ALIYA

Chapter 43 - Aliya

"Hurry up, Aliya!" Said Balaraba as she pushed my door opened, we were just about going to the airport to welcome Hajiya and Fawad's mother. Yes, they had arrived and we were both excited.

"Ina zuwa (I am coming), just a minute please" I said applying lipstick on my lips.

"Okay, meet me in the parking lot when you are done" She said and I nodded in acknowledgement. Thus, she left.

Ma Shaa Allah, I huffed looking at my reflection in the mirror. A perfect northern girl! I admired myself, albeit I was a combination of North and South but I chose North. I loved North.

Bismillah, I wore my hijab. Not the one Bilal bought me though, I abandoned that one in order to move on with my life. If I'd continue wearing it I might not get over him, I heard he was presently living peacefully with his wife and I also heard he had retired, all from Amirah. We used to talk on phone from time to time, she was a good woman.

After wearing my hijab I took my phone from the table and headed out to meet Balaraba in the parking lot, she was there with Fawad - throwing him glares. She had once said she would never look him the way she did in the past, she believed he could no longer be trusted.

As soon as he saw me, he quickly hopped into the car and ignited the engine into action. Balaraba admired how I looked, and together we hopped into the car as well. "You look like a queen in her queendom" She said and that made me to blush even though I tried not to, she really loved complementing me.

We arrived at the airport minutes later, it was a smooth drive. I couldn't wait to see Hajiya so I was the first to alight from the car. Balaraba and Fawad followed suit as we headed into terminal. Believe you me, to say I was overexcited to see Hajiya is an understatement. I ran over to her and gave her a warm hug.

"God, this your baby miss you o!" Fawad's mother said to Hajiya.

"I also missed her" Hajiya said while gently patting my back with her hand.

"Nice, and here comes my own baby too!" Fawad's mother said referring to Fawad as he approached and hugged her.

Balaraba however joined me in hugging Hajiya, and after the hugging we greeted and eventually decided to leave. The car we brought with us was Hajiya's Toyota Sienna CE, it could accommodate all of us and even the luggages. I didn't want to stay in the front with Fawad but I had no choice.

Yes, if I didn't stay with him who will? Balaraba would surely not do that and that would raise suspicion like, why were we running away from him? Thus I decided to stay in the front with him, Balaraba in the last seat while Hajiya and his mother stayed in the seat behind us which was in the middle role.

The drive home was a noisy one, so many stories about France from our moms and as soon as we arrived at Hajiya's house we alighted and headed into the flat. Balaraba helped me in conveying Hajiya's luggage upstairs while the rest settled down in the living room to rest. "How was sitting in the front with Fawad?" Balaraba teased me as we dropped Hajiya's luggage for her.

"Boring!" I muttered as she laughed out louder.

"Aliya kenan, and do you know what? He was uncomfortable fa" She said.

"Yeah, I know" I said as we headed out of Hajiya's room. "I wasn't comfortable too"

"Poor Fawad, he still loves you" She said making me to hiss. "Yes he does!"

"Please stop that Balaraba, even if he does... that's not my problem" I said.

"Hmm, okay. He's a bad boy after all" She said making me to huff. I was tired of the topic already so I kept quiet.