ENSHROUDED

The hot waves of the sun splashed on her face as she got down from the tricycle she hired. She heard the sound her stomach made, reminding her of the hours she took without putting anything into her stomach. She put back her veil on and handed the man one thousand naira note. He scrunched up his face. "I don't have any change with me, Hajia." He didn't even collect the money and she stood there looking at him. She was at the verge of bursting into tears. If only this man knew how tired, hungry and sleepy she was. "What are we going to do then, Mallam?" She asked, looking around their area. She had no idea where she was going to get this change, and going into their house is not even the option. Because she knew her mother wasn't even around. "Won't you look around one of these shops? Or that supermarket?" He suggested, and she heaved a sigh and walked towards the supermarket. She was acquainted with one of the workers there, and she prayed he was around to save her today. She entered the supermarket and went over to the counter, and fortunately for her; he was around. "Hajia Aisha, how are you?" He smiled upon sighting her, and she smiled back. She placed her hands over the counter and rested her head on it, she was truly tired. "Bilya, please I want you to help me with some change, the rider of the tricycle I hired has no change in him." She handed him the one thousand naira note and he hesitated before collecting the money. "I'm sorry, Hajia Aisha, but I don't have change either. But how much do you need to give him?" "It's three hundred naira. If you have it, give me please. I'll come back later for the change." She thanked him when he gave her the money and rushed outside. She gave the rider his money and brought out her key from her bag. She opened the house and entered, as she walked directly to her room. She was doing her registration in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, University, Bauchi state. And it was taking a toll in her. She had to wake up early and leave, but still; she will find a long queue at the school waiting for her. She was glad she had finished everything today and was to start going for her lectures next week. A call came through her phone after she already had her bathe and prayed her Zuhr salah. She sighed and pulled the phone out of her bag, and her mother's name appeared. She picked the call and placed it on her left ear. "Hello Mommy," she drawled, awaiting whatever it is she called to tell her. Mommy smiled from the other end of the phone, she felt it. "Humaira, I hope you're back from the school?" She asked. Aisha nodded as if she could see her, "Yes Mommy, some minutes ago. I've had my bathe already. When are you coming back?" She knew asking this question was pointless. Because Mommy had never came back home early, even if she did, she had to go out again. "I have a business to attend to, Humaira. I've cooked you some food before I left, you just have to warm it and eat. Also, on the generator if there's no light. Don't ever open the door unless you hear my voice. Humaira, if you..."  Aisha chuckled a little and cut her Mommy off, if this wasn't Mommy's mantra. She would love to know what is. "If I see any guy intruder, I should call you immediately. But if I couldn't at the moment, there is rod you kept under the three sitter sofa, one under my bed, and the other below your mirror. I should protect myself at all cost. I know it all, Mommy. Don't worry, I will be safe." "That's my girl. If you're going somewhere, call me before you do so." "I have to go to the supermarket and collect my change from Bilya, I had no change with me to pay the rider of the tricycle that I had to collect it from him." She informed, as she stood up and started walking to the kitchen. "Okay you can, but please take care of yourself and be safe, Humaira. I'll be back soon." With that, they hung up the call and Humaira waited as she warmed up the food Mommy cooked for her. She was bothered, so much bothered about this business of Mommy that she didn't know of. What is the business that will keep her late at night? That too, every blessed day? What she was thankful for was, she had never slept outside. She ate her food while she watched the rerun of a program in Arewa24. She loved the program so much that she didn't noticed it was only minutes before they proclaimed the maghrib adzan. She rushed to her room and took her long knee length hijab from her wardrobe. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled, she looked cute and beautiful.  "Assalamu Alaikum, Bilya," she called as she placed her hands on the counter, yet again. Bilya turned and smiled at her. "Hajia Aisha. You're back already? I thought I'll bring you the change myself. Here it is." He handed her seven hundred naira notes, smiling. "Wait, hold it Bilya. Let me surf through this mall, I'm craving for some chocolate." She said and walked away without even looking at him. Bilya smiled at himself, he had always liked Aisha ever since they came to live in the area. The supermarket was only a street away from their house. She was a very nice and humble girl. She was walking around the mall, she picked up the chocolates she wanted and walked back the counter. "Here it is, Bilya. How much is it then?" "It's 600." He said and printed our her receipt. Aisha collected her receipt together with the nylon he put her chocolates in and asked him to keep the change for himself. He thanked her and off she went. While crossing the road, Aisha's attention wasn't on the road, she was so deep in thought that she didn't know she was about to be hit by a car. The driver honked at her before he made an abrupt halt in the road. She screamed and went to her knees, not that he had touched even a hair on her body. "What the hell are you doing? Are you blind or deaf?" The driver came out, shouting at the pitch of his lungs. She looked at him and tears succesfully made their ways out of her eye locks. "I was lost, sorry please." She managed to apologize between her tears, she was so terrified at the moment. She wished she had waited for Mommy to come back and escorted or even waited until tomorrow before she came to the mall for her change. "Sorry my foot! If I was driving recklessly, what do you think would have happened?" Before she could get a hold of her words, the other man sitting on the passenger's seat hopped out and held his shoulders. "Calm down, Jaafar. Can't you see she's just a girl? And she has apologised for her mistake. Be careful next time, young lady." "Some of these girls are senseless, Nasir. How can you walk on a road and be lost in thoughts?" What he said had angered Aisha. She was never the one to get angry, not that she interfered with so much people. It was always Mommy and Mommy again. And even at school, she had no friends. "Haven't I apologised to you? Then why will you say I'm senseless? I guess you're the one being senseless here." She rolled her eyes at them and walked away. She heaved a sigh when she was sure she had locked the door. Because she practically raced back home. "You see what I'm telling you? You have to be careful with these girls, Jaafar. Your anger will only cause you more humiliation." Nasir laughed as they hopped into the car and drove away. "I pray we meet again with this girl, she will surely regret this." Jaafar avowed, Nasir could only shook his head. He knew his friend so well to know that he will never let this slide. He prayed they never met. Aisha sat down quietly on her bed as she waited for Isha Prayer. She was so tired of staying at home without even a maid to chat with. Mommy didn't trust even women around her not to talk of men. That's why she never got her a driver and she didn't trust her enough to drive herself. It was until 11:30pm that Mommy called her and asked her to open the gate for her. She did and hugged Mommy as soon as she walked out of the car. "Mommy, I miss you so much. Please you need to get me someone to live with. Even a maid could do." "No, Humaira. Aren't you starting school on Monday? You have to read always when I'm not home. People are not to be trusted, that's why I want you to get used to living alone. You can only trust me, no one after that."  "It's okay Mommy. Let's get in. Have you bought me the ice cream please?" Aisha asked with a childish smile. She was just 17 years after all. Mommy patted her head. "How could I forget about that, Humaira? It's here." She handed her the nylon and Aisha kissed her on the cheeks before they all walked inside the house.  She licked her ice cream as she waited for Mommy to take her bathe so they could catch up about how their days went. She walked out with a fresh look and her pyjamas on. As soon as she sat down, Aisha placed her head on her laps and began telling her about their encounter with that crazy guy, as she named him. "Humaira!" Mommy freaked out and made her sat down, they were facing each other now. "Don't you ever do that again, do you hear me? Humaira guys can be evil, what if he does something to you? I don't care if he is to slap or beat you, I'll just take him to the police station. But what if rips you off your dignity?" "Mommy how can he do that? Just because I said he's the senseless one? How won't dare!" Aisha pouted her lips and looked away from Mommy. Mommy sighed and placed Aisha back on her laps, "You need to understand something, Humaira. Fear guys at all cost, don't you ever let yourself get involved with a guy in a bad way, not even in the good way. They are not to be trusted."  Aisha looked up to Mommy and asked the question that had been gnawing at her, "Mommy why do you always say I shouldn't trust a guy? Has a guy ever done something to you?" "I'll tell you everything someday, but for now, do as I say, Humaira. Will you?"  "Yes Mommy, I promise." "Now, that's my baby girl!" She planted a kiss on her forehead and they had a little chat before they called it a day. Mommy made sure she tucked Aisha in her bed before she went to her room. As it was a tradition for her, she cried in the sanctuary of her room. When she was sure that Aisha was already past asleep. She cried until she couldn't feel her chest anymore. It was painful, as if all the years that passed were just a blink of an eye. It was a fresh, a new wound. Just like it happened yesterday.  She moved to her bed and pulled out her diary, it was a routine to her, she always wrote every night before she fell asleep. It was her safe zone.  * It was monday already, the first class Aisha had was by 8am and she had totally forgotten. They went out with Mommy yesterday night and they didn't come back until it was after midnight, hence she overslept. Mommy walked into her room and found her cuddled into her blanket, she smiled and walked to the bed. "Humaira..." she tapped her shoulder softly and Aisha only groaned, she was sleepy. "Humaira, you said you have class by 8am. As a good student, by 8:15am you're not supposed to be sleeping." Before Mommy closed her mouth, Aisha had already jerked awake, she placed both her hands on her chest and widely looked at the clock. "Mommy! I'm late!" She cried and didn't wait for what Mommy had to say before she ran into the bathroom and she heard as Momny chuckled and went to the kitchen to make her a sharp breakfast.  As fast as she could, Aisha was out of the toilet in the blink of an eye. She rushed to her mirror and applied her lotion. She loved doing a simple makeup which Mommy had always complained about, but today she had no time for it. She wore an ankara gown that had long sleeves before she took her handbag and was out of the room in a flash. "Mommy! I'm done, let's leave!" Aisha shouted and Mommy was out of her room as fast as she could. If not because she had promised Aisha that she will drop her at school today, she knew she would've already left without her. "Let's leave, Humaira. Take this, you'll eat in the car." And as they drove to ATBU, Aisha ate her breakfast while Mommy was busy picking her calls. She dropped her off and Aisha turned to her side and gave her a hug. "Thank you, Mommy. Drive safely." "I will, Humaira. Take care of yourself." And Aisha practically ran to her lecture room. She looked at her wristwatch and the time read 8:49am. He had already entered and started lecturing. She braced herself up and pushed the the door to the hall. She was midway into the hall, before she found the seat to sit down, she heard the lecturer's voice as he turned from the board, where he wrote his name; Jaafar Muhammad Kailani. "Hey! What are you here for?" He asked, and the moment their eyes met, she knew she had met her nemesis in ATBU. "I'm here for the lectures, sir." She managed to speak, despite the way her heart was racing to and fro in her chest. Why did she choose to be out of her character with this guy? And the worst part of it is he was now her university lecture. She was doomed, and she knew it. "What time is it?" He asked again. She can see, he was trying to humiliate her in front of her course mates.  "8:51am, sir." "Now, get out of my class. When you learn when to wake up early to come to class, you can come back next week."  Aisha's eyes started getting misty, "Sir..." "Get out of my class!!!" He thundered and she felt as the tears finally spilled out. And she heard as the roar of laughter arose from the occupants of the hall. What a day to remember.