Since morning Khaleesat had called Safiyyah and told her she wouldn't come to school because she wanted to sleep. Safiyyah knew very well she hadn’t slept properly the previous night. She even wondered how Khaleesat manages to keep things in her mind like that. Safiyyah said, “Alright my friend, after our classes I’ll come, even if it’s in the evening In sha Allah.”
Softly Khaleesat replied, “Okay, may Allah guide us. Thank you.”
They ended the call and she dropped the phone, then lay back down.
Around 4pm, Khaleesat woke up from the sleep she was having. She went into the bathroom, brushed her teeth, took a bath and performed ablution. She hadn’t eaten anything since morning. It’s been almost three days since she last ate a proper meal—ever since the incident that happened a few days ago. After she finished praying, she dressed in light clothes and went to the parlor, then to the kitchen and prepared tea only. She returned to her room, pulled her laptop closer and turned it on to watch a movie, hoping it would help her relax a bit. But she eventually closed it and picked up her books to read. She still couldn’t understand a thing. She closed the books and rested her head on the bed, closing her eyes as different thoughts ran through her mind.
It wasn’t exactly because Abdul didn’t answer her calls or didn’t call her. She herself didn’t even know what exactly was disturbing her. After a long time, she opened her eyes and picked up her phone. She opened WhatsApp and saw that Abdul had updated his status a few hours ago. She opened the picture and saw he was already back in Nigeria because he posted a football field picture with his friends wearing jerseys. She wasn’t surprised he returned; he could do anything. From the three days of silence she already suspected he had gone back.
Just then she heard the door of the room opposite hers open. Her heart jumped heavily. Since that day, today was the first time her Housemate returned home. She checked her phone and saw it was already a little past 5pm. She put the phone down and lifted her head. She sat there for about 15 minutes after he entered his room before she finally stood up weakly and picked her veil, walking slowly toward her door. She opened it and stepped into the corridor. She kept staring at his door nervously. She didn’t have the courage to go closer. She stood there for some minutes, then closed her eyes and walked slowly to his door, stopping in front of it. She knocked gently, like she was scared of the door.
She stepped aside waiting for his response. When she didn’t hear anything, she knocked again gently. After waiting about a minute, still no response. She thought maybe he was sleeping — but sleeping in the evening like this?
She slowly held the door handle and opened the door without thinking twice, looking into the room with her heart racing. She found him sitting at the edge of his bed, bent over his laptop, clearly finishing something he had started the day he left. He lifted his head and looked at her, then continued what he was doing. She felt really hurt. So he actually heard her knocking. If she had known he heard, she would have left and wouldn’t have opened the door.
He stood up and said, “Good evening Halysaah.”
She refused to reply or to look at him. With difficulty she said, “So you heard me and still refused to answer?” Her voice was already shaking. He raised his eyebrows slightly and said, “How was I to know if it wasn’t your boyfriend, Halysaah?”
Her eyes filled with tears instantly. She turned and left the doorway, closed his door, and returned to her room. He sat back down and continued working on his laptop.
As soon as she got into her room, she began crying without even knowing why. She felt very hurt and regretted going to his room. She was still lying the same way until almost 6pm when she heard him knock on her door gently. She lifted her head and looked at the door, then frowned. Immediately, he opened the door slowly and stood at the entrance, saying:
“I was trying to finish a PowerPoint, Housemate. How are you doing?”
She lowered her gaze and quietly said, “It’s fine.”
He asked, “You didn’t go to school today?”
She nodded.
“Why?”
“Nothing.”
“Okay, hope everything is okay?”
She raised her head and looked at him, then quickly looked away before she started crying again.
After about ten seconds he asked, “The guy who was shouting at you on the phone that day— is he your boyfriend?”
She didn’t say anything at first, then with a shaking voice said, “I’m sorry about what happened.”
He raised his eyebrows. “No, it’s fine, Halysaah. Nothing happened. But where did you know him from?”
She stayed silent, wiping her tears.
He said, “Am I intruding?”
She shook her head.
“Okay… can we talk, if you’re comfortable?”
She thought for a moment and said softly, “Okay.”
He said, “Meet me in the parlor.”
He left. When Khaleesat came out, he wasn’t yet in the parlor, so she sat down. After some minutes he came from the kitchen with a cup of coffee and sat near her.
“You look pale, Housemate. Are you okay? Did he do anything to you?”
She shook her head.
“He left immediately you left too,” she said.
“Oh really? That’s strange.”
She stayed quiet.
“I noticed you haven’t cooked in the kitchen for a while. So what have you been eating?”
She lowered her head. He could see she was seriously troubled.
“So he hasn’t returned since that day?”
She said, “Um.”
He checked his wristwatch.
“Do you mind if I take you out for dinner?”
She stared at him without blinking and said nothing.
He stood up. “Get ready. Let me get my car key.”
He left for his room. She stayed thinking for a few minutes — should she go? What if Abdul hadn’t really left the country, and only posted an old picture? The thought made her tremble.
He soon came out again. As he entered the parlor, she quickly stood up and went to her room. She changed her clothes, picked her veil, and sat on her bed thinking.
After 15 minutes he knocked.
“Aren’t you ready, Halysaah?”
She quietly picked her phone, opened the door, and left with him. They both went to the car and he opened her door before she got close.
He drove her to a famous restaurant called The Capital Grille.
Inside, he gave her the menu and said, “Check what you want to eat.”
She didn’t touch it.
“I’m talking to you, Halysaah,” he said.
Still looking at her phone she replied, “Anything is fine.”
He placed the order — many types of food, expensive ones. More than she had ever seen. Drinks of different types too.
She looked at him, shocked.
“Who is going to eat all this?”
He drank his orange crush calmly, not answering.
When she didn’t start eating, he asked, “Is there nothing you like?”
She quietly took a taco.
He kept eating without paying attention to her.
Seeing he wasn’t looking at her at all, she relaxed a bit and ate small portions. After some time he looked at her and said, “Should I have them package your food? It seems you’re shy to eat in public. Or do you want privacy?”
She looked at him.
“Privacy? In an open restaurant? Did I say I’m shy to eat?”
He said, “You only ate the tacos when there’s so much food.”
She said, “I prefer this."
He finished eating and wiped his mouth with a tissue.
“Okay. Can I talk now?”
She nodded.
He asked where she met her boyfriend — in Nigeria or America.
She said, “Nigeria.”
“What do you think is causing problems between you two?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“Did he come here because of you?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
He leaned back.
“That means he really loves you. He left everything and came here. I guess he doesn’t like you sharing an apartment with a male housemate?”
She said nothing.
“That’s understandable. Even I wouldn’t want my girlfriend to live with a male stranger.”
She looked at him.
“My advice,” he continued, “try your best to set boundaries early before marriage. There must be mutual understanding. He seems like a good guy, just hot-tempered, and insecure. But you can gradually help him improve, Halysaah. Lastly, just remember the do’s and don’ts of your religion regarding male-female interaction.”
She was listening carefully.
Suddenly, three guys—Africans—entered. One Nigerian among them waved at him. He waved back. One approached their table and asked, “Done with the PowerPoint?”
His perfume filled the place.
Her Housemate said, “You’re even eating here today?”
The guy replied, “Not at all, getting steak for Legend.”
Her Housemate said, “I came with my friend for dinner.”
The guy ignored Khaleesat completely.
Her Housemate handed him their bill and said, “Clear this.”
The guy left.
Housemate said, “That’s my guy. We share the same name.”
She simply said, “Okay.”
“Sorry about his attitude,” he said. “He’s not friendly, but he’s a good person.”
Khaleesat replied, “Same here.”
He laughed and excused himself to talk to the guy. She overheard the guy saying harshly:
“That girl sitting like a statue who can’t greet? Last time you brought her at 3am she was staring like a carved figure.”
Her Housemate replied, “Did you greet her? Or expect her to greet someone she doesn’t know?”
The guy ignored him again and said something unrelated.
When her Housemate returned, she was already standing.
“Thanks for the dinner. My friend called. I’m leaving,” she said.
He said, “You came with me, you’ll leave with me.”
She replied, “Well, your responsible friends are here, so I’ll go.”
He said, “Halysaah…”
She looked up.
“Wait let me clear the bill and drop you.”
Before he could pay, a staff member came and said it was already cleared.
They left. She didn’t look at him until they reached home.
He asked gently, “Are you offended, Halysaah?”
She said, “Offended at what?”
He said, “I don’t know.”
She said, “I don’t look like someone who gets offended by an irresponsible stranger. If he said it to my face he’d hear from me.”
He stared at her surprised. He hadn’t realized she heard.
He apologized over and over as they drove home.
When she reached her room after 40 minutes he came to her door and said:
“Goodnight Halysaah. Please rest well. And go to school tomorrow.”
She kept her head down.
“Take care,” he said.
She quietly said, “Thank you… for…” then stopped.
“For?” he asked.
“For the dinner,” she whispered.
He said, “My pleasure, Halysaah.”
Softly she added, “But… I don’t know your name.”
He smiled.
“I introduced myself the first day. I’m Ahmad Jawwad Yusuf. My friends call me Jayy.”
She stared at him, then lowered her gaze.
“Alright. I really appreciate you.”
He smiled.
“See you tomorrow.”
He left, and she watched him until he went out of the house before returning into her room and locking the door.
Since morning Khaleesat had called Safiyyah and told her she wouldn't come to school because she wanted to sleep. Safiyyah knew very well she hadn’t slept properly the previous night. She even wondered how Khaleesat manages to keep things in her mind like that. Safiyyah said, “Alright my friend, after our classes I’ll come, even if it’s in the evening In sha Allah.”
Softly Khaleesat replied, “Okay, may Allah guide us. Thank you.”
They ended the call and she dropped the phone, then lay back down.
Around 4pm, Khaleesat woke up from the sleep she was having. She went into the bathroom, brushed her teeth, took a bath and performed ablution. She hadn’t eaten anything since morning. It’s been almost three days since she last ate a proper meal—ever since the incident that happened a few days ago. After she finished praying, she dressed in light clothes and went to the parlor, then to the kitchen and prepared tea only. She returned to her room, pulled her laptop closer and turned it on to watch a movie, hoping it would help her relax a bit. But she eventually closed it and picked up her books to read. She still couldn’t understand a thing. She closed the books and rested her head on the bed, closing her eyes as different thoughts ran through her mind.
It wasn’t exactly because Abdul didn’t answer her calls or didn’t call her. She herself didn’t even know what exactly was disturbing her. After a long time, she opened her eyes and picked up her phone. She opened WhatsApp and saw that Abdul had updated his status a few hours ago. She opened the picture and saw he was already back in Nigeria because he posted a football field picture with his friends wearing jerseys. She wasn’t surprised he returned; he could do anything. From the three days of silence she already suspected he had gone back.
Just then she heard the door of the room opposite hers open. Her heart jumped heavily. Since that day, today was the first time her Housemate returned home. She checked her phone and saw it was already a little past 5pm. She put the phone down and lifted her head. She sat there for about 15 minutes after he entered his room before she finally stood up weakly and picked her veil, walking slowly toward her door. She opened it and stepped into the corridor. She kept staring at his door nervously. She didn’t have the courage to go closer. She stood there for some minutes, then closed her eyes and walked slowly to his door, stopping in front of it. She knocked gently, like she was scared of the door.
She stepped aside waiting for his response. When she didn’t hear anything, she knocked again gently. After waiting about a minute, still no response. She thought maybe he was sleeping — but sleeping in the evening like this?
She slowly held the door handle and opened the door without thinking twice, looking into the room with her heart racing. She found him sitting at the edge of his bed, bent over his laptop, clearly finishing something he had started the day he left. He lifted his head and looked at her, then continued what he was doing. She felt really hurt. So he actually heard her knocking. If she had known he heard, she would have left and wouldn’t have opened the door.
He stood up and said, “Good evening Halysaah.”
She refused to reply or to look at him. With difficulty she said, “So you heard me and still refused to answer?” Her voice was already shaking. He raised his eyebrows slightly and said, “How was I to know if it wasn’t your boyfriend, Halysaah?”
Her eyes filled with tears instantly. She turned and left the doorway, closed his door, and returned to her room. He sat back down and continued working on his laptop.
As soon as she got into her room, she began crying without even knowing why. She felt very hurt and regretted going to his room. She was still lying the same way until almost 6pm when she heard him knock on her door gently. She lifted her head and looked at the door, then frowned. Immediately, he opened the door slowly and stood at the entrance, saying:
“I was trying to finish a PowerPoint, Housemate. How are you doing?”
She lowered her gaze and quietly said, “It’s fine.”
He asked, “You didn’t go to school today?”
She nodded.
“Why?”
“Nothing.”
“Okay, hope everything is okay?”
She raised her head and looked at him, then quickly looked away before she started crying again.
After about ten seconds he asked, “The guy who was shouting at you on the phone that day— is he your boyfriend?”
She didn’t say anything at first, then with a shaking voice said, “I’m sorry about what happened.”
He raised his eyebrows. “No, it’s fine, Halysaah. Nothing happened. But where did you know him from?”
She stayed silent, wiping her tears.
He said, “Am I intruding?”
She shook her head.
“Okay… can we talk, if you’re comfortable?”
She thought for a moment and said softly, “Okay.”
He said, “Meet me in the parlor.”
He left. When Khaleesat came out, he wasn’t yet in the parlor, so she sat down. After some minutes he came from the kitchen with a cup of coffee and sat near her.
“You look pale, Housemate. Are you okay? Did he do anything to you?”
She shook her head.
“He left immediately you left too,” she said.
“Oh really? That’s strange.”
She stayed quiet.
“I noticed you haven’t cooked in the kitchen for a while. So what have you been eating?”
She lowered her head. He could see she was seriously troubled.
“So he hasn’t returned since that day?”
She said, “Um.”
He checked his wristwatch.
“Do you mind if I take you out for dinner?”
She stared at him without blinking and said nothing.
He stood up. “Get ready. Let me get my car key.”
He left for his room. She stayed thinking for a few minutes — should she go? What if Abdul hadn’t really left the country, and only posted an old picture? The thought made her tremble.
He soon came out again. As he entered the parlor, she quickly stood up and went to her room. She changed her clothes, picked her veil, and sat on her bed thinking.
After 15 minutes he knocked.
“Aren’t you ready, Halysaah?”
She quietly picked her phone, opened the door, and left with him. They both went to the car and he opened her door before she got close.
He drove her to a famous restaurant called The Capital Grille.
Inside, he gave her the menu and said, “Check what you want to eat.”
She didn’t touch it.
“I’m talking to you, Halysaah,” he said.
Still looking at her phone she replied, “Anything is fine.”
He placed the order — many types of food, expensive ones. More than she had ever seen. Drinks of different types too.
She looked at him, shocked.
“Who is going to eat all this?”
He drank his orange crush calmly, not answering.
When she didn’t start eating, he asked, “Is there nothing you like?”
She quietly took a taco.
He kept eating without paying attention to her.
Seeing he wasn’t looking at her at all, she relaxed a bit and ate small portions. After some time he looked at her and said, “Should I have them package your food? It seems you’re shy to eat in public. Or do you want privacy?”
She looked at him.
“Privacy? In an open restaurant? Did I say I’m shy to eat?”
He said, “You only ate the tacos when there’s so much food.”
She said, “I prefer this."
He finished eating and wiped his mouth with a tissue.
“Okay. Can I talk now?”
She nodded.
He asked where she met her boyfriend — in Nigeria or America.
She said, “Nigeria.”
“What do you think is causing problems between you two?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“Did he come here because of you?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
He leaned back.
“That means he really loves you. He left everything and came here. I guess he doesn’t like you sharing an apartment with a male housemate?”
She said nothing.
“That’s understandable. Even I wouldn’t want my girlfriend to live with a male stranger.”
She looked at him.
“My advice,” he continued, “try your best to set boundaries early before marriage. There must be mutual understanding. He seems like a good guy, just hot-tempered, and insecure. But you can gradually help him improve, Halysaah. Lastly, just remember the do’s and don’ts of your religion regarding male-female interaction.”
She was listening carefully.
Suddenly, three guys—Africans—entered. One Nigerian among them waved at him. He waved back. One approached their table and asked, “Done with the PowerPoint?”
His perfume filled the place.
Her Housemate said, “You’re even eating here today?”
The guy replied, “Not at all, getting steak for Legend.”
Her Housemate said, “I came with my friend for dinner.”
The guy ignored Khaleesat completely.
Her Housemate handed him their bill and said, “Clear this.”
The guy left.
Housemate said, “That’s my guy. We share the same name.”
She simply said, “Okay.”
“Sorry about his attitude,” he said. “He’s not friendly, but he’s a good person.”
Khaleesat replied, “Same here.”
He laughed and excused himself to talk to the guy. She overheard the guy saying harshly:
“That girl sitting like a statue who can’t greet? Last time you brought her at 3am she was staring like a carved figure.”
Her Housemate replied, “Did you greet her? Or expect her to greet someone she doesn’t know?”
The guy ignored him again and said something unrelated.
When her Housemate returned, she was already standing.
“Thanks for the dinner. My friend called. I’m leaving,” she said.
He said, “You came with me, you’ll leave with me.”
She replied, “Well, your responsible friends are here, so I’ll go.”
He said, “Halysaah…”
She looked up.
“Wait let me clear the bill and drop you.”
Before he could pay, a staff member came and said it was already cleared.
They left. She didn’t look at him until they reached home.
He asked gently, “Are you offended, Halysaah?”
She said, “Offended at what?”
He said, “I don’t know.”
She said, “I don’t look like someone who gets offended by an irresponsible stranger. If he said it to my face he’d hear from me.”
He stared at her surprised. He hadn’t realized she heard.
He apologized over and over as they drove home.
When she reached her room after 40 minutes he came to her door and said:
“Goodnight Halysaah. Please rest well. And go to school tomorrow.”
She kept her head down.
“Take care,” he said.
She quietly said, “Thank you… for…” then stopped.
“For?” he asked.
“For the dinner,” she whispered.
He said, “My pleasure, Halysaah.”
Softly she added, “But… I don’t know your name.”
He smiled.
“I introduced myself the first day. I’m Ahmad Jawwad Yusuf. My friends call me Jayy.”
She stared at him, then lowered her gaze.
“Alright. I really appreciate you.”
He smiled.
“See you tomorrow.”
He left, and she watched him until he went out of the house before returning into her room and locking the door.