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Media box: the gang, hanging out on Amir's roof... At least, in my head. *
The day Hassana decided she wanted to spend the entire day with me, the sky dropped into the ground and the sun bled into the ocean.
At exactly 6:59am, on the 1st of April, my phone chimed with Hassana's text.
I was at home, with the rest of the gang. We had ditched school the day before and everyone had a sleepover at my place, after pulling an all-nighter, in preparation for WAEC on Monday.
The first message came in when I was trying to help tutor Kam in physics, as a favour for Asa: I'm in your 'hood. Let's hang! ;)
I jumped up, my heart thudding at the unfamiliar number with the very familiar tone. I stared at my phone, anxiety, biting at my gut, memories, twisting and knotting themselves around each other. I couldn't untangle them, even if I tried.
I immediately knew it was her. Kam looked at me worriedly, "you okay."
No, I wanted to say, No, I'm not okay. I never thought... I never thought I'd see her again.
My hands were pulsing, vibrating with anxiety and excitement. I couldn't think straight or articulate my senses properly.
Barely two seconds later, my phone burped another text. Also, don't bother bringing a jacket.
I grabbed a jacket, just in case, and practically jumped into my car, yelled a quick, "gotta go!" to the others and navigated my way towards the children's park.
I found her sitting idly on the swing, swaying softly, legs, kicking and paused... I almost didn't believe she was there, in person.
She looked different...
A lump, the size of a planet suffocated my throat as I took in her appearance. My eyes lingered on the baggy grey sweatshirt she had on, and baggier sweatpants that cladded her legs. Her appearance held me by the throat and refused to let go. She had lost weight, I could tell. Her hair spilled over her face, like a waterfall and something like pain, burned in my chest... Like something wasn't right.
Something isn't right.
She must have noticed eyes on her, because she suddenly looked in my direction and smiled at me.
It was like looking at the sun. I had to look away. Too bright. Too painful. There were red rims around her eyes. Like she had cried herself a river, a second ago.
She hopped out of the swing and ran to meet me and didn't stop. She crashed into me, her body, colliding with mine, and she held on, almost desperately.
