Sa'id Manse, Abuja.
"I'm telling you, Mi vida, Barcelona is much better than I last remembered it to be. And, it's only been what? Three years since I was last here? Doesn't matter! What I'm saying is, I absolutely adore this place, so, we might just end up staying here for longer than intended."
Inaya pressed her lips together, and then nodded though she's well aware, the person whom the action is directed towards won't see it. She resisted to roll her eyes, and instead opted to shake her head instead.
They are extending their trip? Shocker.
Note the sarcasm. As if she didn't see that coming already.
"—there's just too much to see, and so many places to explore yet again. The Art galleries are indeed as I remembered it. You just have to come with me next time, I'm certain you'll love it." Inaya quirked a brow on hearing that, as if to ask the excited woman ranting if she actually just said that.
Her, like art galleries? Yeah...no. A big one for that.
As if knowing the look masking the younger woman's face, the woman was quick to add. "—oh, get rid of that of that look on your face. You'll love it! Trust your Mama, will you?" There was this unmistakable accent in that woman's voice when she pronounced the word 'Mama'. Like always. "I have a good taste of almost everything. If I tell you you'll love it, put some trust in me. There's no need to give me that look."
Her mother usual nags had Inaya's lips stretching into a small smile. The woman knows her way too well. It made it almost impossible to hide things from her because she reads her like an open book—even without looking at her. She knew her daughter way too well.
"I'm finding that hard to believe, Mama." Inaya mumbled, reaching her hand out to pick up a robe from the row of clothing. Her hand fell on a silk cerise one, making her lips slant into a slight frown. She doesn't exactly hate the color, but she wasn't feeling like wearing anything bright that day.
So, she pushed the article of clothing to the side, and repeated the action a couple of times more in search of one that suits her mood. Her eyes eventually landed on a similar, but sage green one this time around. The slight click of her tongue concluded it as the one of her choice—so, she brought it out.
Her mother's voice continued playing in the background, while she shrugged on the robe. "—anyways, we miss you, truly. I wish you were here with us, and before you give me your long string of excuse, yes, I know you're busy with work but still. I feel like I barely spend time with my babies anymore. You're both all grown up now and are always busy with work." Her tone dropped, one that Inaya was used to at the moment.
Cue the dramatic mother in despair act...
"—if only you'd both spare some time to spend with me, I would die in peace." A huge sigh came from the dramatic woman on the other end. She blew out another breath, before she continued. "At least, answer my calls or call me back when you get time okay? Tell your brother as well, he is even worse than you are. Unless you two no longer love your Mama again, because it seems like it."
Inaya resisted the urge to roll her eyes again at her dramatic mother. Seriously, the woman should've just continued her career rather than retiring at an early age. She would've made it to Hollywood with the level of her career. She would win the Grammys as well. It's almost like she was made for this.
"--Check up on me, okay? Anyways, I got to go. Ciao! Te amo, mi vida."
"Te amo, Mama." Inaya mumbled, making her way towards the IPad she had placed on the vanity table, watching the video message her mother sent her all the way from Spain.
She only missed her call one time and she gets a ten minutes' video of the mother acting like a damsel in distress—or more like she's cheating on her with another mother. Her mother truly is a case entirely, but she still loves her nonetheless.
A small sigh left her parted lips when she turned the device off, and slipped out of the cloakroom and making her way out of the bedroom as well. She didn't bother to wear any shoes. It's a weird habit of hers, but she loves to walk around the house barefoot—her poor feet deserve that much after being all cooped up in a shoe all day.
Her messy, natural curls were pulled into a low bun that made the hair look extremely short because it is. It was never that long to begin with and not long ago, she cut it. Don't ask why. She'd rather not talk about it.
The night gown she had underneath the robe stopped only a few inches below her knee, but she didn't care just as much as she didn't bother to cover her hair. Yes, her home is extremely big and would occupy probably half the neighborhood but she's almost always alone...with the exception of the maids.
The guards wouldn't show up inside without a reason, so she never had to worry about having a non-mahram in the house.
What? It may not seem like it, but she's pretty much a decent Muslim. Plus, she strives to be better so that's something.
On reaching the last step, she was met with the sight of a familiar face of one of the maids. The woman spotted her first, and then made her way towards Inaya. "Good evening, Ma'am."
"Evening." Inaya mumbled, looking around as if she would see the person she's looking for mysteriously pop up. When the front door didn't open, and she couldn't spot a single thing that signified him being around, she shifted her gaze to the maid. "Isn't he home again?"
The maid nodded, her lips pressed together for a brief second before she vocalized her answer. "Yes, Ma'am. Sire isn't home again today."
Inaya nodded, clicking her tongue slightly before she sighed, "Alright. Thanks." She turned around, making her way to the kitchen as she made up her mind to not bother herself with him. He's a grown adult. He knows how to take care of himself so why should she bother?
When she arrived at the kitchen, her strides slowed down when her gaze fell on the back of someone she's quite familiarized with. She couldn't see the person clearly, but she seems to be stuffing her face with something.
Inaya rolled her eyes, and then made her way over to the refrigerator. Pulling one of the doors open, she picked up the first juice in sight which happened to be that of Orange. "I feel like you've hijacked my home at this point." She stated, moving to the cupboards to pick up a glass cup.
The addressed person looked up on hearing Inaya's voice, and almost immediately, her lips stretched into the widest grins out there. "Hola, amiga! Que pasa?"
Picking up the first cup in sight, Inaya placed it down on the counter and poured the orange liquid into it to her liking. "What's up is, I have a friend who doesn't like to go home." She looked up, and gave her best friend a pointed look.
Amina pressed her lips into a pout, before flashing Inaya her famous looks that made almost everyone pity her. "I am home."
"I meant your parents' house." Inaya gave her a look that dared her to weasel her way out of this. The said woman knows her way around words, she uses it and the little acting skills she has to weasel her way out of situations and make it work in her favor.
A huff came from Amina, her eyes narrowed at the woman standing a few feet away from her. "You aren't nice." She mumbled, extending her hand to pull the bowl of whatever food she managed to get closer to her—as if Inaya would take it away. She wouldn't, but it wouldn't hurt to be careful. "You know; this isn't the way you're supposed to treat your only friend."
Inaya hummed, as she made her way to the refrigerator to store the leftover orange juice. She didn't vocalize her reply then. She waited until she strolled back to the kitchen island; taking a seat opposite the woman in the picture. "So, tell me." She picked up the juice, and took a few sips from it before placing it back. "What happened this time around?" Yet again, she arched a brow adroitly.
She had a knowing look masking her features—as if so certain that something had be wrong for her to see Amina there. And she's right, she always is.
Amina instantly dropped that façade she held up, her earlier annoyance resurfacing. She didn't even bother to hide it, because there is no point. "Everything happened." She huffed out another breath—rolling her eyes in the process. "It's like I can't even breathe in that house anymore."
"Oh, really now?" Inaya decided to play along. See, she would've been worried, or at least share the woman's pain but they've been in this situation one too many times already. It was always the same thing over and over again. At this point, she doubts if Amina is truly upset or she had just gotten used to it, that she couldn't find it in herself to stop. Or perhaps, she was using it as an excuse to keep buying herself more time.
"Yes!" Amina exclaimed, her hand digging into the bowl to get a handful of what Inaya could tell now to be caramel popcorn. Bringing it to stuff her face, she munched on it for about a minute before she went on to explain.
But truth be told, her words made zero sense. It came out all muffled, courtesy of the leftover popcorn in her mouth. Everything she was saying sounded like gibberish to Inaya's ears. And yet, like the good friend she is, she didn't call her out on it or showed any disinterest.
Instead, she occasionally nodded, her eyes dilating while she gave her string of support in words. "Oh, really? She did not do that." She had absolutely zero idea what the girl said.
"She sure did!" Amina's words eventually began to come out clearly, as she ate the last bit of popcorn in her mouth. "You know all that woman needs to fit the Disney, classic Cindrella stepmother role in my life is that puffy dress and up-do hair." Too caught up in anger, or at least what she takes to be that, she struck her hand into the poor bowl of popcorn and filled her hands with it again. If it was around someone else, she would've been embarrassed to act that way around them, but not Inaya.
She truly is the one true friend she has, despite them having quite a lot of differences. They fit right into their chaotic lives like missing puzzles though. You could say, she was the one that causes mess all the time, and Inaya is the less hyper one that saves her out of it.
And vice versa, only that instead of being hyper, Inaya could be a ticking bomb at times, and Amina is the one that puts it off without having to erupt. That was the kind of relationship they have.
"So, I take it you aren't going home today?" It seemed like that. It's always like that. And recently, Amina has been crashing in her house one too many times. It was obvious she would rather keep up with Inaya's annoying attitude than to go back home and face her step mother's.
Amina stared at her as if she had just said the most ridiculous thing in the world. "Of course not." She answered without any hint of hesitation. Bringing the handful of popcorn to her mouth, she stuffed it in there. "I am never going back to that house!" To take a stand, she struck her hand out yet again.
This time around, the leftover popcorn went flying in Inaya's direction, a few landing on her robe.
Her eyes shifted to the bits of popcorn, before she shook her head and opted to silently take them off without making a fuss. It was Amina anyway. There's no need for such a thing between them. There's never a need for that. The said woman did flash her a look that served as a silent gesture of apology, which Inaya dismissed with a flick of her wrist.
"Alright then." Inaya downed the leftover orange juice she has left, before getting off the stool. "Since you don't want to go home, do you want to watch movies with me then?" She wasn't exactly a fan of it in the slightest.
And Amina knew that. Because her lips formed a pout, her eyes dilating in a puppy sort of look. "You would watch movies with me?" It has always been she asking Inaya for that, and the said woman turning it down.
Don't even get her started on the long string of criticism she hands out whenever they do watch one. She ruins it entirely for her.
Inaya's lips stretched into a tight smile. "Why not?" She truly wasn't on board with it one bit. But, for the sake of the depressing soul that's her best friend, she was willing to put up with it.
Amina's eyes instantly lit up, her lips stretched into a wide grin. "Yay!" The excitement in her tone was hard to miss. "But, promise you have to not to ruin it." She gave her friend a pointed look.
Inaya's fake smile widened only slightly. "I'll try." She bit her tongue. So God help her.