HALIMA nervously looked down at her hands that were clasped together on her lap trying to contain herself considering a guy she had her eyes on since when he stepped foot into the office a year ago. She knew it was wrong she fancied someone other than her husband. But she knew for a fact he also fancied some women so why couldn't she?

Finally sitting up, Halima crossed her legs looking down at the paperwork briefly glancing at Nasir who seemed focused on what he was working on. She had already done her paperwork and was waiting for him to approve it before she went ahead and print it.

Nasir nodded impressed by her work. Admittedly, he didn't think she could be this good considering her family background. He just thought her parents paid for the job and she wasn't really the person with a brain. But now that he thought about it, he couldn't help but feel bad about streotyping labelling her as the other rich brats he met.

"It's good. I have to say, I'm impressed." He admitted meeting her eyes earning a smirk from halima. Gone was her nervous attitude. She was full of confidence and he was yet to see her shameless side. Just like Khalifa said the day before, Halima had two sides. There would be times she acted like she was shy but they both knew she wasn't.

Halima shamelessly raked her eyes over him before nodding flashing him a smile. One thing was on her mind was, she was another step closer to what she wanted. She thought about Khalifa and iman, he might not find her as attractive if he found out she was married with a daughter so she would have to act like she wasn't married.

"Well thank you. I get that a lot." She admitted recalling the same expressions she received from people. He wasn't the first and he sure wasn't the last. Admittedly, she enjoyed every second of it. She loved when people undermined her just to see what she was capable of. To see if she was better- or on the same level they were. By this time, Nasir was more than interested in what she had to say, what she went through.

"How so?"

Halima pulled her lips in between her teeth before letting it go. "I mean, I got this job by myself if that's what you're wondering. And when I applied, like my credentials, she was obviously taken aback. She only aback. Obviously when she saw me, the only thing on her mind was, a rich spoilt girl who went overseas to study then came back to Nigeria to pay whatever price there is to pay to get the job. What people need to understand is when you do you to yankee," She put an emphasis on Yankee before continuing her sentence.

"They feel like you just dress up and go to fancy places and restaurants everyday and post it on instagram or twitter. They don't get we also study, we also have exams and it's just not roses and petals. I didn't choose to be placed at where I am nor did I put them where they are neither. But some places I go, they literary give me stank faces and it just angers me how they think our life is perfect and whenever we glance at them, we are looking down at them. That, I hate." She finished before smiling shyly the fact that his eyes were on her the whole time.

"I'm sorry if I said too much." She apologized playing with the knuckle rings that decorated her fingers drawing his attention to her nails then back at her face where she was biting her lip nervously.

"Nah. I actually appreciated every single thing you said. I relate to it in some ways and I'm embarassed to say this because it is so close minded, but I didn't expect this at all. I thought you just dresses up to take some pictures for the social media." He spoke truthfully. "But after you explained everything, it's like I see you in a different light." He finished earning a laugh from halima at his exaggeration.

"And I'm happy I could help you understand that. The streotype is real like how they say black people love chicken." Halima giggled at the ignorant saying coming out her mouth. Nasir could only raise his eyebrows at the saying also letting out a chuckle.

"Well I have to admit I do like chicken." He said lowly only for her to hear like he was embarassed causing them to laugh. It was weird how they never really spoke to each other but related so much to a lot of things.

Nasir laughed before they changed to another conversation. They were so into it, he loosened his tie whilst halima had removed her blazer leaning back in her chair. Halima glanced at the window silently cursing to herself noticing the sun was going down.

Nasir noticed her change of mood getting concerned for a weird reason. "Are you okay?" He asked as she stood to her feet swinging her blazer over her shoulder.

"Yes. I need to go. I'm sure my mother is freaking out. I'm sorry. I'll see you tomorrow?" She stopped to glance at him as he nodded in agreement causing her to do the same flying out of the door.

•••

Halima lazily kicked her shoes off her feet as usual walking to the living room to find it empty. She furrowed her eyebrows out of confusion seeing that Iman was supposed to be in the living room. Panicking, halima rushed upstairs meeting a suitcase at the hallway.

She approached Iman's room hearing a faint conversation before pushing the door open to see Khalifa sitting at the foot of the bed on a phone call whilst iman slept peacefully. Khalifa's head snapped up when the door cracked open revealing his wife he wasn't so happy with as of right now.

"I'll call you back." He said to whoever he was talking to his eyes still on her. He pushed himself off the bed slipping his hands in his pockets easily towering her petite figure. Khalifa was livid. He was on his way back home after a tiresome trip just for the school to call to say she wasn't picked up from school. When he arrived there, her face was wet from presumably crying.

He chose not to say anything walking past her leaving the room controlling himself not to go off on her. Halima let out a deep sigh placing a quick kiss on her forehead turning off the lights closing the door gently not to wake her up. She went to look for Khalifa finding him in the living room upstairs.

He was sitting on one of the sofas, hide elbows resting on his knees with a balled up fist to his mouth. His leg was shaking due to how irritated he was and that's when she knew she fucked up. She cautiously walked to him sitting beside him. He didn't care to look up considering his eyes were still trained on the floor and she couldn't miss how his jaw was clenched. Taking a deep breath, halima licked her lips before she spoke.

"I know you're mad at me but could you hear me out?" She asked lowly barely above a whisper scared he might actually snap any minute. She wasn't scared he would beat her because she knew for a fact whatever happened, he would never hit her, but she never liked making him angry, she felt bad because she knew how much of a paitent person he was and he didn't play with iman whatever it was.

Khalifa didn't react to her question in any way but kept his gaze on the floor. "Today was a busy day and I lost track of time. And when I remembered, I told the woman I was leaving and I went straight to the school after but they informed me you already took her home." She lied tears welling in her eyes feeling like a terrible person. Here she was lying she went straight to the school when she didn't even remember she stood her up until she saw her face. She loved her daughter to death and to just leave her there hanging scared, was taking a toll on her.

Khalifa could never be mad at her for long and he knew she wouldn't do it deliberately. He closed his eyes for a second before reopening them taking his fist off his mouth glancing at halima to her glossy eyes meeting his two toned ones. He sighed reaching for her pulling her to his chest as she broke down.

His shirt was soaked with tears the minute she was done but as soon as she looked up, her lips quivered letting him know she was about to break anytime from now. He cupped her face looking directly into her eyes. "I understand you, You were busy and I know you wouldn't do that deliberately. I'm not mad at you but just try to contact someone when you can before you forget. Okay?" Khalifa let out maintaining eye contact the whole time.

Halima sniffled slowly nodding her head wrapping her arms around his torso placing her head in the crook of his neck that seemed to be warm everytime which weirdly comforted her.

Song : Future ft PARTYNEXTDOOR - No Shame