THE MASKED GIRL

22

Suhail was still mad at me and didn't speak to me the entire ride to school. It made me feel bad for disappointing him but chemistry is just too much for me I can not handle it alone, he has to understand my condition.

The seating arrangements for our exams were changed immediately after our question booklets were given to us. It is something that has never happened before, we have been sitting the same way since the beginning of senior school. It was very unfortunate for me that the management chose chemistry exams day out of all days to set the new seating rule alphabetically. Maryam's seat and mine have always been opposite to each other but now that her surname starts with an A and mine with U, there is no way we can exchange sheets without getting caught. I had only written chemistry test on my own once and failed it, Maryam always had my back since then. I usually answer most of the objectives questions and one or two in the theory part, we then exchange the questions booklet when she is done and I write the remaining with the help of the guideline she inscribed on her question paper. That is how it has always been not until today, not when we are ten seats apart.

I sat for almost thirty minutes staring at my question booklet, my name was the only thing I'd written so far. I nevertheless gave it a try to at least get a pass instead of a fail and I was beyond shocked when I got almost all the questions, I found it interesting. I was the last to submit because I started late.

"Tell me you did well?" My bestie run over to me as I stepped out of the class. "Don't worry"

That is how my life goes in a blur. I graduated from high school, the freedom was so satisfying while it lasted. Along the ride I changed my mind about going to Korea, Maryam was so disappointed that I chose to stay with a guy over her which is not exactly why. I know I did really want to study out there but it will be better if I go there not for study but fun with Suhail hopely as my husband, don't judge me but a girl gotta make plans. He also wasn't happy with my choice he tried to talk me out of it but the more he advised me to not go to Nile the more I want to go.

I went out early in the morning with Maryam as it was her last day before she fly to Korea. Both our parents were out of town so we've been spending the past days going out. Believe me if I tell you we went to all the places we know in the city. I got out of the house very early without informing Suhail as I am supposed to since he is the one in charge, I didn't want to wake him up so I wrote a note for him and kept it on the dining table.

My crazy bestie bring the idea of going to Kaduna since it's close and I being crazier agreed, it's our last time together after all. We got there by train since none of us could drive the distance and her uncle lives there so her cousin became our chauffeur. He got us to a lot of places which I know if Mommy happen to find out the amount we spent my bank account will be frozen. My phone went dead and I got carried away to even bother about getting it charged and it's because we are taking the pleasure of not having our parents around. I wouldn't have dared to come to Kaduna if Mommy was not millions of miles away.

It was late before we know and we cannot spend the night because of Maryam's flight so we made Muhammad her cousin who had been our chauffeur drove us back we left around six pm in the evening. It was after I get myself together that I remembered Suhail, I forgot to tell him about leaving the town. I cannot tell how angry he would be with me if I go back and instead of worrying I slept through the entire journey.

We arrived somewhere around eight to nine pm. I helped her finish packing up which we spend more than an hour on, I cannot believe she will be going away without me.

I lay on her bed after we were done, watching her fix the posters along her walls. They covered almost every inch of her room, images of all her favorite casts, movies, music and books. I had watched the collection grow over the years and she has never taken a single poster down, I wonder how she will cope without waking up to seeing them every morning.

I wanted to spend the night but I don't want Suhail to be more mad at me so I got my things together and I don't know how I thought I had plugged my phone in charge. Muhammad offered to drive me back instead of waiting for my phone to charge and calling Suhail to come get me.

I thanked him after we reached my house and open the car to go but he stopped me saying he has something to say.

"I have been thinking of the way to approach you since I realize that the feelings won't go anywhere but I only want to do it in person. If you will give me the chance Hafsat, I will love to not call you my crush anymore" He paused and continued when he didn't get any response from me. "Will you give me the privilege of calling you my girl?"

I have known him for three years now, we first met after we were both done with junior secondary school when he came to Maryam's house for his vacation. We talked on social media a lot and I have seen the signs already but I didn't think he would be this straightforward. Where did he get this confidence from? I will be lying if I say I didn't find his proposal tempting but I am already into someone.

I didn't know of a polite way to reject him without raising his hope or hurting him. I smiled at him "I am already seeing someone"

I could see the dismay on his face before he masked it up and nodded. "At least I've told you"

I smiled at him again and I am already feeling bad but there is nothing I can do. I was taken aback when he pecked my cheek.

"Good night Hafsat"

I got out of the car in a dazed, I waved back at him as he drove off. I turned around to go into the house only to be met with Suhail's cold stare.