Amina
"Where is this? Why did you bring me here?" I exclaimed. He hurled his face around and I could swear I saw moisture in his eyes. But why?
"Are you really okay Sadiq?" I find myself saying. My anger was long forgotten. Seeing the sadness in his eyes reminds me of home. His grip on the steering wheel tightened. And his jaw was slightly clenched. For a moment I felt my heart started hammering in my chest. What if he's going to murder me? What if I was the main target in his message? Just as I placed my hands on the doorknob ready to run for my life, his weak voice resonates to my ear.
"Rest assured. I didn't kidnap you" I halted my actions but my hammering heart didn't subside. "Then why did you bring me here? Who are you exactly?" I said straight from my head. I believe something is going on with the man in front of me.
"I don't know if it's okay for me to tell you. Because it's a part of my life and I cannot afford it to get ruined. But some parts of me is telling me to trust you."
"What exactly are you trying to say?" I let out, my voice coming out somehow. A deep sigh made its way to his lips as he settles his eyes on me. Something weird started formulating at the back of my mind. I don't know what exactly is wrong with me but I hate seeing the coldness in his eyes.
"Promise me that whatever I tell you now, you won't tell a soul. You will keep the secret."
Secret? What secret? I stared in thought. Will I be able to keep the secret? What if it's something that is not worth keeping as a secret?
I listened to my heart rather than my head and that was because of the hopeful look in his eyes. "Insha Allah. I promise" He took a long pause before parting his mouth in a speaking manner.
"Actually, I lied about my identity. My real name is Nabil, not Sadiq. I......"
It took my brain exactly two minutes before his words clicked in it. Aren't I dreaming? Because his confession didn't make sense to me. How can someone render himself homeless for some unknown reason which I'm yet to find out from him. He waved his hands in front of my statue face which snapped me back to reality. I shut my agape mouth.
"I.." before I could utter a word out of my mouth, he continued. "I know you're confused but I did that because of my personal needs"
"What personal need? Wait, are you targeting someone in the house?" He might be a serial killer or a spy sent by someone. Fear crept inside me. What if my assumptions are true? Sensing the tension that was about to build inside me, the left of his lips curved up.
"I didn't know you're a scary cat?" he teased crooking his head sideways. Due to my fear, I found his smirk a threat too.
"Who exactly are you?" I asked the same question as before. Even though he told me his identity, there's still a part of me that doesn't completely believe his words.
"Like I said. My name is Nabil and I'm not homeless. Apart from that, everything I told Hajiya and you that night is true. My late parents, my sister and Papa"
I nodded my head with another confusion in my head. "There's something I don't understand here" I muttered which I know reached his ear.
"Go on"
I adjust my seating position and cleared out my throat. "What is your motive behind it all?" He set his calculating eyes on me.
"I don't think it's time for me to tell you my plan. I have to trust you completely"
"Plan?" I repeated.
"Yes. You promised me you won't tell anyone so please keep the secret." He's still talking about the secret. How can I keep this kind of secret? I'm not good at keeping secrets. Though I don't plan on telling anyone, still I don't know. I was occupied in my own world when his deep sigh resonates to my eardrums.
"What?" I said finding him staring at me. His gaze lingers on me for a while. I raised one of my brows in action. He didn't say anything instead, he ignites the engine and we again embark on our journey back home. After a moment of silence, each of us with our thought, he spoke again.
"I will advise you Amina. Be careful with the family most especially Mr.Ahmad" and yet another confusion ignite in me.
"Why?"
"Just. Your stay here might not be what you think. The riches will do whatever possible to get what they want and after that particular doesn't serve them me again, they discard it" I stared at the man driving beside me. I don't know if he notices it too, but I feel like there's some deep meaning behind his words. I didn't get time to dwell on it when he continued again.
"I know you're an intelligent girl but sometimes even the smartest get conned. I'm saying this because I know exactly what type of people they are. An....." He didn't complete the statement. That gives me more reason to think there's something beneath his anger and now he's talking about the family. What exactly is between him and the family?
I decided not to push him more. When he's ready, he would tell me himself. That's if he wants to, considering his changed behavior towards me.
"The message that day...." I trailed off not sure if it's relevant to bring it up.
"Don't worry about that. It was about my friend" I nodded my head in answer. "Thank you Sadiq or should I say Nabil" A chuckle escape his mouth. He narrowly glanced at me and then turned his attention back to the road.
"You can call me Nabil but be careful, don't let anyone find out my real name is Nabil, not Sadiq"
"Worry not, your secret is safe with me" I formed a fake zip on thin air.