BORN A NORTHERN DAUGHTER

CHAPTER SIX

Zara was home for the break as she went back to her shell of staying silent and gloomy,she hardly talk about anything with anyone and when she does it's mostly questions on what to do or how to go about something. As days goes buy quickly, it was already a month at home as Nafisa called to give Zara the good news of her coming back to same town and they could meet up when she's back. Zara's joy was so obvious but she was still calm. Nafisa came back and they both always met at Zara's elder sister's matrimonial home because they get alot of freedom there than her aunt's house.

They were both happy to see each other again when suddenly Nafisa mood changed as she became sad and a little angry, Zara looked at her face and asked what the problem was but instead of a reply she bursted into tears and was seriously crying hard, Zara became confused,scared and worried as she started crying too and they both cried for a long time hugging each other in a comforting way.

After a while they became silent as they both took turns in taking a deep breath.there eyes were swollen and puffed due to the cry. Suddenly Nafisa asked Zara why are you crying?

Zara replied "I don't know" you were crying that's why.

Nafisa bursted into laughter and they both laughed Even though Zara was surprised by the act, so she asked Nafisa back why were you crying too?

I have a reason and I will tell you my reason but Zara you just joined me in crying without reason ehn.

you are funny o!

nawawo! okay na.

When I went back to my house for this break. My father kept saying I have grown up to big, I am now a big everywhere, he said I'm body is bigger than all his now oo and his getting me a suitor as soon as possible, I thought it was a joke not until his friends started coming around to see me,tears gathered in her eyes once more as she used her thumbnail to wipe it away.

Zara as if that was not enough some of his colleagues approaches me too with his permission, some of them spoke to me about their sons and talk about their successful businesses or sons, everything became unbearable for me to take and there's nothing I can do about the situation than to cry. so my step sisters advices me to tell my uncles and my aunties so that they can speak with him and make him understand that this is early marriage for a young girl like me and also is child abuse. so I visited my uncles one after the other because of the way some looks at me and how they spoke to me, I went to two of my uncles first at lambata but the one wanted my hands in marriage for himself and the other one wanted me to marry his eldest son who is ten years older than me Zara!

I'm just fourteen years old Zara,she said and bursted into uncontrollable tears ...

Hnmm! Zara heaved a long sigh of disappointment and sadness. But what's your mother's opinion on this whole situation?

Hmm she's not even aware and I don't know how to tell her in an understanding way without her having a fight with my father. They always fight over little things about me and it makes me feel sad and unhappy. So I want my brother to tell her about it and make her understands that she needs not to fight anyone about this but rather find a way to take me away from my dad, so that I can complete my education.

That's true. I'm equally sad about everything happening right now to you my friend. I pray everything gets resolved very soon and I hope you will be able to resume and continue the session because I can't stay in that school without you.

Don't worry about it too much, we will get over this together. I will also explain everything to my elder sister so that even if it's for you to run from home she would accommodate you. Be happy pleassse.

Common! I don't like this bad vibe.

Let's go and eat.

They both ate and chat about everything they want to do in future and what to do when school resumes, they both want to be in same class again in there senior class and sit together. Nafisa wants to be a lawyer while Zara wants to be a journalist, so they both chose to be in Art class.

After a very long session break, school was about to resume in few days time. The two girls kept in touch with each other, nafisa was really finding it difficult to convince her father to allow her to finish her secondary school at least before he can send her into marriage, Her brother played a very significant role in helping her father and mother to understand the importance of her finishing her school before marriage and that helped alot as her father said she would be schooling until she finds a suitor for her at least. The beginning of the session was lively as everyone was happy to resume school and see their friends and also the junior students who were to start the session as senior students were more happy to resume as seniors because it means they will soon be graduating and will become university students soon. Students were arranged in the secondary session according to their grades in junior classes, The students from SS1 A, B and C are all science students, D, E and G are all art students, H is commercial class while J is technical class. Zara and Nafisa chose to be in art class so they stayed in SS1G and sat together on same sit as they also stayed in same room in the hostel.