The bell rang so loudly I thought it was an earthquake, the loud bell sound pierced my heart cause it stands as a reminder that I'll be home soon, my house of commotion I would call it
I watched as the last two classes ended right before my eyes and it was so sad, this school is not the one you miss or enjoy but still it was my safe haven, a school under the military should be rated the worst school ever.
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2:30pm~
The last bell rang and I bid my best friend goodbye then I started walking home, walking alone can be lonely at times but I enjoy my own company more…my siblings attends same school as me but they have their own friends and I hav mine,
My best friend doesn't stay inside the barracks like us, she lives at the next community.
"Talk of the devil, ta isa gida(she just arrived home)" my mum said while opening the door for me
"Good afternoon ma"I greeted and headed to the bed room
"Zainabbb!!!" My dad called out to me
"Sir" I retraced my steps and headed to the living room after dropping off my school bag and I saw two elderly men seated alongside my dad
"Good afternoon sir" I greeted out loud
"This is Alhaji Najeeb Al-Hassan and his brother Alhaji Majid" said my dad
"Barka da zuwa sir(you're welcome sir)"
I said respectfully
"He has come to pay your dowry" my dad said smiling
"kyakkyawan yarinya(beautiful girl)" one of the men said with a wide grin on his face
I smirked, I was so confused and I thought I misheard
"za ta yi mata ta gari(she will make a good wife)" the other man said while tapping the other one's lap
So my parents are selling me off or what??
I'm not the cause of their problems why am I solving it for them?
I'm about to live a miserable life as if being born into one wasn't enough
No one would believe my dad is a soldier just because of the way we walk our asses off
His normal salary can't feed us for a month so my mum had to look for other side hustle and we the kids hav to suffer for it, she's making us pay the price when family planning are free at the clinic
"Zainab Zo!!" My mum called out from the kitchen
"Ma"
"Take this food to your husband"
"Mummy I don't understand "
"me baka gane ba??(what don't you understand?)"
"What's the rush mummy, I'm 15"
"Kar ubanku ya ji ku(do not let your father hear you) you're ungrateful, many young girls are looking for this opportunity" she said angrily while turning the tuwo shinkafa
"Does early marriage still exist?"
"ka haukace(you are mad) take the tray on the counter and serve this food to your husband" she sighed immediately
I was filled with disbelief and I tried my best to control my tears because I was still trying to serve the meal at the living room
Immediately I was done I couldn't hold myself any longer
I ran straight to the bathroom and burst into tears, water gushed out of my eyes like a dam was set loose
Should I run away?
I don't want to get married to an old man, my parents has 9kids, I'm the fourth child and first girl child of my parents, they're giving me out like a piece of Ram meat…if I was told to join the Navy like my elder brother, would have been better than this bondage rebranded as marriage
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ONE WEEK LATER
"Zainab!!" Mum called out to me
"Ma"
"Tell Amina to take care of the food, ka zo(you come)"
I arrived at the living room and she sat on the floor unboxing and bringing out some things I don't understand
"mijinki ya aiko miki da wuni(your husband sent this for your wuni) your wedding is next tomorrow, mama kabiru will do your henna, I invited Simbiat and her sisters even cewa abokin ku yarinta(that your childhood friend) ehennn Jemila and Farida they are coming tomorrow, you should also invite your abokiyar makaranta(school mates)"
"Just now? I'm not ready" I said with disbelief and fear
"Kar ku zama bebe(don't be dumb) you are wearing the pink abaya and the hijab for ur Wuni, mijinki zai iya zuwa(your husband might come around) and he also gave us big money oo"
My heart is breaking into so many pieces and I don't know if I should hate my parents or poverty.