RIDE OF A LIFETIME [COMPLETED✅]

Chapter 24

I push the thought of Ziyad to the side of my mind and got to cleaning my room. I couldn't help but think of the million ways he could've reacted instead of the way he did. A simple "sorry I don't love you" would have been nice. Or maybe a "sorry i have a girl friend", jerk. I finish cleaning up the room, sweep and burn some bakhoor before heading to the kitchen to make lunch. It was impossible to keep Ziyad out of my head, it's like my mind was his own palace, like he owned it and could wander around in it freely.
I was setting the table for lunch when Yaya walks in with Adda Fatima behind him and Yusra, they had picked her up from school on their way. I welcome them in and greet Adda with a hug, Yusra walks past me with a pout and mama soon joins us.

"I didn't know you were coming today!" I hug her Adda again her baby bump getting in the way.

"Saidai idan kin manta, I told you last week." Yaya says. "How are you by the way? You didn't seem very good last night." He asks.

"Oh I just wasn't feeling myself but I'm okay, I slept it off." I shrug.

"Okay, well what's for lunch? I better eat before I leave. I have a meeting." He rubs his palms together.

"I made some masa and taushe and luckily for you Adda fatima I made Zobo yesterday afternoon which is now chilling in the fridge!" I clap and she looks at me with the biggest puppy eyes.

"This is why I love you, you're just the best!" She holds my hand and I laugh.

They were getting settled at the dining table when I left to Yusra's room. I find her struggling to take off her school uniform.

"Hey..." I walk into the room drenched in guilt. "Let me help you." I move closer but she steps away.

"No! I don't want your help. Now now remember?" She pouts angrily.

"Baby I'm so sorry, I have no excuse for yelling at you but I'm sorry okay?" I hold her tiny hand but she still doesn't look at me. "I made tuwo for you." I say hoping it would get her attention and it did.

"Miyan me?" She asks still pouting.

"Miyan taushe with zobo." I smile and she does too making my heart melt. I pull her into a hug and feel her small arms wrap around my neck. "Come, I'll feed you myself." I help her change.

After lunch, everyone sat in the living room while I helped Amina in the kitchen with the dishes. I notice the same container I gave Ziyad yesterday filled with cookies on the counter.

"Amina, who brought this here?" I open it and the cookies were still in it, but how?

"I saw it outside earlier when I came so I brought it inside." She replies.

He must have left them there. He didn't even take the cookies. Wow Ziyad, neither my love nor the cookies. Great! Just great! I put them on the shelf and start drying the plates and putting them back in their cabinets.

I remember the clothes I had put up to dry in the backyard so I leave to go get them. On my way to my room to get the laundry basket, I notice yaya wasn't in the living rooms I naturally just guessed he had left for work. I was making my way back from the backyard when I saw Yaya by the gate talking to Ziyad.

Wait, Ziyad? What is he doing here? I stood there in the same spot, my feet planted to the ground. I was trying to make out what he was doing there, what they were talking about. Yaya looked happy, he did too. They both looked happy. And just then he glanced over at me and we made eye contact. For a second he looked surprised to see me but then he smiled. He freaking smiled at me! As if he hadn't looked at me with horror yesterday. Yaya follows his eyes and looks at me too and he waves. I fake a smile and almost sprint back inside, my heart was beating really fast.

"Hey! Can I come in?" Adda Fatima stood by the door.

"Yeah of course." I say out of breath struggling to give a smile.

"That Zobo was amazing' I'm definitely taking some home." She waddles to the couch and slowly sits on it getting comfortable. "Good lord this couch feels nice." She chuckles and I laugh too.

"Adda can I ask you something..." I hesitate.

"Of course, what is it?" She grabs a pillow, tucking it behind her back.

"How...." I sigh "how...what does it mean when you tell a guy you like him and he basically ghosts you?" I grab a shirt from the basket and fold it.

"Well...normally If a man likes you, it's almost impossible for him to keep it in. He will do everything possible to make it obvious!" She responds. "But..." she pauses and I look at her "there are men and there are boys and there are guys. Boys are never serious, they are childish, they will tell ten different women they love them and swear by it, guys are also never serious. They just play around and when it's time to commit, they run. And then there are real men. They commit, they are serious and even if you tell them you like them first, it won't matter as long as they like you too. They will stand on business and make you feel like you're the only girl in the world." She smiles letting what she had said sink into my brain.

"I thought he was a man but....it seems like he's just a guy." I painfully force a laugh.

"What happened?" She asks in a tone that felt like a hug and I found myself telling her everything that happened.

"I just don't get it, why would he treat me so well if he never liked me? Why is he ghosting me?" I ask feeling myself tear up again. "I feel so so embarrassed I can't even look at myself in the mirror."

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry." She plumps down on the bed beside me.

"Adda we are Fulani, we are known for our modesty and shyness. I straight up told a man I loved him to his face and as if that wasn't bad enough he ghosted me!" I sob.

"Don't feel bad for telling him, you did what you thought was right and that's okay! It's not your fault he's a jerk." We both laugh. "But if there is one thing you should stick to it should be if a man ghosts you, respect the dead and don't bother him ever again!"

I look at her a bit confused and she explains "since he wants to be a ghost so bad, let him be dead to you. Don't talk to him about it, just focus on taking care of yourself."

Focus on me, let him be dead to me....that sounds easy.....should be easy....I think I got this.

"Focus on your mental health! That's what's important." She hugs me.

"Ooh am I interrupting?" Yaya walks in with an awkward look on his face.

"No, it's okay come in." I wipe my face.

"I'm leaving for work now, babe, I'll slick you up after the meeting. If you need anything call me okay?" He says to Adda and she nods. "And Hidaya...?"

"Naam" I answer.

"Ziyad came to say that he will be returning to work tomorrow morning and he unfortunately has to quit." He sighs.

I look at Adda and she had the same look on her face as I did. Shock.

"Umm....it's okay! I have one exam left anyway Zahra can come pick me up." I struggle to smile.

"No he actually said he can make it on the last day but he just can't take you out to study anymore." He adds.

"That's okay. I can study at home." I nod about 30 times through the sentence faking a smile.

The second yaya left I put my on Adda's shoulder and cry my heart out. I hate him!