Chapter 2

Please note: This chapter has some Hausa  direct speech and most of the book. I don't speak Hausa and I got this off of google translate so please let me know if what I said is nonsense, if you understand Hausa.

HADAZA

"Hadaza ku sauko don abincin dare!" My mom practically scram at me from down stairs.

"Hadaza come down for dinner!"

I swear sometimes I think the neighbours think someone is being abused in this house.

"Coming mama!"

"No come now! If I have to come up there I will grab you by your hair Hadaza!" I gritted my teeth at her command and quickly made my way to the dinning room, knowing very well she would do that.

"Sannu Baba."

"Hey dad."

I greeted my father on the other end of the dinner table. My dad is always working hard and late. His job is the whole reason we moved from Nigeria to California. Well my parents did, just before I was born.

"Sannu, data." He smiled at me with his half slouching self on the chair. "Hello my daughter."

"Ina dan'uwanku yake?"

"Where is your brother?"

"Gambo come get your dinner!" My moms Nigerian accent bounced off the walls as she called my 16 year old brother.

"That boy is always on his phone. I am going to flush it down the toilet one day."  Sometimes I felt like my mom is always in a bad mood, like she was born stubborn. She was basically throwing the plates on the table, like geez woman.

My not so brotherly brother sat himself down across from my mother with my father beside him. I didn't really like this time of the day because it was normally awkward. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing bad about eating a nice dinner with your family. But my family has kind of drifted apart. My dad is always working, my mom is also always working and doing her own charity stuff on the side. Gambo is always out with his friends and most of the time no one knows where he is. I miss how we used to be back then.

"Gambo, yadda makarantar ta kasance?"

"Gambo, how has school been." My dad asked Gambo.

"Why do you care?" Gambo just stared down at his food as my dad sent glares at him.

"Me ya sa kake magana da

mahaifikna kamar haka?"

"Why do you talk to your father like that?"

My mother complained.

"Because I can." What is wrong with him?

"You are a part of this family Gambo, now stop pretending as if you are not." My father shot at him. The atmosphere in the room wasn't my taste and that is the exact reason I didn't like our dinners. Everything and everyone in this house changed and its awful.

"Why doesn't everyone just leave me ALONE!" My brother stormed out to his room slamming the door behind him. Gosh he's such a drama queen.

The rest of the dinner was filled with thick silence. So I quickly finished eating and left as fast as possible. I needed to get out of there.

Before I prepared for bed I checked for my sketch book. I had been looking and looking and looking, until I realised I might have lost it. I mean I was sure I put it in my bag but it probably fell out or I left it at the library. I'm so rooting for the second one because it would be easier to find it there. I don't know what I would do without that sketch book. That book is almost personal and extremely important to me. Which is why I can't just go and buy a brand new one. I mean sure I can buy many sketch books but that one is irreplaceable. I tried to calm myself down and convince myself it is safe and I will find it...hopefully.

Already when I woke up I was in a bad mood. Just thinking about someone else  having my book is scary. Those drawings are kinda personal, but not in a way that nobody was alowed to see them. More like in a way that nobody would understand them.

After a shower and a good brushing of teeth, I got dressed. I wore a light denim overall with a grey sweater underneath and some black boots. After grabbing some breakfast I left with my bicycle to school.

I made a note to self that I had to look for my sketch book in the library at lunch. I was kind of counting on the library right now, because if its not there I think I'd faint.

When the bell screamed at me signaling lunch, I made my way to the library in a flash. I went to the window seat where I always sat and looked everywhere, only to find that it wasn't there.

"Looking for this?" A smooth voice asked from behind me. I slowly turned around to look at the stranger holding my book. He had dark brown hair and gorgeous green eyes behind thin gold rimmed glasses.

"W-where did you find that?"

"You dropped it yesterday remember? When you bumped into me?" That's when it hit me. I was such in a rush to get to class, that I might have not closed my bag properly before I left.

"Well c-can I h-have it back?" STOP STUTTERING HADAZA!

"You know you're really good." He ignored me and started flipping through it.

"Thanks now can I get it

b-back?" I stared at the floor.

"What's your name?" He asked as he gave it back to me. Why does he want to know my name?

"Ha-Hadaza." I quickly put my book properly in my bag this time.

"Well Ha-Hadaza my name is Th-Thorn." Although he was mocking me his smile sent shivers down my spine.

"Uhm...okay." Really Hadaza?

He laughed, probably at my pathetic self.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Nothing, uhm I have to go but I will see you later Hadaza." He said before he gave me a smile and headed for the door.