Chapter Two

Early on Monday morning, Aliya prepares to go to school. She stares at herself in the mirror, satisfied with the way she looks, she rushed into her room to pick her school bag when she heard David's car horn. Her mother had previously prepared the food she'll take to school a day before. She can't wait to go to the new school she is going to be enrolled to by David. David has changed a lot in her family's life and she's grateful to him. She knows that David loves her very much and she's also in love with him but he hasn't mention anything about it yet. After she arranged her bag, she could hear her mom speaking with David. Her dad has gone to work as usual and her mother is the only one at home as a full housewife that she is. 

   "Wow, you look gorgeous!" David uttered looking amazed as he saw her open the door.

    "Thank you!" Aliya said. Her mom remove one of the hair clips on her head because she thinks three is enough. She entered into the car.

   "Bye ma." David said to Aliya's mom. Aliya waves her mom goodbye. 

Inside the car, everywhere was as silent as a graveyard. Aliya noticed David don't like to talk too much. She raised her head to look at him. David is a very handsome man. He is tall, fair in complexion with small mouth and pink lips. His dimples is a pain killer and whenever he smiles he can make the world happy. He has a afro cut hair, his muscles are well built and his fingernails are the finest one she has ever seen. He is calm, loving and comfortable to be with. Since she knew him months ago, she can't stop loving him. 

     "I hope you're excited to start schooling? The school I'm taking you to is a very famous school but I won't tell you the name until you see it yourself." David said smilingly. 

    "Okay, I'll wait until we get there." Aliya chuckled. 

     "Make sure you face your studies and make your parents proud of you." David took a glimpse of her. 

    ''Thank you so much David. If I can ask you a question about us. Can I?" Aliya began to fear her own words. 

    "Yes, you can. I'm listening. " David uttered softly as he continues to drive. 

    "Do you love me?" Aliya asked without looking at David. He stopped driving. She froze. 

   "Yes! I do love you. I'm in love with you but I want us to take it slow. Do you love me too? "David asked her trying to make her look at him. 

  "Hmm," She cleared her throat funnily. "I do." She said slowly. 

    "Thank you." He smiled. "I'll propose in a more sensible way tomorrow and you must say yes, okay?" David stared at Aliya's face like he's studying her.  

   "Yes, I'll surely say yes. I love you so much." She said trying to figure out if she had just said that.

     "You'll have to come home yourself today. I'll be having an important meeting by 3:00pm and you should have close from school by then."  He ignited the engine and started driving. 

    "Alright." She said looking at his lips. Her eyes met his eyes, she quickly focused her attention to the road and other moving cars.

The journey to the school lasted for thirty minutes. David drove his car into the school premises where other cars were parked. Aliya struggled trying to open the car door,David helped her and she felt like an illiterate. When she saw the school students, she realized that she knew the school. She had wished to come here one day. Standing close to David, she looks like his younger sister or he is her father because of the height differences. 'David is really tall and young,' she thought to herself.

   "Let's go see the school proprietor." David held her hand.

    Aliya look around the school as David held her hand walking past the classrooms. She hopes that she'll be able to cope because she hasn't been to a school before. Her little proficiency in English is due to the people she had met with at the restaurant she was working before. 

   "David, I'm scared. I don't know how to read very well and what class will I be put in?" She asked him looking tensed. 

     "You shouldn't be scared. You'll surely cope, I promise. I'm going to plead with the proprietor to put you in Senior Secondary School One. That'll be better, right?" He asked her.

   "Yes, but I'm really nervous. I don't want to be mocked by anyone." She held his hand tightly.

   "Babe, calm down. I'm here with you and I'll make sure no one does that to you." He entered into the proprietor's office. Aliya follows. 

    "Good morning Sir, my name is David Williams. I'm the one who called you last week about the new student I'll be bringing." David sat down. Aliya stood at his back looking nervous. 

    "Oh, you're welcome Sir. Is this the new student? The proprietor asked pointing at Aliya, her heart beats faster. 

    "Yes, she's." David uttered as he turns behind him to look at her. 

   "What class were you in?" The proprietor questioned. His baritone voice made her more nervous. She was about to talk when David quickly talks.  

    "She had not been to a school but I know she can cope well in SSS one. I'll be glad if you can make it possible." David said to the proprietor. 

    "You can go outside, ask the woman staying in front of the entrance to take you to SSS one while I discuss with your brother." The man said. 

When the proprietor called David her brother, Aliya almost laugh out. She gently closed the door behind her but she can hear the proprietor asking David to pay a sum of one million naira for her Senior Secondary School one school fees and for the fact that she will be in SSS one which is not her main class to be. She wanted to go back to the office and tell David not to pay the money but she can't risk her education. She slowly walked down the stairs passing many junior classrooms. 

   The school building is a big and magnificent place to school. As Aliya walks counting her steps, she finally get to the woman who'll take her to her classroom. 

     "Good morning ma, the proprietor said you should take me to SSS one classroom."  Aliya uttered. The woman raises her head and gives Aliya a scornful look. Aliya was taken aback, fear gripped her. 

   "So you can't find your classroom yourself? All this rich man's children in this school just love to disturb me and you're all rude." She hissed furiously. 

   "I'm so sorry ma." Aliya apologized. 

     "Follow me." She said rolling her eyes.

Aliya quietly followed the woman. 'She must be an Igbo woman,' Aliya said to herself. As an Hausa girl,  Aliya loves to show respect to people, she wonders why the woman thinks she's rude? She has been brought up to respect her elders and she always love to do so. Her dad is an Hausa man while her mother is Yoruba. She understands Yoruba language than Hausa so she use to claim Yoruba ethnic group. As they walked past the classroom, Aliya fear grew.

    "This is your class, the teacher will tell you if you're in SSS one success or diamond because SSS one is divided into two." The woman left.

  Aliyah stood by the entrance looking at the students faces, they all look younger than she expected. Even though she is sixteen, she looks younger than her age.

  "Are you a new student?" A woman's voice asked.

   "Yes madam." Aliya uttered. 

  "Come in!" Aliya's eyes flickered to the students. They were all staring at her. She couldn't feel her feet. 

   "Thank you ma'am." She stood beside the teacher. 

   "What's your name?" She asked Aliya. 

    "My name is Aliya Umar." She said shyly trying her best not to look at the other students. 

     "You're welcome to SSS one diamond. Go have your sit." She said to Aliya who was hoping the teacher won't ask how old she is. She raised her head to look for empty seat but she could not find one. She sat close to a dark guy with a smile on his face. 

   "Good morning! " The boy said to her silently and the teacher continues teaching. 

     "Good morning." She said. She dropped her bag on the table to bring out her books. The time keeper rang the bell. 

      "Alright. I'll see you all in the afternoon for your mathematics class, have a great day." She went out of the classroom. 

      "Wow, you're my sit partner. It's nice to meet you." He offered a handshake. 

      "It's a great pleasure to meet you." Aliya forced herself to talk. 

      "Everyone, look here. I'm going to introduce our new classmate to you." The guy sitting next to her announced. 

       "Can you tell us your name?" A fair in complexion girl sitting in front of her said. 

      "My name is Aliya Umar." Aliya stood to talk. 

      "You're welcome." Everyone in the classroom chorused.

       "Thank you." She sat down on the chair. 

     "You're welcome to our class. As you know this is SSS One Diamond. We're the most popular and intelligent class in the school. You're welcome." A girl said to her. Aliya wish they can stop talking to her. 

       "Thank you." Aliya uttered  smilingly. 

     "We are families in this class and we help each other. If you need anything feel free to ask any of us. We'll be happy to help you out." Another girl who walked over to her sit said. 

The class introduced themselves to Aliya. They all seems to be nice to her and she enjoyed their company. The English teacher walked into the classroom looking gorgeous, Aliya loved her dressing and the way she smiled. 

       "Good morning class. How was your long term holiday? You're all welcome to second term and I wish you success throughout your days in Child worth International High School." The English teacher uttered happily. 

     "Amen."  They all chorused excitedly. 

    "Today I'm going to teach you how to make sentences with subject pronouns. You've been taught in your junior class about pronouns, right?" She asked loudly. 

The students replied her with happiness and it was obvious that the students loved her. Aliya immediately loved her teaching and she learnt a lot. During leisure period, Aliya was taken round the school by her new friends Joey and John. She later found out that her sit partner's name is John. He is extremely talented in making jokes and pranks. Every students in the classroom was friendly to her and she appreciated it.

During lunch break, Aliya tried her best to understand the Biology they were taught. She decided to ask Joey if she could explain to her. 

     "Joey, can you kindly explain the topic we were taught in Biology today? I can't understand it." Aliya hopes she won't turn her down. 

     "I would love to explain but I don't understand it neither. I only understand the part she was talking about food chain. We can go to her when we're less busy but not now." Joey said. 

     "Alright," Aliya said looking displeased. 

The rest of the day went well for Aliya in her school. When the bell have been rung, she packed her books and waved her classmates goodbye. She stood outside for a while looking at other students whose parents were coming into the school with big cars to pick them up.  

 A hand covered her face from behind, her body wasn't expecting it and she was shocked. She tried to turn back and the person said. 

     "Guess who it's? If you can I'll love you forever." The voice said smilingly. 

     "David!" She shouted with excitement. The hands were removed from her face. 

    "You guessed right." He laughed. 

   "You didn't tell me you were going to change your mind about coming to pick me up. I didn't even expect it at all." Aliya uttered cheerfully. 

    "I postponed the meeting. I can't let you go back home alone. Moreover, this is your first day in school." He smiled. 

    "Hey, Aliya goodbye." Joey called out to her from a far distance. 

    "Goodbye." Aliya shouted and waved. 

    "Is that your classmate?" David asked holding her hand as they walk toward the car. 

     "Yes, she is very nice." Aliya said smiling. 

     "What about the rest of the class, were they nice too?" He asked curiously. 

    "Yes. They were all nice to me. I love them." She smiled. David cleared his throat funnily. 

    "What about me?" He stopped walking and continues staring at her. 

    "I ... I..love........ you too." She stammered. 

   "Thank you." He smiled.

David and Aliya entered into the car. David helped her with the seat belts. He started driving the car. 

   "Did you pay the money the proprietor asked you to pay?" Aliya asked looking at David's face. 

    "Yes, I did. Why did you asked?" David slow down the way he is driving the car. 

   "I heard the amount you were asked to pay. I'm sorry about it." Aliya's face looks dull as she felt sorry. 

   "That's not a problem for me. The only thing I need from you is to face your education and I'll be happy." David said. 

    "I'll surely make you proud of me." She chuckled. 

   "I'm thinking we should stop by and buy some food stuffs for your parents. What do you think? " David knew she'll say yes. He just wanted to asked. 

   "Yes. That'll be good." She said.

They stopped by at a supermarket. David was the first to come down from the car, Aliya followed. When they were about to enter the supermarket she heard someone calling her name. She immediately turned back to see who it is. She was amused to see John, her classmate and another guy. 

       "Aliya, what's up?" John asked. David look away from them and winked at John. 

       "I'm doing good. I didn't know I'll see you here." Aliya tried to find the right words to say. 

     "I came to buy food stuffs and beverages for my mom." He said looking at David. 

    "Is he your elder brother? He is cute." John said loudly hoping that David heard him. David smiled. 

    "No... Hmmm..... I mean yes." She was so confused of what to say.

Immediately she said that, the three guys burst out laughing. She was annoyed and confused. She wonders why they are laughing so hard. 

      "What's funny?" She uttered curiously. 

     "Don't mind John. He's my dad's friend son. I knew him." David said still laughing. 

     "Oh!" She said astonishingly and  hissed. She was embarrassed. 

      "I was only pulling your legs." John said in a sing-song tone. 

     "Don't mind them." The third guy said. She later find out that his name is Segun.

They entered into the supermarket. They bought all the necessary things they wanted to buy and left. David stopped the car in front of a beautiful bungalow house with a shop in front of the house. Aliya came down, she waved David goodbye and opened the gate. David watched her as she entered. He takes a look at her buttocks and he hurriedly took his eyes off her and drove off. 

Aliyah met her mom in her shop located in front of her house. She quickly walks into the shop to greet her mom. 

    ''Mom! mom! .... I'm back from school." She screamed calling her mom. 

    "How was your day at school?" Her mom asked excitedly. 

    "It was good mom." She sat down on a chair. 

    "I hope everything went well? What class were you put in?" Her mom asked zealously. 

     "Yes, David really tried for me. He paid one million naira for my school fees and he also bribed the proprietor so he could put me in SSS one." Aliya explained to her mother. 

     "David is a very good guy. God will continue to bless him." Her mom uttered. 

     "Did you cook for me?" Aliya said hoping her mom will say yes. 

    "I didn't cook. When you drop your bag, go ground the pepper and buy fish at the bus stop from the fish seller. We need to prepare food before your dad comes home." Aliya mom said looking anxious. 

    "Oh! I'm tired." Aliya went inside looking angry. 

When she gets into her room,she took her phone to see if she had missed David's call. David had called her ten times, she smiled. She decided to call him back. 

     "Hello, are you home now? I saw ten missed calls on my phone. Why did you call?" She asked him blushing. 

     "I called to know your best colour. I want to buy something for you but I think I should buy the colour you'll like." David said through the voice call. 

   "Okay, my best colour is blue." She said. 

  "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. Make sure you take extra clothes along with you tomorrow, I'm taking you out. " David uttered. 

    "Okay. " She replied. 

  "Oh, before I forget. My mom wants to meet with you. When will you be less busy so you can come to my house? " David said. 

    "What! I'm shy. I don't know.... " David interrupted Aliya. 

    "You shouldn't be shy. I have told her about you and she likes you a lot. She is a nice person." David said assuring her. 

    "Okay, I'll speak to my parents about it. Good bye." She uttered waiting for David to cut the call. 

     "Okay, love you." He hung the call. 

  Aliya went into the toilet to take her shower. Aliya is a beautiful girl. She is tall, dark and gorgeous. She has a dark long eyelashes, round face, full dark eyebrows, smooth face, and little dimples on her cheeks. Her body is that of a young teenage model. Her smile is so amazing and she always love to smile. She took off her clothes to take her shower when her mom suddenly entered into her room. She quickly hide herself behind the wall and she made an attempt to lock the door. 

     "Ah ah! What is in your body that you are hiding from me?''  Her mom asked trying to keep herself from laughing. 

    "Nothing. But I'm supposed to have my own privacy." She said using the corner of her eyes to look at her mom hoping she won't throw her a hot slap. 

     "Mtchew!" She hissed.'' Be snappy because your dad will soon be back from work." Her mom said and she went out of her room. 

 Aliya hurriedly lock the toilet door and continue to take her shower. When she finished, she wears a black jeans and a blue top. She immediately went into the kitchen to pick the pepper she was asked to ground. 

     "Mom, I'm already going." She uttered without hearing her mom's reply. 

The following day, Aliya woke up earlier than she used to. She immediately did her house chores. Her parents knew she was excited but they thought it is because of her new school. She knew it's because of David. She can't wait for him to ask her to be his girlfriend and she will have someone to call hers. 

     "Your new school must be great. You're really excited today?" Her dad asked. 

     "Hmmm... Yes." She said. 

      "Make sure you face your studies and make me proud." Her dad uttered, she can see her mom smiling. 

    "Yes Sir." She said. She quickly went into her room to take her bath. 

 She dressed up in her school uniform looking amazing. She quickly took one of her favourite gowns and dropped it inside her school bag. She looks at her image in the mirror, she feels satisfied with herself. She heard David's car horn outside, she rushed into the kitchen to take her food. 

     "Goodbye mom." She rushed outside. 

Aliya went into the car. Her mom came outside to see David. Aliya looks impatient. 

     "David, I want to thank you for the way you're helping us in this family most especially my daughter. See let me tell you something she is all yours, okay?" Aliya mom said. 

David understand that statement immediately, Aliya smiled feeling happy that her mom knows David and her loves each other. 

     "Alright ma. Thank you. Aliya and I will be going somewhere when she closes from school this evening so she'll come back late. I'll be the one to drop her home." David said.

     "Okay, you have my permission." Aliya mom said. 

The car drove off. David was driving slowly hoping Aliya will talk. When she didn't, he decided to talk instead. 

     "I'm going to propose now. But you have to close your eyes first." David uttered and he stopped driving the car. 

   "Okay." Aliya uttered eagerly and she closed her eyes. 

     "Hmmm...I hope you know today is April 1st and so today we celebrate April fool day." He said laughing to himself. Aliya opened her eyes widely looking astonished. 

      "Wait! you're playing pranks on me right?" She asked looking furious. 

      "Hmmm.... The answer is yes but I'll still propose........" Aliya interrupted him looking angry. 

     "Why did you like to play with my emotions? I don't like it at all." She frowns her face. 

     "I'm sorry I don't mean to hurt your feelings. I only wanted to have fun with you. I promise I'll ask you to be my girlfriend when you come back from school. I promise." He placed his hand on her shoulder trying to make her smile. 

      "I thought you were going to ask me to be your girlfriend this morning and you ruined my mood." Aliya uttered looking unhappy. 

     "I'm sorry, I love you. " He gave her a charming smile and placed a kiss on her forehead, she was not expecting it at all. 

They stared at each other for a while then David kissed her lips, he didn't stop and she suddenly pull away from him.