layla

layla

Kiza University.

Layla's eyes remained fixed on the name printed at the top of the acceptance letter. She read it once... then twice... then again, hoping the words would somehow change.

They never did.

Ever since her father died, everything had fallen apart. Her uncle, Nick, had claimed every piece of her father's estate, leaving Layla and her mother with nothing.

That was the day their lives changed forever.

Back then, her mother had been a full-time wife and devoted mother. Now, Annah worked long hours as a waitress and also did odd jobs at the town's petrol station just to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads.

"W-Why, Uncle?" Layla whispered, the painful question escaping her lips even though she knew there would never be an answer.

Annah, who had been quietly watching her daughter from the nearby chair, sighed. Every mother wanted the best for her child, and seeing Layla's heart break was almost more than she could bear.

"Layla, my one and only," she said softly, "everything will be all right."

Layla looked at her mother for a brief moment before turning her face away, blinking back fresh tears.

"But, Umma... I-I don't want this," she cried.

Annah walked over and sat beside her daughter.

"I know, my love," she said gently. "But you haven't even spent a single day there, and you're already afraid of it."

She wrapped Layla in a warm embrace, gently rubbing her back as she whispered comforting words, hoping they would ease even a little of the fear weighing on her daughter's heart.Layla

I sat by the window, staring at the stars, trying to figure out why all of this had happened to me.

Memories of Baba flooded my mind. We used to be such a happy family. Baba would take Umma and me to the Town Hall whenever there were cultural festivals. We would paint our faces in different colors, laugh until our stomachs hurt, and spend the entire day together.

A sigh escaped my lips.

Now all Umma and I had were memories.

I lay down on my bed and stared at the ceiling, trying to make sense of my life.

Next week, I would no longer be living in this city—a city that held every memory of my childhood and my teenage years.

The next morning, I heard Umma leaving the house. Even though she tried to be as quiet as possible, I still heard the soft click of the front door closing.

After spending a few hours lying in bed doing absolutely nothing, I finally decided to take a shower and go for a stroll.

The moment I stepped outside, a cool breeze brushed against my face, almost making me regret my decision.

As I walked past the familiar buildings, memories of my high school days came rushing back.

I remembered one morning when I had been late for school, running as fast as I could to catch the bus while Baba chased after me, carrying my school bag and the lunch he had forgotten to give me.

A small smile spread across my lips.

This little town held every piece of my life.

When I reached Umma's workplace, I stepped inside. The comforting aroma of freshly cooked food filled my nostrils, and warm air wrapped around me like a blanket.

"Lail," Umma called with a smile.

"Umma, how's it going?" I greeted, placing a kiss on the back of her hand before kissing her left cheek.

"Great, my one and only," she replied warmly, guiding me to an empty table. "I'll bring you some tea and waffles."

As I waited, I looked around the crowded café, trying to see it through the customers' eyes.

What did they think when Umma served them? Did they notice how kind she was? Did they know she had once lived such a different life?

"Here you go, little lady," Umma said cheerfully, setting the tea and waffles in front of me.

She kissed the top of my head before hurrying back to attend to the other custom