SABRINA'S POV
ABUJA,NIGERIA.
10TH FEBRUARY,2018
I climbed the mini ladder to put the last piece of lighting. I had the room repainted two weeks ago. It was painted white and ash, in a way that illuminated the color blue.
I put on a white and glittery blue bedsheets with lots of pillows. I arranged all the flower vases and awards on the white shelf. The other shelf contained turaren wuta. Hanging the chandeliers wasn't a big deal also. It made the room glimmer. I put the butterfly lighting on the curtains. I also used a white fur thingy to cover the center table.
I applied olive oil all over my body,I got my raspberry incense and let the air conditioner swirl it to my direction. Letting out a sigh of relief , a strong scent hit my nostrils. I walked into my huge walk-in closet. When I say huge, I mean really huge. It's almost the size of my bedroom. Now that I have more clothing, the place was filled up.
I picked out a black sweatshirt tucked into a black sweatpants,I put on a big black jacket over it.I tied my black veil around my head into a hijab. I wore my blue nikes. I picked up the trez leches cake and went downstairs.
"SAK, where are you going to?" My brother, Ya Arif asked. I don't think I'm ever going to get used to my siblings calling me SAK. Saying it's weird would be an understatement. What happened to Ya Arif calling me fav? I was his favorite sister which always made the rest jealous, including Jawahir and Kubra.
Ya Aliya on the other hand who refers to me as toad face. Call me crazy, but I actually miss it. Now it's always SAK.
It's okay though. I pray I can get used to it.
He was seated by the left hand side. By his right was the almighty jerk, Farooq khaleed. I mentally rolled my eyes. He was so engaged in his phone, he didn't bother looking up. I still have no idea why he's my brother's friend. But it's the least of my concern.
Ya Ashraf was also here. I completely ignored the two men. They did the same, as expected.
"Our bride's house."
"My regards. Sabrina....." he nudged me, giving me a signal to greet Ya Ashraf. I rolled my eyes. He pinched me, not so nicely, if I may add. I muttered and 'ouch' wincing in pain.
"Fine." I mumbled to my self.
"Good evening, Ya Ashraf." I swallowed a huge lump. I had to be the bravest person alive to be able to greet this monster. He stared at me with a blank expression then gave me a simple nod. What did I even expect other than that? At least he acknowledged me.
"Alright I'll be on my way now."
I stepped out of the The Mahir's Residence. Kubra's house is just a street away, so I decided to just stroll down there. I carefully plugged in my earphones as I played the middle by zedd.
Suddenly, I bumped into someone. I didn't have to look to know who the person was. But it was too good to be true. I had to be daydreaming perhaps. The strong scent of musk hits my nostrils.
"Jannah Al-qasim." I grinned with an amused look.
"Sabrina Adila khaleed."
Jannah Al-qasim was my classmate, my close friend to be precise. She was also in the basketball team back in our high school days. We were always rivals but also the best of friends. If I was indeed a Dragon as people refer to me as, then Jannah was a Viking.
Jannah was strong and brave, courageous and kind, loyal and strong. She was fierce.
A lot of people used to say we had a lot in common. Which was actually true. Our personalities were in perfect sync. One of the most heartbreaking moment was when she informed us that they would be moving to Qatar. It was a very sad news to receive because Jannah was a very lovable person. We all missed her. She didn't have a best friend but I was her closest friend. We had an extremely strong bond.
I dropped the cake on the little bench beside me before I could pull her into a hug, she hugged me tightly, as though afraid that I'd disappear if she released me. It felt like a piece was just reunited to my body. I missed her so much. I tried my best to reach her, but it was all in vain. It was like all traces that led to her was completely wiped.
"I missed you." She mumbled. She was at the verge to break into tears. My eyes were tearing up.
"I missed you more"
We remained in the same position for almost a minute, then I broke the hug.
"After all these years, I'm finally meeting you." Jannah spoke wiping her tears.
"It's like a dream come true. I searched for you all over social media. I stalked all your family members accounts but it was like all traces were erased. I lost hope."
"It was my father. He was keen on making sure his family was safe, so he banned everyone in the family from creating an account on any social media platform. I lost all my contacts, heck he seized my phone. He left my MacBook though, which was very helpful.
I created a secret Instagram account, I saw how successful most of our classmates had become. I was very happy for all of them. But I was more proud of you and Kubra." She stretched her lips into a painful smile.
"Why didn't you reach out to us?"
"I was scared."
"Jannah Al-Qasim, scared? Impossible! The most fierce person I know."
"I'm serious. I was scared of my father's wrath, and I was also scared that you guys must have forgotten about my existence."
"How can I forget you? It's not possible. I and Kubra celebrated your birthday every year. You have no idea..." I confessed.
"Really?"
"Really. So you're back in Nigeria..?" I found myself asking her rather stating it.
"Yeah. After I graduated from College, My father came back to his senses."
"No now." Both of us burst out laughing, trying to catch our breaths.
"Girl, I'm serious. He apologized to everyone. He gave us the freedom we deserved. He even allowed us to return back to Nigeria. Alhamdulillah. We returned last year. I opened a restaurant in Wuse 2. He allowed me in on the family business, which was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I'm currently the Vice President."
"I'm so happy for you." I held her shoulder shaking her.
"Keh, don't break me." She shouted with a slight hiss, dramatically. There she is, the feisty girl I know and love.
"Abeg," I chuckled lightly.
"My friends are now celebrities. You're one of the world's best designers. And your foundation is amazing. I'm so proud of you." Jannah beamed.
"Dreams come true, don't they?"
"I'm standing next to my friend, please don call of course dreams come true." Jannah beamed giving me a side hug.
"So, whose cake is this? Where are you heading to?" She asked pointing at the trez leches.
"Kubra's house. You wanna come over?" I asked excitedly. I really hope she says yes.
"I would have loved to. But I have to catch my flight. I'm having a meeting in Seychelles. I'll miss my flight. But in Shaa Allah if I return, I'll visit both of you." She assured me.
"Alright then. But where do you live in Abuja?"
"Area 8. I came to see my sister here. She lives here with her husband."
"Masha Allah. I'll get going then." I said picking up the cake.
"We'll catch-up. I'll chat you up on Instagram."
"Yes, ma." I saluted her. She playfully smacked my arm. I chuckled.
"My regards to Kubra. Our cry baby." She chuckled.
"Sure." I laughed lightly.
"Khadija Sayhaan." I yelled slamming the entrance door with my Sketchers.
"Sannu Hajiya." Mom said with sarcasm.
"Good evening mom." I greeted grinning widely.
"Evening. Stop shining your thirty twos, she's in her mini parlor." She returned back to the couch, changing the channel.
"Thanks, mom."
"Sabrina is the cake for us?" Mom beamed.
"Yes actually ,I'll keep it in the kitchen." She smiled and gave me a simple nod.
"I'm telling you,I was just asking for the price. The woman started insulting me. Just because I didn't buy anything from her shop." Kubra narrated, clearly pissed.
"This is Nigeria for you. Why didn't you buy it though?" I asked leaning my head on the soft cotton pillows.
"Low quality shit" she huffed.
"Eish! Not surprised."
"I miss L.A." She sighed closing her face with a pillow.
"I miss it too. But this is our home Kubra. And that's never going to change."
"True." I really miss the states. But there is nothing we can do about it. I mean we can go for holidays, business purposes, events, and so on. But we cannot stay there forever. Yes, we were born there, but our Father's land is Nigeria.
"Hey, Brie! check out this sick novel I started reading." She flung the big book, hitting my left arm.
I quickly held it as I winced in pain. It feels like a needle being pierced into my arm. Oh Allah help me.
"Are you okay?" She rushed to me. "Yes it's cool. It's nothing." I shrugged it off, letting go of my hand so she won't be suspicious.
"But why did it hurt that much? It's just a book."
"It wasn't that painful. I was just being my usual dramatic self." I shook my head, forcing a smile through the pain.
"Are you sure? Because I've been really observant with your left arm. You react quickly whenever anything happens to it." She elongated the topic. Why can't she just let it slide. She's not getting anything out of me. I've hidden this bitter truth for years and it's going to stay like that.
"It's nothing. Let it slide will you?" I rolled my eyes.
"You're hiding something."
"I'm not." I defended my lie.
"You are." She accused.
"That's your business. I said I'm not hiding anything."
"You're lying!" She yelled not too loud though.
"Just shut up! Leave me alone will you? You're really irritating me right now!" I shouted, clenching my fists. I regretted it the moment the words slipped out of my lips. Her eyes had started turning glossy.
What have I done?
She stood up, walked pass me and sat on the bean bag, unplugging her phone and began strolling through the world of social networking. I didn't have to be told that I had just hurt my friend. The room was as quiet as a graveyard. Guilt was eating me up.
I could hide the truth from everyone, but not Kubra. She cares too much for me.
"Kubra." I called out lightly.
"What do you want?" She spewed venom. I deserve that. "The truth."
"Excuse me?"
"I'll tell you the bitter truth I hid from everyone all these years." It was the sad secret that almost ruined me. In a way, it did. It destroyed my dream.
Kubra remained silent waiting for me to speak. "The year," I started breathing heavily. "The," There was a shortage of breath in my system. I couldn't breath. I fell down to the Egypt modernised carpet, holding my chest.
"Subhanallah! You're having an asthma attack!" Kubra rushed out to her room leaving me on the floor. She came back with an inhaler. She put my head on her laps as she helped me inhale the air from the inhaler. She did it thrice before I could finally breathe well. She passed a glass of water to me, I took two gulps before handing it back to her.
"Thank you. As I was saying be-" I started coughing again. "Sabrina you don't have to stress yourself. You can tell me some other day." Kubra hesitated. I shook my head vigorously.
"No. It's now or never."
"Okay." She gave up. I sat back down on the left hand side, she sat opposite.
"It was a day after the finals of the interstate basketball tournament back in the twelfth grade. The whole family had gone on a vacation to Hawaii. I stayed back because of the tournament if you can recall, so I was staying with Baba Kaka."
You must be wondering who Baba Kaka is. He's the man that made all my dreams come true. He's the father of Khaleed Mubaid, Farooq's Grandfather. But our family considered him as our grandfather. If my biological grandfather was alive today, I don't think he would ever match up to Baba Kaka.
This man fought with my parents because of me. When I started playing basketball, my parents stopped me. They forbade me from playing, but Baba Kaka fought with them in my interest. That was the day I started loving him as though he was my own grandfather.
He was the reason my parents allowed Kubra and I to study in UCLA. Both our parents declined, saying it was a public college. Then he came up with a proposal saying that if we study in UCLA,we wouldn't return till after five years. And neither of us would meet any family member. We agreed immediately, even though it hurt us. But we had to.
It was our dream.
This man encouraged me in everything I did. He believed in me when my parents didn't. It's usually the grandmother that tells her grandchildren folktales, but in my own case, it was Baba Kaka.
Daddy is an orphan. Mrs Mahir on the other hand lost her father when she was twenty, but her mother is alive. My Grandma is just like my mother,so I don't have to state how our relationship is.
Baba Kaka, I called him my superhero. Why? Because he was. The man saw potentials in me, things I didn't see in myself. He made me face my biggest fears, which was very hard. He respected the little Sabrina. He trusted me. He saw perfection through all my quirks, habits and features other people saw as imperfections. He taught me to love myself before loving anyone.
He loved me.
If ever I wished for an other half, the person should be like Baba Kaka. Just younger. He would always tell me that he should be the first person to know if I ever fall in love with someone. I would always laugh.
He called me hajiya ta.
I was his favorite, this made the rest jealous. You know it's funny how we weren't even related to this man yet we formed an unbreakable bond. The day we met the Mubaid's for the first time was the day I found out he was their grandfather. Harisa and Arianna would always joke around saying I stole their grandfather from them.
Quite unfortunate though, he's currently sick. Very sick. He's been sick for the past three years now.
Sometimes I feel like he won't make it. He's presently in a hospital in Venice getting special treatment. I keep praying to Allah(SWT) to cure my Baba Kaka. He means the world to me. Life without him wouldn't be fair to call life. So many times I want to give up because of how tired I am of everything, but then I remember him. He'll say "the day you give up is the day you stop living, hajiya ta."
"After our team's victory, he took me to an Italian restaurant. As he'd always quote 'Italian treats are for celebration.'
He was driving us back to his house when we got interrupted by traffic. A dangerous one if I may add. The place was filled with thugs, ghetto guys, all sorts of people. A man began shouting at Baba Kaka for no specific purpose which was absurd. I immediately put down the window of the car, sticking my head and hands out as I started talking back at the rude man. Baba Kaka continuously kept telling me to sit down and leave the man alone. But I was too stubborn, typical Sabrina. A power bike came with full speed, hitting my left arm. It started bleeding immensely.
Baba Kaka rushed me to the hospital, if I could clearly remember the X-ray scan took about an hour. They treated the arm and applied a band aid. The diagnosis was done. I had a broken bone inside the arm, but It was not completely broken. The doctor insisted that I stop playing basketball because if by any chance the bone was completely broken, they'd have to remove the arm completely. But my old man asked for another alternative. The doctor gave me some medications, after which she urged me to be very careful while playing or using the hand for any purpose or else the arm would be removed.
That was one of the saddest day of my life. Slowly the outer part healed, but the pain of giving up basketball after college pained the most. Baba Kaka told me not to tell anyone about it. And since then, the secret was sealed." I finished taking a breath in then out.
"Subhanallah!" Tears streamed down Kubra's cheeks. I look down at my ring, avoiding eye contact with her.
"Why didn't you tell me? You went through all these hardships alone." She sobbed tugging me into a hug.
"Please stop crying. It's okay. I'm better now. It's healing." I forced a smile.
"The physical pain may vanish, but the pain in your heart will forever be there. Your dream of becoming the best basketball star is all gone!" She sighed sadly.
Growing up, I loved basketball more than I loved sketching designs and cooking. I'd always tell my friends that one day I'll be next female LeBron James. But not all dreams come true. Allah chooses what is best for all of us. He is the best of planners.
"Allah chose what's best for me. I'm one of the world's best young designer. I own a foundation for helping the less fortunate. I have a hotel and two restaurants. I have travelled the world. I attended my dream college, studied my dream course. I met so many people I never imagined I'd see. I won the state championship with my basketball team in college. All I have to say is, Alhamdullilah. I may not be able to play like before, but at least I can still play. If anything, I'll never stop thanking my Lord! "
"I know my baba kaka is so proud of me." I added.
"He is. He surely is. May Allah cure his illness. I miss him!" Kubra replied. He called her Bestie. He said she had the name of his first friend. The way they argue over the slightest issue is just so cute.
"You're a good person." She chuckled throwing a pillow at me.
"That's not something I hear everyday." I laughed. Kubra rolled her eyes folding her arms around her chest.
"I'm serious. People just think you're rude because," She paused thinking of the perfect word to use.
"I say hurtful truths, I have an 'i don't care' attitude, I have a feline and feisty nature, the way my mouth and eyes move in sync." I smirked raising a brow.
"Exactly!" We both set out into fits of laughter.
"But seriously, your eyes kills faster than your mouth." She said in a serious tone. People say my hazel eyes are a true definition of feline. And my oozing confidence was like a dragon in a battle field.
"Intimidating innit!" I faked a British accent.
I slept overnight at Kubra's. Mimi on the other hand came this morning. She forced us to take a little tour around Abuja, saying we've been away for years so we should at least get used to the city.
I rocked a white DILA KS t-shirt, a blue Burberry straight pants, a black and white UCLA highschool oversized jacket that was almost reaching my knees. I put on a black veil then topped it with a white colored beanie. I applied a little bit of gloss on my lips then stole Kubra's white Adidas sneakers.
"I'm ready! Let's go."
With that, we ambled outside.
"Park right here." I instructed Kubra whom was driving as she pulled over. The cafe wasn't bad. It looks even better in reality than on Instagram. It's exterior architecture was so modernized and stylish.
It was like Starbucks. Just a little bit different.
We walked into the cafe, ignoring the people that were staring. I'm never going to get used to that. It's so frustrating to be very honest. But what do I expect? I'm SAK. People are bound to stare. I walked straight right to the counter, and I couldn't thank my Allah enough because they weren't people on the queue.
"Welcome to Nosta-" The girl's eyes widened as her mouth hung open.
One ......
Two ...
Three....
"You're SAK! You're Khadija Sayhaan. You're the artist Mimi!" The girl exclaimed with excitement pinned to her tone.
We get that a lot.
Kubra passed a small smile. Mimi grinned showcasing her braced teeth. I on the other hand kept a straight face. A stern one to be precise. I was eager to get our coffee and get the heck out of here.
"Yeah, hi to you too. Can we please order?" I asked politely but still kept the straight expression.
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry. I just got carried away. I'm just really excited." She blabbered.
I replied with a genuine smile this time.
" One Oreo milkshake, two mocha white mocha frappe and a Caramel macchiato." Mimi called out our order.
"Alright then. I'm so happy to meet you guys. I'm a big fan." The girl squealed once more. She seems like a really fast talker. She was also pretty, you could tell she's Fulani by her facial features and how she spoke.
"Thank you." I managed to say. She passed our order to me.
"She's a sweetheart." Kubra cooed. "That's what you say about everyone." I causally rolled my eyes.
"Please can I take a quick selfie with you guys. It will give the Cafe a good review and it will get me followers." She mumbled the last part, but I heard her.
She brought out her iphone 7+ and took a selfie. Point of Correction. SELFIES! The girl thanked us after that.
"You're welcome." We replied in unison. "I want to use the restroom, be right back." Mimi retorted them walked to the ladies room.
Great. We'll have to be here a little bit longer. With so many people staring. Just awesome. Note the sarcasm.
"Today is just a lucky day for me. Influential people are just hopping in today." The girl said in a dreamy voice closing her eyes. "Who?" I questioned suspiciously. I was interested in knowing who they were.
"Look over there! Disney star, Neelam et belle, Farooq Khaleed and her cousin, Kamal Malik." I almost lost my sanity when she called the last person's name.
My heartbeat increased suddenly. My hands were burning hot, as rage filled my lungs. The Cafe was cold but I felt like I was under the hot blazing sun. I couldn't feel my legs anyone. If fainting was in anyway possible at the moment, it will be the best thing that could have happened.
"Sabrina," Kubra tried calming me down, but I jerked her hands off mine.
I turned around to see them at their table.
There he was, in all glory, Kamal Malik.
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END OF CHAPTER