𝑬𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑻𝒐 𝒀𝑯𝑾𝑯

𝑿𝑰

At school the next day I tried my best to behave collected as contrasted to my insides that's falling apart. Nothing is okay and I don't think it'll be anytime soon. People are fooling around in the hallway, students are making the teacher's lives miserable, teachers are shouting in the name of teaching until finally it's the much awaited time of the day. Lunch break.

The house was even colder in the morning, my mom locked herself in the guest room while my father stayed in their room before leaving thirty minutes later, so there was no one to prepare lunch. I was equally exhausted to do anything. It's weird how my heart broke and all I wanted to do was cry but didn't, instead I ended up in bed thinking as I stared at nothing.

As usual the line for food was really long, not that it was anything delicious but food as they say is still food. When it got to my turn my appetite suddenly disappeared upon seeing the soggy beans served with fried plantains. I opted to get only the plantain.

"You don't get plantain unless you're buying beans," said the dark woman with a scowl on her face. She was getting irritated at my indecisiveness. "If you're not buying, leave the queue for other people abeg."

I sighed, finally taking the soggy beans and plantain with the intent of throwing the beans away later.

"... Yes I told my mother about it because I've just been feeling convicted lately," Rahila said, pointing her spoon at Isoke after swallowing a small amount of soggy beans. Sitting beside her were Jemima and Somto, Jacob sat at a different table with a group of rowdy boys. The noise they made as they argued about the league football match that happened the previous night disturbed the whole building.

Their attention shifted to me for a second when I plopped myself on an empty space beside Isoke and opposite Rahila. "What's up? What are we talking about?"

Jemima and Somto gave me weird looks. I've always noticed the way they looked judgy at me as if they're trying to put me down, probably because they felt I shouldn't be among the group. "Ya Allah Rahila has decided to convert to Islam. Assalamu Alaikum, may Allah shower you with his peace and blessings. Alhamdulillah." Jemima said, being a Muslim herself and happy to have a new convert.

"I don't get it, I thought you liked being a Christian. You said you felt the call when you were little. What changed?" Isoke asked.

"Hey, I said I'm thinking about it," Rahila nudged Jemima, feeling awkward about actually accepting her decision. "Don't go overboard. I've to discuss it with my parents."

"How does it concern them though? It's your decision to make alone about what type of God you want to worship." Somto popped a plantain into her mouth. Her big eyes roamed around all of us before settling back on Rahila. "If you're convicted then go for it."

"What do you think, Binta?" Rahila asked for my opinion.

"Ah you know how Binta feels about all this religious stuff," Jemima said with a hint of mocking tone. "Why ask her opinion? Tsk. bata lokaci suna magana da wani irinta." {waste of time talking to someone like her}