She stood up in distress, glancing at the wall clock in her room. She immediately jumped up when she realized she was almost late. She was surprised that she slept off on her prayer mat after the Fajr prayer. She undressed quickly and rushed outside to draw water from the well, then hurried into the toilet. In just five minutes, she was done and back in her room, wearing a long black gown, a white hijab, and picking up her niqab and school bag. She was never the type that cared about makeup.
She entered her mother’s room and found her folding clothes. Salma greeted her, and her mother answered with a straight face. Salma was already used to this behavior and no longer allowed it to bother her. She stood and asked, “Umma, I didn’t see Abba, did he leave already?”
Her mother frowned deeper and replied, “Go and greet Goggo, he went out.” Salma pouted and went to her grandmother’s room, her heart already heavy because she never felt comfortable with the woman.
She greeted the old woman lying down, but Goggo replied arrogantly. Salma proceeded and greeted again, but the response she got was, “So you’re going out to roam uselessly again?”
Salma forced herself to answer, “Goggo, I’m going to school.” 😞
Goggo hissed loudly. “Well, since you and Kamal think you’re above your parents, then go on!”
Salma, pained, asked, “Goggo, why would you say that?”
With anger, Goggo sat up:
“Is it a lie? Who knows if Kamal has already forgotten you there and married someone else abroad, leaving you here flaunting yourself around?”
Salma’s eyes filled with tears as she stood and said she was leaving for school. Her grandmother shouted behind her:
“Do what you like! But if you dare bring shame to this family, you will regret it!”
Salma rushed out wiping tears. Her mother saw her in the compound but, knowing she would not interfere, Salma only walked past her and tied her niqab before stepping outside.
The Encounter with Prince Salman
She boarded a bus heading to school. Throughout the ride, she leaned her head against the seat, thinking painfully about everything—how she had no bond with her mother, how they called her “Fulani girl” just because her mother wasn’t Fulani. She sighed and took out Kamal’s picture, whispering in her heart:
“Yaya, when will you return? I really miss you.”
She calculated the dates. Kamal had said three weeks were left before they returned, and now five more days had passed. Had he changed his mind? They last saw each other three years ago.
When the bus reached school, she got down. Unfortunately, she was late. As she rushed forward, she didn’t hear the approaching car until it nearly hit her. Terrified, she jumped aside, but the car brushed against her and she fell to the ground. The driver seemed like a learner. People stood around only watching.
The car reversed and stopped near her. She saw the inscription PRINCE 1 on the plate number.
Three legs appeared in front of her, and when she lifted her teary eyes, she recognized him—Prince Salman, known for his arrogance at school.
He winked at her and said,
“Hey, Miss Preacher, are you blind?”
She glared silently. Salman continued:
“Should we buy you glasses? Or maybe you need prayers?”
Amir, from behind, laughed.
“You heard her, Prince—she wants an apology!”
Salman scoffed:
“Apology? You talakawa are always dramatic.”
He threw a bundle of ₦500 notes at her.
“Here, this should solve your problem.”
Najib, who was learning how to drive the car, didn’t like what was happening, but he stayed quiet.
Salma smiled bitterly, picked up the money, then stepped closer and handed it back. When he refused, she placed it on the car hood and said:
“Men like you who think money can buy everything are the ones I pity the most.” 😏
She walked away. People began murmuring. Salman was shocked and angry. He stared at her worn clothes—worth not more than ₦2,000—but she acted like she was above him?
He rushed to her from behind and pulled her hijab. Her body trembled, tears streaming. Salman suddenly realized how beautiful she was, but his pride wouldn’t let him stop.
He crouched beside her:
“Pity? Between us, who deserves pity now?”
Then he said cruelly:
“Useless girl from a worthless home.”
He stood to leave.
Salma whispered, voice shaking:
“And you? Just because you have money, you think you’re better than others?”
Salman froze and turned:
“Do you even know who I am?”
She replied, “Why should I?”
He leaned forward slightly:
“Be careful. I can destroy your life. Mark my words.”
He left.
Amir, impressed, laughed:
“Man! You’re something else!”
Najib just entered the car silently.
Salma put on her hijab and niqab again. She checked her wristwatch—she had already missed about 40 minutes of lectures. As she walked, she felt a deep rage inside her. If someone had handed her a knife and given her an excuse, she would have killed Salman without hesitation.
Salman too made a vow: he would show her no one talked to him like that and got away with it.
Amir asked, wondering:
“Should we find out who she is?”
Salman replied, “Yes. I can’t let her go just like that.”
Description
A Morning of Tension
She stood up in distress, glancing at the wall clock in her room. She immediately jumped up when she realized she was almost late. She was surprised that she slept off on her prayer mat after the Fajr prayer. She undressed quickly and rushed outside to draw water from the well, then hurried into the toilet. In just five minutes, she was done and back in her room, wearing a long black gown, a white hijab, and picking up her niqab and school bag. She was never the type that cared about makeup.
She entered her mother’s room and found her folding clothes. Salma greeted her, and her mother answered with a straight face. Salma was already used to this behavior and no longer allowed it to bother her. She stood and asked, “Umma, I didn’t see Abba, did he leave already?”
Her mother frowned deeper and replied, “Go and greet Goggo, he went out.” Salma pouted and went to her grandmother’s room, her heart already heavy because she never felt comfortable with the woman.
She greeted the old woman lying down, but Goggo replied arrogantly. Salma proceeded and greeted again, but the response she got was, “So you’re going out to roam uselessly again?”
Salma forced herself to answer, “Goggo, I’m going to school.” 😞
Goggo hissed loudly. “Well, since you and Kamal think you’re above your parents, then go on!”
Salma, pained, asked, “Goggo, why would you say that?”
With anger, Goggo sat up:
“Is it a lie? Who knows if Kamal has already forgotten you there and married someone else abroad, leaving you here flaunting yourself around?”
Salma’s eyes filled with tears as she stood and said she was leaving for school. Her grandmother shouted behind her:
“Do what you like! But if you dare bring shame to this family, you will regret it!”
Salma rushed out wiping tears. Her mother saw her in the compound but, knowing she would not interfere, Salma only walked past her and tied her niqab before stepping outside.
The Encounter with Prince Salman
She boarded a bus heading to school. Throughout the ride, she leaned her head against the seat, thinking painfully about everything—how she had no bond with her mother, how they called her “Fulani girl” just because her mother wasn’t Fulani. She sighed and took out Kamal’s picture, whispering in her heart:
“Yaya, when will you return? I really miss you.”
She calculated the dates. Kamal had said three weeks were left before they returned, and now five more days had passed. Had he changed his mind? They last saw each other three years ago.
When the bus reached school, she got down. Unfortunately, she was late. As she rushed forward, she didn’t hear the approaching car until it nearly hit her. Terrified, she jumped aside, but the car brushed against her and she fell to the ground. The driver seemed like a learner. People stood around only watching.
The car reversed and stopped near her. She saw the inscription PRINCE 1 on the plate number.
Three legs appeared in front of her, and when she lifted her teary eyes, she recognized him—Prince Salman, known for his arrogance at school.
He winked at her and said,
“Hey, Miss Preacher, are you blind?”
She glared silently. Salman continued:
“Should we buy you glasses? Or maybe you need prayers?”
Amir, from behind, laughed.
“You heard her, Prince—she wants an apology!”
Salman scoffed:
“Apology? You talakawa are always dramatic.”
He threw a bundle of ₦500 notes at her.
“Here, this should solve your problem.”
Najib, who was learning how to drive the car, didn’t like what was happening, but he stayed quiet.
Salma smiled bitterly, picked up the money, then stepped closer and handed it back. When he refused, she placed it on the car hood and said:
“Men like you who think money can buy everything are the ones I pity the most.” 😏
She walked away. People began murmuring. Salman was shocked and angry. He stared at her worn clothes—worth not more than ₦2,000—but she acted like she was above him?
He rushed to her from behind and pulled her hijab. Her body trembled, tears streaming. Salman suddenly realized how beautiful she was, but his pride wouldn’t let him stop.
He crouched beside her:
“Pity? Between us, who deserves pity now?”
Then he said cruelly:
“Useless girl from a worthless home.”
He stood to leave.
Salma whispered, voice shaking:
“And you? Just because you have money, you think you’re better than others?”
Salman froze and turned:
“Do you even know who I am?”
She replied, “Why should I?”
He leaned forward slightly:
“Be careful. I can destroy your life. Mark my words.”
He left.
Amir, impressed, laughed:
“Man! You’re something else!”
Najib just entered the car silently.
Salma put on her hijab and niqab again. She checked her wristwatch—she had already missed about 40 minutes of lectures. As she walked, she felt a deep rage inside her. If someone had handed her a knife and given her an excuse, she would have killed Salman without hesitation.
Salman too made a vow: he would show her no one talked to him like that and got away with it.
Amir asked, wondering:
“Should we find out who she is?”
Salman replied, “Yes. I can’t let her go just like that.”