C7 Fatimah

Today I woke up as early as possible because I was having Dr Marwan's lecture again, and while driving to school I bought some snacks and coca cola along the way. When I arrived at our lecture venue, I met Qudrah and few other students already in the hall. Qudrah waved at me to come and sit close to her, she had secured a seat for me already in the front like she always used to do. She was a good student, always coming to school in time.

"Good morning" I said walking closer to her, she was wearing a black jallabiya today with a qhimar which fitter her perfectly the fact that she was fair though not as fair as Yusuf.

"Morning, Fatimah" She said clearing the seat she secured for me. "How are you and how was your night? I hope you slept well?"

"I am fine Qudrah, and yes... I slept well. How family? Hope they are fine?" I uttered.

"They are fine, dear!" She said and just then Dr Marwan bounced in with his bag and laptop.

The first thing he did just after dropping his things on the podium was point his index finger to the back like a warning sign at somebody, and when we turned to that somebody we found out it was Yusuf. I was astounded, why were they always acting like cat and mouse? I asked myself knowing fully I didn't know the answer. What I learnt was that somehow, they knew each other for long.

"Good Morning class" He greeted us and thus we responded before the lecture began. He connected his laptop with a projector and started with introduction. Just then, we heard someone yelling from behind. It was Yusuf, and he was shouting at some students. That moment, I couldn't help but to ask myself what kind of a trouble child he was. I pitied his future wife.

"Yusuf, come over here" Dr Marwan said to him and continued. "Come and sit in the front, where I can see you well"

"Ahh!" Yusuf stood to his feet. I didn't want our eyes to meet so I turned my face away.

"Yes, don't waste our time" Dr Marwan said.

"Shit!" I heard Yusuf uttered and immediately he reached where we were in the front line Dr Marwan pointed at me and asked me to go back.

"Alright sir" I said without objecting even though I was so hurt beyond expectation.

"No, this isn't right!" Yusuf uttered as soon as I was about standing to my feet.

I was puzzled, his sudden utterance baffled me to the core that I couldn't even withdraw to my feet again.

"What is not right, Yusuf?" Dr Marwan said.

"The fact that she came so early just to sit in the front and now you are sending her to the back, it is not right at all sir!" Yusuf uttered.

"Go back to your seat and meet me after this lecture" Dr Marwan said and then continued with his lecture. I knew he wasn't happy at all.

After the lecture, Qudrah and I walked out of the hall with the intention of going home but something came up, call of nature and so Qudrah ran to the faculty's toilet. Perhaps she had eaten too much, yes she was chubby and we all know how good chubby people are in eating. They love food a lot, they are gluttons.

But don't mind me please, not all the chubby people are like that. In fact, Munir - my cousing was slim but he was a certified glutton. He could eat thrice what I used to eat in the dining area yet he hadn't grown any fat. I used to be surprised, wasn't he supposed to be fat? Well, it doesn't actually work that way and being fat doesn't really make one a glutton. Some fat people might not even finish half the plate I usually consume, so don't go and say I said fat people are gluttons. Else, you are on your own!

While patiently waiting for Qudrah in the faculty's rest area, I decided to fetch and eat the snacks I bought while on my way to school. I took my bag about unzipping it when a shadow clouded me. It was strange, and in bewilderment I rose my head and found a handsome guy standing in front of me with a broad smile on his face. He looked somehow familiar but I couldn't really recall where I saw him before.

"Mind if I join you?" He said and all I could do was to nod. "Thank you" He sat close to me. I wanted to eat before but promptly changed my mind, not close to a stranger, not close to this one in particular. We stayed there in total silence before he later cleared his throat, "Are you done with your lecture already?" He said.

"Yes" I said not looking at him, although his fragrance was drawing my attention to him.

"My name is Adnan, we once met in L-Spot. I was with Yusuf, do you remember?" He said. Just then, I mustered courage and turned to him. Indeed he was the same guy I saw with Yusuf but he had changed to me. Sometimes outfits could change people. "Do you reme...?"

"Yes, but I have not seen you in any of our classes. Or was I not noticing you?" I said.

"You won't see me because I don't have any carryover, only Yusuf does and just one. Moreover, we are in 200 Level" He uttered.

What? I nearly blurted that out. No wonder, Yusuf knew Dr Marwan so very well and perhaps the carryover of a thing was why they were always acting cat and mouse during lectures. Alas, it wouldn't be easy carrying over a course at all.

"That's pathetic" I huffed.

"Yes, but do you know where he is right now? I called him but it wasn't reachable" He said.

"That office over there" I pointed at it.

"Dr Marwan's office?" He asked.

"Yes" I nodded.

"Okay, let me wait for him here" He said pulling out his phone from his pocket. "I love horror films" He continued. "I don't used to be scared"

He kept talking while I stayed mute, I just wanted him to leave but wait a second. Yesterday Hajiya Umm Salmah apprised me about her nephew, Adnan. She also mentioned 200 level. Could it be that he was the one sitting right next to me? Maybe I should ask him but in a tactical way.

"Do you have someone with the name Umm Salmah in your family?" I asked staring at him.

"Umm Salmah?" He said and smiled. "Yes"

"How does she really look like?" I asked again.

"So tall, chubby, fair, has prayer mark and her husband is the minister of defence" He said. Thus, I smiled knowing that he was the Adnan. "Why did you asked, do you know my Aunt?"

"She's my mother's friend, she told me about you yesterday on Skype" I said heaving a sigh.

"Wow, seems we are..." He said as Yusuf appeared from nowhere and dragged him away.

I was very surprised, when did Yusuf left Dr Marwan's office and why did he did what he just did? I asked myself.

The class they entered was ACC class, I so much wanted to know what was happening but did it even concerned me?

I unzipped my bag and brought out my snacks together with the can coke I bought. Just as I began eating while waiting for Qudrah, Adnan came out of the ACC class together with Yusuf while smiling broadly. That moment, my heart began beating fast. Yusuf is a bad guy, does that mean Adnan is a bad guy as well? I asked myself. And what did they talked about me?

"Hey, is everything okay?" Adnan uttered the moment he came back. He left Yusuf behind.

"Ye... es" I stuttered looking at Yusuf from afar whose face was frowned like an angry bird.

"Okay, can I have your number? Yusuf and I are having lecture right now" Adnan requested.

"Sure" I said and gave him my number.

"Thank you" He said about leaving when he turned back and took one of my snacks. "I hope it is not an offence, princess Fatimah?"

His words made me to chuckle. "Who told you I am a princess? I am not a princess" I uttered.

"To me you are a princess" He said eating the snack. And as soon as he was about uttering another word when Yusuf yelled at him not to waste their time. "I am coming!" He said to Yusuf before turning back to me. "I will call you sooner or later, okay?"

"Okay" I nodded and watched as they left.

After eating my snacks, I turned around looking for Qudrah but she was nowhere to be found. I dialed her number, it rang nearly five times before she picked up and then asked me to go home that she was taking care of something. Her voice didn't seem right but I did not ask her anything. I only headed to the parking lot, hopped into my car and drove back home.