

"Minal, please meet us in Standard Hospital. Your dad had an accident recently and he's currently in the emergency room!"

*****************

Sorry for keeping you guys waiting, I was working on something that's why. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter? One love... 💖