"Yaya Barakah, what do you want to do in the future?"
I turn around, Hoor is standing behind my study chair, smiling. I tilt my head to check the door at the corner, then frown, "Did you knock?"
She nods, "what do you want to do in the future?"
"You mean 'be'?" I ask.
Her eyes widen, "you want to be a bee?"
"No," I roll my eyes, "I'm correcting you. You're asking what I want to be in the future, right? Like my future career?"
She jumps in reply.
I look at the wardrobe by my right, trying to think. I'm not sure I've ever thought about it, talk more of decide. "I don't know yet." I shrug and face my desk, where my beloved Mathematics assignment is waiting for me.
"You know what I want to be?" She jumps, appearing beside me. I shake my head, eyes on my notebook. "A Superhero!" She shouts, doing a star jump and hitting my chair.
I stare at her in surprise. "Are you serious? Is Superhero a job?"
She drop her hands, "is not a job?"
"Nope. Only on TV." I face my work, hoping she'd go away.
"But why?" she cries out, stamping her feet on the floor. "That's what I want."
I frown in disgust. "See, I don't know. Go and ask Mommy."
She stares at me, unblinking. " Superhero should be a real job."
I blink. Okay...
"I will be Hoorah Star." She pumps her fist in the air.
I laugh. "Hoorah what?" I shake my head, "who formed that name?"
She glared at me, "me!"
"It's not nice. You should be Queen Hoor or Star of Hoor o-"
"Wonder Hoor!" She exclaims.
I shake my head, "that's not sweet. You s-"
"Hoor, have you finished your homework?" Mommy shouts from her room.
Hoor widens her eyes, smiles, puts a hand over her mouth and replies, "no, I'm looking for my pencil." I watch her peep under her bed.
I roll my eyes and resume my work.
•••
"Monday mornings is the worst!" Brianna cries as she slumps on our chair.
I roll my eyes, "that's because you don't sleep on time." I sit down, placing my bag on the desk.
"That's even worst. I had to catch up on all the Netflix series I missed. And I have just one free day. One!" She indicates with a finger, lower lip jutting out in a pout.
"Then watch it during the day and sleep early at night." I shrug. That's what I do, and it works. Why can't she do the same?
She sighs, "you will never understand."
I turn to her. "I think you're the one not understanding." I shrug, "anyways, have you done your assignment? What did you get in number 2 and 3?"
She blinks, "assignment? When?" She quickly opens her bag and removes her books. Standing, she sorts through them before sitting, eyes blank. "I didn't bring it."
I roll my eyes. Of course she didn't.
"Wait," she raises a finger, "which assignment?"
I sigh. She's more hopeless than Hoor.
Hours later, the bell rings for break, Brianna quickly stands up, adjusting her black pinafore. "See you later." She waves and joins our other classmates heading for the door.
I shake my head and close my Introductory Technology textbook. Our teacher didn't come because she was sick. So, I decide to read ahead. And I prefer it to copying and reading notes. It's too boring.
As I stand to put the book in my bag, someone appears beside the desk. "Did you forget your purse again?" I ask, eyes inside my bag.
"Which stupid purse?" A female voice says. I look up in surprise. Only one person puts 'stupid' in all their sentences.
"Aliyah. Long time no see." I fold my arms across my chest to look angry, just like Mommy.
She hisses and sits on my spot, pushing me. "Are you not going to eat today?" She eyes me, "or are you fasting too?"
I sit too, "no, but my momm-"I quickly stop myself. I'm in school, not at home. "my mom is fasting."
She hisses, "me too. And she forced me to join them."
"Join them?" I frown.
"Yes, her new husband."
My eyes widen. "Your mom is married?!" I say loudly.
"Ssssh!" Aliyah glares at me, then looks around." But there were only three people in the class: two boys gisting and one girl sleeping. "It's a secret." She whispers.
I lean forward and whisper back. "Why?"
"I don't know for them. Stupid people." She hisses. "We're already packing out too."
Woah. "Why? Is your house too small?"
She glares at me. "Noo, her husband said his house is better. His stupid ugly house." She hisses again.
I watch her, I want to hug her, like how Hoor hugs me whenever I'm sad, and Mommy too. But I know she won't let me. So I say, "Sorry about that."
She hisses in reply and folds her arms. "I'm hungry." Turning to me, she pinches my thigh, "buy me food." Her eyes are angry, but sad too. I've missed her.
"Let's go."
After buying our snacks, we walk around the school, past classes of white walls and black roofs and students in singles and groups.
I say hi to some of them while Aliyah sucks loudly on her yoghurt. When we reach her class, the bell rings. Uggh.
"So, that means we won't be going home together again?" I say, even though we haven't been going home since we resumed. But that was because I didn't use to see her.
She hisses. "The man will come and pick me."
"Oh." I look down at her brown shoes, the leather already peeling off, then her pinafore with zig zag lines. I look at her hair. Our style for the week is shuku, hers are plaited big big as if the person was in a hurry. And it's not straight too.
"What are you looking at?!" Aliyah barks, startling me. How long was I staring?
"So-"
"Sorry." A female voice says behind me. I turn. It's Brianna. "I just wanted to call my seat partner." She turns to me and tilts her head. I nod.
"So I-" I start to say as I turn back to Aliyah, but she's gone. So I follow Brianna back to class, hoping to see my best friend again.
Luckily for me, our last class finishes before the bell rings.
"Don't forget what I said," Mrs Adebanjo, our Home Economics teacher says, "form a group of six, pick one of the project and report to me by Friday. I don't want any excuses. Is that clear?"
"Yes ma," we chorus, as I read through the list of projects on the white board. My eyes settle on Baking and Fashion Design. But I want to learn something new.
"Let's pick Games and Apps." Brianna whispers, her strawberry chewing gum breathe blowing into my ear.
"Why?" I scrunch my face. "What of..." I scan the list, then land on one, the right one. "Carpentry." I announce, gaining Mrs Adebanjo's attention at the other side of the class.
"Good one. Form a group and let me know what you plan to make by Monday."
"Ehn!" Brianna says, eyes on the teacher, then me. "Count me out. I don't want to become a carpenter." The class laughs at that.
"Why? What's wrong with Carpentry?" Maduka, the boy seated behind us asks, "is it not their handwork you're using now?"
Brianna glares at him. "I choose Baking or Fashion Design. Yes," she smiles at me, "Fashion Design is perfect."
"I don't think it fits you. Choose Carpentry." I wink at her.
"God forbid!"
•••
After school, we join the others and march toward the gate.
"Oh God, I'm so sad." Brianna cries, her nose expanding as she squeezes her face.
I sigh, "what happened?"
"I went to see Mr Douglas during break that I forgot my maths assignment. And he said I should submit by tomorrow. Is it not too soon?"
I turn to her as we step out of the gate. "You're not okay. Why didn't he say you should do it on a piece of paper instead and submit today?"
She gapes at me, then smacks my shoulder, "you're evil!"
I laugh. "See you tomorrow." I wave.
"See you! Come early tomorrow so you can help me check my answers before assembly."
I roll my eyes. Somebody that knows Mathematics more than me. I continue walking past the parked cars beside the school fence until I find a free space where I can cross to the other side. As I reach the other lane, a car quickly blocks my way, making me scream.
"Barakah!" I hear Aliyah's voice behind me. "Open your eyes!"
I obey, not realizing I have closed it. I look around. I am on the floor with Aliyah hovering over me, blocking the hot afternoon sun. Two other girls join her. See me embarrassing myself.
"Are you okay?" She asks, helping me stand.
I nod. She helps me wipe the back of my uniform while I clean the sand off my palms. I look up at the car. There it is, open. The driver is standing outside, looking at me. His lips are wide. Is he smiling? "Are you okay, dear?" he asks in a soft voice.
I nod, not sure whether I should be angry.
"Alright, let's go." He opens the back door. I stare in surprise. Go where? I look around. Am I getting kidnapped again?
"Go home and rest." Aliyah says and walks toward the car. I frown. She enters and closes the door. She notices me standing, then she mouths, "the husband."
Ohh. I nod, turning to look at the man properly. He's dark in complexion and his head is covered with white and black hair. I watch him saying something to Aliyah, then he turns and Aliyah screams and moves to the other side of the car.
My eyes widen. What happened? What did he do? I hear him laugh, then his eyes land on mine before going down, then up. He smiles, his face stretching like chewing gum. "Do you want a ride, dear?"
"No!" Aliyah shouts, eyes frantic. "Go home." She says to me.
I wave at her and walk around the car. Minutes later, I look back, the car is driving away. But I can't get his ugly face out of my head.
Before, I used to pity Aliyah, but now, I feel afraid for her. And I don't know why.
•••
Oh Barakah...😅
Whatever you're (reader, not Barakah) thinking, please drop it in the comment section, and be vote and comment and share.
Till next Friday, in sha Allah (ameen).
Also, if you're yet to read the other two books in the trilogy, I'd advise that you do so before my next update.
See you!
⭐⭐⭐
Zah Storyteller HQ.