A Promise From My Heart

Chapter Twenty-Five

NOORIE'S POV

Packing was something that had always bore me. You have to pack and unpack, think about what to take or leave. It troubles you and that make it very annoying and frustrating. I groaned as I pushed a hot pink blouse back into the wardrobe. I did not know what to pick for my National Youth Service Corp (NYSC). I was going to spend a whole year in a foreign city with a foreign language. It was exciting because I love seeing new places. I have heard so many good things about Kano especially the clothing market. I will see lots of ankara and other materials there just like Lagos.

"Do you want to take this?" Raihana asked showing me a pair of gold heels.

"No" I picked another blouse and shoved it on the bed.

"But you might want to go to a party. You will make friends in Kano. You might need it for an outing"

"Taiwo" I groaned calling her by her Yoruba name. "Just pack it" I took another set of folded clothes towards the empty opened box lying on the floor in my scattered room.

"God, I am so going to miss you" Raihana held my hand looking at me. I smiled placing my other hand over hers and sat beside her. Her eyes glimmered with love and care for me.

"Tee, you look like life fish wey no dey water in this picture. How could you ruin it?" Raihan who was seated on the sofa, legs folded and swiping through his camera voiced. I laughed at his insult, life fish wey no dey water means a fish gasping for air. It meant she looked stupid.

"That's not funny Kehinde" Raihana glowered at him.

"But it is the truth" he kept doing what he was doing without looking up. Raihana growled.

"I know you are looking for my wahala abi? But I will not give you" he laughed throwing his head back.

"Wahala? Which kind wahala you get? Wahala my foot"

"It's enough" I said before their argument turn physical and Raihana won't spare her twin. "You were saying something Tee" I turned back to her.

"Yes" she clapped her hands like someone that want to gossip. "I just remembered something. When last did you meet Amir?" she asked. My heart somersaulted.

"Yesterday" I replied.

The day before when I met Amir, something happened. I don't know how to explain. He just flipped and what we were saying irked him. He had asked me if he is mad and I said no he is perfectly fine. He did not believe me. He said I was lying that someone called him mad. When I tried calming him down, he pushed me away and I was on the floor. He started shouting and turned wild. There was nothing I could do, absolutely nothing because when I tried calming him down, he did not listen.

"I thought you said he was doing fine" I asked Sharon after they had sedated him.

"Yes, he was doing fine but I did not mean he was perfectly alright"

"But he was alright. He just flipped and pushed me away. He said someone called him mad" I cried.

"Noor" Sharon moved closer to me. "Posttraumatic stress disorder takes a while before the patient gets over it. He needs time. It is a gradual process"

"I don't know but seeing him like that hurts so much" I laid my head in her chest. She tried comforting me.

Aunt Sabr arrived and broke into tears. Sharon did her job as a doctor by calming her down and telling her everything is going to be fine. I had watched them because I understood how Aunt Sabr felt. Seeing someone you care about in pain or having some sort of illness is heart breaking. It causes a certain throb in your heart and your heart bleeds for the person.

"I am really curious" Raihana pursed her lips. "Do you feel something for him? As in love?"

"Nonsense" I laughed. "There is nothing like love but I know what I feel for him is special" I looked ahead of her. Memories with Amir flooded in. "The moments I have spent with him, I just know I will cherish them" a certain glow began in my racing heart. "He is just someone I don't want to lose" I looked at her. Raihana had a smile as wide as what I don't know on her lips. I gave her a look that says what's wrong with you?

"I knew" she jumped up. "I knew it Kenny but you kept telling me nonsense" she did a happy dance.

"What do you know?"

"Something you will soon realise"

"Ah Raihana, you really are something else" I rolled my eyes and put a skirt inside the box.

Light flashed with a clicking sound which caught my attention.

"Raihan" We both shouted, he laughed.

"I think I am getting better in photography" he checked the camera.

"You are whack. The pictures you took last time were as awful as you" Raihana seethed.

"Abegi" Raihan threw his hand. "Just admit you are jealous"

"Jealous?" Raihana scoffed. "We have billions of human beings on earth and of all people to be jealous of is Raihan Abdullah an inexperienced photographer"

"Ouch!" Raihan placed a hand on his chest. "That's hurts" he wore a hurtful look. "Your words are not getting into me a bit and if you are worried I might put the picture on my i********: page. Don't worry lil sis" he got up. "It won't even sniff i********:" he ruffled her perfectly tied hair.

"Arrggghhh" Raihana got up. "You son of a biscuit" she slapped his back hard.

"Tee, what was that for?" he cried.

"For been a jerk" she threw him a mad stare.

"Don't you know play ni? I was just playing" he kissed her cheek.

My lips curled up into a smile. I was going to miss them, their funny attitude and unnecessary fights. My eyes began to burn with unshed tears.

"I am going to miss you" Raihan sat in front of me holding my hands. "You are going far. I wished Kano was just like going to Ikoyi" his eyes shimmered with brotherly love for me. "But we will be in touch. I pray when you come back, I will have the sister I used to have"

"That sister who had no care about what the world thinks about her. The one who laughs a lot" Raihana joined him. "Not the one who sulks and smiles when she wants to. I want the happy one and not this current one" she laid a hand on my arm. A tear slipped.

"I am trying" I cried. "I can't promise you I will be the sister you used to have but I will try to be her" I hugged them both.

"Oh please don't cry" Raihana ran her hands through my face after we pulled away. "It should be a happy day and not a sad one" she pulled me up. "With the help of my annoying twin, we should finish packing up so that you can meet Amir before you leave tomorrow"

"Who is Amir?" Raihan asked.

"Someone you should not know"

"Her boyfriend?" he screamed horrified.

"No!" we barked together.

"Then who?" he threw his hands up.

"You want to know?" Raihana asked.

"Yes" he nodded his head excited.

"Then come" she gestured him with her hand.

Raihan moved closer and she slapped him behind his head.

"Olofofo! Amebo!" she hissed before giggling and running away.

"Taiwo!" he shouted and ran after her.

Those two, I will never get tired of their drama. I laughed sniffling. I will miss my family so much.