‎"Amna, hurry up your cousins are waiting for you. Please don't keep them waiting" her mother shouted from the kitchen, her hands gently stirring the pancakes.
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‎"Momma please don't worry, I'll be there on time, infact I'm leaving now I love you" Amna replied back.
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‎She exit the living room, and entered the new car momma bought for her, her parents are divorced, her father is married in Yola.
‎
‎The pain she feels when she remembers years ago, she was begging Isiyaku (her dad) to please not oust her mom from the house, he did as he wanted.
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‎Well she's not gonna ruin her mood because of Isiyaku, she's attending her cousin's wedding sleepover today.
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‎Her sister's call came through when she got on the road.
‎
‎"Jalilah wallahi you need to stop calling me especially when you know that I am driving.
‎
‎What is it exactly that you want?" Amna asked.
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‎Jalilah on the other hand was mumbling speaking in Nupe .
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‎"“Mi gà n da dzuko.” (I met dad today)
‎
‎Amna widened her eyes in shock.
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‎“Mi e ji? Mi e so?” (What did he say? What happened?)
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‎“E ji e nyá gafara, e bĂ© mi e ga wa gbogbo. N ni, mi bọ e kĂ." (he said he's sorry and asked how we were all doing that's it, I left him alone)
‎
‎Amna stopped at a place because she can't drive unless she adhere's to what's happening.
‎
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‎"Tà mi, don't even think of having any contacts with him ever, I'm hanging the phone up" Amna hung up the phone, she inhaled and exhaled then she continued driving.
‎
‎
‎Arriving at her uncle's house, she sighted the arm sofa's and at on it to rest.
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‎"Amnaaaaaa!" Mariya her cousin screamed.
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‎"After years of not seeing you and Jalilah in any family gathering, you finally appeared" Mariya giggled.
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‎This is Amna's father's elder brother's house, and she spent her childhood here but after leaving with her father's house she and Jalilah never visited them, but her uncle never failed to call them, he's always checking up on them.
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‎"Mariya, how are you doing?" amna smiled.
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‎"Wallahi toh I'm fine, I'm not fine, work is hectic and my boss only gave me two days leave for the wedding.
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‎I am tired of this jakara work, what about you Amna?
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‎Is there marriage on your plate, I mean I am not getting now but I want to be a bridesmaid and you are the only one I have who's not married amongst my friends" Mariya scowled.
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‎"Mariya marriage is not on my plate, I have long believe that there's nothing like true love, I'm sorry to disappoint you" Amna said blinking rapidly.
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‎"Oh ok, come with me, let's go meet everyone exception of Yaya he's a night owl" haha Mariya added.
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‎Amna just kept smiling putting up to those family members that call her someone who doesn't like being with family.
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‎Emphasis on family.
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‎"Amna na, welcome how's mama and Jalilah in school?
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‎The night won't be fun without Jalilah" Ya Saliha scotch.
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‎"We'll video call her guys, but now the mission is make Amna apply henna"
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‎"No Mariya this mission is not going to work" Amna declined Mariya's idea
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‎ “Today you must do henna. No escape.”Maria dragged her towards the henna artist that's designing Ummina's hands(Maria's 4 year old sister)
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‎“I didn’t say I won’t do it,” Amna laughed softly, “I just don’t want all that stress.”
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‎“Stress ke?” Maria scoffed. “This is art, my dear. And tonight, you are the canvas.”
‎They all burst into laughter.
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‎Amna finally gave in, sitting down as the henna cone was placed gently into her hand.
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‎“Do you want simple or something serious?” Maria asked, already excited.
‎Amna hesitated.
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‎“Simple,” she said at first… then paused.
‎Her eyes dropped to her palm, bare and untouched.
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‎“…No. Do something nice.”
‎Ya Saliha and Mariya exchanged a look.
‎“Ohooo,” Ya Saliha smirked. “Who are you impressing?”
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‎“No one,” Amna replied quickly, but the slight smile on her lips betrayed her.
‎“Hmm,” Mariya hummed, unconvinced. “We’ll see.”
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‎The room grew a little calmer as the henna started.
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‎Lines curved softly across Amna’s palm, slow and careful, like each stroke meant something more than just design. The cold paste made her shiver slightly, but she didn’t move.
‎“Don’t shake,” Mariya warned.
‎“I’m not,” Amna whispered.
‎But she was.
‎Not from the cold…
‎From something she couldn’t explain.
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‎The design grew—delicate patterns stretching from her palm to her fingers, detailed yet soft. It was the kind of henna that didn’t scream for attention, but quietly demanded it.
“Ya Allah,” ya Saliha breathed. “This one is not simple o.”
Amna couldn’t help but smile.
It was beautiful.
Hours passed like minutes.
The laughter returned, louder now, mixed with teasing, late-night confessions, and jokes that didn’t even make sense anymore.
“No one is sleeping tonight,” Maria declared.
“Obviously,” Ya Saliha replied. “It’s a sleepover, not a sleeping-over.”
“That didn’t even make sense,” Amna said, laughing.
“It doesn’t have to.”
Later that night…
The room dimmed, most of the lights turned off except for one small lamp in the corner.
Some of the girls had dozed off, others were still whispering.
Amna sat quietly, her back against the wall, her hands lifted slightly in front of her.
The henna had dried.
Dark. Rich. Beautiful.
She stared at it like it was something new… something unfamiliar.
Something… special.
A soft smile played on her lips.
No girl ever got tired of admiring her henna.
A faint sound came from outside the room.
The door wasn’t fully closed.
She didn’t notice at first.
But someone did.
A shadow passed by… then paused.
Just for a second.
A quiet glance through the slightly open door.
His eyes didn’t see the laughter, or the scattered pillows, or the sleeping girls.
They fell… directly on her hands.
Still.
Lifted.
Adorned.
He didn’t say anything.
Didn’t move closer.
Didn’t even breathe too loudly.
But something about that moment…
Stayed.
Inside, Amna shifted slightly, unaware.
Outside, he walked away.
Calm.
But not the same.
And just like that…
A stain had begun.
Not just on her hands.
But somewhere deeper.
Still in highschool
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