Chapter Eight: A Heart Still Waiting
1230 Words
Malika stormed into her house, still fuming from her encounter with Emeka.
The afternoon sun blazed overhead, and the heat seemed to match the anger burning inside her chest.
"The way that foolish Emeka was talking," she muttered to herself. "You would think I was the one who pushed Isaac from the tree."
She threw her wrapper onto a chair and paced around the room.
"Yes, Isaac climbed the tree to pluck mangoes for me. But how is that my fault? Was I the one who forced him? Was I the one who pushed him?"
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
"Everyone is blaming me for his condition. Even his mother insults me whenever she sees me. Well, I won't let anyone make me feel guilty."
A cold smile spread across her lips.
"I just need Makinde to fall for me."
Her eyes glittered with ambition.
"When that happens, everyone who disrespects me will regret it. The whole village will respect me. Even Isaac will bow before me."
Her expression darkened.
"And that Nadia..."
She clenched her fists.
"That desperate girl thinks she can take what belongs to me. I will put her in her place."
Her voice dropped into a dangerous whisper.
"Just wait, Nadia. Your day of reckoning is coming."
Still angry, she entered her room.
To her surprise, two people were waiting inside.
Her friends, Ada and Uju.
Malika lived alone. No parents, no older relatives, no one to supervise her. She enjoyed complete freedom and answered to nobody.
Ada, a cheerful twenty-year-old with a chubby face and kind eyes, stood up immediately.
She wore a simple gray native dress and a pair of sandals.
"There you are!" Ada exclaimed. "We've been waiting for you forever."
Uju nodded.
"We wanted to go to the stream together, but you stayed out so long."
Malika frowned.
"What do you both want this hot afternoon?"
Then she narrowed her eyes.
"And how did you even get into my house?"
Ada and Uju exchanged confused looks.
"Malika..." Ada said carefully. "Are you okay?"
"You look upset."
"Did you fight with someone?" Uju asked.
Malika sighed heavily.
"I'm sorry for snapping at you."
She sat down.
"One of Isaac's friends tried to ruin my afternoon."
Ada hesitated before asking,
"How is Isaac doing?"
Immediately, Malika's expression hardened.
"I don't know."
"You don't know?" Ada asked in shock.
Malika shrugged.
"I haven't visited him since the day he fell."
Silence filled the room.
Finally, Ada spoke.
"How could you do that?"
Malika looked up sharply.
"What do you mean?"
"Isaac got injured because of you."
The moment the words left Ada's mouth, Malika exploded.
"So now you people are blaming me too?"
She stood up angrily.
"Was I the one who pushed him from the tree?"
"No."
"Did I force him to climb it?"
"No."
"Then stop blaming me!"
Ada and Uju stared at her in disbelief.
They had never seen her react this way before.
"If you both came here to lecture me," Malika continued, "then leave my house."
The room fell silent.
Uju slowly shook her head.
"It hasn't gotten to this, Malika."
Ada sighed sadly.
"We never thought there would be a day when you would send us out."
Immediately, regret flashed across Malika's face.
These girls had been her friends for years.
They had tolerated her temper, her mood swings, and her selfish behavior.
Still, her pride refused to let her apologize.
"You can stay away from Isaac's issue," she said firmly.
"And don't mention his name around me again."
Then she smiled.
"If anything, I think I'm falling for Chuma."
Ada and Uju exchanged worried glances.
Everyone in the village knew Chuma's reputation.
Handsome.
Rich.
Charming.
And a notorious playboy.
Neither of them believed he would ever settle down with Malika.
But they chose to remain silent.
Without another word, they left the house and headed toward the stream.
At the village stream, women washed clothes while children splashed happily in the shallow water.
Nadia stood quietly by the riverbank, filling her clay pot with water.
Several young women nearby whispered and laughed.
"That's the girl."
"The desperate one."
"The one chasing another woman's boyfriend."
"Homewrecker."
The insults drifted through the air.
Nadia heard every single word.
But she ignored them.
Their opinions no longer mattered.
The only thing on her mind was Isaac.
For two days she had worried about him.
Some villagers claimed he had become miserable since his accident.
She wanted to see him.
Comfort him.
Support him.
Even if he never loved her back.
Just then, Ada and Uju arrived at the stream.
Nadia lifted her filled water pot onto her head and prepared to leave.
Before she could take a step, Uju blocked her path.
A mischievous smile appeared on her face.
"Nadia."
Nadia remained silent.
"I thought I would find you celebrating."
Nadia frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Uju laughed.
"Malika has practically abandoned Isaac. I thought you would be happy."
Nadia said nothing.
"After all," Uju continued, "Isaac is finally available for you."
Still, Nadia refused to respond.
She simply stepped around them and continued walking.
Uju stared after her in frustration.
She had hoped to provoke Nadia.
Instead, Nadia had treated her as though she didn't exist.
Ada gently touched Uju's shoulder.
"Let it go."
Together, they walked toward the water to fill their pots.
Not long afterward, Nadia returned home.
She placed the pot beside the kitchen and informed her mother.
"Mama, I'm going to see Isaac."
Her mother studied her carefully.
She still wasn't comfortable with Nadia's attachment to Isaac.
But she could see that stopping her daughter was doing more harm than good.
"Go," she finally said.
"But remember your worth."
Nadia nodded.
"I will."
Her mother watched her leave and sighed.
"If that boy ever breaks my daughter's heart completely," she muttered to herself, "he will answer to me."
A short while later, Nadia arrived at Isaac's compound.
Her heart pounded with excitement.
She carried a flask filled with pounded yam, afang soup, and abacha—Isaac's favorite meals.
For days she had imagined seeing him again.
But the moment she stepped into the compound, her smile disappeared.
Isaac looked terrible.
He sat alone on a mat beneath the shade of a mango tree.
A mobile phone rested loosely in his hand.
His injured leg remained heavily bandaged.
His cheeks had sunk slightly.
Dark circles surrounded his eyes.
He looked thinner.
Lonelier.
Miserable.
Nadia's heart ached.
She stood there silently for a moment.
Then she called softly,
"Isaac..."
No response.
He was too lost in thought.
"Isaac."
This time, he looked up.
For a brief second, hope flashed across his face.
He thought it was Malika.
But when he saw Nadia instead, the hope vanished immediately.
Disappointment replaced it.
Nadia noticed.
And it hurt.
Still, she forced a smile.
Isaac blinked in surprise.
"Nadia?"
"What are you doing here?"
He looked around.
"My mother isn't home."
Then he added quietly,
"You can leave."
Nadia stood frozen.
The flask in her hands suddenly felt heavier.
She stared at him, sadness filling her eyes.
Even after everything...
Even after all her concern...
Even after coming to see him...
The first thing Isaac wanted was for her to leave.
And for the first time, Nadia wondered if loving Isaac was slowly destroying her heart.
- Writer
