Dedicted to Kizzy_Dev

"Zainab...what happened to you?" He began.

She sighed heavily all looking wet and stained, unable to utter a word to him.

"What happened to you? Talk to me. I'm asking you a simple question. What did you do?"

Zainab was shattered deep inside but she couldn't help but to smile at him.

"Why do you care anyways?" She walked away from him. Everything looked awkward. And just like her smile, the sigh seemed strange and vague!

"What did you want, Idris. You came to  mock me the way your brothers did right? Just leave me alone.." Zainab muttered.

'Was it a sigh of suppressed deep sorrow and melancholy or simply a normal sigh of relief? And... Why is she smiling?' Idris wondered.

She placed a small wooden stool outside, wistfully fixing her attention to the laundry. It was three large heap of clothes for Mr. Abdullahi and his wife.

"What's wrong with you, Zee? Why don't you go and take a shower and probably change before during the lundary? You're looking so miserable."

Sunk in silence, Zainab didn't respond to her brother's questions. This made Idris so annoyed that she was always hiding everything from her. He's intensely worried about her and she's busy taking a smile and pretending as if nothing happened.

He walked to where she was sitting and grabbed her by the wrist. She pushed him away but he insisted. Idris dragged her away from the corridor, just steps away.

"Why don't you leave me alone and face your own business? What's it you want from me and why did you bring me here?!" Her voice shivered as she asked.
Idris stands directly to her, watching her eyes to eyes as she backed the wall, facing him. She looked down immediately, so confused on what to do or say.

Zainab started breathing deeply as if she were stifling and in much need of air.

He watched her feel uncomfortable in his presence as they were both hurting, deep inside. And just that moment, all Idris wanted to do was to hug her. And tell her how much he loves and cherish her but... He kept on staring as they remained silent for a while.

Until he broke the silence.

"Zainab... Sometimes, it's fine to take a few deep breaths. You may be depressed and you may not be. Either way, the best place to begin is by calming your mind, and regrouping a bit. Especially if you are still crying now."

"I'm not crying!" She fired at him, more like defending herself but to him, it was hurting. "I didn't cry!"

"Don't lie to me and stop hiding your feelings from me. As human beings sometimes, it's normal to feel bad and admit you're hurting. I'm not just your brother, Zee, I'm your friend and it's okay to share your thoughts with me. Once you do that, I want to ask you a question…What is it, that you need to know right now, that the answer, will help you?"

"Okay... I've heard you." She sniffed.

Wanting to walk away, he held her back. Hand to hand, palm to Palm. It's the first time anyone ever held her hand like that. It's stupid actually but just then, she realized Idris had a soft hands.

For no reason, she trembled once again to his single touch. He kept on staring at her all through, hoping she would heed to his words or probably just understand. Or maybe, give his a chance in her life too, the way she is with Habeebah in school.

Zainab glanced at the way he grabbed her her hands, with so much emotion as if she was trying to say... 'What's the meaning of this? Leave me alone.'

Idris gradually reduce the force of the touch as he let her go. She rolled her eyes at him sarcastically and went to her washing position. She felt so teary but she held back her feelings, pouring a quantity of detergent into the big, black baff in front of her. All she wants to do now is to focus on her washing.

It's was a large amount of dirty clothes. About hundred pieces or more. Amina knew the clothes were dirty but she didn't give her to wash since morning. Instead, she kept on gathering it till now. But poor Zainab, she had no choice but to do whatever she's asked to do whatever she's asked to do it. She's just too powerless to avoid or  abstain from such things within the Bala's family.

She picked a couple of white shirts from the picked clothes and started to wash. Idris walked to her, still staring at her as if he wanted to say something but doesn't know how to.  He just went inside but with the look of things, Idris wasn't happy. It feels as if he was hurting than Zainab is but he's trying to cover up as well.

Zainab looked back as he went inside. She let out a deep breath as she thought about what just happened. Her heart was still racing deep within her she could feel it.

'But why am I feeling this way towards him? It's as if his presence is sufforcating I just can't stand him.' She cried to herself, mentally. 'And why does he even care? I don't get.'

"Whatever!"
She looked at the passage and then back to her washing. She continued.

***

Hours Later...

Amina came to the backyard with another set of clothings. It was clothes actually but her and her husband's dirty undies. She threw them on Zainab's body as if she didn't care. Well, she didn't care anyways but her every action bring tears to Zainab's eyes.

Wash this!" She blabbed and rolled her eyes at her. Oh! I see you're only through with half of the clothes. Well, don't forget I close all the doors by 9:00 pm on dot. It's already 8:35 pm now so hurry up else, you'll sleep outside.

"Okay ma. I'll wash everything well." She complied.

"Better." She wore an evil smirk and closed the backyard door and went inside. Her and her husband were watching television with the rest of the family.

All Zainab's bones and joints were apparently weak. Her back slightly cracked she tired standing up and her poor stomach grumbled.

She stretched and yawned like a pregnant cat, well a pregnant cat isn't a good description but she felt so tired and hungry. She turn on the tap standing ten steps away from where she was washing and then rinsed the clothes before drying them on the rope. She had no choice but to wash and keep on washing, hoping she would complete it before 9:00 pm but how would she?

Meanwhile, Idris was in his room, laying on his bed heartbroken. He lied to his mum and dad that he's feeling feverish. Or maybe it's malaria. Amina gave him paracetamol to use. "Tomorrow morning, you would go to the hospital." She promised while observing his body temperature.

The truth is... Nothing is wrong with Idris. It was all because of Zainab that his mind wasn't at rest. He couldn't eat since Zainab that cooked the food haven't eaten. He was just thinking about how to help her out, maybe.

9: 00 pm came and the only thing Zainab heard was the lock of the door.

"Subhanallah! I'll have to sleep outside hungry today..." She cried to herself and fastened the washing. Scrubbing her white undergarment that had turned black over the years and wouldn't get clean. Or maybe it's clean already. She muttered to herself in fraustration, rinse and dry.

Despite the vampire-like mosquitos that were sharing to suck her tasty blood, her whole body too was freezing from the night cold and hamattarn.

She was busy fighting with both, physically and mentally when she heard the sound of family's favorite program... News Line. It's an entertaining and educative television program that starts by 9:00 pm on NTA.

It's as if Mr. Bala purposely increased the volume so she would hear. Their laughs and chats alone were audible from outside. It was as if they were throwing a party inside and she was outside in the dark, washing.

***

Words and Translations

*NTA: Nigerian Television Authority. It's a Nigerian TV channel.

*Subhanallah: Glory be to God. Muslims use it for surprise exclamation. Something like Jeez! Omg! Or what?!