ENSHROUDED

28

As soon as Abba got down the floor, he smiled to himself and he brought his phone to his face. He dialled Nuriyya's number and smiled at himself. He wanted to surprise him. At first, he thought he can wait until tomorrow to meet her but he realized he couldn't. He just had to see her keep him sane after all the chaos that had been happening in his life lately.

"Abba na!" She called, that's what she called him. And whenever Nuriyya's voice uttered Abba na with so much possession, he felt walking on the cloud nine. How she drawled the name and made sure the 'na' she added to his name wasn't just there as a decorator. He was hers and she was his.

"Nuriyya," he called and got into his car. As he put on his seatbelt, he smiled again, "Where are you now?"

"I'm not home, at a friend's birthday party. What?" She asked, walking away from the crowd. She was really in love with Abba.

They met on the first day she first came to the university as a student, and from then; he made sure he nurtured his love in her heart. "Where's the location? I need to see you, Nuriyya, I can't wait until tomorrow."

She shrieked, "Oh my god! You're back already? I thought you were only saying it when you told me that on Saturday. I was planning to leave, but I'll wait for you. I'll send you the address now." Excitedly, Nuriyya ended the call and texted him the address.

It was the most beautiful hotel in Taraba, it had all such of resting places and they had reserved the whole of its restaurant. Abba looked at the address she sent him and ignited his car on. He couldn't wait to see Nuriyya. He drove until he got to the hotel and parked at the parking lot, looking up at the name, he read it out loud. 'A & H Hotels.' Maybe the owner of the hotel and his wife's name, the thought roughly crossed his mind as he walked inside.

He knew they were at the restaurant, he asked one of the people he saw passing by and they pointed at the restaurant for him. As he walked inside, Abba spotted Nuriyya seated on a seat, alone, as she chatted away in her phone. He heaved a sigh he didn't know he was holding. He had missed her so much over the week he had spent in Bauchi, it was no good for him; living away from Nuriyya.

He walked to her and sat down on the chair beside her. She seemed to be so much engrossed that she didn't know he was there until he planted a smooch on her left cheek. She looked startled, but the moment she looked up and saw it was him; she shrieked and hugged him. "Abba na, I'm glad you came back." She broke into tears, and he patted her back in a comforting way.

"It's alright, Nuriyya. I'm here now, right? How much did you miss me?" He asked, with a glint of happiness and love in his eyes. Intensely, he stared at her face and how she smiled looked much more like an enchanting spell than a mere smile.

She was beautiful in her unique ways, even though he can loudly admit that Aisha was more beautiful, but it didn't matter because Nuriyya was the one he loved. "I missed you this much!" She spread apart her hands widely and he chuckled at her innocence. Her eyes spoke her love for him whenever she stared at him. He felt that way and even more for her.

"What will you like to eat?" He called a waiter and asked of their menu, this was the first time he had been in this restaurant, or rather; this hotel.

"I'm full, but I'd love to see you eat." He smiled and choose among the menu. He looked around and the birthday girl with her friends was dancing to slow music. He fell in love with the place at the instant.

"Won't you dance?" He asked and smiled at her. She looked confused, and he motioned towards her friends for her.

"Oh," she smiled warmly and shook her head. "I won't, do you want to?"  She asked. Just then, the waiter placed his dinner before him and he nodded his head at him appreciatively.