Noorur-rahman

Moody Noorie

Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran: “Call on Me; I will respond to you” (Quran, 40:60).

Noorur-rahman opened her eyes slightly and could feel the throbbing pain in her head, it's excruciating. She could see the morning sunlight peeking from the heavy white curtains that enclosed her window. Yet, she let her eyes close again perhaps drifting back to sleep again.

Last night, she'd cried herself to sleep for no good reason at all. She was so disturbed that crying became a necessity and the result of her crazed act produced a terrible headache. It's the day after her last exam.

Two days later....

Mubin could have bet his life, but he was dead sure Noorur-Rahman wouldn't show up there. As a part of the tradition, the school  prepared  picnic for the leaving students and because of the boarding  students, few teachers were assigned for their supervision. He could have declined the offer to go with the students, since he usually does a lot on thursdays. But he didn't.

There he was amidst teenagers stretching his neck like a giraffe, on his day off. He could have gone out or do whatever, but there he was hoping. "Ms. Adam isn't coming!" A voice from behind him declared, voicing out his thought.

He turned around to see Mr Uche, the math teacher. He appeared displeased for some reason or maybe it was his concerned for the absentee that got him looking so dulled up.

Mubin exhaled, that's a relief! His mind suddenly calming itself. It helped the muscle on his forehead to loosen. The thought was suffocating him already. Perhaps, it's not  unusual that he's concern. If Mr Uche is concerned  for her absentee, then it's only natural for a teacher even like him to worry about things like that. But then, hasn't he always been concerned about her?

He just knew her, whilst Mr Uche knew her for the longest time. He even heard that Noorur-rahman Adam is the maths teacher's favorite, the mathematics champion. He sneered at his own thought, the mathematics champion. He wonder if they'll get over the fact that the girl is leaving or already left.

"I knew she was different, socially. But I never thought she will miss things like these. Only few get to understands her." Mr Uche added after a while, his attentive eyes, keenly staring at the students that weren't conscious of them at all.

When Mubin look at him questioningly as if he didn't know who he was talking about, Mr Uche take the name again."I am talking about Ms.Adam."

"Oh!" He half smile as if he's not interested in what his colleague is saying.

"She's the smartest girl I have seen in a while, but there is something about her. I call it a mathematical instinct. You'll think she is arrogant. But I say it's something else. She better show up for the graduation ceremony. I will have to call her father for that to make sure she don't miss it."

"She is the school icon, I am sure she will come." She loves the attention. If he may add. And now he is being told she is not arrogant.

"With Ms. Adam it's always a guessing game. You never know." Mr Uche said in jest, in his mostly lilting voice.

"Has she always been like that?" Mubin asked apathetically.

"Yes, she is that and beyond, always doing her own things, she is a puzzle I couldn't solve." He spoke fondly with a smile, at the same time the photographer arrived not giving Mubin any chance to ask more to quest his curiosity. All he could do is wonder why, looking around at the happy faces of the students. He's sure he wouldn't miss something like that if he were their age.

.....

Cuddling a bowl of gizzards dodo between her thighs, Noor continue digging in absently, staring at the sky. Mayhaps she was dazzled by the evening sun that cast a long shadows on the ground. The slanting rays of the setting sun gave a warm orange tinge to the sky. It's magnificent, and there above the sky, the sun and all that height, there is The Great One that always listen. Noor thought and she wonder if He will listen if she ever asked. It isn't like she has never prayed before or believed, she even used to enjoy talking to the Almighty as a child. Albeit, She is sure he won't listen to her now. It'd been such a long a time.