Aishah

I DECIDED TO go site seeing tired of staying in the hotel for four days now and the main reason I decided not to leave the hotel was the fact I don't have enough,I took a small purse from my bag and left the hotel,I decided to buy few clothes since I didn't come with enough and I was glad that that pathetic fool of a man haven't cross my road after the bank incident

The cool breeze hits me as I stepped out of the hotel and I sigh in content,one thing I love about Lagos since my arrival in this city is their weather, I was walking when a car brush pass through my side stopping abruptly

My mind jumped and I turn around to see a royal blue sport car stopped at my side,I got angry and decided to walk away I have something worst to face than something as mere as this

"Hey! Aishah!"I heard that same familiar voice and I turned around scoffing

"I thought you said you don't stalk on people?" I asked folding my hands while he chuckles,he looks so handsome when he did that and I look away I'm not ready for this

"I will drop you"he said and I shook my head on disagreement

"I never asked for your help"I replied

"You don't need to,I can see you're new to Lagos and you need someone to guide you around"he said and I look at him warily

"Mr whatever your name is..."he cut me short

"Olanrewaju you can also call me Haqam"he said smiling and I swallowed giving him a poker face

"Haqam I'm okay by myself and I don't need your help"I said huffing as I walk away

I was glad he didn't follow me and I smiled at myself,I don't need anybody in my life to complicate everything for me,my smile wiped out of my face as soon as I felt someone took something from me

I saw a young man running away and I checked myself to see that my purse was gone! My money and everything is gone!

I shouted thief and ran after him but I couldn't keep up with the pace and no one was ready to help me,I stopped running putting my hands on my knee as I pant hard,I wasn't strong enough and finally they did me welcome to Lagos

I stood up and started crying not minding I was in the public,what am I going to do now? How am I suppose to survive without money,I knew no one here,I continue crying till I felt an arm wrapped around me drawing into his chest

"You shouldn't cry in public,let me help you"Haqam said and I nodded following him to his car

We sat down on the car and I cried my eyes out,I was scared of being alone in this big city without money when I knew no one,I started regretting my drastic decision of running away from home,maybe I should just stay with Ibrahim and accept my fate like that

"Why are you crying this hard,if your ATM card is in that purse you can actually block your account for the main time"he said and I shook my head

"I don't have money anymore,that's all I have"I said wiping away my tears and he look at me chuckling

"You are really a kid,you act like one,you see the way you where crying"he said laughing and I smiled

"You don't understand because you're not in my shoes"

"You can actually contact your family,I know they will be willing to help or your purse is gone with your phone? I can help you"he said and I smiled

"I don't have a phone,I'm all alone"I replied looking out in the window

"I know you're not from Lagos,where did you come from?"he asked and I look at him,he look worried and I smiled sadly

"From Zaria,Kaduna state!"I replied

"Wow! That's far,what are you doing in Lagos all by yourself?"he asked looking shocked

"It's a long story I'm not ready to talk about"I said and he nodded in understanding

"Where do you want to go to?"he asked

"The hotel"I replied

He ignited the car engine turning around as we went back to the hotel,I expected him to go back as soon as he drops me but he followed me to my room

"What are you going to do now?"he asked standing in the door way,I shrugged as a lone tear escaped my eyes

"I don't know"I replied,I started sobbing I'm so tired of this life,why can't anything good ever happen to me

"I can help you,you can move to my house and leave when you're ready to"he said and I shot him a look

"I'm not a kidnappers neither do I molest ladies,I promise to give you your space but I can't just leave you like this when I know I have the capability to help"he said

"I'm scared!"I said after awhile

"I promise you,things will be fine"he said and I nodded

Not that I have a choice,I got no penny and I have no one else to help me except from the same guy I loathed and kneed

"Thank you!"I said finally giving in

He helped me grabbing my stuffs and I checked out of the hotel,I don't have money anymore to continue residing here,I followed him to his car and we left the hotel

With the Lagos traffic we arrived at an hour and an half later,he was kind enough and kept quiet all through the ride because I don't even want to be disturbed

He brought out a remote and press it,the gate opened and we drive in to the compound,then I knew he is wealthy,his compound was large with an enormous parking space,he stopped the car coming down and I did thesame

The house was painted pure white and it look beautiful and magnificent,I followed him inside the house,the sitting room was enormous too,the sitting room alone is enough for a one bedroom flat

It was tiled in gold and there was a big plasma TV mounted on the wall,a home theater and a large glass table,the sitting room is very beautiful and it's a combination of money and classy

I followed him till he stopped at one door opening the door and we went inside,the room was large too and painted in two colours black and lilac,it's has this cozy feeling and I fell for the room immediately

"This will be your room"he said

"Are you the only one living in this big house?"I asked out of curiosity

"Yes"he said chuckling and I frown

"It's too big for only you"I replied

"I told my parents so too"he said shrugging

"Your parents?"I asked

"Yeah they gifted it to me on my birthday,peck of being the only child"he said and winked "make yourself comfortable,I will be back"he said and walk out of the room not giving me time to comprehend everything that happened

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

"You can't stay at home all day like this,you have to get something doing"Haqam said when we were watching one of our favourite movie in the sitting room

"I wanted to tell you that too"I replied,it's being three weeks I moved with Haqam and he had being a perfect gentleman

He is nice and tried providing everything I needed,he bought me a new phone and some wears and most importantly keep his distance which I couldn't never be grateful for

"You told me the other time,you are a graduate"he said picking some cashew nuts from the plate we placed in the front of us

"Yes,I studied nutrition and dietetics"I replied and he nodded

"What would you love to do?"he asked

"I want to start business I think, anything enough to make me make money and I want power too"I said absentmindedly

"Power?"he asked

"Yes"I replied looking away

"What do you need power for?"he asked and I tried fighting the tears in my eyes

"It's a long story"I replied

"Don't you think it's time I listen to this long story of yours?,you have being telling me thesame thing whenever I ask you what's going on"he said and the betrayal of a tear escaped my eyes

"I don't want you to see me in another light"I replied looking away while he rub his temples

"Aishah I can never see you in any other way,I only know you are from Zaria that's all,you never told me about your family or why you ran from home,you look young how old are you?"he asked

"I will be twenty three soon"I replied

"Not that young so tell me what's wrong,did your parents threaten to marry off and you ran away?"he asked

"Wished that was the case!"I muttered and he heard me

"This is serious, tell me what's wrong you're getting me worried,let me in Aishah and I promise with the life I live I'm ready to stand by you till the end,I have really grown fond of you and I hate it when your heart breaks"he says and my heart swelled, Ibrahim never used this lines on me all he ever told me is to trust him and understand everything that's going, telling me to be patient

"I'm a married woman!"I said and Haqam's eyes went wide

"Twenty three and married? You just got married or what?"he asked and I chuckled,truly the ways of yorubas are different from that of hausas

"Being married for five years now"I replied and he gave me a worried look

"A forced marriage right?"he asked and I nodded trying to blink the tears away "hausas are fond of that"he said shaking his head in disapproval

"That's not the main issue Haqam! A lot happened and I lost everything,I lost my parents,I lost my children and I lost what makes me a woman!"I said at once bursting into tears,he wrapped his hands around me immediately drawing me closer

I cried on his arms and he never for once stopped me,I regain myself and told him everything that happened and his eyes got dark,it was obvious he was angry,he wrapped his hands around me protectively and I let him,I needed that protection and I'm glad I met him

"I promise you Aishah I'm going to do what your husband wasn't able to do,I'm going to make sure those people rot in jail and thank God I have that enough power to make that happen"he said and I remain quiet placing my head in his chest

I'm too tired and I cried enough,I don't think anything can ever be right in my life again

"Everything has gone bad and I don't think anything can ever be right in my life again"I said breaking the silence

Haqam cupped my face looking into my eyes "I promise to make everything right Aishah I'm always with you,I will make you so happy that you won't be able to describe pain again" he said and my heart swelled with love,he lean over and kissed my head