I dropped Afraah and Bilkisu off at school and I was hoping that Afraah and I could talk it over but she was clearly not in the mood. She got off without a word.
We exchanged worried glances.
"I don't understand what just happened," Bee complained.
"Neither do I but i'm worried about Afraah,she might have gotten hurt from the impact," I gulped.
"Hmm,I'll go and check up on her straight away," Bee announced.
"see you girls soon,"She said before she scurried out of the car.
None of us said anything throughout the drive home. Zahra's silence scared me even more.
"Zahra why have you been so quiet?," I asked.
"Haneem,I don't get it. Tijjani,Ahmad's closest friend is a friend of mine. We talk a lot about many things but he never mentioned Ahmad's marriage."
"What if he is helping his friend cover up?" I asked.
"O please nini! Its been only 6months since Afraah met Ahmad. I've known Tijjani for longer yet he never mentioned any such thing,"Zahra hissed.
"I think we should get back to school tomorrow. I can't keep calm until this puzzle is solved," I said after a long sigh
"I agree with you,"Zahra replied.
Bilkisu called-at night-to inform us that she managed to take Afraah to the clinic and that Afraah's arm had been dislocated.
We headed straight to our room(Afraah's and mine) on sunday morning.
"Wow,you guys are back already?,"Afraah exclaimed. The fulani beauty exclaimed the moment we walked in. She was sitting on the rug still wearing her pyjamas.
Afraah looked very normal except for her bandaged arm. She had always been good at hiding her troubles.
Zahra and I dropped off our things in one corner of the small room.
"I can see through your act,"Zahra crooned.
"C'mon Zahra,don't go there,yesterday was dramatic but its history now," Afraah said rolling her eyes.
"Did you talk to Ahmad? Did he explain himself?," I asked anxiously.
"I have no reason to listen to another woman's husband," Afraah snapped,pointing to her vibrating phone. I had noticed the lights of her phone when we came in but I didn't pay attention to it.
"You mean you didn't give him a chance to explain?" Zahra asked.
"Explain what? There's nothing to explain,"Afraah muttered.
"Afraah,there has to be an explanation for what happened. You should at least hear him out," I suggested.
Zahra picked up the phone and exclaimed "Subhanallah! 25missed calls under 30 minutes? Haba Afraah! have mercy,hear him out."
Afraah placed her bandaged hand on her head and closed her eyes shut-letting her despair show.
"Afraah please!,"I pleaded.
"Fine" Afraah conceded as she picked up her phone and stormed out of the room. She walked back in moments later and dejectedly wore her hijab.
We all knew she would be gone for long,so we all set out doing our various activities.
We met up again in our room about an hour and a half later.All three of us sat on the small matrass on the lower bunk. After exhausting all the gists we had to share,our mouths got shot by our thoughts.
Just when the silence was getting unbearable,Afraah walked in to room with an expression opposite the one she left with..
"Ladies..."she said cheerfully as she sat opposite us.
"Afraah...you're smiling," I said unconsciously.
I saw bee and Zahra exchange glances from the corner of my eyes.
"Hold on...so tell me who is married and who is the crazy lady that attacked you,"? Zahra blurted impatiently.
"Its a long story," Afraah said cheerfully and clearly trying to increase our tension.
"Cut it short!" Bee ordered.
Afraah smiled before replying. "Ahmad is not married and he has never been married!" Afraah announced.
"I knew it!" Zahra declared.
"He had once told me of ex that he even got engaged with but could not marry because her bad habits got unbearable for him. Rukkaya had trouble accepting that it was over she kept calling and texting him like before. Ahmad got fed up and told her to stop bothering him and then she ATTACKED!" Afraah narrated.
The tension in the room eased as Afraah's narration ended.
"How the HELL did she track you then?" I queried.
"It seems she stole his phone and went through his chat history...
"Stole his phone?" Zahra interrupted. "How did she pull that off?" Zahra asked suspiciously.
"Ah! I forgot to mention. She's his cousin." Afraah announced.
"Burauban chan!(an expression showing shock or announcing troubling outcomes),"Bee blurted.
"Enough of that crazy story. I'm ecstatic! I feel like celebrating!" Afraah said. "Can you believe Ahmad's Mum called to apologize?"
"What???" we all echoed.
"Now I wished I had slapped her more than once!"Zahra announced.
"You slapped her?"Afraah asked in shock.
"Anything for you!" Zahra said with a smug expression on her face.
"But are you safe?" I asked worriedly.
"Ahmad would be crazy to let her touch me again. I believe she's exhausted her strength for now," Afraah said wearing a wide smile.
"By the way don't you ever go out to see ANYONE in pyjamas ever again! I don't care if you wear a hijab over it," Bee warned.
We spent the rest of day cracking jokes about the outing gone wrong.
P.S: I am super sorry for the late update. I've been so busy with tests. Hope you enjoyed this episode?
