Today wasn't literally friendly to me, I was in Idris' house when my mother came and took me back home - with Idris in-support of her. I wasn't happy at all, but when I went inside the room I was occupying Hilwah's text message pasted a smile on my face. She was pregnant!

"AsSalama Alaykum Hilwah, you mean you are pregnant?" I uttered as soon as I called and she picked the call. I was wholeheartedly happy for her. "Come on, stop laughing. Say something!"

"Hmm, wallahi I am pregnant..." She said and sighed. "I went for a pregnancy test yesterday"

"Wow, seems like big boss is now spending much more time with you" I teasingly said.

"Oh, yeah!" She laughed. "He's now a devout"

"Ma Shaa Allah, congratulations dear" I said.

"Thank you" She said and continued. "So, how is your relationship with Ya Idris going on? Hope you are taking extremely care of him?"

"Hmm, we are fine" I pretended, not wanting her to bother. "Maybe we would come over..."

"Soon? I would really be glad, dear" She said.

"Hmm, alright" I said.

"Okey, later dear. Oga and I are going out, he's already waiting for me in the car" She uttered.

"Alright, greet him for me" I said.

"Okey, bye" She hanged off the call.

Just then, I heaved a sigh and prayed that Allah should show me mercy and make my dream come true; the dream of being Idris' wife, the dream of being the mother of all his children!

After supplicating I turned on my laptop and watched nearly half of Blindspot season 4 before noticing it was already time for cooking lunch. Hence, I withdrew from the bed and went straight to the kitchen. One funny thing was grandma, Nafisah and our mother were talking and laughing but the moment I stepped my foot in the kitchen they all kept quiet. I suspected they were gossiping about me.

"Is everything okey?" I asked.

"Yes!" Nafisah said with a gritted teeth.

"Mama is it true?" I said lifting a brow at her.

"Of course, yes!" She said smiling.

"Hmm, okey but I am yet to hear from my grandma" I said walking to the old woman. "Granny, please tell me the truth dan Allah"

"Actually..." She was saying when a horn from outside interrupted. My heart began beating fast, I thought it was our father. "Who's that?"

"I don't know, grandma... let me check" I said and hastily bounced out of the kitchen island.

Just as I was heading to the gate Ya Qasim and his sister, Halimah walked in. I wasn't expecting them hence I was so surprised. "Ya Manal!" Halimah ran and gave me a very strong hug.

"Hmm, welcome sis!" I heaved a sigh wearing a smile, and when Ya Qasim and I had an eye contact I quickly suspended the smile. "Lets go inside, Halimah" I said to her as we averted from each other. "How is Hajiya Larai and...?"

"They're fine" She said as we headed to the flat.

Our grandparents were so happy to see them, it had been a very long time since they paid them a visit. Ya Qasim stayed with grandpa and grandma in the parlour while Halimah and I helped my mother and Nafisah in cooking lunch in the kitchen. After the lunch, everybody was served in the parlour and we all had our plates either in our hands or on our laps. It was only our grandparents that placed theirs on a table in front of them. It was moi-moi.

While we silently eat, Ya Qasim refused to stop stealing glances at me. Thus, I stood up and headed to my room with Halimah and Nafisah trailing me. They were sure to do that. We went inside, emptied our plates, poked fun at each other and later on prayed when the adhaan (call to prayer) was proclaimed.

******

In the evening, just after Isha prayer Ya Qasim texted Halimah that they should leave. "...oh God, I'm gonna miss you guys" She lamented.

"We too!" Nafisah bellowed.

"Hmm, I will try and visit you guys before returning back to school" She said smiling.

She was literally studying Sociology in Sokoto State University. I watched as Nafisah escorted her out of the room, but I didn't follow them because I didn't want to set my eyes on Ya Qasim again. Few minutes later, Halimah came back to my room without a Salaam. I was even frightened. "Ya Manal, my brother wants to see you" She said in what seemed like a whisper.

"Why?" I glared at her.

"I don't know, but please you should come" She uttered and before I say another word she left.

Mtsww. I hissed as I withdrew from the bed with my phone and trailed her outside to their car. Ya Qasim on seeing us gestured to her to to enter the car and wait for him while we talk outside. "I am sorry" He said to me and then continued. "I should have listened to you"

"Yeah, you should have" I said not looking at his face. I was standing with my arms folded across my chest. His presence irritated me.

"But Manal, can you tell me why you don't love me?" He heaved a sigh. "Why, sister Manal?"

"There is no why, we all have people we love and people we don't love. If you had stepped down in time we would have been - not just cousins - but best friends. But you kept forcing yourself into my life, causing me problems upon problems. Now I don't even see you as my cousin" I said almost getting emotional.

"I am sorry, Manal" He said and before I knew it he was kneeling down in front of me already.

"What?!" I squealed. "Kai, get up please!"

"Not until you forgive me" He said.

"Forgive you?" I heaved a sigh. "Perhaps after successfully marrying Idris I will forgive you"

"Manal, please stop..." He said as I ran back inside the house and quickly locked the gate.

I went back to my room with headache. Hence, I took some pills and slept. I needed some rest!

In the morning, I woke up late and guess what? I found Amani laying so close to me on the bed. "Subhanallah!" I squealed because I was very frightened. How did she came into my room? I wondered while looking at her as she snoozed. "God, I don't understand" I muttered as I ran out of the room. "Mama, mama... who brought Amani?!" I exclaimed while running towards the room my mother was occupying and since the room was located in the other side of the flat I had to cross the parlour. Just as I stepped my foot in the parlour my eyes landed on Idris, my father, my mother and then grandparents. I didn't even know when I quickly drew back while panting. "Ya Allah, what is going on?"

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Thank you for reading #InsideArewa