Perks of being kanuri.

chap 2

Abu hurairah (may Allah be please with him). REPORTED : messenger of Allah 《PBUH》said , the believers who show the most perfect fate, are whose who have the best behaviour , and best of you are those who are best to their wifes. [ At- tirmidhiz].
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Immediately after the morning assembly, without making any fuzz or scooping in the early hours of the morning like the rest of the students,  I sauntered off to class and sat quietly at the back, where i could have my thoughts to myself.

I was so engrossed in my thoughts, that I had no idea when the teacher came in or when he started teaching.
How could mah do this to me , the thought of mah giving my hands out at this age kept rotating in my head. The thought took me to a abyss.

Mr.oba our maths teacher snapped me out of my thoughts.
"Fatima shehu" he hollered.
"Yes sir" I answered .
"Are you with us" he asked.
Splitting my eyes from me , my hands and the empty page of the book in front of me, I decided to speak.
"Yes sir", I lied.
"Well, what did I say last" asked Mr. Oba trying to catch me in my bed of lies.
"I..I." I tried to mutter something out when he stopped me.
"Stand up before you answer me " he hissed making his way to my seat.
I stood up to answer him but then forget the lie I had cooked up to tell him earlier.
I was mute, unable to say anything, i could feel everyone's stare on me.
" thought as much , keep standing" said Mr. Oba.
Disappointed, he turned and retire back to his post, which is the white board.

I stood for a really long time, I could feel my legs breaking into pieces.
I stood for the rest of the class.
I sighed , as the bell rang for the next class.

The next three classes were not any better.
my head was still far away but luckily,  I wasn't in trouble with the teachers.

My friend Maryam came to my seat during the break.
She was one of my best friends, our friendship goes way back to when we were toddlers.
I think my mum borrowed her diapers and thus the starts of an amazing friendship.

"Falmata what's wrong" asked Maryam.
I raised my head from the text book I had opened earlier, to seem engage in everyone's eyes.
"Nothing" I replied.
"Lies, lies ,You're lieing" she said trying to fish me out " you were hardly attentive in class today , through out".

Taking a sit next to me "That's so unlike you.
Something must be wrong" said Maryam.
Unable to lie, I gave into the truth.
"Maryam I. .A. m..g..e..t..t..I. .n..g." I said in between tears.
"Stop stammering Falmata, and speak clearly" she said grabbing a juice box from her purse.
"I can't hear you, like this" she pierced the juice box.
"I a..m get. t..I. .n..g..ma..r.r..I. .e..d"  I said stuttering the words once again.
"Wait what?" She spits out the juice she had taken, "what did I just hear you say?" .
"Did i hear you right almost "yelled Maryam unable to believe her ears .
"Marriage " she shook her head .
"Yes", I nodded my head in response, handing her a napkin to clean up.
"Is that a joke?" asked maryam.
" Now why will I joke on something this serious" I glared at her.
"Are you pregnant?" asked Maryam.
What!! , is she stupid .
"Now that's a joke" I sly.

I tried really hard not to break , not here at least.
I held myself.
I controlled my self as the always playful Maryam kept on blabbing sh*t.
I frown at Maryam as she refrained her questions.
"Oh Allah, am so sorry" said Maryam.
"Mah can't be serious , we will talk to her After school".
At least maryam is being serious now.
"Don't you think I have tried to talk to her , I did tried to reason with mah, but you know mah always stands by her decisions".
She's always loyal to her words and very stubborn.

"No, we will just have to reason with mah.
we will try a little harder ,She will just have to accept defeat this time around " argued Maryam.
"What of Yagana and kaltume?" asked Maryam.
"What about them" I asked getting irritated by her sudden question , thinking she's going to avert the topic at hand after making sense.

"Haven't they fought on your behalf , i mean i know kaltume married at a young age, that was then though.
She atleast and only her would know what you're going through right now, and Yagana.,
She married much older. She would know the benefits of getting married at her age,when you are matured, Not naive that anyone could easily take advantage of you" she simpers.

I sighed in relieve, after hearing maryam I did get a little hope, that I might succeed in persuading mah into cancelling the wedding.
"You won't understand Maryam" I said getting her attention "Yagana is in support of mah"
"Mene (what ) "yelled Maryam getting everyone's attention on us.
"Lower your voice wawiya( stupid)" I somewhat scolded her.
"Wallahi ( I swear)", I replied her.
"Kai ........."said Maryam.
I told Maryam exactly what happened the previous day and she sympathised with me.
Maryam began to lift my spirit assuring me that everything will be alright.
She hugged me tight, she wanted me to know that I am not alone in this. And she succeeded in making me feel so.

"Kai we are having Mr. Ralph" said Maryam running back to her seat.
Mr.Ralph, is the schools disciplinary master, and our English teacher.
He takes no excuses and is very strict when it comes to anything academics.
We all do our best not to enter his trap.

I tried to get my head back in the class room and out of my thoughts.
I did succeeded in trying my best to focus in his class and not to wonder off to the thoughts island.
Mr.Ralph teaches  us linguistics and oral English.

Today he taught oral English and like always, he did appointed some student to pronounce one or two consonant and vowel sounds as usual .
Different student were pronouncing different sounds awfully.
It was hilarious. , I laughed my worries out.
It was the first time I laughed genuinely since I talked to mah, yesterday.
"You " ,called Mr. Ralph.
"Me" I replied in disbelief,
"Yes you, Fatima shehu come out and pronoun these " said the teacher as he wrote on the white board.

/plei/ ...
I said play and mr.Ralph began to applaud me as he makes the class do the same.
I guess am right.
I smile shyly as I made my way back to my seat.
The class lasted for about 30minutes more , before the bell rang and we all left.

Few bells went off, and it's finally time to go home.
Maryam convinced me to follow her, so she could drop me at home.
"Salam, malam ado" greeted maryam's driver.
Maryam is from a well off family.
She does belong to a higher social caste family than I.
Maryam took her ipod player that was laying on the car's back seat to listen to music, I guess.
"Hey, what are you doing? " I asked knowing the answer.
"Listening to music durh" replied maryam.
"Wanne (which) " I asked.
"Me , my self and I"  she Answered.
I honestly do have different taste in music with Maryam.
I hate this song because she plays it all day every day.
But right now it felt like the most meaningful song ever.
I took the ear plugs and play the music as malam ado drove off.
I starting singing along the song...

🎵~is just me, my self and i.
Solo ride on till i die, cause.. i got me for life, whoa i don't need a hand to hold, even when the night is cold.
I got that fire in my soul,
I don't need any thing to get me through the night, except the beat in my heart that's keeping me alive ....I don't need anything to make me satisfied ,cause the music makes me feel good, and it gets me everytime~🎵

I grin like a Cheshire cat as the lyrics of the song plays.
It perfectly says out my feelings.
A wise man once said that when you are happy , you feel the beat but when you are sad, you understand the lyrics.. .
"Karamah(witch), your voice is awful" Maryam snort.
"Whatever " I rolled my eyes , enjoying the music.

A/N.
Votes!, votes, votes,
Thoughts...
~With lurv;
Carltumee 💋