4: Dream Guy

Amna was sitting on a long bench; she was staring at the river, looking so lost in her thoughts. "Who was that guy? And what's his name?" The questions kept gnawing at her; she needed to act fast, as his thoughts never left her mind for a second.

A mesmerizing voice jolted her out of her reverie "Assalamu Alaikum," he said, his eyes rummaging around the river bank, probably looking for someone.

"Wa'alaikumus Salam," she answered, and shifted on the bench, making a space for him to sit. But he pretended as if not to notice her gesture. "You should sit young man, are you looking for someone?" she asked out of courtesy.

"Thank you for the space, I don't need it. I'm looking for your sister," he answered briskly, looking at his wristwatch impatiently.

Before she could utter a word, a beautifully dressed Hayfah appeared from nowhere, her cream colored long fitted gown matching with her skin color, her face was beautifully caked up; she looked extraordinarily beautiful. She bumptiously walked to where they were, a beautiful smile plastered on her luscious lips.

"Sorry for making you wait, shall we?" Hayfah's husky voice was now soft and meticulous. She snubbed Amna and slipped her right hand in his. With an endearing smile, they majestically sauntered off.

"Addah Amna, you should wake up, it's past fajr time. I have been waking you up since," came

Hayfah's loud voice, she was patting Amna's pillow softly. Amna groaned in disgust, why will she wake her up, the dream she had was worse than a nightmare, what was the meaning of the dream?

"Will you for a second allow me rest? Hypocrite.” She hissed and removed the bed sheet from her head, glared at Hayfah angrily and stomped out of the room. Hayfah was flummoxed by Amna's actions. Why was she calling her a hypocrite? What had she done? Amna could be such a ninny a times. She shrugged the thought off and moved to her bed, she groggily lay on her bed, and closed her eyes. Why did she dream of him? She had a restless night yesterday because of his dreams, he was everywhere; her mind, heart, he was at every crevice and corner of her whole body.

She was revising the page she was going to recite for her Mu'allim at Islamiyya, when she fell into a peaceful slumber. Amna entered the room, water dripping from her face, emanating she just performed ablution. She glared angrily at sleeping Hayfah, she was confused about how just a little dream made her feel so unsettled, it made her believe that there was something between Hayfah and her dream guy. She finished her prayer, said her Azhkars, and took her phone, logged into Instagram. She didn't know his name or his handle, but she relentlessly kept rummaging through in hopes of catching a glimpse of his profile. The traditional Fulani music she heard from the kitchen made her off her data and trudged out of their room. She knew it was Umma. That was her usual way of waking everybody up, she'll keep humming the songs till everyone was awake. She glumly sat behind Umma, whom was making Koko (pap) "Umma, A wali jam? (Good morning)," she greeted, her facial expression emanating sadness.

"Morning Amna, Jam bandu na? (Are you fine)?" Umma asked worriedly, holding her hands.

Amna grimaced, disgustfully looking at the bowl Umma was making the pap "Bandu am don nawa, Umma (I’m not fine Umma). I had a dream, it was about the guy I told you yesterday, the thing is getting serious, Umma. I saw him smiling at Hayfah, I'm afraid, what if my dream comes true?" Her voice was laced with fear and worry; she didn't know how she was going to handle the situation, if her dream come true. Umma moved her chair closer to Amna, a sweet placating smile plastered on her lips "Amna am, you don't have to worry, it's just a dream. Come on, A be dume jey nyamugo? (What will you like to eat?)" Umma asked lovingly, fixing her gaze on a moody Amna.

Amna thought for a second "Mi yiddi sihye da barret, (I want tea and bread) and I have kossam (milk) in my box, so I'll make it myself," she replied and advanced to their room.

She met Hayfah on her bed, stretching her arms and yawning "Good morning, Addah" she greeted, smiling fleetingly.

"Jam ko dume (Fine, thank you)," Amna answered in Fulani. Hayfah was confused, they knew she did not fully understand the language, because she was not close to Umma, she learned the little words she knew from Abba. There must be problem today. "Jabbama (you're welcome)," she stated and moved out of the room.

She greeted Umma, but the way she answered her greetings made something gnawed at her, did she do something wrong? But what had she done? She served Abba and herself the pap and kosai (beans cake). They were having their breakfast when Amna joined them, sipping her tea.

They were having their little talk after breakfast as usual when Amna chirped in "Hayfah, please what's the name of that guy? Just tell me the name," She asked, sneering at a puzzled Hayfah who was surprised at Amna’s straightforwardness, she didn’t expect her to ask such a question in the presence of their parents. She wondered why Amna was so desperate to know his name and decided against telling her.

"I don't know him talk less of his name, I told you he just asked me about a student, I know nothing about him.” She lied, her voice sounding more coarse than usual.

"Umma, a lari ko? (Umma, you see?) I know she won't tell me, and I saw it in my dream, she knows this guy. You're such a hypocrite," Amna hissed sneering at Hayfah.

Hayfah looked at Abba, probably needing his help, after seeing Umma's face, she knew not to stand for herself. "Amna! Hakkilo(be careful), you know she doesn’t understand the language, and why would you call her a hypocrite? What has she done? Isn't she your sister?" Abba snapped, he so much despised how everyone treated Hayfah, but Umma being Umma, would never heed to his warnings.

"Why will you interfere in their banter? Aren't you a man, you should mind your business please. And she has all the right to call her a hypocrite, why can't she tell her just his name? It won't do any harm." Umma retorted back, glaring at Hayfah, whose head was hung low, battling with her tears. She suddenly made up her mind; no matter what will happen, she will never say out his name.

Abba hissed and gave Hayfah a loving look, before he sauntered out of the house, with a heavy heart, what did she do to deserve such treatment from her family? She silently trudged to their room, her heart aching, she heard Amna spat angrily "To tell me or not, he won't love you, a handsome rich man cannot love such a lady like you, so it's even better to tell me," she spoke angrily. Hayfah shook her head glumly, a woebegone expression plastered on her face.

She went for her Islamic school and came back. It was after 8pm, they were having their dinner in the compound. A big round tray was placed in the center, everyone was eating from his side, she ignored the glares Umma and Amna kept sending her way since morning. They finished having their dinner, Hayfah took the utensils and dished them, and she came back and sat on a mat. Abba and Tahir went outside, Umma and Amna were discussing something silently. Hayfah sequestered herself on the edge of the mat, she was fumbling with her long beautiful fingers, ruminative on how their result would be; will she score well? Will she fail? Is her dream going to be true? Will she be a business woman? What if she didn't pass? What if she passed but Abba is against her ambition? Many what ifs were rummaging in her brain, the anxiety of seeing her result growing bigger with every passing minute.

"Hayfah, won't you tell me? It's of no use if you hold it to yourself, because he will never love you," Amna's words angered Hayfah, she frustrated her, she didn't know when she flared up.

"Achu am! (Leave me alone), I'm tired of your talks, I told you I don't know his name, do you want me to lie? And you're saying he won't love me, did I ever tell you I want to be loved? Did I ever tell you I know how it feels to be loved? Did I ever tell you I ever dreamt of being loved? No. You as my family don't love me, so why will I look forward to a stranger's love? That's not my business. So please spare me!" Hayfah spat wrathfully, she was fed up. Umma and Amna were humbugged, they didn't know this side of Hayfah, Amna guffawed out of shock "I can see you're really brave out of what will I call it, Love? Jealousy? Or what? Let me tell you one thing lil sis, whether you love him or not, whether he loves you or not; albeit that's impossible, you're not going to have him, he's mine, and will forever be mine!" Amna spat enigmatically, she was always the silent and nice one, not the angry.