FORBIDDEN LOVE

Chapter 4

The next morning the sun rays ,finding their way through the gaps in her room curtains woke Leila up ,she woke up and realized she was already late ,she hadn't performed the morning prayer she had to get out of bed as quickly as possible.

She hurried to the bathroom,then she bumped into her father who looked to be lost in thoughts .

"Good morning Sir ,good morning sir ,"she had to say it twice to get his attention.

Her father looked at her and said "why have you woken up late ,do you think you are a child,don't you know you are already a woman ?"

"I am sorry sir ,I just had a long day yesterday."She replied

"I know,good morning my daughter."Adu said tapping her shoulders then walked away to his room .

Leila let the water in the shower run down her body as she thought about the family

Suddenly she felt that she was forgetting something,her thoughts were derived away from something very important,yes ,the exams ,she hadn't read enough!She had to go back to the library and this time have serious reading.

She rushed to her room and put on her clothes then went to the kitchen where her mother was frying eggs for breakfast.

"Good morning mother ,let me give you a hand ." She said to her mother

"You should be doing that all by yourself in the first place,you are a woman ."said her father who overheard her in the living room.

"Your ears are wide open Abi's father !"sarah said to him

They lived in a fairly small house ,the distance between the kitchen and the living room was so short ,any one in the living room could easily hear what is being said in the kitchen.

Leila fried the eggs as her mother spiced the tea and when they were done ,it was taken in the living room.

The family had hardly started to enjoy their breakfast when Leila said .

" I will pack mine now ,I have to go to the library,I have to read for my exams ."

Adu sighed looked in her eyes and said "you know you are my only hope ,my prestigious position in the family lies in your hand ,you heard your uncles now ....."

He took a sip of tea as everyone else was worried about what they assumed he was going to say next .

He took a second sip and deeply sighed before continuing "now go to that library,study do the exams ,pass them and prove them wrong,"

Leila ,Abi and Sarah smiled at him as Leila stood up and said she will be leaving then she went to her room got her back up and went outside to catch a motorcycle.

As soon as she arrived at the library ,she got her phone and called Ella to tell her about the previous day experience,

"I tell you those men are literally stuck in the analog era ,I am so done ."

"Don't let them choose for you,get a man with a swag not with culture ,like Sam ."Ella said

"I don't think a guy like Sam had the qualities my family wants !"

"Hold on didn't they mention the guy has to be tall ..?"Ella asked with so much curiosity and seriousness that made Leila laugh out loud .

Everyone else in the library turned their heads and looked at her ,she had caused a disturbance to the readers .Soon James ,the short librarian came to her and said

"I am going to ask you to observe maximum silence please ."

"Who is that ,the short librarian ?"Ella had overheard him through the phone.

"What ?"James said after hearing Ella since the phone was on loud volume.

Leila felt embarrassed,hang up the phone and said "Nothing sir I am sorry I will keep quiet."she looked down from James' glare, for once she had a feeling of remorsefulness.

James went back to his desk to attend to another student.

"I have been standing here waiting for you and you were over there simping with that girl ,where is your customer care ,what is your job here ?Don't we pay the library ?"the student shouted at James .

Leila who had also come to the table then responded to her "No ,he was not simping,he was performing his duty there as well ."

"What are you ? His girlfriend ?"The student shouted at Leila now

"Ewww no am not ,am just a regular student,like you ,except that I know that the librarian has to be respected,he is a human like us ."Leila responded to her

"You do ?"James asked Leila in surprise as he stared into her soul.

Leila felt shy and avoided the stare by looking down she didn't even understand what she had done at that point .

"I am sorry students ,it is my duty to serve you ,I will do just that now ,how may I help you today ."James said turning his face to the other student.

The student looked at him and knew she had to tease him for a while,she asked for the book on the top shelf as she giggled devishly .

"You know I have a ladder ,and I can access it without any trouble,don't you ?"James asked the student.

"I don't care about your coping mechanisms,just get me the book ,what is wrong with short men ?"the student pondered

"You know that is body shaming right ?"Leila bursted out

She soon covered her mouth with her palms as the two stared at him .

"What about you ,which book should I get you ?"James broke the silence.

Leila ordered for the book which was very easy to be spotted ,James went around and came back with the books he asked for the students' ids .

"I showed it to you yesterday,photocopy it from your eyes ."the arrogant student said .

"Then you won't be getting the book !"James responded .

The student angrily handed her id to James and signed in the book with so much vigor she pulled the book from the desk and went to the back stomping her feet all across the room .

Leila handed over her id and signed in the book as she had a debate in her head whether she should say what she thought or not ,she took a deep breath and then said .

"I am sorry that some students behave like that ."

"Students like you huh ,"James said

Leila felt embarrassed once again and replied "students like me ,I am sorry that we behave like that some times,"

"Oh I am used to it ,I have seen it all ."James said as he went at the back of the desk to sit down.

Leila didn't know what is going on with in her ,why did she say she was sorry "stupid Leila ,you apologized to a short man ,where is your dignity?" She thought to herself.

"But it was the right thing to do ,admitting to my mistakes doesn't cost me anything,does it ?no ." She thought again.

"You can go and sit am done with you ."She heard James' voice .

She walked away and went to sit down ,she knew it was not the time for overthinking it was time for serious reading.

"If anyone needs the Wi-Fi password you can look at the walls around,"James addressed the students.

Leila looked at the password but knew she would be distracted by messages from friends so she just stocked to reading.

When the time for closure of the library reached ,James announced that it will be closed in ten minutes.

"Where do you go after this thing closes ?Do you even have a life outside this building.?"a student in the corner mocked him .

Everyone else laughed except Leila she felt a strong feeling, a feeling of guilt ?she didn't fully understand what it was .But she had also teased the guy the other day but now she felt bad when anyone else tried to tease him .

She stood up and went to James' desk ,handed him the book back and asked for her id .James gave it to him as he stared deep into her soul again ,she was confused.

She moved out of the room and got her phone to call Ella it had been long since they last met .

"Come at Papa's spot it is the new spot now ." Ella said to her .

She hoped on a motorcycle to the place.It was a well designed hide out where a lot of slay queens dined ,it had a sauna and a massage parlor ,luxurious goods ,dashing waiters and good pizza.

She immediately spotted Ella then she rushed to her ,she gave her a hug .

"Ooh I may not see you again,you may be married off to a taliban ." Ella said holding her tighter.

"Don't be silly,I can't ,they said I could get a man for myself.."Leila said pushing her away .

"So let us see here ,I heard there are some rich men , open your eyes ,you may get an opportunity of a life time ,look out for an elegant man !" Ella said

"So If I see an elegant man for example,what am I going to do propose to him ?" Leila was confused.

"Just spot one and tell me ,I will show you what to do ,I will put you in place so that he will see you easily,and he won't be able to skip our trap ." Ella said as if she already had a plan in mind .

"Ooh let me see ,I don't know who ,maybe ,that one ..? She pointed at guy who was wearing a blue suit .

"No ,I saw him come out of a Corolla,the least we can go is a BMW ,"Ella disapproved as she pointed to another guy "Maybe that one ,but am not sure if he has a car !"

The man was wearing a Louis Vitton shirt ,blue jeans and had plaited hair when Leila saw him she quickly declined "No ,no chance ,he doesn't look responsible,they will not allow him ,no shot ."

Ella smiled and said "okay let me see .." and then she burst out "ooh come on ,now my mood for this place is ruined.."

"What is it ?" Leila was confused

"Don't you see that short man over there ?I thought this is a short man free zone !"she pointed at the man who was heading towards them .

Leila looked at the man and as he came closer ,she realized it is James ,the short librarian.

"If he comes next to me I am going to teach him a lesson."Ella said .

Leila felt very nervous ,she didn't want James to see her ,she had to get out of there quickly.

" I need to use the bathroom real quick,"she said

"Come on first wait ,we see this gnome's first move ,don't you want to watch some drama ."Ella said

"No am badly off ,I have to go now ,"Leila said hastening to the bathroom hoping that James doesn't see her .

James came and sat to a table near Ella ,he didn't seem to give her any attention as she thought he would and then he called the waiter .

The waiter tall young man came to his table ,he was about to order when Ella called out to the waiter .

"Serve me first ,tall people should be served first ."

"I will send another waiter to your table madam as soon as possible,"the waiter said to her .

"No I want you to,tall people bond with each other,don't you know it ." Ella said looking to create a menace .

"You can serve her first ,I shall wait ." James said gesturing to the waiter to go to Ella's table .

The waiter went to Ella to ask what she can get her and she kept making height references as she looked meanly at James who didn't seem to be bothered at all .

The waiter saw that Ella was going to far when he said to her "I ask you to please be respectful of everyone despite their physical appearance madam."

"What have I done ,that short man has a problem?" She said pointing directly at James .

"We are sorry sir ." The waiter tried to apologize to James

"It is okay ,I understand,I have seen it all ,"James said looking not to be bothered at all .

Ella was angry,as if the short man was taking her for a fool ,she sprung to her legs and shouted to make a scene.

"Do you think you are a gentleman,no you are not ,short people can never be gentlemen ,"

James gave her one look and started looking through the menu.

"Excuse me ,I would like to order ."he called onto another waiter .

Ella saw that she was embarrassing herself,so she got her bag and walked away leaving Leila's behind.

Leila who was watching all from a distance waited for her to disappear from sight and then she came slowly to pick her bag .

She looked at James thinking he was not paying attention but there he was staring deep into her soul .

She felt very embarrassed and she said "I am sorry Mr James ."

James didn't say anything back to her which made her feel more uncomfortable and embarrassed.She had no other option but to walk away with her face towards the ground.

She went to catch a motorcycle so that she could go back home she felt as if every person she passed by was laughing at her .

When she reached home ,she greeted her father and then she heard her brother coming towards him cracking a joke .

" Welcome back my little sister,did you see a man ,the perfect suitor ,the one the uncles want ?huh !"

"Come on Abi ,she went to study not to find a man ."Sarah interrupted him

"Tell me Leila though did you get the responsible man your uncles and I want ?" Her father asked her staring deep into her soul reminding her of James .

"No father ,I didn't see any man ,I just went to the library and came back to home ,didn't see any man ." Leila stammered

"You are a grown up now ,no reason to lie of hide by the way ," her father told her

"I can't lie to you sir ,I didn't see any man ."She said

"And you were at the library?"Adu asked

"Yes ,sir ,I was at the library ."

"The librarian there is a woman?"Adu asked as if he knew something.

"No he is a man ." Leila said

"I know ." Her father said walking into his room .