OCTOBER 10TH

TWENTY SIX

BAUCHI STATE, NIGERIA.

"How is that and what do you mean? We were only friends for months before feelings started jumbling much later." She frowned, leaning closer and regretting not accepting that sprite he's offered her earlier. He is slowly sipping it through a straw while he explained things to her. Should she ask for it?

Dr. Ali shrugged his shoulders, removed a few papers from another file and gave it to her. She read aloud the dark huge blocks at the top of the paper. "OLD, Obsessive Love Disorder."

She frowned again, her eyes raising to give him an inquiring glance. What does it mean? What is this man implying now? "This is every bit related to you. But let me explain first before we jump into how it happened and what had occurred."

"I think you need that cold drink, Ma'am. Things won't be getting any easier but the exact opposite." He stood up with a knowing grin, went to the fridge and removed something then stopped and threw her a look from across his shoulder. "Carbonated or non-carbonated?"

Her face heat up with shyness, she needs it so whatever it is he's put inside won't matter to her at this rate. Like he's said, things won't get interesting but he exact opposite, she's already sighted it. "Carbonated please."

He came back with Sprite, chilled one and a wine glass then place it in front of her. Mahnoor didn't bother using the wine glass, just uncapped the the rubber and quaffed down a large gulp, some of it running down the side of her mouth to her hijab. She scowled at the hijab then tried cleaning to no avail so she removed a tissue from the box on his table and cleaned her face. She should at least look presentable. She should stop taking these things in public, she always looks like a desperate clown. Passing a sheepish smile, she said. "My apologies, I'm a bit clumsy. You can start now."

He grinned at her adolescence, childish just like Aman had complained but in a charming way. "Obsessive love disorder OLD, refers to a condition where you become obsessed with one person you think you may be in love with. You might feel the need to protect your loved one obsessively, or even become controlling of them as if they were a possession."

Mahnoor caught his breath. "Why are you telling me this? Who is the one diagnosed with the love obsessive whatever? You are not revealing everything, it's too tight for my stressed brain to interpret."

"That should be Asad. He had obsessive love disorder."

She glared at him. She is starting to not believe anything he is saying. He said they have another disorder aside which sounds awfully the same but he explained it out that they aren't and now Asad had another disorder she does not know of? Are they even telling her the truth or plotting more ways to make her life more miserable? Dr. Ali looks nice but she can never trust Aman, he wants to see her always in pain for a tiny mistake. She'd agree everyday that he has mental disorder but her Asad, he is free from that.

Patiently, Dr. Ali gestured to the file in front of her that she should go through it. "I'm getting there. You are going to answer a few of my questions so we can make things easier." She gave a confused perplexed nod. "The symptoms are not always visible to people except the ones with the same problem. It starts from an overwhelming attraction to one person, obsessive thoughts about the person, feeling the need to 'protect' the person you're in love with, possessive thoughts and actions, extreme jealousy over other interpersonal interactions. So let's move on a bit with more questions so you won't feel left out.

"In all your stay with Asad, have you noticed repeated texts, emails, and phone calls or a constant need for reassurance from Asad?" He cocked his head to the side, taking off a pen from the table and playing with it while her brows danced in concentration.