C3 Zainab

Talking about Staff Complex, do I even know there? I wondered. Well, I will look for someone to guide me there. I thought while walking towards the elevator. It's more faster, you know, than walking down the stairs. I wasn't used to it but I saw how the security woman handled it when she was directing me to my room. It was easier than I expected. I punched a green light button and suddenly the door opened. I stepped into it, and just as the door was about closing a tall slim girl stepped into the elevator too. She was wearing a connected metallic capelet gown, and middle heel shoes. Her Khimar looked exactly like that of Sakinah, my high school friend. Brownish, and more longer than mine. She looked beautiful.

"Hey" she waved.

"Hey!" I waved back.

She stood firm to my right with her phone. The elevator shuts its door off and began descending as ordered. I couldn't avert my gaze from her, she was quiet and busy swiping through her phone. It was an iPhone, or wasn't it? – I looked at it again. It was!

"Any problem, miss?" She queried.

"No, just looking at your iPhone. It's awesome by the way" I beamed.

"Oh," she smiled. "It's the latest iPhone. My boyfriend bought it for me..."

Boyfriend? Did she just said boyfriend? My jaw dropped in astonishment. How stupid was she to collect an expensive gadget like that from a boy? How stupid! And only Allah knew what she offered him in return for it. Her body perhaps!

"How cute!" I felt sorry for her.

"Thanks" she beamed with a smile. "What's your name?" She asked.

"Zainab Galadima. How about you?"

"Ramlah Nabil, a.k.a Ramzy" She said.

We stepped out of the elevator and headed outside the hostel together.

"So Ramzy, are you also a new student here?" I asked with a wrinkled brows.

"I'm in 100level but not a new student. I did my remedial here" She explained.

"Okey, that's good. I'm a new student. Economics department" I beamed.

"Did you just say Economics...?"

"Yeah!" I nodded.

"Wow, that's great!" She squealed. "We're in the same department"

"Really?" I puzzled.

"Yes, Zee!"She beamed. " So, where are you heading to? Is it the Cafeteria?"

"Staff Complex!" I squealed.

"Same direction, Zee! I'm heading to the Bursary Office. They are kind of close"

"Ma Shaa Allah, lets go then" I said.

We exchanged contacts as soon as we arrived at my destination. She was surprised to see my phone. She never knew it still exist, it was an old Nokia phone. A C2-01. Seems pretty old, right? Well, as long as I could receive call, SMS, watch videos... I really didn't care!

"Later, Zee!" She waved.

"Later!" I waved back.

The Staff Complex was a big 12 storey building. That was the offices of the school lecturers. My mother had told me the floor number of Sir Abrar's office, and his door had his name written on its nameplate. Dr Abrar Habeeb.

"Come in!" I heard him said from the inside as soon as I knocked the door.

I twirled the knob and pushed the door opened. He was sitting on a swivel chair while operating his laptop. I greeted him and he responded with a smile.

"Have a seat, daughter" He ordered.

He normally used to call me his daughter. My mother once told me he had a daughter with my name, she died in a fatal car accident with her mother. That was actually two decades ago.

"Thank you, Sir Abrar" I said as I sat on one of the visitors swivel chairs.

"Where are your luggage?" He was now puzzled and staring at me.

"In my hostel room. I was directed there after showing my hostel allocation form to the girl I met in the cab. She's a student here too" I elucidated.

"I thought you'd first come to my office, then I will guide you there..."

"I wanted to, but the girl insisted she escort me to the hostel first to keep off my loads. I was tired as well" I said further.

"Alright, so do you like the hostel room?" He wrinkled his brows.

"Like? I love it sir!" I squealed. "And the hostel entirely is magnificent"

"Good!" He said.

"I don't really know how to thank..." I said as he quickly intercepted me.

"You don't need to, daughter. I ought to take care of you and your mother. I will try my best to make you both happy"

And I could now feel some moisture starting to gather in my eyes. He was really a nice man. He loved us wholly.

"Here, she asked me to give you this"

I extended the letter to him after having fetched it from my purse. The letter was in an envelope, well sealed with my mother's signature on it. He nearly opened the letter but promptly changed his mind. Not in my presence I guess!

"I should get going" I said.

"Alright daughter, take care" He smiled.

"You too" I stood and headed to the door. Immediately I opened the door I bumped into a guy who was about coming in. My purse and phone fell down. Before I knew it he picked them for me and handed the purse to me

"How about my phone?" I puzzled.

"Well," He said while checking the scratches in the phone. I shut the door behind me and gulped with my eyes glued on him. His hair was curly, his eyes were wide, his broad chest, OMG he was so handsome! He was wearing a blue jeans and a black long sleeves shirt. He, to my scrutiny, appeared to be 22 or 23. Just as I was running my eyes through his body, my mother's words echoed in my mind. '...they're wolves in sheep's clothing...' Thus, I deviated my attention from him. I shouldn't fall in love. I shouldn't let what happened to my mother happen to me. "I broken your screen" he said looking at me.

"What? You what?" I puzzled.

"Yeah, I'm sorry" He stared at me.

For some unknown reason, my heart began beating heavily. Like seriously? I was falling for a total stranger? No, that shouldn't happen. I should just leave the scene. I should stay away from him!

"Okey, give me the phone. I will fix it" I almost grab it from him, but he was too quick to move it away from my reach.

"I'll fix it for you. By the way, it was all my fault. I broke it" he was now trying to be stubborn. I disliked stubbornness.

"Please, Just give me!"I squealed trying my possible best to get the phone from him. Thus, in the process of fighting to collect my phone we both lost balance and fell down. I was now accidentally on his broad chest. I could hear his heartbeat. Was it beating satisfactorily?

"Oh, great!" I heard him uttered as he held my waist which made me to feel a tingling sensation in my whole body.

"Fuck you!" I said as I quickly stood to my feet. Was he enjoying me or what?

He smiled as he stood to his feet as well.

"Idiot, give me my phone!" I added. I was eager to leave. My heart was pumping fast. I was having some strange feelings inside me. I needed to go!

"I said I'm gonna fix it for you, okey?"

He wasn't ready to give me back my phone so I turned and left. I thought he'd stop me and hand me over the phone but he didn't. So I left to my hostel room and took a warm shower. I knew he'd definitely handover the phone to Sir Abrar. Thus, I wasn't worried about it. I'd get it back!