She was walking fast in her room, if not because of Farha that had called her, she wouldn't have woken up on time. And that way, she would have tempered with their agreed time with Jibril, which will be so careless of her. It was Sunday already, and the last time she saw Yazeed was when she left him in the dining table and went to her room, Friday night. He was doing all it took not to crossways with her, and little did he know that she wanted that more than how he wanted that. In her usual abaya dressing, Jalilah got ready and was walking down the stairs when she met him. Where was he going? Only God knew. But it looked as if he was heading outside.
They got to the living room together and she gulped down a lump in her throat before she greeted him, realizing it was only decent of her if she did that. "Good afternoon," she greeted, and he slightly turned to where she was.
"Afternoon," he said. And instead of him to take his eyes off her immediately, like he used to, Yazeed began having a survey on her body. "Where too? David isn't here, it's Sunday." That reminded him, yesterday David called and told him that the car was faulty, that as to why he didn't get to pick her up on Friday. But he didn't feel there was a need to tell her that.
"Oh," she smiled and began fidgeting with her fingers, whenever she did that, Yazeed knew there were lots of things on her mind which might not sit right with him. "Jibril is taking me out, on...a date. Yeah, a date." She looked up at him with the shy smile he always loved from her, only this time she wasn't smiling because of him.
He felt as an arrow struck his heart, he knew it wasn't because she was going out with Jibril, but...he didn't even know what he was feeling. He stared at her again and put his hands into his pockets, to give himself the composure he needed, the stoic expression he had to paint on his face to make sure she didn't know what was going on in his heart. "On a date? To where?" He asked, by Allah, this wasn't a good feeling in his heart. What the hell was wrong with him?
The excited Jalilah was back, she was having that giddy smile on her lips as she began listing the places Jibril told her they would visit. "First, he'll take me to the DHL office, I have a package with them. Then to any close art centre, I'd be going there on weekends and paint. Then he'll take me some places, I can't remember the names, but it's fun and I'll feel good. See? It's a great time to spend the weekend, right?" She asked, the smile not wavering on her face.
He looked at her and the way she seemed happy made something stroke at his heart, was she happy because she was going to go out with Jibril? He shook his head, "No, you aren't going there. You aren't going out with Jibril, Jalilah."
She stared at him with mouth wide agape and shook her head, "What do you mean? I need to at least go to the DHL office to collect my package, the art centre too, please." She sounded like a whining younger sister and Yazeed kept shaking his head. What the hell was wrong with this man? She wanted to glare at him, but somehow, the expression he had was appealing to her heart.
"Then I'll take you there." He declared and walked into the living room, he took his car key before he met her where he had left her. "Can we leave?" He asked, and Jalilah shook her head. She wanted to smile, or even laugh because this was surprising. How could Yazeed? What was he thinking?
"I can't follow you, if you have somewhere you need to go, then you're free to. I've already promised him, I can't change my words, not when we have barely thirty minutes for the time we have agreed to meet. I can't do this to him." She stubbornly shook her head and wrapped her hands over her chest, there was no way she was following Yazeed today.
"Jalilah, no matter how much you'll prove to be stubborn, you aren't getting out with Jibril, and that's final. Let's leave, but if you don't want the package anymore, we can stay at home all day." He looked exactly like Yazeed, sounded like him even, but these words were not his. Because these words were something a jealous man would utter, and she would hope to die than believe Yazeed was jealous over her.
"That won't be fair to him, Yazeed. This man has been asking you for my number, which you didn't give him. And now Allah has finally blessed him, I can't do this to him. You need to see how happy he was that we could have this date..." She wasn't able to complete her sentence when Yazeed pulled her hand and he walked them out of the house. He locked the door and pointed at the car for her.
"Get into the car and stop being sentimental over that call." She stared at him with utter astonishment and shook her head, she was still being stubborn. She wanted to go out with Jibril, not Yazeed. Because she wanted to have a time of herself, the time where she could be herself and laugh until she shed tears of joy. But she knew with this version of Yazeed, she had to behave herself, be cautious of the words she would utter not to further destroy his mood.
He sat in the car and was staring at how she kept looking at the gate, probably waiting for Jibril's car to get into the estate. He honked aggressively that it shook Jalilah and she had no choice but to get into the car, she knew with this angry Yazeed, he can even lift her and take her to the car. She entered the car and glared at him before she buckled her seat belt. "But you know this isn't fair for him, right? What do I have to tell him then? I'm sure he's there eagerly waiting for our agreed time, Yazeed." She didn't know how she had gotten used to calling him Yazeed that she didn't find it awkward.
"Call him and tell him the people you live with had already planned the weekend for you, you're only knowing it when you mentioned it to her that you're going out. Or did you tell him we stay together?" He stared at her through his peripheral view and he didn't miss the pout on her lips.
"Oh come on, how could I tell him I stay with you? Of all the people to stay within Lagos? I would have been unfortunate to choose you. I'd tell him that, because I've already told him I stayed with my aunty." She picked up her phone and before she dialled his number, she heard Yazeed's voice.
"You would have been unfortunate, Jalilah? That means you're unfortunate now?" He asked, and she looked up at him with a surprised smile.
"That's what I said? Maybe that's what's in my mind. I won't apologize to you either, because you know the kind of person you are." She rolled her eyes at him and dialled Jibril's number, painting a very beautiful smile on her lips. She didn't know what Jibril took of their relationship, but she took him as a friend. A very good friend at that. Because with him, she had someone she could talk to, not just Farha and sometimes Wafiyya.
"Hello, Jibril." She said excitedly after he picked up the phone, smiling while she played with the designs on her gown.
"Hey, Jalilah. I've been meaning to call you but I couldn't have the courage to. How are you?" His voice sounded down, and she wondered what was wrong with him. It had just been two days since they started talking over the phone, and so far she would say they were good.
"Oh my god, what's wrong with you? Are you sick? Have you gone to the hospital? You soun-" the way she was speaking with distraught and worry altogether, she didn't know when Yazeed abruptly moved the car sideways and she banged her head.
"Come on! You don't have to be this violent!" She whined, looking at him. He wasn't looking at her but she knew he did that on purpose. She turned her attention to Jibril with an apology on her lips, "Sorry, Jibril, I got carried away. I hope you're okay? You didn't sound yourself."
Yazeed was silent until she was done with the phone call and he turned to look at her for a second before he turned his attention back on the road. "What did he say? That he's going to die because you couldn't make it to the date?" There was something he needed to control in him, but every time he tried, he couldn't do that.
She sighed and shook her head, "It was such a pity, he sounded so heartbroken but the only thing I'm glad about is, when I called him he was trying to call me too and inform me that his father had sent him yet on another errand, he won't be able to be there at our fixed time, he would be late. But, after I told him I couldn't make it, he promised to take me out when next he comes back to Lagos because he's leaving...wait, why am I even telling you this? It's between me and my..." And she trailed off again, not knowing what she would refer to Jibril as in her life.
Yazeed turned to her, flashing her a quizzical look. "You and your what?"
She shook her head, wrapping her hands around her chest to regain her confidence. "You don't have to know what he is to me. It's my little secret." She pouted her lips and looked out to the window. Yazeed found it so hard to peel his eyes off her and when he did, he clutched onto the steering wheel with even greater intensity.
"Are you angry at me because I've stopped you from seeing your boyfriend?" He asked out of the blue moon, not flashing her a glance and Jalilah turned to face him.
"He's not my boyfriend, and yes, I'm angry at you not just because of this, but a lot of things that you've done." She rolled her eyes and took her eyes off his face, she wished she could be able to punch his face someday before she died, that will be her only wish on him.
"But he's not your Muharram, Jalilah. And I don't trust those Abuja guys a bit, it's only for your benefit." Not until he closed his lips did he realized what he had said and even before she uttered what was in her mind, Yazeed knew she had a come back for him.
"And what of you? Are you my Muharram? But why do I feel I can trust him? There's nothing suspicious about him, he's a gentleman."
He sighed and shook his head, "Jalilah! Well, I'll let you be then since you trust him this much. Feel free to leave whenever he comes, you can even spend a night or two, just inform me so I won't be worried about where you are."
She stared at him with her lower lip hanging on the air before a glare followed afterwards. "What do you mean? Yazeed, by Allah you're annoying my guts!" She yelled and the way her voice sounded nearly broke down the windows but Yazeed was unshakable. It was as if he was the only one in the car and even after she kept speaking to him, telling him how much he had annoyed her this afternoon, he didn't waver. As if she wasn't even there.
After he parked in front of the DHL office, he turned to look at her with a soft smile on his lips, he liked the way she looked whenever she was angry at him. She had a pout on her lips and she was looking out through the window, her hands wrapped around her chest to show him how annoyed she was. "We're here, Jalilah." He said while trying so much to suppress his laughter. She seemed truly pissed, which was so rare for Jalilah.
When she ignored him and acted as if she didn't hear what he was saying, he tapped his hand on his nostrils to block out his laughter and spoke again, fully staring at her. "Jalilah, we're here. Aren't we getting the package again?" He asked, and that was when she turned to look at him with the most stubborn expression Yazeed had ever seen on her face and he couldn't help the burst of laughter on his lips.
"Ya ilahi, are you truly annoyed, Jalilah?" He asked amidst the peal of his laughter and she pouted even deeper and cuter.
"Yazeed, you should stop laughing at me. Look at what you said, I can even spend a night or two with him, what do you mean, for Allah's sake?" Okay, maybe this wasn't funny as he thought.
He sobered up his expression and nodded at her, "You were just been so whiny, and that's the only way to shut you up, which worked perfectly. But I'm sorry, okay?"
She nodded her head and walked out of the car without voicing a word out. She hated how much influence Yazeed had on her. As much as she was angry at him about what he had said, she was glad he was acting all soft towards her today. He hopped out of the car too and they walked inside together, side by side but with no words shared between them. After she had claimed the package, they got it into the trunk of the car and sat back, he refused to ignite the car on.
She turned to him, "What? Aren't we leaving now? Are we going to spend the whole day here? I'm sleepy please." She looked away, suddenly being unnerved by the way his eyes were staring deeply into hers. Didn't this man know what his eyes did to her? Can he stop staring at her for a minute, please? She needed to collect her breath.
"We aren't moving from here until you're no more angry at me until you smile." He said, stubborn as well.
"What? What if I can't smile now, not at you at least."
"Come on, what's the name your best friend calls you sometimes? Yeah, An Jali Jali, why not smile at me? Didn't I apologize?" She was about to roll her eyes at him and retort back with some words that might make him angry, but after she turned to look at him, the look he had on his face and the smile perfectly painted on his lips made it so hard to resist, she didn't know when she smiled.
"Yes! That's so much like the Jalilah I know. At least now, we can leave." He laughed at how she had palmed her face and was groaning out of annoyance before he ignited the car on and drove out of the building.
"You cheated! You know so well I like the way you smile." She groaned and looked up at him. He had his eyes fixed on the road but the smile was still evident on his lips. No answer as well, even though she wasn't expecting one.
They didn't share anything between them until they reached Henrimoweta African art centre, in Victoria Island, but there were beautiful smiles on their lips. He turned to look at her after he had parked and she was shamelessly staring at him, "This art centre is among the best, I'm sure you'd love it."
"I hope I do." They walked out of the car together and walked inside. In the reception, Yazeed told them what she wanted and they offered their weekend classes, which started at noon and ended by 4 pm. Even after she had insisted to register for herself, Yazeed did that for her, and she smiled to him out of appreciation. She promised to be there by next week before they walked back to the car.
"Thank you for that. Now, where are we going? Please not home." She whined and flashed him those cute puppy eyes that she was sure would be irresistible for him.
"Stop giving me that look, you're bribing me." He waved at her dismissively and Jalilah didn't know when she threw her head back and laughed.
"Answer me then, we're not heading home, yeah?" She fluttered her eyelashes and Yazeed groaned softly.
"My rules, you're trying to break one of them, I can't remember which rule it was. But definitely, Jalilah you're breaking a rule." This time, she chuckled. That happy chuckle that came along with an exquisite smile. She was glad she did.
"Just answer me then, I promise I won't be this exceptionally cute again." When he turned to look at her, she flashed him a very beautiful smile which she didn't know how or when it erupted.
"Jalilah! You're breaking the rule. Okay, we aren't heading back home, I'm taking you to some places I've always wanted to visit but didn't have time. Now, will you go back to your normal self?" He glared at her when she threw her head back and laughed before she nodded her head.
"Is this the reason why you always avoid me? Because I look irresistibly cute?" She fluttered her eyelashes again with an even cuter smile and Yazeed looked away from her.
"Jalilah, you promised." He reminded, and she nodded her head before she looked out through the window with a smile, "Yeah, I promise. Drive peacefully, I don't have another soul in Adamawa."
After he had parked, Jalilah looked up at the place and read out the name, "Rufus and bee, what are they doing here? Is it a restaurant?" She asked, turning to him for an answer.
He shook his head while pulling the key out. "No, it's a game centre. You're too playful, I know it will lighten up your day. Let's get in."
"Oh my amazing god! I'm excited already!" She squealed and they walked out of the car together. He chuckled softly at how giddy she seemed, she couldn't even wait to get into the building.
After he had paid for them, she stared at him then back to the games. "Which one should we start?"
He looked around and smiled before he pointed at the table smashing, "Let's start with table smashing, and you dare not win, Jalilah."
She flipped her imaginary hair and shook her head pitifully at him, "Just get ready to lose, because I'd surely win." He smiled and followed behind her as she stood by the table. She loved the ambience, the soft colours of the place that suddenly filled her soul after they had entered. They started the game, and whenever she scored a point, she would squeal and stick out her tongue at him. "I told you, I'd surely win."
After they were done with the table smashing, she urged him to move to the virtual car racing, which he immediately agreed with. They sat down side by side before she turned to look at him, "Please don't win." She pleaded, and Yazeed laughed before he shook his head.
"You've won that one, why can't I win now? Get yourself ready, Ballerina." He started the game before she got a hold of herself, he freaking called her Ballerina! Until she was back from her sentiments, Yazeed had already scored more points than her and sadly, he won. They did the balling challenge, which was more of basketball tricks and all, and how on earth could she be able to do that? He won again. She was scowling when she pointed at the bowling pin for him.
"I don't know much about it, but please let me win, Yazeed." She whined, pouting her lips in the process.
He shook his head and walked ahead, replying her on his way, "You can't bribe me here. Let's play already." For the first round, there were more than five pins on her way and she walked back and waited for him to play.
She stared at how engrossed he looked, how much fun he had had so far, and she smiled, shamelessly fixing her eyes on him. It felt to her that he didn't have much fun in his life. And by fun, she didn't simply mean coming to expensive places like this and having fun with a friend, a spouse or his girlfriend. There were tons and tons of things to have fun within this life, but it seemed Yazeed didn't have the chance to have even one of the source of those funs in his life. And right now, with this relaxed smile on his lips as he bowled, she knew he was having so much fun and was glad he came here.
Again, he won. Jalilah feigned sadness which he laughed at before he asked her, "Which game do you want to play again? I promise to let you win."
She smiled and pointed at the place for the dancing challenge. You just have to choose a song you're more familiar with and by tapping on the board, you danced as well as make the tunes flow. "No, you know I can't dance." He groaned and looked away, but Jalilah was hell-bent that he had to relent.
It was a fight on which song to choose and he had to let her choose her favourite. They got on the board and after it started, she started jumping, moving and tapping making the tunes out while she laughed so carefree. She looked at him and smiled, "Come on, play the game. It only lasts for five minutes. Give yourself those five minutes and enjoy your life." Reluctantly, Yazeed did as she said. Moving the way she did as she taps on the yellow, red and green places with her feet. It was fun, so much fun, and they ended a mess of laughter. They walked back to the car exhausted to the core, but Yazeed couldn't stop imagining the way she looked while she jumped and danced so heartily that for a second he thought she had never cried in her life, but he knew that better than anyone.
After he drove off, she looked at him with the remains of her smile and whined, "I'm hungry and exhausted. Let's go and eat." She didn't know so much time had passed until she saw that it was late in the evening and smiled to herself. She could have this moment replayed in her life for eternity and wouldn't get bored of it as long as it was with him.
"Yes, let's go and eat." He had this satisfied smile on his face that Jalilah liked to see. If he was relaxed and happy, he was the most handsome version of Yazeed.
They drove to Sailors lounge Restaurant, it was a restaurant by the seaside and Jalilah had never been more amazed. They found themselves a table at the far end, which had gone into the ocean and sat down. They ordered what they would like to eat before she turned to look at him, "This place is beautiful, so beautiful, Yazeed." She had a secret obsession with oceans that she didn't always remember she did until she saw one, and right now she wished she could swim.
"I sometimes come here just to relax, it's a beautiful place." He agreed with her. Shortly, their orders arrived and they ate while sharing a few laconic words between them. After they were done, they went to where they held a comedy show and sat down, it was Jalilah's idea if not, Yazeed would have driven them out of the place long away. Surprisingly, it was funny to him and he enjoyed every bit of it. They went back to the car still laughing at the comedy and sat down before she turned to look at him.
"You look happy today, which I rarely see. I don't think I've ever seen you this happy." He smiled and claimed to be ruminative for a while before he nodded his head at her.
"It's been a while since I've been this relaxed too, so yeah, I'm happy." He smiled, shrugged off his shoulders before they drove off.
"I should have taken a picture, or better, a video of you when you were laughing that loud. Maybe it can inspire you to laugh more on days you want that sulking Yazeed to lead the way for you." By Allah, there had never been a person that could be as sarcastic with him as Jalilah was. He threw his head back and laughing, shaking his head at her.
"Jalilah I don't know when you've become this way with me, Allahu yahdiki." He shook his head again.
"Come on, I'm telling the truth. You know I've always told you that your smile looks so beautiful on you, right? You should do that often." He drove to a mosque and parked, and she inquisitively lifted a brow.
"I thought we're going back home?" She asked, looking around the mosque, it was beautiful.
"No, let's pray first. But don't ask me where we're going from here because I'm not telling you." She scoffed and they both hopped out of the car. She walked to the female section and he moved toward the male section of the mosque.
After she had prayed, Jalilah sat down and brought her knees to her chest, which she later rested her head on them. She closed her eyes and relished every bit of happiness she was feeling in her heart. At some point, she was glad that she didn't go to that date with Jibril because she was certain it will be awkward for her. And for Yazeed, as long as he would be this version of himself, there was no man on earth that she could be comfortable with apart from him.
She smiled and wished she could describe this feeling in words, in paintings or her dancing moves, but she knew as she felt it in her heart, she had to relish on it there for as long as it lasted. But surely, it was a beautiful feeling to experience amidst this chaos. She had never thought she would be this happy after what had happened the past weeks. But as it was said, time healed all wounds. In her case, it can heal, change, or do whatever it wanted to do, all she knew was, time served her good this time. And she was more than glad.
She stood up and walked back to the car, seeing that he wasn't back yet, she leaned onto the car and waited for him. She saw him coming, and Jalilah fixed her eyes on him, the smile not leaving her face. It was not until he came to where she stood and clapped his hands on her face did she smiled and looked away. "What are you looking at?"
"You." There was no point in lying, he knew she was staring at him.
"Why? Did I look so handsome that you nearly drool?" He teased and when she groaned softly and looked away, he laughed. "Come on, your best friend gave your secret away, it's not my fault that I know, is it?"
"I think I officially hate this girl. But how could I drool over you? Please." She rolled her eyes and got into the car after him.
"Are you sure you're done staring or there's an emergency need that requires me to pose for some time until you're done staring?" He smirked, which was on a hell of a sight to behold than the smiling Yazeed could ever be.
She whined and palmed her face, "Yazeed! You're breaking my rule too!"
She looked up at him for some time and he chuckled softly, the smirk not leaving his face. "Oh come on, I'm naturally like this, don't you see?" He winked! On hell, did he wink!
She whined, palming her face completely as she wailed, "Yazeed! My chest! Don't wink again please!!!"
He laughed and turned to face the road, he ignited the car and drove out of the mosque, laughing at her. "Now you know how it feels, you aren't the only one capable of breaking a rule or two." Sometimes if he acted the way he just did now, she wasn't the only one surprised at the way he acted, he was too. He couldn't believe he had that part of him anymore.
"This isn't fair, and you can't even tell me where you're taking me." She looked up at him with a pout on her lips and Yazeed smiled.
"I can, but I have this sudden urge to wink, can I?" She shook her head and made a whiny sound, palming her face.
"By Allah, this is torturing. I don't have to know where we're going. Just keep shut until we arrive." And as much as he tried to make her look up from her palms, Jalilah was so adamant on her words that he had no choice but to let her be until they reached their location, which IMAX, a movie theatre and he asked her to look up.
She looked up with an amazing smile on her lips and spoke, "Which movie are we going to watch tonight? Wait, before that, as compensation of what you did, you'd eat lots of chocolates today, deal?"
"You choose the movie and yes, I'd take one chocolate. Deal?" She was silent before she nodded her head before they walked into the building.
"I've seen the trailer of this movie, Jumanji: the next level, can we watch it?" She asked and he nodded his head.
As she promised, she bought all the sweet items she had seen and they walked inside, while Yazeed laughed, wondering who would eat all that sugar with her. Even before the movie started, she had forced three bars of chocolates down his throat and Yazeed knew it would only be sugar left on him after they were done with the movie. To his astonishment, he couldn't say no her whenever she looked at him, that smile gravelling every thought he had in his mind. What had Jalilah done to him? She was making him do all the things he had never thought he could.
It seems like our people are on a good track o😅💕 Allah yasa a dore! Ba girin girin ba tai mai😄❤️
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