#3

"You need to understand that as much as you want their happiness, they want yours too. You can't just deprive yourself the only thing that brings you solace just because you think they need it more than you. You can't just drop out of school, Fadwa." Nadia looked into her eyes and hope she could see a feeling that would let her know that Fadwa had really reasoned with what she had been telling her since when they started walking to the chemist, in the chemist and their way back home now.

Fadwa heaved a sigh and looked up at Nadia, repositioning Sabeehah that was cradled on her back. She took another footstep and looked at her feet for long before she spoke. "You would never understand this, Nadia. Just because I'm dropping out of school doesn't mean I'm ending my life. There are a lot of things I could do than to study, my family need it more. And had it been Ammi have a way she could pay for my exams, she would've done that gladly. And you of all people know that Baffah is completely out of the question. So don't worry, I promise you I would be fine. Trust me."

Nadia palmed her face and squeezed her hand on Fadwa's shoulder. "You need to understand that, always telling your loved ones to trust you while you figure everything out doesn't mean we aren't seeing you crumbling within. It doesn't mean we don't see your begging eyes always, trust me Fadwa; we know you want for once to rely on someone too."

Fadwa smiled and stopped by their house door. She looked at a worried Nadia and flashed her a reassuring look. "When I tell you to trust me, I mean it; Nady. You need to trust me because I know everything is in the hands of Allah, and he surely doesn't forget about a certain Fadwa Mamman Jalo that lives in the street of Luggere within the city of Adamawa state. He knows, he sees, and he always hears; Nadia. We should only pray for the best."

Nadia turned to her back and scooted off a sleeping Sabeehah, "I know, Fadwa. And you would always be in my prayers. Let's get her in and lay her down." With that, they marched together into the house. It was a peaceful evening, because Baffah had left after vomiting out the gross within him, and he wouldn't be back till midnight.

Fadwa gently lifted their curtain and made way for Nadia to pass. She salaamed and walked into the room before placing down Sabeehah on the bed, and it squeaked at the added weight.

Nadia and Fadwa sat before Ammi and they greeted her. "I'm fine, Nadia. How have you been and your Umma? I hope everything is fine at home?" Ammi asked, flashing her a beautiful and loving smile-as if she isn't the woman that was breaking with each passing second within her heart.

Nadia crossed her legs into a yoga position and smiled, "Yes Ammi, everyone is fine. Umma is extending her greetings to you."

"Let's eat, Nadia." Fadwa offered her food, it was placed on a plate but still in its black leather.

"No, Alhamdulillah. I ate the food before you went to our house. You should eat and have some rest though." She flashed Fadwa a loving look and turned her attention back to Ammi that was affectionately staring at them. She loves their friendship because if not with Nadia by Fadwa's side, she would've been long crumbled.

"Ammi, Fadwa told me something really disturbing and I think I should talk to you about it maybe you could make her change her mind," Nadia said, and Fadwa looked up at her-but she snubbed the look. She couldn't just leave everything in Fadwa's hands while she always uses her mantra to beguile people into believing that she could do it while she clearly couldn't.

"What is that Nadia is?" Ammi asked, looking curiously between Nadia and Fadwa.

Nadia squirmed in her position and spoke. "She said she's dropping out of school because there isn't any way she could pay for her exams fees. But Ammi we know that's completely out of the question, Fadwa should never drop out of school. As much as she will try denying it, she needs to be in school."

It took Ammi some minutes before she spoke. "She told us that before she left, and I too know that's never the good option for Fadwa. But she's selfless as you know. What do you think is the better solution for this, Nadia?" Ammi asked and all her attempts of not letting her tears out proved futile. She briskly cleared them away.

Nadia looked confused, she's pointless. "I don't know, Ammi. Maybe we get a loan and pay little by little?" She suggested it was the best idea.

"I don't think that would work, but how much are the exams fees?" Ammi asked, not that she was sure they would get the loan, she doesn't like loaning money. It's just not her thing.

"For WAEC; it's 19,950. For NECO; it's 9,850. For Jamb, it's 5000 but the period for jamb has passed so we can only focus on the two mean ones. That makes it 29,800." Nadia mentioned, hopefully looking at Ammi with beseeching eyes.

Ammi gasped. Where in the whole world of Adamawa could they find a loan of 30000, because what's left of the two hundred nairas? The tears came back to her in a rush. She couldn't stop it this time around.

"That's a huge amount, Nadia. Nobody could lend us this amount and you know it. They would think that he's the one that sends us, you know our reputation here. I don't know what we can do again." She was silently crying now if there's a way she could do something about this she would. By Allah, she would.

Fadwa moved to where Ammi was and placed her hand on her shoulder, "Stop crying, Ammi. I'm fine living my life as it is, please don't stress yourself over this. If it's destined to happen, it would. Don't bother yourself please, I'm fine. Trust me."

"Fadwa, they say education is the key to success. You were the one that told Majida this two weeks ago, aren't you? And why are you saying you're fine with you being off that lane? Never."

"Ammi, I told her that so she could be serious with her studies more, and it worked. But education is not the key to all successes. With education or without, your Fadwa would surely be successful. Trust me." And she leaned in and hugged Ammi, she felt tears rolling down her cheeks at the warmth that seeps from her mother, and she tried not stifling them back-they've been holding there for two weeks.

Seeing the emotional turmoil they're in, Nadia wiped away her tears and silently hushed her goodbye to them, walking out of the room with a heavy heart. She prays Allah to see them through their affairs. For she hates seeing her friend in this crumbled situation.