It had been a year since I'd been living with the Zain family; I was treated like a daughter in the family, everyone loved me while I loved them in return.
I felt at home
Zain always came to visit me every last three days of the month. I'd told him several times that he shouldn't but his stubborn self never agrees. He called me everyday morning and night- his voice always lured me to dreamland and did wake me up.
I like him so much but not love him!.
When he came; we always went out together - cinema, a restaurant I always had unlimited fun with him plus his charming and dying smile.
I and Muhammad had bonded that I didn't even know when, I'd took him as my son while he too had taken me as his mom, even when his mom was at Lagos.
Zain did bring him along with him, he always tagged along. Sometimes we went to the park while people always looked at us like a perfect couple together.
Zain never tells me he loved me but his action and expression showed it.
On the other hand, I and Mubarak had become pals; best friends. He was my knight in shining armour, my bodyguard, Over-possessive brother and my fake boyfriend.
He laughed more with me and was carefree. He never came home late because he knew he was in deep shit. But his bad-boy vibes were still there "ko n ku lara omoba ko ma ku dansaki". He had been helping me with my studies too. (Attitude is like a flame, it could never be kept).
The students and lecturers named me "No Entry" because of Mubarak. No males or even the lecturers could threaten me or look at me. They were afraid of me; I meant Mubarak wrath.
There was a guy who always disturbed me, but since I'd reported him to Mubarak he never came closer to me. The next day, the guy was covered with bruises and was walking on crutches for some months. Whenever the guy saw me, he bolted off. I didn't have any male friends because of Oga. (Boss).
Eid day was fast approaching and I was nervous as hell because Zain and his wife were coming. I'd never see his wife or talk to her but how everyone did talk about her -was like they didn't like her.
I was sure she would look devilish or .....
We ladies were decorating the house and cooking while the males were working on the garden plus Mubarak. Everyone was surprised, they couldn't believe their eyes because Mr oga never helped or worked.
Hajia told me that I was changing him but I replied back 'I ain't doing anything'.
"Madam! oga Zain don arrives" Audu said beaming with happiness while I smiled back at him.
I left what I was doing to meet others -waiting for Zain.
I saw his shoe before I saw him before seeing his smiling face holding my little cupcake. I smiled in return like a bride waiting for her groom. Muhammad ran to me crushing me in a bear hug. I twirled him around and kissed all his face while he giggled loudly. I loved him so much.
How I wished I was the one that gave birth to him but it impossible
"How are you?" he asked.
Dan Allah!, his voice!
"I'm fine" I replied breathily.
We were so lost in each other's eyes before it was cut off by a warning cough. I blinked quickly, to look at the owner of the cough but...
The lady in front of me was breathtaking, she looked like a goddess.
Why are all these people here so beautiful!. I screamed mentally.
I gawked at her before a meanie scowl made its way to her lips. she looked at me with a menacing smile.
I gulped, she was taller than me and intimidated me.
I smiled and bring out my hand to introduce myself but she snobbish cut me off
I don't like her again!. I stumbled my imaginary foot childish
"Who is this?" she said the last part word with disgust, pointing to me. Checking me from head to toe while I cringed.
"She..." before Zain could continue, Mubarak's angry deep voice silenced everyone.
"Aisha, she is not this? be warned!" he said dangerously.
He came to me and pushed me to his chest making me lean to his chest, I relaxed and breathed in his strong manly scent. And felt the heat emitted from his chest. I glanced at Zain and saw his jaw and fist were clenched while Mubarak had a playing smirk on his lips.
"Is she your new plaything?" She asked venomously.
"AISHA" Zain and Mubarak's voice boomed while I flinched. Mubarak brought his lips to my ear and murmured a 'sorry'.
I felt like I was betraying Zain how I was leaning to Mubarak's chest but it was what I needed now.
This girl was like Claudia in the promise; beautiful outside but deadly inside.
"Ok," she smiled sweetly at Mubarak yet sneered at me.
"Aisha, meet my girl..." Mubarak said before he could continue, I intentionally stepped on him.
"Who is your girl" I whispered harshly to him while he grinned widely at me. "I purposely said that?" he said. I looked at him confusedly "why?" I whispered back.
"Look at him" He motioned to Zain; I looked at Zain and saw him ready to burst from anger.
I giggled yet I didn't like it.
"Sorry don't mind me, meet my Ruyah. A beautiful sweet girl from Lagos, not a Hausa girl but.." I pinched him before he could say anything more while he released an 'ow' sound, holding his side while I smiled.
"It's okay, let's get inside," Zain said harshly and angrily went inside.
~**~
I'd been searching for any opportunity to talk to Zain since he arrived but he had been avoiding me like plague. I felt I needed to explain to him that there was nothing between me and Mubarak.
When he was alone in the garden, as if sensing me, he fled.
I put on my blue Kampala gown which reached my knees, he always complimented me whenever I put it on telling me if I was his wife 'he would tie me to his bed and never let me out' and I always giggled whenever I remembered.
I saw him sitting in the sitting room, watching a football match.
I walked slowly while descending from the stair, I felt his eyes on me but I didn't let it affect me. I smiled innocently and sweetly at him. Upon getting down, I intentionally missed a step knowing fully he would always be there to catch me.
I fell on his arm, I clutched his shirt. I relaxed and breathed in his mint cologne like a starve vampy. I rested my head on his chest; his heartbeat heretically, I laughed at my effect on him.
"Why have you been avoiding me since morning?" I murmured softly, fearing to wake others up, especially his wife.
My head rested on his chest, I was sitting on his lap and one of his hands rested on my tight. It was wrong but trust me, my body didn't repulse it. If it had been Mubarak; I would have shouted or screamed at him but with Zain, my common sense was not common...
"Why were you leaning on him this morning?" He grumbled, looking everywhere but not me.
"Was that why you have been avoiding me?"I asked in surprise.
"Ayo mi*, I've told you to stay away from him" he spoke while playing with the hem of my dress. (my joy).
"Sorry, I don't know. Your wife scared the hell out of me and he was the only one I could seek comfort from. I like him" I said, looking him in the eyes while caressing his beard.
"But I don't like seeing you with him," he frowned, I laughed and caressed his cheeks, making him purred and sighed in content.
"He's the only one I've as a friend here, he protects me and is always with me. I'm comfortable with him and he always makes me laugh" I noticed as I was telling him, his body went ridge, shaking and gripping my thigh so tight that I knew it would bruise. I whimpered a little because he was hurting me unknowingly.
"Why?, am I not here to do all that. I protect you, always make you laugh. Then why him?" He looked hurt and pained.
"Because you are not always here?"I replied.
"I always give you more time than I dedicate to my family. Talk to you endlessly, come here every month to check on you" he looked like I had broken his heart.
"I'm sorry," I said, raising my head up and pecking him on his lips. His lips twitched but didn't smile, I pecked him again and again before he burst out a laugh.
I laughed along with him.
"Why did you always come to visit me," I asked him, looking at him when our laughter died down.
"Because.." he gulped.
I batted my eyelashes before continuing, "why do you always give me more time than your wife?, why did you always get mad whenever I laughed or at Mubarak why...." My questions were cut off when wet lips connected with my dry ones. Spark erupted all of my body and butterflies played endlessly in my stomach like a jellyfish. It was a small kiss but it felt like it was more than that. When his lips detached from mine, I felt like he shouldn't.
Then he smiled, showing his white pearls teeth with dimples.
He tapped my nose and his eyes showed mischief, "close your mouth before the fly entered" he chuckled, making his body shake.
"Why did you...." He kissed me.
"But you don't..." Another kiss
He brought his index finger to my lips and shut me.
"Because I love you, I've told you before. I get extremely jealous when I see you laughing with another man, especially Mubarak. I'm a selfish man; I want to be the only one to see your smile and make you smile." He said in a deep husky voice, making me shudder in excitement and my body reacted in a way I never knew.
I gulped with the intensity of his words, "I..I.." I stuttered because I didn't know what to say.
"Is okay if you don't accept me now and I vow that I will wait and always wait for you" he vowed with determination and set me on my shaky legs.
I wanted to stay on his lap but I needed to get away from him so that I could think properly.
As I turned to sneak back to my room, I abruptly stopped when I saw who was in front of me.
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AISHA