Read Chapter 3&4 HERE
Chapter Five.
Hadizat stared intently at the computer screen. She had spent over an hour at the e-library yet she was no closer to getting the answers she needed than when she walked in. She was getting quite frustrated and if not because she was determined to complete her research that day, she would have stormed out of the e-library and headed to her hostel for a much needed cool shower and hot chocolate drink.
Hadizat frowned unconsciously and narrowed her eyes as she read what was on the computer screen.
“Methods of Interpretation”, she mouthed. “But, why can’t I find …?
“The context rule?” A voice broke into her soliloquy.
Hadizat froze.
“It’s him!” She screamed in her mind.
Timi.
Outwardly, she turned to him with a smile and extended her hand for a hand shake.
“Hello Timi”, she greeted.
“Hello Hadizat”, he smiled. “So, what do we have here?” Timi asked as he pulled up a chair next to hers.
Hadizat swallowed. She was not used to talking to boys about things. Her brother Mustapha was different. He was…. well… her brother. Abdulmahmud was different too. She hated his guts and that made it easier to tell him off boldly.
But, Timi… Timi was a different breed and it wasn’t just because of his smile and social nature. He was just … special.
Hadizat remembered the nights she had dreamt of him and how giddy she felt anytime he looked at her. She recalled the pang of jealousy that lit up like a flame in her chest anytime she saw him giving out his smiles liberally to other girls or being of assistance to them just like he was to her as well. Hadizat was still not sure what love was. “But”, she thought. “If I knew, would it be any different from how I feel about Timi?”
“Hadizat?” Timi called.
No response.
“Hadizat.”
No response.
“Hadi!” He raised his voice a notch higher.
“Yes?” Hadizat jolted out of her reverie. “What is it?”
“Oh oh”, Timi laughed. “So, you no longer answer Hadizat? Only Hadi.”
Hadizat smiled. Inwardly, she promised herself to never go blank during a conversation, especially not with Timi. Every moment spent with him was too precious.
“Well, from now on, I’ll only call you Hadi.” Tim resolved.
“Only my mother calls me that.” Hadizat laughed.
“From now on, it’s your mother and I.”
They both laughed.
“Okay Hadi.” What’s up with the research?”
Hadizat smiled. She liked him calling her Hadi. The name rolled off his tongue like honey. She smiled again before she answered the question.
“Okay, I was searching for the …”
Chapter Six
Hadizat pulled her hijab tighter as she walked back to her hostel. She had been at ABUAD for over a year now. She was now a second year law student. School life had been fun for her so far. Fun because she was no longer subject to some stringent rules she had been subject to when she was at home. She still kept to herself mostly but she had made some friends. First was Timilehin Gbadebo. She simply called him Timi. She still harboured feelings for him but she was certain he had no idea.
She had also grown to like her roommates – Deola, a third year student in the Department of Social Sciences and Rasheedat, a second year student in the Theatre Arts Department. In class, another girl had drawn closer to her. Hadizat couldn’t call her a friend exactly but asides Timi, Bola was the closest person to her.
As she walked, Hadizat reminisced on her recent holiday. She had gone to Akure, Ondo State and boarded a flight to Abuja and another from Abuja to Yola, Adamawa State. Her mother had been on ground to receive her. Rukayat and Munirat were at boarding school. She could only spend a month home before she had to resume school. Her father was at home for only one week of that month. As usual when he was around, Hadizat and her mother together with the two servants tiptoed about as though there were broken bottles on the floor. When he travelled, everyone breathed with a sigh of relief.
“Hadizat! Hadizat!” A male voice called.
Hadizat frowned.
Mahmud.
“What does this guy want?” Hadizat frowned in disgust. She decided not to reply but to keep on walking.
The call continued and became closer and closer.
“Hadizat! Hadizat!”
Hadizat kept on walking.
“Why can’t the hostel be any closer?” She wondered.
In the past one year, Abdulmahmud had kept on pushing his suit whenever he saw her. Sometimes, he stood outside the gate of her faculty waiting for her to come out.
Hadizat wondered if he didn’t have something better to do instead of following her like a puppy. “Or could he just be interested in another girl?” She mused.
“Hadizat!” Mahmud panted as he finally got close to her. “I’ve been calling you. Didn’t you hear me?”
“Good afternoon Mahmud. Yaya kaki?”
“Lafiya. Kalao?” Mahmud responded heartily.
“Lafiya. I want to get to my hostel”, Hadizat answered.
“Really? Can I come?” Mahmud asked before he noticed Hadizat’s dazed expression.
“Well, I don’t know what you know about girls and hostels but, I assure you that no man enters my bedroom. So, don’t ever suggest such foolish things to me again.”
Hadizat noticed she was trembling. How could he…?
“I’m sorry Hadizat. I just thought …”
“Stop thinking of it, okay. I am never going to be your girlfriend!” She stormed off angrily, completed the walk to the hostel and made herself a cup of hot chocolate. She needed it to think after the incident with Mahmud.
She grew angry again as she thought of his offer to come to her hostel.
“What impudence?” She raged. “What arrogance!”
Thanks for reading…To be continued next week🥰😍🥰
[…] Read Chapter 5&6 HERE […]