CHAPTER ONE: IN TROUBLE, trip to bauchi.

Jama'are, Bauchi state.

Listening to the birds sing while staring at the river was one of the things Hilwa loved. The place was so serene and easy on the eye, so she found peace there. Whenever she felt the urge to be alone or when she got in trouble she came there to hide. Today was one of the days. 

Her mother, who she calls Ummi, sent her to grind their vegetables (Markade) which they would use to make today's soup, on her way back she got into a fight with Binta, a very annoying girl who doesn't get tired of getting in her hair,  in the process the girl spilled it. Hilwa had cried and didn't even glance at the path to their house and instead came straight to the river for she knew she was in for it. She would definitely receive the beating of her life today.

Hilwa who seemed to be around 14 or 15years old, sat on a rock, humming to a song under her breath.

Behind her was a tree, a very big and long tree, which covered her completely. One could hardly notice a person sitting there. A reason why she loved the place.

She sighed and looked up at the sky. The sun was slowly beginning to set and she knew if she doesn't get home now, she'd get in more trouble.

Ummi is probably looking for her, she silently thought and decided she'd just go and face whatever it is she would receive because she knew sooner or later whether she likes it or not she must go back home.

With that thought on her mind, she rose to her feet, put on her almost worn out slippers, dusted off her atamfa wrapper and picked the tiny bucket Ummi gave her before heading for home with her heart beating wildly.

She was almost there when she heard her name being called "Hilwa! Hilwa"

She quickly spun around only to see her best friend Amina/Meeno, jogging towards her.

"Meeno, Jam na? (How are you?)" Hilwa asked in fulfulde as meeno halted in front of her.

Meeno scanned her briefly "Jam, Good, where are you coming from? And are you okay? You look pale"

Hilwa lightly stomped her foot "I got into a fight with that stupid girl"

"Binta?" Meeno raised her brows, hands akimbo.

"Who if not her?" Hilwa rolled her eyes, still irritated.

Meeno held her hand and pulled her back to the the direction she came from, "And you didn't tell me? Lets go and beat the stuffing out of her"

Hilwa abruptly stopped making Meeno rebound back, "No! We are not going there now, wait till tomorrow, I'm already in so much trouble now, the stupid girl had spilled my grind vegetables and I couldn't even go back home, i went to the river and hid there, I know ummi won't be easy on me" She concluded, almost with teary eyes.

"Ahh thats why Ummi came to our house asking if you came there?" Realization lifted meeno's brows before she turned to look at her friend with pitiful look "We will surely teach that girl a lesson tomorrow, look at your face-" She grimaced "You have dust all over your face and head tie"

"Really?" Hilwa gasped "Where can i get water? Meeno Mi yidi ndiyam, (i want water) I have to rinse it off before i go home, Ummi hates it when i get dirty and its all because of that foolish girl"

"Lets quickly go to our house" meeno said and held hilwa's hand again before they scooted off to the house which was a small flat containing only three rooms and a courtyard.

On reaching there, Meeno brought water in a satale (plastic kettle) and passed it to Hilwa.

"Ah ahh, who am i seeing like Hilwa?" Gwaggo, meeno's mother, said as she walked out of her room.

Hilwa immediately squatted down and greeted her. It was her behavior, she goes down and greets you as long as you're older than her. Pride was one of the things she so much regards with distaste.

"Your Ummi came here searching for you, where did you go to?" Gwaggo asked as she brought out her mortar and pestle from the kitchen.

"Ummm..." Hilwa fidgeted with her fingers "I went to the river"

"River? Why did you go there? I'm sure Maimuna is still searching for you, what did i tell you about going somewhere without telling anybody?" Gwaggo scolded and when she saw the scared look on Hilwa's face, her own face softened.

"Go home now Hilwa, you don't want to get in more trouble, do you?"

"She is going to beat me right gwaggo?" Hilwa sniffed.

Gwaggo walked to her and placed her hand on her shoulder "I know she's a little angry but she won't beat you, just make sure you tell her whenever you're going somewhere, okay?"

Hilwa nodded.

"Now quickly go home, don't stop anywhere" Gwaggo warned but in a soft tone and patted her back.

Hilwa nodded yet again as gwaggo returned back to her work. Gwaggo was one of the nicest women Hilwa had ever seen. She was married to Baba mai kanti, and had 6 kids with him, Meeno was the 4th. She had two co wives Iya and baba furera. Alhamdulillah they were all living peacefully under the same roof.

"Dust off the sand on your head tie" Meeno said.

Hilwa untied the head tie revealing her full long natural black hair. It was obviously not combed for days and also had specks of sand on it. Despite that, her edges were still popping and full. Hilwa was just a little girl but she had that kind of face that stops you right in your tracks. She was light-skinned and with one look you could simply tell she's fulani. Her doe like eyes were light brown, with so much innocence and calmness in them. She was slender and her curves were beginning to show.

She quickly dusted off the dirt and covered her hair up. She bade gwaggo goodbye and practically ran out with Meeno who offered to escort her.

They were almost close to Hilwa's house when Meeno stopped to bid her adieus. 

"Baba will be coming back now and he will kill me when he sees me out"

"I told you to stay back but you insisted, there's no problem, i'd be home in just a few minutes" Hilwa smiled at her friend.

"Yan mata" They heard a masculine voice from behind them making them poke their heads to the direction.

They both scowled when they saw the person.

"What do you want dan jummai?" Meeno fired, suddenly exasperated.

"I'm not here because of you girl, I'm here because of my soon to be wife in shaa Allahu" Dan jummai grinned at Hilwa, revealing gaps in his dirty teeth and bright red gums.

Hilwa suddenly felt like puking.

"Your wife? Who is your wife?" Hilwa pressed her lips together, and looked at him from head to toe.

"You of course, habaa hilwa am" His grin broadened "I can't wait for us to get married"

Hilwa's eyes dropped to a stone. She felt like taking it and crushing his stupid face with it. How she wish he could just die. Honestly he was one of the few people she hated with all her might in their area.

"Which of the 'she hates you' and 'leave her alone' don't you understand? She doesn't like you, don't you get it? Please malam, carry your mosquito legs and big for nothing head and go" Meeno said and hissed at the end.

She hated him so much.

He touched his head,  looked down at his legs and up to Hilwa who was trying to push back her laughter.

"Did you just hear what she said? Wallahi bamu yafe ba ko hliwa am?" He rolled his eyes and grinned at her again.

Was he human?

Hilwa immediately put on a straight face "Achu (Leave me alone) or i swear i will report you to Abu again"

"Go'o, didi, tati, nay...( One, two, three, four...)" They counted waiting for him to walk away. And hilwa's thread really worked because before they even counted up to six he was out of their sight.

The two friends chuckled.

Abu was Meeno's big brother, who was very built and strong, almost everybody in the area was scared of him. It was also one of the days dan jummai would block her and say gibberish to her. On that day, she got really frustrated and decided to report him to Abu. That afternoon, dan jummai got the beating of his life. She didn't see him for almost a month but now it seemed like he's back. She really needed to teach him a lesson.

"Let me get going Meeno, Useko (Thank you)" She waved at her friend.

"Okay, sey jango (See you tomorrow)" She waved back and they parted ways.

Hilwa's heart began to beat insanely as she approached their house. She wondered what ummi would do to her. The mere thought made a cold shiver run down her spine.

Removing her shoes, she slowly tiptoed and pushed open the door. She passed the little zaure and walked further into the house a little only to be met with two pairs of unfamiliar shoes.

She heard ummi's voice and other voices which she didn't know.

She wondered who the people were but that was the least of her worries now.

How was she going to enter?

"Ke Hilwa, are you the one?" She unexpectedly heard ummi yell from inside.

She felt her stomach turn and her eyes suddenly brewed with tears.

She's dead.

◾️◾️

FCT, Abuja.

The shrill ringtone of the landline filled the room. Na'im gritted his teeth together and turned on the bed, ignoring the call. It stopped but the tranquility in the room was soon broken again.

"La hawla wala quwwata illah billah" He muttered and blindly reached for the phone. He picked, placed it over his ear and waited for the person who wouldn't let rest to speak.

"Na'im" A deep voice said from the other end.

He quickly opened his eyes and sat up "Yes! Daddy?"

"You're still not up?" The person he called daddy asked sounding annoyed "I told you about this trip since last week, and you know how bad the roads are, I want us to go as early as possible and come back today"

"I'm sorry" Na'im apologized "But daddy can you at least tell me who we're going to visit in bauchi now?"

"Its in a local government jama'are not bauchi and i intended to tell you who the person is now but i won't, this is your punishment for making us late, now go and quickly get ready" Daddy ordered and before na'im could say anything the line went off.

"Why did he choose me? This old man has more than 3 drivers but he only chose me" Na'im mumbled to himself, burying his face in his palms.

He hopped out of his kingsized bed and immediately jumped into shower. He came out after a few minutes and threw on a black cotton kaftan with a black cap, he knew daddy would definitely complain if he wears anything apart from the trads.

Spritzing himself with his Clive christian perfume, he took his wallet, phone and other important things before he walked out to the main part of the house.

There, he met daddy and his step mother, Sa'adiya, which he ordinarily calls Aunty, eating breakfast in the dining area. He squatted down and greeted them respectfully.

"See how handsome you look in your kaftan, you should wear them more often" Aunty complimented.

He smiled "In shaa Allah"

"Come and eat Na'im, we're running out of time" Daddy said as he wiped his mouth with a napkin.

Na'im nodded and settled down. He filled his plate with a lot of food and started to feed his grumbling stomach. That was one of the things he doesn't play with, food. Later, he washed down the food with his favorite beverage, black coffee.

"The girls are still sleeping i guess?" Na'im asked Aunty as he rose to his feet.

"Apparently"

"Sleepy heads" He shook his head.

"As if you're not one of them" Daddy butted in and they all chuckled.

Daddy handed the car keys to na'im before they glided outside the mansion where they met daddy's black range rover already brought out of the garage and was parked.

Food stuff were loaded into the car trunk before they got in. Aunty made du'a for them before bidding them goodbye.

"Captain?" Na'im asked as soon as they drove out of Abuja.

"Hmmm? What is it?" Daddy looked up from his phone and adjusted his spectacles.

"I'm going to ask you a question but promise you won't hit me" Na'im said with a playful smile of his face.

Daddy glared at him "Just ask your question, in kayi abun bugun, ba abunda zai hana ayi shi"

Na'im sighed dramatically "You have more than 3 drivers who can drive you all around the world if you want, why did you choose your lovely innocent son to drive you?" He eyed daddy, waiting to receive a smack.

Instead daddy let out a hearty laugh "My goodness! This boy, wallahi you have really grown wings, and who told you you're innocent and lovely?" Daddy shook his head "You have never been to Bauchi, and the other states too, i want you to visit if not all then half of them, i want you to become the real Nigerian citizen, thats why i chose you to drive me son"

"Da...daddy! Ya salam! Seriously daddy?" Na'im said in disbelieve "Is that necessary?"

"Yes!" Daddy answered.

Na'im blew out an air feeling tired already, "Daddy you have to get me a masseur when we get back home, I'm feeling tired already"

"Aah ba masseur ba saidai masa" Daddy replied sarcastically.

"I heard from a friend that bauchi people make delicious masa" Na'im grinned at daddy who in return glared at him.

"Ka fita daga idona yaron nan"

Na'im laughed and after awhile asked "Captain? Please tell me, who are we visiting?"

"A very good friend of mine, Haroun" Daddy finally answered his question "We did the same university in Kano, but you know how life has turned to, the rich will get what they want in a blink of an eye while the poor will have to suffer and suffer then end of getting nothing, it was the same that happened to us, we both wanted to become pilots. Back then to get enrolled into the aviation school wasn't an easy thing, you'd to be someone's son or daughter before they sign you up. So basically me, as the famous businessman son got signed up while he didn't. I tried all my possible best to see he gets it too but unfortunately all my efforts were in vain. Allah sarki Haroun, he went back to his hometown and started to run a small business. We kept in touch all the time but I don't know what happened, we suddenly broke apart. Its 6years now, I haven't seen him or spoken to him, though i tried calling his line but it wasn't going through" Na'im briefly gazed at him and saw a hint of sadness in his eyes.

His heart tightened at the story. When will people ever stop showing difference between the rich and the poor? Subhanallah, aren't we all created? Aren't we all going to end up in the same grave? If only they could understand.

"I want to meet your friend" He said, smiling at daddy.

He smiled too, a sad one and silence suddenly prevailed.

The rest of the trip went by in a blur. They'd stopped once to offer their prayers and when they entered bauchi they proceeded to jama'are local government.

Daddy directed na'im to the area. When they reached, they'd to park by the road and walk by foot into the area because the houses were too jammed. The place looked so unhygienic, with kids running here and there, mostly with worn out clothes and some don't even have clothes on. There were few canteens, men sitting and chatting away in groups. Na'im could feel billions of eyes on them as they walked. Many people had surprised expression, some whispered among themselves, while some just stared. The unpleasant smell coming from the gutters was hitting Na'im's nostrils so bad, he would occasionally held his breath and after some minutes release it. He felt like throwing up. He'd never been to a place like that all his life.

"This is the house, if I haven't forgotten" Daddy uttered as they stood before a very old unmaintained house.

Daddy was the one that led them into the house, they stopped at the zaure (porch).

"Salamu alaikum" Daddy greeted loud enough for the people inside to hear him.

"Wa alaikumussalam" A female answered and after a few minutes she appeared.

"Please come in" She ushered them in "Ah ahaaa, alhaji Abdullah? Is it really you? Allahu akbar, Jabbama, Jabbama (Welcome, welcome)" She said, her eyes twinkling, however, her face still held a surprised look.

She spread out a weaved mat for them and daddy sat. Na'im squatted and greeted her before he sat down too.

"How are you maimuna?" Daddy asked.

"Jam koo dume (Fine, thank you) How have you been? We haven't seen you in forever, alhaji Abdullah"

Na'im was slowly examining the house and the woman herself. She was very pretty and probably around her middle 40's. She'd wrinkles on her face already, na'im was sure she got them because of the kind of life they were living not because she was old enough to have them. He felt really sorry for the woman.

"Is this your son? That one that was leaving in what is it called? Umm... Ingila? With Aisha?" She grinned at na'im and he smiled back feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Yes he's the one, he came back a year ago" Daddy replied, smiling at na'im as he did.

"Mashaa Allah, mashaa Allah, how old is he?" She questioned again.

"He's 24"

"Thats nice, mashaa Allah, let me get you something to drink, I'm so sorry we haven't cooked yet, where's this girl? She's still not back" She muttered as she stood up and disappeared into a room.

She came out shortly after with two cups of water and placed each in front of them.

"Let me get someone to get you some drinks" She stood up again but daddy stopped her.

He sipped the water and asked "Where's Haroun? Is he out?"

Daddy couldn't wait to see his long lost friend.

The woman's eyes suddenly welled up with tears, she sniffled and looked down "You didn't know?"

"I don't get you?" Daddy shifted a little.

"He's dead, he has been dead for almost 6years now" She declared.

"Innalillahi wa innailaihiraji'un" Daddy leaned back against the wall and kept muttering.

Na'im was also shocked, so shocked that he couldn't even move.

"Haroun is dead? Innalillahi wa innailaihiraji'un" A tear rolled down daddy's cheek.

Na'im got more shocked. He had never seen daddy cry. Haroun must have been so close to his heart. He felt his pain.

"Haroun died for almost six years and I'm just knowing this, what kind of friend am i? What kind of friend am i?" Daddy lamented, looking so guilty. He removed his cap and wiped away his tears.

Maimuna was still crying.

"Kiyi hakuri maimuna, Take heart, he's in a better place in shaa Allahu" Daddy consoled but he actually needed that too.

"May Allah grant him jannatul firdaus" Na'im prayed, looking down.

He hated emotional situations like that. He gets speechless.

After some few minutes, the woman calmed down.

Daddy scanned the house and saw how rough and old it'd became. He felt his eyes brew with tears again but he didn't let them fall, "Where are your kids?"

"Salma has gotten married 3years back in Kirfi, she has a kid now, Hilwa is out and samir and jabir are in the room sleeping" Maimuna calmly explained.

"Allah sarki" Daddy shook his head "I know they have all grown up, the twins should be 7 now right?"

"You're right alhaji"

"Salma 23?"

"Yes" Maimuna smiled.

"And hilwa should be 14?"

Maimuna nodded, with a smile still on her face.

"Mashaa Allah, May Allah bless them"

"Ameen"

"I'm sure its only salma that can remember me" Daddy chuckled, but that sadness was still in his eyes.

"Gaskia kam alhaji"

They continued to chat, filling each other about the things that happened for the past years. She would occasionally stand and check the door outside praying hilwa will appear soon.

They suddenly heard a sound from the zaure and Maimuna quickly stood, "Ke hilwa! Are you the one?"

After some minutes of silence, a tiny voice answered "Yes its me ummi"

"Come in" Maimuna ordered.

Hilwa slowly walked in, hugging her slippers tightly as if her life depended on them. Who knows maybe.. she would get beaten with them? Ummi's best weapon was a slipper. She was done today!

Hilwa stood by the door and squatted "DanAllah Ummi I'm sorry"

Na'im had to roll his lips to stop himself from laughing. The girl's expression was priceless.

Ummi glared at her "Don't you know how to greet?"

Hilwa almost forgot about the visitors so she quickly greeted them.

"Come here hilwa, see how you have grown so big, mashaa Allahu, Allah ya raya ku" Daddy prayed.

Hilwa sat beside maimuna and ducked down her head, playing with her fingers.

Daddy patted her head "Which school do you go to?"

"Jama'are Government school" She answered almost inaudibly.

"Do you go to islamiyah?"

She nodded.

"Which hizb?"

"20" She replied, silently wondering who the man is.

"Mashaa Allah, I'm so impressed" He smiled and turned his gaze to Maimuna, "Do you run any business?"

"I sew"

Daddy nodded. He really felt sorry for the family. There, he's everything he wanted and here his late friend's family were suffering. He definitely would never stop feeling guilty.

"Hilwa what took you so long? Where is the markade?" Maimuna looked at the empty transparent bucket and averted her gaze to hilwa.

"Ummm... ummi.. wallahi... i got into a fight.. with binta and.. and she spilled it" Hilwa stuttered, her body shaking.

Maimuna moved forward to pull her ear but daddy quickly pulled her back "Haba sorry maimuna, you know how kids are"

"DanAllah let me deal with this girl, she's very stubborn wallahi, she sees herself as if she's samir and jabir's age mate, she went out since 2pm and see the time she came back, its almost 6 fah fisabilillah, I went everywhere searching for her but couldn't find her. She knows what she did thats why she refused to come back home early, wallahi nobody has eaten since morning, and now she'd wasted the little we have for lunch" Maimuna ranted, obviously pissed.

Hilwa had her head between her legs and was sobbing uncontrollably.

Na'im didn't know why, but he somehow found the situation amusing. A smile etched its way to his face as he continued to watch them with sheer amusement.

"Will you shut up and stop filling our ears with your stupid wails. I didn't even put a hand on you for God sake" Maimuna fumed.

"Its okay maimuna, its okay. She's very sorry and she won't do it again" Daddy tried to calm maimuna down.

"Wannan yarinyar? Saidai in ba ita ba, Stand up let me send you to iro's kiosk"

Hilwa wiped her tears, stood up and followed the path behind na'im. Like that, she knew Maimuna cannot reach her even if she tries to.

She quickly ran to the door "Please ummi, say your message from there" She'd stopped shaking but her scared expression was still there.

Na'im's smile turned into a grin.

That girl is something else, he thought to himself.

Maimuna hissed and told her to get some drinks from iro's kiosk. "Stay long and see what i will do to you" She warned sternly at the end.

"I won't in shaa Allah" Hilwa said and quickly ran out of the house.

Daddy also smiled this time. He'd always been fond of the girl.

Soon, Samir and Jabir woke up from their nap. Daddy was surprised at how big they'd grown. The last time he saw them was when they were only 1 summer.

After magrib salat, na'im stayed outside and sat on a wooden chair because he was literally tired of sitting down on the floor, his entire body felt so numb. But he soon realized that it wasn't a really good idea because people kept staring at him. Some would come and even pretend to go back just to see him again. He could swear he saw someone who almost tripped. Does he look like a ghost to them? he wondered.

Daddy was inside chit chatting with the kids. Hilwa had began to open up to him a little.

"Maimuna can i speak with you for a moment?" Daddy asked and maimuna nodded.

They spoke for almost 30mins before daddy asked hilwa to go and call na'im.

Reluctantly, she walked outside and found him making a phone call.

What was she even going to say to him?

She stayed at the same position for almost 5mins, examining his every striking sideview features. Even as he was sitting, he looked very tall and was obviously muscular. He was dark skinned, tan brown to be precise, had a buzzcut haircut and beard, a full one. Her eyes averted to his well clipped fingers that held his phone. That kind of phone, she'd never seen it before.

After mustering much courage and steadying her beating heart, she finally decided to speak up, "Salamu alaikum"

"Wa alaikumussalam" He replied. He was already done with the phone call.

"Umm... your father is calling you" She said and when their eyes met, she quickly averted. Okay, honestly the man scares her. He doesn't even smile and he stares too much. She felt her stomach turning.

He stood up, "Helwa? Right?"

"Hilwa" She corrected.

"Well... I can't pronounce that, so helwa" He said and inwardly chuckled at her poker face.

She ignored him and went back into the house.

Really? As in really? Was that girl really giving him attitude?

He chuckled, now outwardly and followed suit.

Daddy ordered him to bring out the things they'd brought for them from the car. But seeing the stuff were much, daddy went with him and two other men to bring out the things. Once done, he gave maimuna some bundles of thousand Naira notes.

"Thank you so much, jazakallah, I don't know how to thank you" Maimuna cried. The food stuff could last them for more than 3months and the money, it was just too much. She truly cannot thank him enough.

"Its nothing, take care of yourself and the kids, and please think about what we've discussed earlier, you can call me anytime since you have my line now"

They escorted them to where they parked their car and wished them a safe journey.

Assalamu alaikum cuties,
Yep! Its your girl again. Ruru✌️ back with another amazing story. First chapter is out, i hope you guys will stick around with me and enjoy the amazing yet crazy roller coaster ride. Don't forget to always drop your comments. You know your comments and votes matter a lot to me, so make sure you do them in every single chapter. I promise I won't disappoint. Going to try a new thing, I'd be naming my chapters now.

Its just the beginning. Lean back, take your popcorn and henjoyyy!

Wednesday, 4th, October, 2017.

Lots of love!💕💕

Ruru❤️