Saharan Goddess (O2L Adventure / on hold)

Chapter 4

(Shakina's POV)

Once again I subconsciously look over my shoulder before logging into Kina Moore’s YouTube account. I don’t know why I do; usually I watch videos without being signed in.

This time Usurah’s with me, so I know she won’t be surprising me. She’s at the foot of my bed painting my toe nails. She looks up at the screen of my laptop, then at me, our eyes meeting.

She shakes her head. “Shakina, you know you shouldn’t be doing this,” She said calmly, and I know she’s trying not to offend me. “You don’t want your uncle taking advantage of any mistake you make.”

I internally roll my eyes and look back at my homepage. The red sign at the right corner catches my eyes—and I stop. There’s a ‘54’ boldly showing there. I didn’t make any sense at all. Fifty-four notifications? This must be a miscalculation on Google’s part.

I click on it, and at the top I read, xBreeLovex and 11,693 others subscribed to your channel.

I’m freeze, and can’t move my hands so I just tilt my head in confusion.

“O! Mon Dieu!* What have you done, Shakina?” I jump at Usurah’s voice, and looked up to find her on her feet, staring at the screen in horror. “I told you this was going to be trouble...”

She quickly runs to the front of my room and starts closing the curtains. Here’s why: my room has no doors. It is built around a corner, with four huge pillars along the opened space. Between the spaces are thick floor-to-ceiling curtains, which are always open unless I’m dressing or asleep. I think she closes it so that no one suspects anything from the way we're acting. 

“Thank you,” I say to her, but she doesn’t respond.

Her lips are in a thin line and when I keep searching for something explanatory to say, she speaks up. “Find out what that means," She points at my laptop, worry crossing her face. "Before someone else comes and does it for you. Quick, so I can open the curtains back up.”

So with my hands shaking, I scroll down the next notification. My eyes narrowed as I tried to figure out what was going on here. I was being tagged in comments, and there were 1,987 comments on my post. That... OH!

Then it hits me, and I say, “Usurah, you know the comment I wrote the other day for the video of Kian’s trip?” 

She moves over next to me but she’s still scowling. “The one you tried to hide thinking I was—”

“Yes, that. Well look,” I showed her. “It has over seven thousand likes and lots of comments. Ahh!” That exclamation was a mixture of surprise, and thrill, and incredulity. I clamp my palms against both side of my face. 

“What? No way!” She grabs the computer from me, and starts clicking away, reading some of the comments.

She was getting up to open the curtains when she stops. “But what about the other forty-something notifications?”

I check and all were from people posting on my profile asking me different things. There were so much, and my brain could only process so many at a time.

Usurah goes to open the curtains. “Ahhh!” she screams and jumps back. I turn quickly and see him. And he’s laughing his head off.

“Curse you, Habib!" Usurah punches his lightly on the arm.

“What?” Habib, my step brother steps into the room. “I waited till you guys were done with your business.”

“I was getting dressed,” I lied firmly.

“I know,” he says nodding his head and looking at me in the eyes. As Usurah was drawing back the last curtain, he comes up behind her and tickles her.

“Habib!” she giggles his name out. I roll my eyes at them.

Habib inches more into the room, and his eye catches my laptop. The screen was moving as the same video was reloading. He reaches to touch take it, but I beat him to it, and snap it shut.

“Seriously? Since we stopped going to school, that’s what you’ve been doing, watching boys online? Lame…! Just go outside and you can watch Kabir wrestle.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me. 

Kabir is my cousin; named after his father who we call Uncle Kabir. 

My eyes glare at Habib, and this new feeling of anger starts to come, but not at him. “Whatever. What do you want?” I ask because he only comes to my room when he’s been sent, or when he wants something.

Habib gives me a look I can’t interpret, all the joking gone from his voice and face.

“Uncle Kabir is asking for you. As soon as possible.”

“What? Wh-w-how,” I stumble over my words. “What for?”

He doesn’t answer me; just turns and leaves.

A long silence hangs in the room, and Usurah breaks it first with a frantic.

“O, mon Dieu. He knows…”

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In case you're wondering.... O, mon Dieu means Oh my God in French. 

Hey guys! I hope you liked this chapter. If you did, please vote and comment! Also if you have any question about the characters, or if anything's confusing, let me know. Bye for now and have a great day...or night...!