Continues.
“I don’t think we can be friends. We are
from two different worlds.”
***
An hour or two ago, I had stridden into the
sickbay, hopeful that the end of my drip
session signaled brighter days ahead. But
here now, I headed back to class, my hope
drained to nothing. What would become of
Cinderella without her fairy godmother?
Half-way up the stairs, I stood face-to-face
with Raheem, the last person I wanted to
see at the moment. He stood motionless for
a second too long, giving me the idea that
his haughtiness wouldn’t let him step away
for me to pass.
I side-stepped, but he mirrored my move,
making me almost bump into him. Clenching
my fists, I sidestepped again, but there he
stood, blocking my way yet again.
“What’s your problem?” I asked, my voice
softer than what I’d gone for. Curse my ill
health and today’s news.
Raheem grinned. He obviously cared nothing
about my off mood. If anything, it seemed
to intrigue him. “Aren’t we destined to
always run into each other right here?”
As subtle as I could, I examined my
surroundings. I noted his point. We stood at
approximately the same place we’d stood on
our first meeting. But today’s meeting
differed greatly, as evident in the way he
stared at me. His eyes held no trace of hate
or irritation. Rather, he regarded me as he
would a friend. Did he see me as a friend?
After the time we’d spent trying to unravel
the Bloody Miri case, it would only be
natural for friendship to ensue.
“Are you okay?” he asked, searching my
eyes.
“Why would I be?” I asked. “You make me
sick.”
Smiling, he bit his lower lip. “Ah. Look what
effect I have on you. Intense.”
“Do you need something?” I asked.
He seemed to ponder over my question for a
moment or two. Done, he shrugged. “None
that I know of.”
“Then I want you out of my way,” I said.
“Such a hurry to get rid of me,” Raheem
said, clutching his chest in mock pain. “And
just this morning, you badly needed me back
as your seatmate. Touché.”
“What? I never said anything like that.” Or
had I?
Raheem chuckled, his eyes twinkling in a
way that made my heart leap. Although he
could not see the colors of emotions inside
of me, I inwardly cringed at the unseen
mess unfolding.
“So you think, Miss Brown,” Raheem said.
“So you think. Weren’t you the one trying so
hard to get madam Charity to make me
return to your seat?”
I never had any intentions of making him
return to my seat. If anything, I wanted him
to rot somewhere else. But I would not
stoop so low to explain myself to him. And
he probably knew better than to expect an
answer.
“You lied about the Hypermetropia,” I said.
A proud smile settled on his face. For a
moment, I felt like a pupil staring up into the
proud face of her teacher after solving a
brain-tangling equation.
“Of course,” he said. “Oh, and about what
you said back there, thanks.”
I couldn’t believe I’d allowed him engage me
in a conversation. I could just walk away,
make it all end. But every fiber of my being
willed me to stay back, and against my will,
I found myself easing into the discussion.
“What?” Although I knew nothing good could
come out of this, I had to know what he
referred to.
“About me looking like a rockstar.” Raheem
punctuated his statement with a drop dead
gorgeous wink.
“I didn’t mean that,” I said in a futile
attempt to shield my reputation, although I
knew the harm had already been done. Now
he saw me as no better than those other
girls drooling over him. How could I have let
the rockstar thing slip?
“Sure you didn’t,” he teased.
“I didn’t mean that! I would never
compliment someone like you.” My face
wrinkling with disgust, I made a fanning
gesture.
He glued his lean body to the balustrades.
“Someone like me?”
I couldn’t help but notice the open road
calling out to me. With nothing in my way, I
could leave now. But here I stood, rooted to
the spot, spelled by Raheem’s irresistible
aura. He spelt trouble. Him and all the
messy emotions he brought with him.
I’d thought staying away from him would
come easy. But here I stood, barely even
one day away from him, but already aching
to spend just as much time with him. Days
ago, I’d been in a hurry to rid myself of the
hellishly addictive emotions he triggered.
But for some reason I could not fathom, I
died to feel them all over again. I’d never
been such a fool.
Knowledge of Stella’s departure had left me
vulnerable, emotional. And I couldn’t do a
thing about it. Against my will, my mind had
worked to find someone with which to fill in
the void she’d left. And it chose Raheem.
I stared into the sinfully handsome face that
rubbed me off speech. As though he’d been
waiting for me to hold his gaze for the
umpteenth time, he asked, “Do you have a
problem with me?”
Of course. Had I not had a problem with
him, I would be able to gain control of my
limbs and escape from his line of sight.
“All racists can rot, for all I care,” I said.
Raheem’s brows furrowed. But why would
he be bothered about the statement I’d just
made? More than once, I had already
clarified my stand against racists, and
although I cared nothing about how he felt, I
noted he hadn’t been bothered then. So why
now?
“I am no racist,” he said.
Although I wanted to stick to my first
assumption about him being racist, I knew
holding on to it would only be an act of
foolery. His actions these past few days
said a lot, kicking racism out of the
question. His hate for Sir Amadi had a
reason other than racism. And then, the
sluttiness of Cynthia and his other fangirls
had earned them his attitude. I doubted he’d
act any different had they been white.
A wry smile turned up the corners of my lips
as I remembered the case with Ingrid, a
science student from Madrid. Obviously,
she’d also thought him as racist, and her
white skin as an advantage. But she irritated
him no less.
And me? Did he despise me? Two days ago,
I’d scream out a ‘yes’. And I’d be as sure of
it as I was of being a girl. Now, though, yes
seemed wrong. And I had many points with
which to back up this claim.
While there were many people to choose a
sidekick from, he had chosen me. Who
would want to spend so much time with
someone he despised? If he despised me,
wouldn’t he treat me the same way he did
the others? But here I was, with him trying
hard to engage me in a conversation.
With a snap of his finger, I snapped out of
my thoughts. He gawked at me, still
expecting me to speak. I thought back to
the statement hovering in the air; the
statement of racism.
“Okay, maybe you aren’t racist,” I said,
defeated. “But you receive special treatment
from everyone. You don’t even try to
discourage it.”
“How on earth am I supposed to discourage
it?” Raheem asked.
I shrugged one shoulder. “You could just ask
them to stop or something. Give them the
idea.”
He held up a finger. “Wait. You’re jealous?”
Jealous? Was that the word? Prior to now, I
could have sworn Raheem had a devilishly
sharp brain, especially after he successfully
exposed Nengi’s schemes. But now, he had
altered my perception.
“Excuse me?” I asked. “Why on earth would
I be jealous of you?”
“Wow,” he said. “If looks could kill. You
should go easy on me, Toria. Keep treating
me like this and you’ll be driving me back to
my ruined country. I bet you’d love to hear
of my death.”
“Don’t joke about things like that,” I said.
Just to let him know my I’d heard my
petname slip off his tongue, and that my
opinion about it hadn’t changed, I added,
“Rah.”
Although I acted like I only intended to
irritate him, deep down, I wanted him to get
used to my nick for him. His numerous
fangirls flashed across my mind. I hoped
none of them had the guts to ‘Rah’ him. Not
even in a slutty chit-chat with their friends,
or in the dirty black box of their minds.
I cringed at the thoughts running through my
mind. Did I even have any right to think like
this? To be jealous over him?
Diverting my mind from this evil emotion
surging through me, I watched him feign
indifference as though he hadn’t been
pissed off by the petname. Although he only
did it to match my nonchalance, I felt a
flicker of hope within me.
My wandering mind returned to our ongoing
conversation. Securing my attention, he
said, “I’m only repeating the things you said
when Sir Amadi introduced me to the class.
According to you, I’d be blown to bits in the
twinkle of an eye.”
At the snap of his fingers, I cursed the
moment I’d said those awful words to him.
Nobody deserves to be blown to bits. I
shuddered at a mental image of tens of
people, maybe hundreds, lying helplessly on
the ground as the Iraqi war raged on. These
people had families. Families that would
never see them again.
Families like the Kadirs’ who had lost a
member in the Baghdad suicide bombing. As
much as I wanted to pry, to find out about
his other family members, if they were all
safe, and how they’d coped during these
heated times in Iraq, I knew he would not
welcome my probing.
Raheem’s mock innocence stole me over.
“What now, Miss Brown? You don’t look so
thrilled about me dying anymore. What has
changed?”
“Only fools joke about death,” I said.
“Blowing me to bits was your idea. So we’re
together in this, I guess. Seems we’re stuck
being partners. Seatmates. Sleuths. And
now, partners in foolery. How exciting.” A
bubble of laughter erupted from his lips.
The other Raheem deserved being blown to
bits. But not this one. Now I felt like a
horrible person. “I’m sorry I said that.”
“What?” he asked.
“About you being…blown to bits. I was just
so annoyed, I—”
“Don’t apologize,” he said.
I’d been wrong about him all along. He
should at least let me apologize. It would
make me feel more human than monstrous.
“I really am sorry.”
“You said you wished me dead because you
were annoyed,” he said. “Annoyed about
what exactly?”
“You were an a-s,” I said. His subtle nod
told me to elaborate. “First, you called me a
sleepwalking zombie. And as though that
wasn’t enough, you regarded me as though I
were less than vermin.”
“Bullocks! I made you feel like vermin?”
“Less than vermin.” I corrected. A wry smile
stretched my lips.
“Now I admit I really was an a-s.” Mirroring
my smile, he raked a hand through his hair.
“Would you blame me though? I’m forced to
school here, and as though that isn’t
enough, I have tons of fangirls to deal with.
When I should be thinking of a way to
convince my dad to join us here where it’s
safe.”
I gasped. “Your dad is still in Iraq?”
Raheem raised his brow at me and I knew
I’d overstepped my boundaries. I took a step
back as though the literal move would be
any good.
“Sorry,” he said. “But I don’t discuss my
family with strangers.”
“Oh,” I said, hoping I looked as indifferent as
I sounded.
“Yeah, so, how about we try to be friends?
Like get to know each other all over again?”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” I said. “I don’t think
we can ever be. We are from two different
worlds.”
“Huh?” Raheem said, his voice drenched
with an amusement I couldn’t understand.
“Relax, please. I’m not asking for a date or
anything. You intrigue me is all. So let’s
take a shot at it?”
“I intrigue you?”
“Scratch that. Toria, I want to be your
friend. Will you reject me?”
He wanted to be my friend? He had to be
teasing. I stared into his eyes for a clue.
Anything to give him away. But found him
eagerly waiting. The genuinity of his
proposal unnerved me. Friendship was no
big deal. But Raheem had made it clear
from the start that he could go on just fine
with close to zero friends. So what had
changed?
“Why me?” I blurted out. “You reject
everyone else. I should give you a taste of
your own medicine.”
“Fair enough.”
Silence built a bridge between us. And while
this seemed to unnerve me, I couldn’t say
the same about Raheem. Taking his time, he
gawked at me as though seeing me for the
first time. With folded hands, I looked away,
only to hear him burst into laughter.
Before I could ask, he said, “The perfume I
wore the first day made you sick and drove
you away from me. But today’s perfume
seems to win you over.”
I rolled my eyes. He needed more than a
good perfume to win me over.
“I thought you were going somewhere?” I
asked. “I mean, you were hurrying down the
stairs.”
“Yeah,” he said. “I was headed somewhere.
But that won’t be necessary now. I’ve got
what I was going to fetch. You.”
I smiled. Although I knew he’d joked about
it.
He smiled back. “There. You should always
smile. Hiding your beauty behind a grim face
isn’t cool.”
“And hiding the Western High student in you
behind stubbles, a stylish hair and unfitting
shoes isn’t cool either.”
When he clenched his teeth, I knew I’d
struck a nerve. Clearing his throat, he said,
“Go get your stuff. I’ll wait for you at the
lot.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me
off. “Unless you want to trek home. But I
doubt you have the strength for that. Then
again, I’m probably wrong, since you have
the strength to annoy me. If you had a
wristwatch you’d know the closing bell went
off almost an hour ago. Seems you had a
hangover at the infirmary. So, are you letting
me drive you home?”
So much for forgetting to wear my
wristwatch today. Raheem gave me a
moment or two to think things over. Walking
home would make me arrive an hour late.
And my stepmother wouldn’t be pleased.
Hell! I was already an hour late. Things
wouldn’t go well. And I didn’t want to make
it all worse by prolonging my away time. A
ride from Raheem would sure he helpful.
“I will find you at the lot,” I said.
“It takes you eons to make up your mind
over petty things,” he said. “How long then
would it take you to reply yes to a date?”
“You have to ask to find out,” I said.
“Very well then.” With an old fashioned bow,
he said, “Go on a date with me?”
“No.”
Grinning, he took a squint at his wristwatch.
“Half a split-second. Now let’s see how
many split-seconds it takes you to fetch
your bag and meet me at the lot.”
He turned on his heels and descended the
stairs. I headed for my locker, grabbed my
backpack and strode to the lot.Resting
against his car, with dark sunglasses hiding
his gorgeous eyes, he glanced at his
watch.”Two minutes,” he said, seemingly
impressed. “Did you run?””I need to be
home early,” I said. “That’s the only reason
I accepted your help.””It’s a little too late
for that now. Arriving home early, I mean.”
He walked around the car and yanked open
the front passenger seat. “I’m sure your
family will understand you didn’t mean to
turn up late.”I wouldn’t be so sure if I were
him. Ignoring the door he held open, I
reached for the back door. “I don’t need
help getting into a car. And besides, here’s
where I’ll be comfortable.”Raheem watched
me climb into the car. Before I could
protest, he helped me shut the door. With a
subtle shake of his head, he said, “A
gentleman’s got to be a gentleman.”Grateful
for the tinted glasses, I smiled as I watched
him shut the front passenger door. Once sat
behind the steering wheel, he strapped on
his seatbelt, started the engine and turned
on the air conditioner.He pulled out of the
school premises. “Which way is your
house?””Left,” I said.He took a left turn and
glanced at me from the rear view mirror.
“Are you cold?””I’m fine.” Could I say
otherwise? Being with him triggered an
unsettling feeling in my stomach, turning me
back into the quiet girl I once was. I found
myself counting down to when I’d get
home.Embracing the cold overwhelming me,
I hugged myself. Atleast, I knew that feeling,
as opposed to the foreign ones Raheem
triggered.”So, Cynthia Brown is your sister?”
he asked. “Or is it just a coincidence with
the surname? Because I see nothing similar
between you two.””We are sisters,” I said.
Although if he asked Cynthia, she would say
otherwise.”Wow,” he said, the word heavy
on his lips. “Really. I could never have
imagined. That is, without the surname
thingy,and the fact that you come to school
in the same car. You are from two different
worlds. The only similarity is thatyou’re both
in the same school, same class, you’re both
really bright students. And then the surname
thing, which leads me to the conclusion that
you share the same parents.”For the next
few moments, he kept mum, probably
wanting me to speak. It didn’t take long for
him to realize I would not sever the
silence.”Twins?” he asked.”No.”He tilted his
head to look at me from the rearview
mirror.”Aren’t you both 17?””She’s August. I
am October.” I knew my honest answer
would only make him probe. But what could
I do? Lying wasn’t one of my strong points,
unfortunately.”
How is that possible?” he asked. “Unless of
course, there’s something you aren’t telling
me.””Of course,” I said, focusing my
attention on the road.”Keep going. Straight
ahead till you reach the junction. From
there, it’s left till you pull over.””Got it,”
Raheem said. He slid back into the
conversation I didn’t want to have with him.
“It’s weird. The kind of relationship you have
with your sister. Aren’t siblings close? If I
had a brother or a sister in my class, we
would be really close friends. But that’s not
the case with both of you. Problems?”I
didn’t remember being obliged to answer
every question he had. Determined to end
this conversation without a word, I kept my
gaze focused outside. Perhaps when his
next questions went unanswered, he would
get the message.”Don’t worry,” he said.
“She’ll come around. Siblings fight
anyway.”‘Not a fight that goes on for a
lifetime’, I almost said aloud.”Your parents.
What do they do?””Mum manages dad’s
factory,” I said. “She’s home almost 24/7
though, so let’s call her a semi
housewife.””Typical. And dad?”An image of
dad drifted to my mind. I blinked, willing it
back to the unlit corner of my mind. I
couldn’t dwell on my hurt now. “He’s…
dead.”Raheem hadn’t expected a news like
this. His momentary quietude told me so.
“I’m sorry about that,” he said, his voice
comfortingly soft.”Now you know everything
about me,” I said. “Tell me about you.”Guilt
snarled at me as I realized the dishonesty in
my words. I’d made him believe he knew
everything about me, when in reality, my life
could fill volumes of books, and hebarely
even knew the prologue. Then again, did I
trust himenough to disclose this to
him?”What can I say?” Raheem said. “We
relocated from our country because of the
bloodshed and all. Trying to fit in here.””Do
you like it so far?” I asked.”So far so good,”
he said. “What can I say?””And your father?”
I asked. Raheem played deaf to my
question. “That’s not fair now, is it? I told
you about my father. And besides, you made
me believe that once we became friends,
you would tell me.””He stayed back,”
Raheem said. “He owns a hospital and
doesn’t think it proper to leave the sick and
injured and flee. We’re trying to make him
understand that his place is here. Family
must come first. Not some other people.
But then again, these people have lives,
families, and hope.But still. I don’t know
what I’d do if I lost him.””Your dad is a
hero,” I said. “He will be fine. His good heart
and the Almighty will keep him safe. You
believe in God, don’t you?”Raheem didn’t
seem pleased with my question. “Do I look
like someone who doesn’t?””Your dad will be
fine,” I said.”I am scared,” he admitted. And
in that moment, an almost irresistible urge
to comfort him with more than words tugged
at me. “I know my dad is a hero. But this
isn’t fantasy, Miss Brown. This isn’t fiction.
This is real life. A place where heroes don’t
live to tell the tale—””Hush,” I said. “Don’t
say things like that.””But it’s true. And you
know it. I’m just really scared, and Ican’t
help it. I know I sound overly emotional, but
I ring him every minute. Hearing his voice
and knowing he’s alright is what keeps me
going.””I know this is hard for you,” I said.
“But trust me on this one. He will be fine.
He will come back to you.””He better,”
Raheem said. “Or I swear I’ll go get him
myself.”Going back there would be suicide.
How could he let such thoughts cross his
mind? If he didn’t fear death, he should at
least consider those who cared about
him.”Tell me you’re kidding,” I said.”I won’t
be kidding when things get rougher than
they are now and…” He trailed off, his eyes
burning into something on the other side of
the road. I followed his gaze and founda
teenage girl hanging around with a boy most
likely in his mid twenties. But why were they
the object of his fury?Pulling over, Raheem
yanked off his seatbelt. “Wait here.”He
darted out of the car and zigzagged across
the busy road. Honks blared at him, but he
paid them no mind, not even slowing his
stride till he reached the couple.Once there,
he pulled the younger girl away from the
boy. Glowering at him, he spat out some
noticeably unfriendly words. With every
word, he jabbed his right pointer toward the
boy. And although I strained my ears, I could
not make out a single word.”Have you lost
your mind?” the boy said, his voice only loud
enough to reach my ears.Raheem spoke, his
voice still inaudible. His hands lashed out,
shoving off the boy. The boy jumped a step
backward,and the next moment, he lunged
forward, poised to retaliate.The girl sprang
forward, placing herself between the boys.
“Please, Iyke. Let it go.”The fight, whatever
had triggered it, had drawn the attention of
many. I stared, unblinking, trying to figure
out what relationship Raheem had with the
girl.”Stay away from us,” Raheem roared.
“Or the next time, it won’t be funny.”
Grabbing the girl by the wrist, he led her
toward the car. She turned back to give her
other friend one last glance.Raheem let go
of her as they neared the car. He stood by
the driver’s seat and waited for her to
occupy the front passenger seat, but she
just stood there, gripping the handle and
glowering at him.”Get in right this minute,
Farah Kadir!” Raheem said.The girl, Farah,
yanked open the door and plopped down
onthe seat. Raheem did the same, the slam
of his door echoing his sister’s. Without a
word, he started the engine.Moments
passed, and no one said a thing. If it were
up to Farah alone, the silence would last an
eon. Arms folded defiantly, she looked out
the window. She could be mistaken for a
Nigerian, save for her reddish brown hair
and her accent.”I can’t believe this,”
Raheem said. He obviously didn’t want to
use the menacing tone he’d used on the
other boy with his sister, and so he’d stayed
quiet to extinguish the rage burning
intensely inside of him. “You aren’t fully
recovered and can’t start school. But you’re
fit to hang around with Iyke! Hell! You’re
starting school on Monday!””I am yet to
recover,” Farah said.”Do not infuriate me
with your lies!” Raheem retorted.”How come
you were even with him anyway?””He came
over,” she said.”What? Mum let him? Good
lord! You’re only thirteen!””Fourteen!” Farah
corrected.Raheem flicked his right hand.
“Whatever!””You’re forgetting he’s our
cousin,” Farah muttered.”Do not call that
son of a gun my cousin!” Although Raheem
did a good job at keeping his voice calm, the
menace lingering in it didn’t escape my
notice. “You know what kind of life he lives.
Smoking and heavy drinking andgambling.
Not to mention wild partying and his criminal
records. Is that the kind of a person you
want to associate with? I’m having a word
with mum as soon as we’re home. She is
never to let him meet with you again. Unless
under my supervision.”Farah let out an
animated grunt. “Good lord. Why do I have a
big brother?””Because you need someone to
stop you from walking into hell,” Raheem
said.”There is no way I’m starting school on
Monday,” Farah said. “Those kids will laugh
at my inability to hear without an additional
pair of ears.”She had a hearing disability? I
could never have guessed she relied on
hearing aids. Surely, if I hadn’t noticed, then
the kids at school wouldn’t either.”Curse
that stupid bomb,” Farah said, dissolving
into tears.Raheem fumed. “Had you stayed
home like I asked you to, your ears would
be intact. But you! You had to sneak out to
see a movie! A very lame movie. As though
you would die without it. And did you see it
in the end? No!””Don’t remind me,” Farah
said. “Please. Now, I regret stepping out
that day. I shouldn’t have. I didn’t
know.””You didn’t know?” Raheem’s voice
rumbled. “Just how many times did I ask
you not to leave home once you wereback
from school?””It could have happened
anytime!” Farah yelled. “Even when we were
going to school!””But it didn’t! What if I had
lost you? Do you think I can cope with that?
Do you think mum can live through another
loss? She hasn’t even gotten over Uncle’s
death! You didn’t even think of that, did you?
Now, you’re out with Iyke, despite my
warning to stay away from that no-goodboy.
You never learn to listen to elders, do
you?””Don’t sound like a sage,” Farah said.
“You’re only 17!”Raheem raised his eyes to
the rear-view mirror, and they met mine,
making me shrink back in an emotion close
to fear. I’d listened in on a private
conversation, knowing more than I should.
What next?”You said after the junction, it’s
left?” he asked.Farah turned away from the
window. “Huh?”She still hadn’t realized a
third presence. Not until she heard my
response. “Yes.”Her head snapped in my
direction. I noticed her emerald green eyes,
just like Raheem’s.”What? There’s
someone…?” Turning to Raheem, she
smacked his upper arm.Raheem grunted.
“What the hell?””You should have told me
we were not alone,” she said. “I would have
put on my best act, saving the drama for
when we got home. Now you’ve made me
mess up my first meeting with her. God
knows the impression she has of me
now.””Sorry,” Raheem said. “You should
have told me the bomb also damaged your
sight.”Waving him off, Farah returned her
focus to me. “She’s beautiful!”She twisted
around in her seat and trapped my hand in a
firm handshake. “I’m Farah!”I beamed at the
little darling. “Victoria.”Gasping, she gripped
Raheem’s shoulder and wiggled her full
brows. Ignoring her, Raheem hummed a
tune.She returned her attention to me.
“Sorry. I didn’t know someone else was
here. I’m sorry you had to listen to such a
messy conversation. Raheem and I, we’re
always like that. But I’m still his little
cupcake.””I’m sorry about the war,” I
said.”Blah,” she said. “It’s okay. Like, I get
to mute him out when he talks too much. I
just yank out my additional ears and ta-da! I
don’t hear a thing he spits out. That’s an
advantage.”Raheem hadn’t stopped
humming.”He’s told me a lot about you,”
Farah said.”Farah!” Raheem warned.”This
boy, he tells me everything. Sometimes I
wonder what I am. A human diary?” Flipping
back her hair, she went on, “When he told
me you got sick, I knew it had to be that
cursed perfume of his. To be honest, it
makes me sick too. “”Farah!””And then I
asked him to use mine,” Farah went on.
“After much persuasion, he did. He said he
was going to approach you and note your
reaction. He said if you reacted to that one
as well, he would stop using fragrances,
because obviously, he was planning to get
close to you.””I am going to kill you,”
Raheem muttered under his breath.Farah
chuckled. “Not before I kill you with this
exciting behind-the-scenes, sweet brother.
You should be indebted to me ’cause my
bottled love potion worked, and now she’s
coming home with us.””She’s not coming to
our house,” Raheem said.Farah’s face
dropped. “What?”When she got no further
response from Raheem, she turned to look
at me, her eyes cute like a puppy’s. “You
aren’t?I shook my head. She pouted. “But…
but…why?””Because she has a home,”
Raheem said.Farah’s face lit up. “Oh, you’re
giving her a ride then? Amazing! Raheem
never gives any girl a ride. Private space
intrusion. What has changed?”Raheem
played deaf to her question. But at least he
had stopped humming that dreadful tune.
The sign board of Crystal Avenue stole my
attention, and my joy. If it were up to me,
I’d stay forever in the company of my two
new friends.”Uhm…I am okay here,” I
said.”Here?” Raheem echoed, his gaze
locked on the street. He slowed down, and it
took forever for him to brake the car.”Are
you sure?”His question almost made me
laugh out loud. How wouldn’tI be sure where
I lived? I could tell he also wished I could
stay longer, but his ego would never let him
admit it.”Where is your house?” Farah
asked. “If it’s inside the street, I’m sure my
brother doesn’t mind. Let us drop you at
your gate.””No,” I half-screamed. “No.
Please. It’s trouble.””Please,” Farah
insisted. “It’s no trouble. I’m sure Raheem
would be honored.”She cast her brother a
side-glance, willing him to speak. But he
said nothing. He just held the steering wheel
in a death grip and stared straight
ahead.”My stepmother is going to kill me!” I
said, my voice giving away my fright.”Okay,”
Raheem said. “Bye.””Bye.” Flashing Farah a
smile, I climbed out of the car.”Hey,” Farah
called. “Can I have your number? I’m sure
my brother is dying to ask for it, but he’s
too arrogant for hiscomfort.””I don’t have a
phone, Farah.”Farah held her breath. She
looked over at Raheem, and when he didn’t
return her stare, she redirected her stunned
gaze to me. “Are you serious? Who doesn’t
have a phone in 2017?”
.
To be continued