Mine Forever .

Amal

Eyes drooping, body aching, mouth silently screaming. I just finished my third exam this week and I haven't had more than a wink of sleep in the last two weeks.. I was trying to force some food in my mouth but the darkness was overpowering my efforts. I moved myself with all my strength to my room, soon enough everything went pitch black...

I was awoken by my annoying alarm. I looked at the time and it was already subhi (morning prayer). I lazily strode to the bathroom to perform ablution, I prayed and started reciting the Qur'an.. My eyes start giving off once more, so I decide to stop there and sleep.

"Amal.. Amal I swear I'm going to pour a bucket of water on you if you don't wake up! Are you dead?" My obnoxious best friend and roommate shook me out of my peaceful slumber.

"Lemme alone" i grumbled hoarsely and turned to the other side.

"Wake up! Its two thirty pm! You have to pray and eat" she screeched. What? Did she say two thirty? Oh God! I haven't prayed zuhr (afternoon prayer).

My eyes popped open, "why didn't you wake me up earlier?" I half yelled.

She rolled her eyes at me. "Your alarm has been blaring since One thirty, disturbing my ears!" She turned and left me to my sleepy self.

I quickly got up and rushed to the bathroom to perform my ablution and pray. I took a bath and fixed up my room before i was done it was already time for Asr prayer.. I prayed and went into the kitchen.

I saw Fatima cooking, the girl takes care of me like my own mother would even though she nags me in that same manner. I smiled widely at her disheveled look. She saw me and made a relived face "good to know you aren't dead" she said in her usual sarcastic tone

"I was just so tried. I didn't know I slept that much, thanks for waking me up." I sighed slumming down on counter.

"I know honey.." She patted my back and got back to her pots.

She served us two plates of spaghetti and sauce and brought out the chocolate cake I baked when i was studying last week. Yeah, i bake when I'm frustrated and I've been commended for a job well done more than i can count.

We did the dishes after eating and moved to the living room.

"So Ahmad is coming for our graduation right?" I ask nudging her playfully. Ahmad is her boyfriend, they have been together for three years now and i hear wedding bells already. They are absolutely smitten with each other.

"I don't know.. Maybe. We haven't spoken about it" she says nonchalantly. I could tell something was up and she was refusing to tell me.

"Come on spill! What's going on?" I pushed.

"Nothing" she lied. As her best friend i definitely know when she's lying. "Liar! I have been hearing the midnight fights these past few days" I challenged, trying so hard to force it out of her.

"Fine! He has been breathing down my neck, bothering me.." She sighed and continued "apparently his dad has been talking to him about sending elders for a formal introduction to my family.. And he doesn't know how to explain my situation to his dad, so he is trying to push me to talk to my parents"

I could see her frustration and anger. Her family was sort of complicated. Fatima has three unmarried half sisters and her father thinks it's not right to marry her off first. I feel for her. I wish I could trade places with her just so she can be happy.

I'm the youngest in my family. I have just two siblings; a sister, our first born Ya Khadija and a brother, Ya Fahad. I'm way younger than my siblings so I'm always babied by everyone. Ya Khadija is thirty two years old, has two daughters Nasreen and Fareeha with her husband Mustapha. Ya Fahad is thirty years old. He and Asma his lovely wife have a son, Adnan. While I am twenty one.. Nine years younger than my brother and eleven years younger than my sister. So you can imagine..

I patted her back trying to console her "well have you tried talking to Mommy? Maybe she can persuade him" I asked carefully trying not to agitate her.

"Why bother? Mommy is too afraid to upset him.. She would just tell me to be patient and wait for my time.." She half screams " I don't want to lose him" she whispered the last part.

"I'm sorry teems.. Just keep praying, everything will work out itself inshaAllah and you and Ahmad will be together for life" i said trying to encourage and cheer her up..

" I hope so."

"I know so!" I told her assertively and gave her a warm hug.

It was around six in the evening, Fatima went into school for a study group and i was left alone. I started studying for my last paper but my mind kept wandering off, sometimes i find it so hard to concentrate it's so annoying. I heard my FaceTime ringtone, I jumped up and raced to my room.. It was Ya Khadija, I jumped with joy. I miss her so much.

"Hey hey hey!" i said with so much excitement in my voice.

"Aunty Amal! Aunty Amal!" Nasreen and Fareeha squealed, jumping around like cute little bunnies.

"Aww my babies I miss you so much." I squealed too

“We miss you too.." They say in unison

"Pappy said we are all coming for your graduation" Nasreen said and Fareeha just nodded excitedly.

"Yey! I can't wait babies" my grin never faltered. I love my family, it's hard being thousands of miles away from home but I'm kind of used to it. I have been in the UK since high school, i only go home for breaks or see them when they come to visit.

"Alright girls run along now. I want to speak with Aunty Amal" I heard their mom say..

"Bye bye"

"Hey sissy" she chirped, popping on the screen.

"Hey you"

"How are your exams going?" She inquired.

"Fine. Alhamdulillah (All thanks to God). One more to go and in about two months I'm going to graduate" I screeched excitedly.

"Go sis! I'm so excited. My baby sis is all grown up" she said all chummy and I blushed . "I remember the day you first left home and how had you cried.. I hope you don't cry like that on your wedding day." I gave her a pout.

"I can't wait for baby sister's wedding" she remarked causing me to frown. As northern Nigerians, it was normal that a girl my age is properly settled in her matrimonial home or she should be seriously considering doing that by now but not me.

"Not anytime soon but i am thinking of coming back for my postgrad next fall" i said lamely. Don't get me wrong, the thought was appealing but what's the point of thinking about marriage without the right partner?

"Oh common Amal don't say that.. I know ibrahim left you feeling hurt and betrayed but that's no reason to doubt yourself. You are a beautiful, well mannered woman and any man will count himself lucky to have you as a wife," she tried to cheer me up and i secretly rolled my eyes. "So i have to tell you something... Promise me you won't freak out" she said slowly. I just nodded.

"So.. You remember uncle Mohammad's eldest son Shattima right?" She quirked her brow through the screen. How would i?

"Not really but i've heard of his siblings talk about him a couple of times" I had a feeling she was going to say something bad or at the least annoying.

"Yeah, so uncle Mohammad went to talk to Baba about him last week" what? I was confused and she knew it "you know how they always wanted to be not just friends but family?" She asked slowly not wanting to spook me, I guess.

"Yeah. What does that have to do with me?" I asked impatiently.

"He sort of asked Baba for your hand in marriage on behalf of his son" my heart sunk deep into my stomach and I felt it crunching and turning.

"What? Is this some kind of joke?" I asked panicking.

"Please Amal you promised not to freak out and he is a good guy I swear ask Fahad, he is friends with him. Baba would never agree if he thought he was a bad person" I was too shocked to move or even respond. My parents are arranging my marriage! What do you say in a situation like this?

"Please give him a chance, for Baba.. He is genuinely excited about this and nothing will be finalized until you get to know him first"

I stayed quiet. I know my Dad and Uncle Mohammad go way back and their friendship means the world to them. Uncle Mohammad is a very nice man and always treats us like his own and his wife Aunty Ameena is a lovely woman, always sending me gifts and spoiling me rotten.. I know all their kids, his sister Zarah and i grew up together with Ammah as our third wheel, i know them all except for Abubakar Shattima who was never around, always on the move running his family's empire.

The only thing I knew about him is that he is way older than i am and is apparently a no nonsense kind of guy or at least that's what his siblings told me.

"Ok.. But you have to promise that if things don't go right you will stand by me" i said with all seriousness. I knew i wasn't being forced, just coerced and I wasn't going to let that happen.

She squealed "of course I promise"

"Don't be excited. I'm just going to indulge them so they can stop but I'm sure it will go nowhere." I told her.

"You don't know that Amal. Love comes from the strangest of places," she said.

"And this is as strange as it get," I rolled my eyes.

"You'll see." She said with a lot of conviction.

At that point i had nothing more to add, i love my father and i would do almost anything to make him happy even if it meant this. Besides i knew the guy will be some kind of snub or freak show and the whole thing would not really go anywhere so why not just let them believe i was going to try?

"I'll try"

"Yey! You won't regret it I promise you!"