Roaring Hearts(Book 1)

Chapter 3

"She was more than human to me. She was a fairy, a sylph, I don't know what she was - anything that no one ever saw, and everything that everybody ever wanted. I was swallowed up in an abyss of love in an instant." David Copperfield, Charles Dickens.

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It was on a Friday, the day after Hasnaa bid her goodbyes to James, she was still nursing a broken heart in secret. She could not confide in her mother or any of her sisters. Their liaison and love were evasive and her sorrow had to be a secret. She had wished to stay locked away in the comfort of her shack but her family members were too invasive and would not let her be. They kept popping up now and then to check in on her.

The impending wedding was scheduled for Saturday, the following day. It was to be a grand affair; with every person in Kalu village and Kotu village -Chief Isabis's village- attending. As soon as the wedding day was confirmed, Chief Kwame's men were assigned the task to spread the word to the villagers, and soon enough everyone was aware.
Hasnaa's father took the liberty of inviting the white men to her betrothal. His actions hurt her more than all of his other indiscretions. She could not stomach the idea of getting married to Chief Isabis while the only man she had ever loved gazed at her.

She could not hurt him to that extend. She sat at the small wooden chair situated beside her bed. She had placed a mirror on top of the small table in front of the chair and she could only stare at her reflection in the mirror astonished at what she had become; a weakling.

Had there been a day in her life before she met James that she was scared? She had habituated her body and soul not to be scared but her body had forgotten how not to be scared when she met James. All of a sudden, she became scared of losing him and of life without him.

Marrying Chief Isabis seemed like the hardest thing to do, and yet she was aware of the difficulties that awaited her after the wedding.

A knock on the door startled Hasnaa, and soon after Zuri -her small sister- appeared soon after.
Hasnaa and Zuri shared the hut.
Despite, the ten year age difference, they got along well.
Zuri had just started her teenage years and she was always out interacting with her pals and hence Hasnaa was always by herself in the hut during the day.

Zuri walked in and sat at Hasnaa's bed. Hasnaa transferred her gaze and attention from the mirror to her sister and waited for her to speak. "I know your secret, the one you've been hiding from all of us," Zuri revealed.

Hasnaa's heart hammered inside her chest. She only had one secret and she had not allowed herself to tell anybody about her secret, not even her sister-in-law who was her biggest confidant In her family; Sahiba. "I know about James and you," Zuri added. Though panic had risen in her, and despite the fact she started sweating profusely, she was determined to not let Zuri see how afraid she was.

"I don't discern your words." Hasnaa tried desperately to conceal the truth from her sister but she failed terribly.

"I met James on my way to the market and he told me everything that has happened between the two of you," Zuri said.

"Please, do not inform anybody about what you have learned," Hasnaa begged desperately, noticing there was no way she could lie to Zuri.

"Further, he informed me about you breaking up with him. Do not let him go for that old man."
Zuri uttered. Hasnaa understood she was young and she was unable to understand what was going on.

Hasnaa disregarded all of the things her little sister told her as she was unaware of the world's cruel reality. "James wants to meet you at your meeting spot."

"Just promise me, you'll marry him and not that old man," Zuri said, hugging her sister.

"That's not feasible but you needn't tell anybody about my secret," Hasnaa said, hugging her back. If only life was as easy as Zuri presumed it to be.