Chapter 38

The next morning, the whole Sarakis got ready and boarded the flight to Abuja where the bride was conveyed to. No one was more happy to leave Yola like Dalia, after Amira. She was genuinely uncomfortable with how Muhsin's cousins tried to make her speak and be their friend. Dalia hardly opens up to new people in her life. She only does that when it was necessary. Like making friends in school. She wouldn't mind walking around alone but it would be creepy to do that. In less than an hour, they landed safely in Abuja. Mommy and Dalia were taken home as Muhsin and Amira went home also to rest. He looked around the living room as they walked in. The gateman dropped their suitcases and head back to his position. He looked at amira that was about to head towards the stairs. "This house really needs cleaning," he uttered. "Then you do it," she snorted as she walked towards the stairs. He scoffed and shook his head. He took their suitcases upstairs and dropped hers by her door before he walked into his neat bedroom. He looked around and smiled, just as he left it. He dropped everything in the right spot and stripped off his clothes before he sashayed into the bathroom to bath. Thirty minutes after he was done, he stepped out of the house and went for his whereabouts. ** The next day, Dalia started attending school. The one thing she had been waiting for for days has finally approached. Most of the times daddy's driver was the one that picks her up because most of her lectures ends late. She was in a garden, going through one of her books when a tall figure approached her. She looked up to see him smiling at her. "Salamu alaikum, Dalia, right?" He spoke smoothly. She answered his greetings and continued with what she was doing, obviously not interested in what brought him to her. "Can I sit, if you don't mind,"  he uttered politely. She eyed him from head to toe and shrugged her shoulders. He settled down a bit inches away from her on the bench. She flipped through the pages as she hissed softly. He audibly knew he wasn't invited. "My name is Abdulwahab Aliyu, a final year student here. I've seen you a couple of times around our department... well I am a bit impressed by your behaviour, that's how I got to know your name. So if you don't mind, I would like to know more about you and maybe be friends." She was boiling inside the minute he uttered the words 'a bit impressed'. She glanced at him briefly before glancing away. Her phone vibrated and she checked to see the driver calling. "I have to go now," she grabbed her bag and stood up. "Can I get your number at least," he asked but she pretended like she hasn't heard what he said. She was having a bad day and he had just topped it up, To complete her b bad day, Just great! She looked his way, annoyed. "Look please, I really appreciate your compliments and everything but I am not interested in becoming your friend or anything. I suggest we continue being strangers." She walked away to the parking lot where the driver was waiting for her. He stared at her retreating back as he smiled alluringly. Did he even hear what she said? He stared at her angry face the whole time as he fell into a fantasy. "Malam Sufyan, good afternoon." She smiled brightly at the driver. He answered her greetings as they drove away. "Alhaji said I should take you to his daughter's house. Hajiya is out and won't be back till later in the evening," he explained while they took the path to Muhsin's house. She wanted to ask why she couldn't just go back when the maids are around but she shrugged. He dropped her off at the house and left afterwards. She took smooth steps to the door and pressed the doorbell. Few moments later, amira opened the door. She eyed her from her to toe before she widened the door for her to enter. She knew Dalia was coming but for some awkward reasons she wasn't happy about it. "I hope you know that you're going to clean the house now," amira's dull voice came through. She turned and looked at her but glanced away. She remembered her mother always warning her about arguing with any of them. If they ask her to do a particular thing, she should without hesitation or showing she doesn't want to. As long as it is not against her religion. She dropped her bag in the living room and headed to the untidy kitchen. A knot tied in her throat. She never imagined this when she thought of coming back to abuja. What has amira and her mother turned her into, their slave? Cause not even maids are being treated that way. Dalia knew amira clearly knows that she was coming back from school and she must be tired and hungry. She sluggishly walked out of the kitchen together with a broom. The living room was empty. She dropped the broom and sauntered into the guest toilet. She washed the toilet first before performing ablution. She prayed Asr before she started cleaning the living room then moved to the dining room and cleaned it. By the time she was almost done, she was tired as ever. Her body ached that she could easily pull off being a walking zombie, dead on the inside but subconsciously awake. She sat on the stool resting while thinking of what she would cook, and she still has to clean amira's room. She remembered the last time she forgot to, amira almost smacked her face but she luckily dodged it.