BETROTHED ✓

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For three consecutive days, Larai ignored Yusuf. She stopped going to the stream and whenever she would hear him whistle, she would cover her ear with her hands and cry. She felt bad for treating him that way, but what could she do? She could not keep taking the risk of getting caught by her parents. Her marriage to Zakari would be hastened Indisputably, and she would be punished.

"Ya Larai," her sister, Azumi, walked up to her in the kitchen and called.

"What do you want, Azumi?" she snapped.

Recently, that seemed to be the only thing she did. It had become a new habit.

Poor Azumi had to endure her aggressions silently.

"There's a man outside. He asked about you, then asked if Baaba is inside."

Larai heaved a sigh of exasperation and massaged her forehead. "And why do you think I'd be interested in" she suddenly cut herself off, as realization hit her. "Is he tall? Light skinned?"

"Yes," her sister responded and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Larai stood and hurried to where she was standing. "Don't tell Nna or Baaba about this, okay? I'm going to go see him now. If any one of them asks about me, tell them I went to the neighboring village to braid my hair, okay?"

"But ya Larai." She frowned. "Why should I lie to them?"

"Because..." She trailed off, thinking of a believable excuse to give. "Just do as I said, please."

Her facial expression proved to Larai that her sister would definitely tell on her. She had to bribe her with something. "I will let you have my piece of meat in tonight's food," she tried again.

"Really?" Azumi jumped for joy.

"You're going to let me have it?"

"Only if you do as I said. Will you?"

She nodded, fiercely.

"Good girl. Now, go into the kitchen and mash the rice on the fire. I will be back soon to take over from you. Nna wants us to have aje jekafa (mashed rice)."

"Toh, ya Larai." She grinned.

Larai snuck out of the compound to meet Yusuf who was, as usual, waiting for her behind the palm tree, in front of their house.

He came out of his hiding place and walked up to her. "I thought you wouldn't come out," he said, walking even closer to her. "I was about to go and talk to your father myself."

Larai's eyes bulged. "Please don't ever do that." She joined her palms. "Baaba would kill me if you did."

Yusuf's brows furrowed. "And why would he kill you?"

Larai's gaze traveled around, then back to the young man, standing a few meters away from her—panic written all over her face. "We can't talk here. It's too risky. Please just go away. Please."

"What's happening to you?" The look on his face n contorted in perplexity.
"You weren't like this before. Why are you suddenly treating me this way? You've been avoiding me for almost a week too. Have I done something wrong? Is that the reason you have been avoiding me? Please tell me, so I can mend my mistake."

"You've done nothing wrong," she said. "I just don't want to be friends with you anymore."

"Why?" He swallowed, hurt.