Chapter 51

She looked at him and giggled again, a very pleasing, purely feminine sound. "Why aren't you wearing any shoes?" He also looked at his barefoot before his eyes bulged out. How did he manage to come out without wearing any shoes? "I didn't even noticed, I was so eager to come say hi to you. And it's not like I went somewhere far." He shrugged his shoulders and continued staring at her. Looking into Dalia's cat-like eyes felt like looking into the sun for too long- it almost burnt, but the burning sensation was satisfying to Muhsin. There were butterflies, no, an entire zoo in his chest but it felt pleasing. "How was the assignment we did? Hope you aced it." He gave her a sly smile. She shook her head, "she haven't returned it yet till Monday. I just hope I do pass because that woman..." She let her words trail off as she sighed for the time she couldn't count. "When are you starting your exams?" He folded his arms around his broad chest while she fiddled with the flower she plucked before he showed up. "We are starting in a month. We've been having tests over tests. Really stressful." She lamented tiredly. He was about to reply her when his phone rang from his pocket he fetched it out from his jeans pocket before he answered the call. "Salamu Alaikum, Aunty. Good evening," he greeted her. Dalia looked up at him before she smiled brightly. He was speaking with his mother, she mused. And he was speaking the language she always wanted to learning. "No, no aunty calm down. Everything is going very great now Alhamdulillah." He spoke for some minutes before he bade her goodbye. "Care to tell me why you were staring?" He smirked at her. She flushed and looked down at the flower. She twirled it around and observed it, it looked more appealing than when she plucked it. "Hm?" He hummed waiting for a reply. "I was not staring.... I just..." she trailed off and smiled sheepishly. He raised a brow and urged her to finish her sentence. "I love your language. I love everything about fulani, it's very enticing." Her eyes glittered with excitement when she spoke. "Hm... I never knew." He folded his arms on his chest again. "Do you want to learn the language?" He asked her and she briskly nodded. He chuckled at her facial expression. "Then I would gladly teach you how to speak fulfulde just not today. I am so hungry now and all I can think of is the mouth watering dish I saw in the dining room." They walked towards the back door and entered the house. She went to the living room while he stopped at the dining area to serve himself the goodies she cooked. He looked at him as he walked into the living room, holding a plate. "Have you eaten? Why are you sitting on the carpet?" She stared at him, tongue tied while she wondered which question to answer. "I'm not hungry yet and I feel more comfortable sitting here." He turned on the tv with the remote. "Sit on the sofa please you're not some sort of maid." He didn't glance at her the time he spoke. She rise and sat down on the sofa like he asked her to. She took a glimpse of him and looked away. He was enjoying the meal, she could tell by his facial expression. His whole attention was on the TV, she thought. But his actual attention was on her. He knew looking at her might make her uncomfortable. He finished eating and rise from the sofa. "You should eat before I take you home. I will be right back." He excused himself and went to his room. She sat down there watching the show that was on as she waited for him. She wasn't hungry after all. He came back about thirty minutes later wearing a new set of kaftan like he was going to an occasion. She lowered her gaze before she started drooling over someone's husband. "Have you eaten?" He asked and she shook her head. "I told you I wasn't hungry. Seriously I'll eat when I get home." He sighed defeatedly and guided her to his car. He dropped her off at home and left afterwards. Later that day, she was on her praying mat doing her azkhar after praying Maghrib when one of the maids announced the arrival of a visitor. "He's looking for me, he said? Me, Dalia?" She asked perplexed as she pointed to herself. The maid nodded her head. "Does mommy knows he's here?" She inquired. "Yes, she knows he's here. She left to her room just now after she had told me to call you. He's in the main living room." She excused herself and closed the door. Dalia stared at the blank space wondering who it was. She knew it would never be muhsin. Or was it? No, it can never be him. Or it was that idiot guy from School, abdulwahab that has been bugging her. But how would he know where she lives? Well he could do anything to get her, she observed that totally. She hissed slightly before she rise from the mat and folded it. She wore her fluffy slippers and stepped out of the room. He would surely regret coming to where she was. She entered the living room without uttering anything. He glanced at her and beamed. "Oh sorry, it's you.... Salamu Alaikum, good evening." She fiddled with her hand embarrassed with how she had behaved. He smiled at her again. "Wa'alaikumus Salam. Evening, how are you doing?" Yusuf asked her. She smiled and nodded. "Please sit down." She took slow steps into the living room. She settled down opposite him on the one seater, head ducked.