Noorur-rahman

Danja's Residence

I hate abbah's wife for a reason! She's a nuisance. I hate her! Because of her I will be traveling to Zaria. Ever since she's here, I compromised a lot. God, I even let her smile at my dad, drive me to school. That's crazy and I so hate her. "Freaky! freaky! Freaky woman! Arghh!" I throw a big punch on the punching, which should have been the woman's person.

I don't see why I have to follow them, but according to my dearest father, he can't leave me alone at home. "But abbah, Asabe will be here, so is your nephew." I foolishly stated the obvious to him.

"Exactly, why you should come with us. And Jamila needs you to show her around. Beside we are going to stay at our house there. So there won't be a problem."

Abbah might never understand these, but the problem is not where I sleep in Zaria. Zaria, the name alone, makes me nauseous, for me, it's the synonym to problem. I hate that place, I hate our house there. More than anything I despise the Danja's residence even more.

"What have my family done to you, Noorur-rahman? They're the only family you got. One day I when I am not here, you'll only have them to lean on. So stop always being stop stubborn about going to Zaria." Abbah had said, he sounded angry and I was hurt. What have my family done to you? Hmm, he have asked that a countless of time.

However, Abbah should be asking me what hasn't his family done to me? Either ways, the answer is going to kill him before his terminal disease, that's he is not talking about. That though, is making me more sick that going to Zaria. What if abbah is really sick? Did he ever plan on telling me? Now a days, he always threaten me with 'if I'm not here'.

"If he's not here!" My chest tighten, I give it a pat, trying untie the knot forming there. An unwanted lone tear make it way out of my left eye. That constant void that never leaves, embedded my soul, it's like a burden that never seem wore off. I'm afraid abbah is changing, changing from my paapi. And definitely, without even a tint of doubt without abbah I will be alone, so alone that I will rather go along with him. I never wanted to died though, not even when everyone is trying to see me fall apart, not even now. I was stronger, perhaps now even more stronger. But all that came along with him.

Abbah is my strength, I can do anything when he's there. So abbah, just be safe.
I have been in the gym room since morning, I even skip breakfast. Yes, I didn't see abbah throughout, I avoided. I'm so mad at him at the moment. I heard the voice of abbah's wife like thrice by the door, but didn't give heed to that. If she's the reason my paapi is changing, then definitely her days living with us are certainly numbered. I can do just about anything to see her leave.

Unfortunately and lucky for her, I know for a fact that she wasn't the influence of my dad's outburst. I know him very well, I know whatever he fell for his wife is not strong enough to come between us. That's why I'm more than certain, that something is off.

Something! My inner voice yelled and I began throw a big punches on one of the many punching bags hanging in the room, at the same time panting heavily. I'm exhausted. It's frustrating being clueless, not knowing is the worst situation one can find themselves in.

With a heavy sigh, I fall flat on my back staring at the ceiling, still heaving. I could have an attack too, but this is the only things in this world that could calm. Soon after that, the room door crack open revealing the petite figure of abbah's wife. What does this woman want?

"Hey! Ain't you exhausted?" I keep mute, my eyes dripping close. "I'm going out to shop for your grandma, can you please suggest something. Anything she likes." She continue when I ignored her.

"Take yourself as the souvenir, nothing will gladden her more." Of course, Hajiya will be thrilled to laugh at me. To laugh at me, because I once said abbah will never marry again. For whatever displeases me, will surely make Hajiya happy and vice versa.