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Two weeks passed in a blink of an eye. Thankfully, things had been going really great for me-health-wise and studies. Ajoke had resumed, but sister Hauwa was yet to. Though Hala and Ajoke still didn't get along good, their level of tolerance had tremendously waxed. I was grateful for that, because, phew! I wouldn't have to be settling fights every now and then. For me, it was a great relief.

Above all, Jawaad and I were really getting along perfectly. Ever since he sent that message two weeks ago, we had been chatting on daily basis. In that span of time, I had gotten to know a lot about him...likewise him. I had no idea he was a sportsman, until he mentioned it. I found that attractive. I was impressed, because I equally enjoyed sport to some extent.

I rolled over in my bed, facing the white wall. A smile curled up my lips when I heard my cellphone beep. I quickly reached for it, but on unlocking it, I rolled my eyes in disappointment. It was Sunday and noon already, Jawaad hadn't messaged me. For some inexplicable reason, I felt something was wrong somewhere, because it was atypical of him. I wasn't supposed to be that worried over something as trivial as that, but I couldn't help it. I didn't know when or how he did it, but he had effortlessly made me consecrated to chatting with him. It was folly.

"Manal, are you sure you're alright?" Ajoke inquired. She was seated beside the foot of the bunk she and Sister Hauwa shared, eating from a pot.

"Huh?" I turned around, now facing her.

"You seem disturbed." She observed. "Restless." She added. "What's on your mind? Expecting a call?"

"A message." I corrected. Though we were consistent in chatting, we had never for once spoken over the phone. Uncanny, but I preferred it that way. I was somewhat not ready to speak to him over the phone. I couldn't explain the feeling.

"From who? Your parents?" She asked, scooping a spoonful of jollof rice into her mouth.

"No...not them." I replied in a low-pitched voice.

"Oh!" She wiggled her brows, teasingly. "From your boyfrien-"

"No!" I quickly cut her off. "The person is merely a friend." Yes. Friend. That was the only term I could think of to use to describe him. So far, we had only conversed like friends would. He hadn't given me an hint that he liked me...in that way. Sometimes, I felt he was only keeping up with me, because I was his younger sister's friend and nothing else. I just hoped not, because it would without a doubt shatter my heart. My hopes were already high into the skies.

"Merely a friend." She huffed. "Why the emphasis though?"

"So you'd be convinced." I deadpanned.

"Okay." She nonchalant shrugged. "Why hasn't the person messaged you yet?"

"I don't know." I repressed the urge to snap at her. "I'm worried because I have no idea."

"Have you tried giving the person a call?"

"No." I blurted.

Her eyes dilated a little. "You haven't? Why is that?"

"Because..." My voice trailed. "I don't want it to seem like I'm desperate for his attention."

"A caught!" Ajoke chuckled.

I furrowed my brows in incomprehension. "What?"

"I don't want it to seem like I'm desperate for his attention." She mimicked and laid emphasis on 'his'.

"He's a male friend." I narrowed my eyes at her. "If I'm not mistaken, you have male friends too."

"Okay..." She yawned. "If you say so."

"That's just it."

"Fine. If you're so worried about not hearing from him, why haven't you reached out to him yet?"

"Because..." I exhaled. "Because I'm always the one to start conversations with him. I don't want it to seem like I'm the one chasing after him."

Ajoke chuckled.

A wave of discombobulation instantly surmounted me. I shouldn't have uttered my last statement. We weren't even that close. I had no idea why I was blurting out things to her-things I hadn't even told Hala.

"And is that how it is?"

"Of course not!" I rebuffed. "I'd never chase after a man."

"If that's the case, then you shouldn't worry about it seeming like you're chase after him-after all, you aren't, right?"

"Yeah..." I forced a smile. At this point, I just wanted to dead the conversation with her.

"You're going to call, right?"

I hummed in response.

"You s-"

"I'm back!" Hala's high-pitched voice brusquely cut Ajoke off.

"The witch is back." Ajoke muttered underneath her breath.

I shook my head at that.

"What was that?" Hala sneered.

"It's nothing." I was quick to respond. I was pretty sure Hala heard the remark, because Ajoke wasn't exactly quiet enough. "Just ignore." I placed a hand on her shoulder.

"No," she shrugged off my hand. "I'm sure she said something. I want her to say it to my face if she isn't afraid."

"Afraid of who? You?" Ajoke chuckled. "You're so delusional."

Here we go again..

"Last I checked, being delusional is actually a million times better than being a coward!" Hala retorted.

"Can you please stop this, Hala?" I beseeched. The last thing I wanted at the moment, was for them begin one of their senseless altercations.

"Me?" She narrowed her eyes at me. "Seriously? Don't act deaf, Manal! You heard her call me a witch, didn't you? Why don't you apply the same energy and tell her to stop?"

"You're blowing things out of proportion." I stated.

"Abeg, just ignore the lunatic." Ajoke hissed.

Provoked, Hala gritted her teeth. She was obviously trying to contain her anger. And Ajoke wasn't helping matters.

"You're referring to yourself, right? Because between the both of us, you're the one who clearly looks like a mad woman, idiot." Hala's comeback really hit Ajoke hard. Her facial expression sold her out. "Instead of you to respect your old age, you will be there acting like a kid."

"Hal-"

"Don't even mention my name." Anger dripped off Hala's voice. "This is none of your business. Stay in your lane."

Ajoke burst into laughter. "Manal, the earlier you disassociate yourself with this psycho, the better it'd be for you. She has no respect for anyone. I bet that's the way she talks to her parents at home. Werey!"

"Please stop this, Ajoke." I pleaded. "Why can't you both just get along? Is that so difficult?"

Hala rolled her eyes at me and flung her bag across her bed. "This is sickening. I need to breathe."

"Hala." If I was being sincere, I had no idea what I was supposed to say to her to calm her, but nonetheless, I called.

She stopped to glare at me before walking out of the room.

I sighed.

"Don't bother trying to talk to that her. Dah girl no geh sense."

Just like you.

I wanted to say that to her, but for peace to reign, I had to let it go. I ignored her and walked out of the room with the hope of catching up with Hala's pace, but to my disappointment, she was nowhere in sight. "Maybe she's on the rooftop."

I made my way to the rooftop and behold, Hala was standing there; her back turned on me. I couldn't see her face, but judging by the way her shoulder seemed tensed, I couldn't tell she was boiling.

Slowly, I walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

She flinched, but regained her composure almost immediately.

"Hala..." I called in a soft voice.

As expected, she snubbed me.

"Are you still angry about what happened earlier?" The moment the question emerged from my lips, I wished I could take it back. Of course she was! Even a daft person would know.

"Just leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you right now, because I might say hurtful stuff to you."

For some reason, I became nervous. I had witnessed Hala get angry a couple of times, but at the very moment, it seemed her anger was channeled to me. She didn't just sound angry, but furious. "I just want to talk to you."

"Don't you get it?" She turned around; her nose flaring. "I. Do. Not. Want. To. Talk. To. You."

Her tone got me startled. She sounded like an entire different person-possessed by an evil spirit. "Why?" I dared to ask.

"Don't be stupi-" she abruptly cut herself off. "You see why I told you to leave me alone? When I'm angry at someone I care about, I prefer to stay silent, because you won't like the things I will say to you. I left the room for you guys, do you want me to leave here for you as well?"

Hala's first statement took me by surprise. I couldn't believe she actually called me stupid. Me!

"Just get away from me, Manal."

"Fine." I responded. "You can stay angry all you want. I just wanted to talk to you, but it's obvious you're not interested." I turned to leave, but turned back around to add to what I had just said. "And yes, thanks for the insult."

"...wait," Hala stopped me before I could walk away. "I'm sorry." Her voice was low-almost incoherent-arcane. "I'm sorry." She repeated, this time, her voice clearer.

I wanted to walk away, but for some reason, I decided to stay back and listen to what she had to say.

"I didn't want to say anything I'd regret later, that's the reason I asked you to go away." She heaved a deep sigh, probably to diminish some anger. "I'm usually this way when I get angry. I say things I don't mean."

I rolled my eyes. "And you had to transfer the aggression on me. What did I do?"

"What did you do?" She shook her head in derision. "I don't want to believe you actually are oblivious to what you did."

"I actually am."

"Let it go then."

"No, tell me. Was I the one who insulted you?"

She sneered. "You weren't, but you fueled it. Ajoke wouldn't have carried on if you had kept quiet, but because you wanted to look like a peaceful and nice person, you had to take sides with her. Miss goody-two-shoes." She huffed.

"I. Didn't. Take. Sides. With. Anyone." I enunciated each word for it to stick to her brain.

"It didn't seem so though."

"But that was what it was."

"Lol. Indeed. By asking me to stop when it wasn't me who started the rubbish. Interesting."

"I asked you to stop, because I'm closer to you and I believe you're more sensible." I heaved a sigh of fatigue. "I knew Ajoke wouldn't listen to me, hence I spoke to you instead. I didn't want things to escalate." I explained. "Between the both of you, you know I'd always choose you, right?"

"I know." Hala shut her eyes and reopened in an instant. "I was just furious because I couldn't say the disdainful words I wanted to say to her and to top it all, I thought my best friend was taking her side."

"I wasn't."

"Now I know." She smiled. "Thanks for explaining and...sorry for the insult. I really need to get a filter over my mouth." She chuckled. "Are you mad at me?"

"I was." I admitted. "But not anymore. I was really worried about you, that's why I followed."

Hala walked closer to me and wrapped her arms around you. "Among all of my friends, you're the one I care for the most. You always understand me. Thanks, Amiga."

I smiled and wrapped my arms around her too. "Thanks too."

"For what?"

"For everything." I disentangled my arms from around her. "You're a true friend to the people you care about."

"Yeah, until I get betrayed. I can easily switch from being friendly to a vile demon." She scrunched up her face, imitating the demon she said she could be.

My heart fell. "What?"

"Just kidding." She burst out laughing.

•

Assalamualaikum/hello!

How are you doing? Sorry for the inconvenience yesterday 🙏

Yo, Hala is scary 😩 If I were in this book, I'd be scared of her 😂😂

Above all, do you think Hala is a true friend?

Let's hear it all!🤸🤸

I'm going to update tomorrow, but for that, let's meet up with this Target 😋

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