THE SEVEN BROTHERS’ SISTER

CHAPTER 4

The boys were older than Rumaisa, and although she was fearless, she knew that the strength of a boy was not the same as that of a girl.

She was walking home when she suddenly heard someone shouting, “Hey! Hey!”

She stopped and turned around.

A group of boys was heading straight toward her. The moment she saw them, she knew they had come to beat her.

Rumaisa did not run.

Instead, she crouched down and began gathering stones, ready to strike anyone who came near her.

But despite her resistance, some of the boys eventually caught up with her.

Sani, Habiba’s elder brother, reached her first. He kicked her hard, knocking her to the ground. He pulled a small stick from his pocket and began beating her with it.

Rumaisa fought back desperately, using her wooden slate to protect herself and strike at him. After struggling for a while, she finally managed to stand.

Then, in a sudden act of desperation, she bit Sani hard on the shoulder.

Sani screamed in pain and jumped backward. The bite had hurt him badly.

Seeing that Sani had been frightened and that some of the other boys were still suffering from the stones she had thrown, Rumaisa quickly grabbed her shoes and hijab and ran.

The boys chased her, but she ran as fast as she could.

She did not stop until she reached the football field where her elder brother Aliyu and his friends were playing.

Without caring that the field was full of boys, Rumaisa ran straight through them and grabbed Aliyu.

Aliyu was shocked.

Her hijab was in her hand, her head was uncovered except for her cap, and her eyes were wide with fear. She was breathing heavily as she looked around.

He held her and asked, “Are you alright?”

Some of his friends stopped playing and began asking what had happened, but Rumaisa could not answer. She was too breathless.

Aliyu took her to the side and helped her put her hijab back on.

He looked at her carefully.

“What happened?”

She remained silent for a moment.

“What is it?” he asked again.

Finally, Rumaisa began explaining what had happened. Before she could finish, tears escaped her eyes.

Aliyu became quiet.

“But I hope you didn't cry in front of those boys?”

Rumaisa nodded.

“You were lucky. If you had cried in front of them, I swear I would have beaten you myself.”

“I didn't,” she replied through her tears.

“Good. Let me change my clothes. You will take me to their houses one after another. I will deal with them.”

He made her sit down while his friends continued playing. When they asked what had happened to Rumaisa, Aliyu simply told them there was nothing serious and that he had to leave.

Meanwhile, Sani and the other boys eventually stopped chasing Rumaisa.

However, they promised themselves that they would find another opportunity to beat her because she had caused them a lot of trouble.

As Aliyu and Rumaisa walked toward Habiba's house, Aliyu glanced at her.

“But I'm not going to fight all those boys for nothing. You have to wash my football clothes and shoes.”

Rumaisa quickly agreed.

“Yes, I will wash them.”

“Alright.”

They continued walking until they reached Habiba's house.

Aliyu sent a young boy to call Sani.

Sani came outside, still struggling with the pain in his shoulder from Rumaisa's bite. Habiba was also there, crying. Her face was swollen, her lips were badly injured, and her mouth could barely close because of the beating she had received from Rumaisa's wooden slate.

Sani looked around, searching for the person who had called him.

Before he knew what was happening, Aliyu grabbed him.

“You! Were you the one who gathered your friends and attacked Ruma?”

Sani answered arrogantly.

“My sister was the one she attacked first, and she also ruined my bicycle tire.”

“And because of that, you gathered a group of boys to beat a girl?” Aliyu asked angrily. “Why didn't you let your sister deal with her herself?”

Sani began arguing and insulting Aliyu.

Aliyu lost his temper and slapped him repeatedly until Sani's face became red.

He then took him to the houses of the other boys involved.

One after another, Aliyu found them and punished them.

Even though Rumaisa had also injured some of them with stones, Aliyu was determined to make sure they understood that they could not gang up on his younger sister.

Afterward, he took Rumaisa home, comforting her along the way.

When they arrived, Mama looked at Rumaisa carefully. From her expression, she suspected that her daughter might not have been completely innocent.

Still, she chose not to say anything.

She knew Rumaisa's stubborn nature, and if she reacted to every incident, she would spend all her time beating her.

That night, after the Isha prayer, everyone was sitting in the courtyard.

Rumaisa was thinking about what she would eat.

Mama had prepared tuwo.

Rumaisa disliked it and was already upset because of everything that had happened earlier. Even the beating Aliyu had given Sani had not completely satisfied her anger.

Just then, Yasir entered the compound with a plastic bag in his hand.

“Assalamu alaikum.”

Everyone answered him except Rumaisa, who was lost in thought.

Yasir walked over and shook her gently.

“What are you thinking about?”

Rumaisa frowned.

“Why do you always hit my head?”

Yasir laughed.

“I didn't hit your head.”

She clicked her tongue.

“I've gotten used to your lies.”

He placed the black plastic bag on her lap and walked toward his room.

Rumaisa opened it.

Inside was bread filled with suya.

Her face immediately brightened.

“Thank you, my other half!”

From his room, Yasir replied, “Whether I'm your other half or not, I gave you something from this world. You selfish girl.”

Rumaisa smiled.

“May Allah bless you. It's as if you knew I didn't want this tuwo. I was only thinking about what I would eat. This tuwo blocks my brain; I can't even concentrate properly when studying. May Allah reward you, my other half.”

Yasir smiled without answering.

A little later, he came back outside.

At that moment, their elder brother Umar entered the compound.

He greeted everyone in his deep, commanding voice.

Everyone answered him.

Without wasting time, Umar placed a packet of Indomie beside Rumaisa.

“Get up and cook this for me.”

Rumaisa immediately obeyed.

She knew Umar did not ask twice. When he gave an order, everyone followed it.

She went into the kitchen, lit the fire, and placed the pot on it.

While she was cooking, they suddenly heard someone greeting from outside.

The tone of the greeting made Rumaisa's heart sink.

She stopped what she was doing and listened.

Mama welcomed the visitor.

Rumaisa already suspected trouble.

Mama offered the woman a mat, but she refused.

“No, we don't need to sit. This isn't something that requires sitting.”

Rumaisa carefully poked her head out of the kitchen.

The moment she saw the visitors, she knew she was in trouble.

It was Habiba and her younger brother, Sani.

Their mother immediately began complaining.

“I don't know whether you are the one encouraging your daughter to do whatever she wants in this neighborhood. She has no respect. She attacked my daughter. Look at Habiba's face!”

She pointed toward her daughter.

“And that wasn't enough. She brought her elder brother, and they followed my son home and beat him too. I had to take Habiba to the chemist for treatment. Look at her face, and look at Sani!”

She turned toward Mama.

“Is this justice?”

Mama lowered her voice.

“Please, for Allah's sake, forgive us. I didn't even know what happened. Neither Rumaisa nor her brothers told me anything. Please, have mercy.”

One of the boys tried to speak.

“Mama, I was the one. But why didn't anyone ask what happened? They chased her with their hijabs in their hands and sticks, intending to beat her—”

“Keep quiet!” Mama snapped. “I didn't ask you.”

Mama continued apologizing, but Habiba's mother refused to stop.

“These children have no discipline. Rumaisa thinks she can do whatever she wants because she has brothers protecting her. She injured my daughter, and then her brother came and insulted my son!”

Umar's expression suddenly hardened.

“That is enough.”

His voice silenced everyone.

“You came into another woman's house and told her that her children have no discipline while she is apologizing to you. And you are still insulting her?”

He pointed toward the entrance.

“If you want to take the matter somewhere else, go ahead. But if anyone tries to touch Rumaisa again in this neighborhood, they will learn what it means to have brothers. Now leave.”

Mama tried to speak, but Umar shook his head and pointed toward the door.

The woman quickly gathered Habiba and Sani and left.

Rumaisa remained hidden near the kitchen, her heart pounding.

She knew the matter was not over yet.

Umar waited until they had completely left before turning toward the kitchen.

“You too. Come out here, hypocrite.”

Rumaisa slowly stepped outside, her head lowered.

Umar stared at her angrily.

“We were living peacefully before you were born. You are always the reason people come here with complaints. Nobody in this house goes looking for trouble, but you always bring it home.”

He then turned toward Aliyu.

“And you, why did you follow her and beat other people's children? Who sent her to provoke them?”

Aliyu's temper rose.

“This isn't about provoking anyone. They chased her while she was holding her hijab. They were carrying sticks and wanted to beat her. They were boys, Umar. What were we supposed to do?”

Umar's voice became louder.

“Shut up!”

The compound went silent.

“You don't even know what she did to them. That girl has no sense. If you continue following her into trouble, you will make matters worse.”

Rumaisa stood silently, tears forming in her eyes.

Umar finally ordered her to return to the kitchen and continue her work.

She obeyed.

As she cooked, tears rolled silently down her cheeks.

For the first time, the words she had heard from Umar began to sink deeply into her heart.

Maybe they really don't want me.

Maybe I am the reason Mama has no peace.

And with those painful thoughts, Rumaisa continued cooking in silence.