I AM ABLE

Chapter 32 - Fatimah

When yesterday Yusuf told me to meet him at Brimstone in order to prove how unclean his sister and Munir were, he had totally forgotten to tell me the time. Hence, I sent him a text asking about the time and he replied with "8pm dot" which made me to scoff. Me that curfew was imposed on ever since my parents found out he was my friend — I wasn't allowed to go out alone immediately I return from school. It had to either be with Munir or anyone in our house.

Sometimes even with someone, I would still be told to stay. Like I wasn't trusted anymore, and my mother was the one behind all the pressurisation. "I am only doing these for you" She had once told me that. And how's that even a favor? I used to always ask myself that question.

Today, as soon as I sluggishly arrived at our department I met many people by the notification board. "God, BFN 121 is our first paper o!" I overheard a girl squealed and that reminded me of the fact that our second semester exam was already fast approaching. "Two papers on Monday?!" Someone screamed. "Yes Nana, BFN and CBS..."

"Excuse me!" I uttered the moment I approached them. "I want to snap it"

"Okey... Alright..." They shifted for me. Thus, I snapped the timetable and left.

The lecture I was having today was one and would take place in two hours time so I headed to the library to read. After all, our exam was starting next week. I should start preparing for it from today.

While reading, four girls came into the library giggling and murmuring. It was as if they were gossiping... who knows? And soon after they all settled down in Section B, another girl came in with a very sad face and walked over to them.

"He despised you too, right? I knew it!" One of them sarcastically asked the girl.

"Mtsww, wallahi Aysha that guy is too holy!" The girl said lowering her voice. "I offered him my body but he rejected"

"That is Yusuf Dolari for you" The other one said thus luring my full attention to them. "I heard he had a bad past though but something changed him recently..."

That moment, I didn't know when my heart began beating fast, my Yusuf? I mean, my friend? I was so astounded. 

"Maybe something changed him"

"Well, fuck the change!"

"Yes, I am also not happy. They are very rich and my dream is to... carry a baby for him. I really love him so very much"

"Abeg o, we all love him!"

"Yes Aysha, that's a very good point of correction because I love him as well"

"Hmm, okey o!"

"Yes, I will even call him again later..."

They kept on talking and talking as if they were parrots, turning the entire library into a market place. And when I couldn't endure their piercing noises I stood up, loaded my books into my bag and began heading towards the exit.

"Hmm, toh fa I guess we are disturbing some people here" One of them uttered.

"Let them go, jare!"

"Yesso, na dem sabi!"

I didn't utter any word to them, I only left the library because I could endup blasting them all if I should speak. But truly, I wasn't happy hearing all that from women like them. I was puzzled as well how such grownups would low their valence to such pathetic state.

Talking about valence, if something bad should happen to them now the person that the masses would blame would be Yusuf because he's a guy. Their words really had proved to me how evil most of us could be, forcing ourselves into men and if they impregnate us or infect us with something; we wouldn't blame ourselves but them... because we are so selfish to acknowledge our misdeeds.