Fulfilling our promise.

Chapter four[The sneaking]

"what's wrong with our head girl"? The health prefect asked the labour prefect.

"i don't know either" the labour prefect answered.

"lets go and ask her".

"jiddah what's wrong with you" khadija, the labour prefect asked jiddah who was sitting down with her head bent low.

"you see she didn't even heard me" khadija spoke and looked at maryam.

"what's wrong with you" maryam said tapping her. As if she's tickled with a needle, she looked up with a swollen eye and tried to form a fake guffaw.

"I'm fine".

"don't even try to make fool of us" that was maryam.

"just speak up, you have gotten good listeners".

"Believe me, there is nothing, I'm just not feeling okay ".

"and I'm here you should have come and collect a pill" the health prefect spoke.

"trust me, I'm just nervous about our upcoming exams, its just in a fortnight. "

"mtsww" they both hissed at the same time and said "you are not even serious, you are the best student of the year but you are here talking nonsense, we know you will take the overall as usual".

"May Allah help us" jiddah said with a smile.

"Ameen, let's go back to class" khadija spoke holding jiddah's hand as they strolled back to their classroom.

•...•

"aunty hauwa! " jiddah heard someone calling her and she turned around to see the caller. It was ikram.

"how are you ikram"

"fine, aunty good afternoon "

"aunty brother Muhammad said i should tell you to come to our house and collect a message he sent to you through the postal service.

"okay, when i get back home and refreshed up i will come greet mummy for me". Jiddah spoke feeling her mood brightening.

•...•

"mummy who told people that if you mix rice and beans it will be sweet" jiddah asked taking a spoonful of rice and beans in her mouth .

"eat your food, you are just doing santi." her mommy spoked bursting into a fist of laughter.

"i know you must say this mom, but seriously the food is delicious. "

"erm, mommy please i want to go khadija's house later in the daytime "

"its okay i want to visit the neighborhood too we can go out together while you go to your friend's house and i go to mine too".

"thanks mom" jiddah mumbled in attempt to hide her overhelming happiness.

She quickly swept the compound, checked the animals and cooked dinner and put it in the flask, then prayed asr .

"jiddah be fast or i will lock you in" her mummy warned for the second time.

"mummy I'm coming "

She quickly wore her hijab and looked at her self at the mirror before stomping out.

"make sure you come back before six" jiddah's mommy ordered sternly.

"yes mommy" jiddah waved happily.

:•

"did you know i just come to your house so that it won't look like i kind of -lie to mommy? " jiddah asked looking directly at khadija.

"where did you intend to go then"?

"Muhammad's place"

"didn't you told me that he had travelled then what are you going to do there"?

"he have a message for me"

"yes please lend me your niqab so that i will wear in case of some cases. " jiddah pleaded.

"jiddah when did you become bad like this"? Khadija asked surprised.

"its not like that i just don't want mommy to know i was there and you know she's at malam garba's and its just a few feet from Muhammad's house "

"alright lets go"

"thanks" jiddah murmured with a smile which she didn't know when it formed.

"do you know where they are selling phones"? Jiddah asked breaking the silence.

"phone kuma jiddah me yake damunki what's wrong with you jiddah? Are you sure of what you are saying? You told me mom seized your phone and now you want to buy another one"

"easy, easy boss shikenan na fasa siya its okay I'm not buying anymore " jiddah calmed her down.

Khadija heaved a sigh of relief and said " yanxu naji magana now you are talking yanxu na san da hauwa jiddah nake magana now i confirmed i am talking with hauwa jiddah.

The way khadija addressed jiddah as 'hauwa jiddah' made jiddah felt a mist in her eyes because she remembered how many of students especially her haters since she's the head girl mocked at her everyday they are always saying that jiddah don't have a father thats why her name is hauwa jiddah without a surname as everyone has.

"are you okay"? Khadija tapped her bringing her back to the earth.

"Yyeah iim fine" she stuttered because she knows telling khadija her problem is not a solution since khadija is one of those who mocked her at the back at her eyes and claimed that she love her more than anyone in her presence.

What angers or startled her most is her mother had never told her anything about her father, she, her mother, had once told her that she didn't have a father but one thing she believed is her mother was enraged and angry at her when she said it.

The only person she trust after her mommy is her Muhammad he is the only one who calm her and told her to stop looking at the hands pointing at her.

"assalamu alaykum " jiddah salam-ed at the door.

"wa'alaykumus salam I'm coming please "she heard muhammad's mommy's step approaching so she quickly removed her niqab and put it her bag to avoid question.

"look who we have here, jiddah come in, i have told you several times that whenever you come you should just come in kamar wata baquwa as if you are a guest. Muhammad's mother finished as jiddah made her way to squat and greet her.

"good evening ma" jiddah greeted looking at the floor.

"address me as mommy not ma"

jiddah chuckled and said "in sha Allah mummy"

"now i hear something "

"where is ikram" jiddah asked breaking the undying silence.

"she's not yet back from Islamic school but I'm certain she will be back any moment from now".

"okay mommy" jiddah said thinking of what to say next, she knew she just can't say she had come to collect the letter muhammad sent to her.

"umm mommy we will be going, i just came to greet you and see ikram" jiddah said dropping the glass cup of water.

"but you didn't eat anything " muhd's mom said pointing at the cake and the juice.

"no mummy we are full" jiddah and khadija spoke at the same time.

"its alright since you chose to be always behaving like a guest i will pack it for you" muhd's mom declared as she made her way to the kitchen to bring a nylon bag.

"take this" she gave her and she collected reluctantly thanking her.

" we didn't do what we were supposed to do what's the point of coming then"? Khadija ranted.

"you know i can't just tell her that i came to collect parcel from her son, you know I'm not that rude" jiddah replied back.

"then what are we going to do" khadija asked raising her eyebrows.

"I have an idea, we are going back inside as if we forgot something maybe she will remember " jiddah beamed.

Jiddah knocked at the door, as soon as she was permitted in, she bagan to fake-search for nothing of course. When muhd's mom didn't say anything, jiddah gave up and said

"mommy we are going".

"alright greet your mothers for me" muhd's mom replied.

"erm... mummy you didn't hear i said we are going " jiddah repeated.

"oh i answered maybe you didn't hear me, greet your mummy when you get home. "

Jiddah couldn't help but felt defeated and khadija could not resist her laughter because of the way jiddah acted.

Jiddah turned and place her hand on the door handle to open it.

"jiddah, muhd sent a message to you i forgot to give you, it skipped my mind wait and collect it" she heard muhds mom spoke, she didn't know when she released a breath which she didn't know she was holding.

"here"

She collected and couldn't hide her happiness. She thanked muhds mom and sauntered out because it is already five forty five.

"it feels a bit heavy what do you think is inside apart from the letter" jiddah spoke.

"i have no idea.. But. .." Before khadija could continue they saw jiddah's mom passed near them she even turned around and looked at them as if she recognize them.

"this is mommy without no doubt, you see the reason why i cover my face "?

"yes just go home before she reached before you " khadija suggested.

"take the snack with you deejah, this parcel is enough for me to know how to hide it, bye and thanks " jiddah quickly followed the other route to their house after giving deeja the niqab she used to cover her face.

As soon as she approached their gate, she quickly ran into the house and entered no where but their toilet with the parcel clutched to her stomach beneath her dress which looks like she's holding her stomach out of pain, because that's the only way she could use so that her mummy won't know there's something with her.

She quickly locked the bathroom door and turn the tap so that her mum won't hear any sound of a nylon. She opened the parcel and there in it, is the same brand of phone muhammad has and then a letter. She tucked the letter in her skirt and folded the parcel in which the phone is. She then performed ablution and put the parcel in between her hijab.

She came out of the bathroom panting which was fake for sure, which drew her mummy's attention

"what's wrong with you"

"i have a runny stomach mom, i ate hot soya bean cake with a lot of pepper at khadija's." she lied.

"serves you right, i have warned you several times to stop eating it untill its cold but you are not hearing now go and pray"

"okay mum"

She prayed and sought for forgiveness for the number of times she lied today. She had successfully hid the phone at one corner under the bed she made sure the place is safe but anytime she sees her mum entering the room, she followed her gisting her just to make sure her mum didn't see it.

Now what is left is to read the letter. When she made sure that her mom had performed her ablution and wants to pray isha, she brought the paper out as soon as she unfolded it, she saw her mummy coming into the room, she knew it no matter how she try to hide it her mother had seen it but nonetheless, she tried hiding it in between her books.

"jiddoh! What are you hiding"? Her mummy said calmly apart from the emphasis she puts on while calling her name.

"mummy its our test and i failed one question thats why I'm hiding it and unfortunately you saw it" jiddah explained without any fear but confidently.

"let me have a look at it... " jiddah felt a lump somewhere and managed to talk, "mumm... "

"just leave it scary cat since you have told me" her mother interrupted her. She sighed and muttered astaghfirullah! For the number of times she had lied.