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WATA KARUWA (She is Not My Blood)
The School Dispute and Secret Plots
When Baffa brought up the issue of the school, they vehemently protested, jumping and stamping their feet as if they had conspired beforehand. They declared that if the suggestion came from MD (Muhammad), they wanted no part of it. That day, Hajiya Sailuba faced a barrage of anger from Baffa; she never thought he was capable of such fury. Finally, he gave her an ultimatum: if she encouraged Maryam to rebel against the school, she would face severe consequences. Reluctantly, she coaxed Maryam. By Monday, Maryam got ready for school, seething with intense anger.
In a state of panic, Sailuba called Hajiya Zakiyya to explain her clash with Baffa and the unprecedented fire he had breathed on her. She said, "The reason I don't want her close to that cursed boy is because..." Her voice trailed off, but Hajiya Zakiyya was heard replying, "Let's continue with our plan, my friend. Everything will go as it should. Deedah will also have to go there, whether she likes it or not, because our work flows better that way. They must become incredibly close friends; that is how our plan will succeed."
They continued their malicious plotting, keeping their dark schemes entirely to themselves.
When Baffa was around, they would sit in the living room chatting casually. As long as he was in town, one could never detect Sailuba's true nature. That was why Baffa believed she loved Maryam even more than Amina did. He had no idea what was brewing in his own home, nor could he see through Maryam's behavioral flaws, because his profound love for the girl and Hajiya Sailuba's wicked manipulation completely blinded him to the reality of the situation.
Baffa's Departure
Once Maryam finished dressing up in a stunning and highly expensive blue Swiss lace—looking as glamorous as someone attending a wedding—she headed straight to Baffa's quarters. He was already dressed; he was traveling back to China today to import more goods.
She put on a slight frown and said, "Good morning, Baffa."
"Did you wake up well, my beloved?" he replied.
"Fine," she answered. Seeing him fully dressed, she asked, "Are you traveling, Baffa?"
"Yes, Maryam. I stayed longer this time, and the goods I brought are almost sold out. From China, I will head to Dubai to restock, including those long gowns I brought for you previously. I noticed they sold out quickly and people are requesting them, so I will buy more."
This pleased Maryam immensely, though she masked her excitement. "May Allah increase your wealth and elevate you. May Allah protect you for us, Baffa, from the evil of all creations, amen."
Maryam had inherited her mother’s trait of appreciating gifts, no matter how small, and sharing with those around her without looking down on anyone. This was a trait Baffa deeply admired in her.
"Baffa, what about my car?" she asked. "I am starting school today, and I don't have a single dime in my account. Mama borrowed it, and I don't know what she does with money; she doesn't save, and she doesn't let me save either, acting like a gambler."
Her words made Baffa laugh out loud. "Don't worry, my dear. I will open a new account in my name with everything you need. You will just hold the ATM card and withdraw whenever you want. For now, I will transfer 500,000 Naira for you to use before I return. As for your car, I want to personally select a beautiful and expensive one for you."
"Baffa, look at the type I want," she said, showing him a picture on her phone screen.
Baffa's eyes widened. "Is this what you want, Mother of Malam? Wow. I cannot shell out 25 million Naira just for a car to show off. Times are hard, Maryam. I will buy you one for 5 million Naira; otherwise, you'll just have to be patient."
Realizing she wouldn't win this battle, she pivoted, "Okay, Baffa. But the money you promised to transfer is too small. Last time, I was broke before you even returned."
"Alright, I will add another 200,000 Naira," he conceded. She thanked him and prayed for his safe journey. He handed her 100,000 Naira in cash, which she quickly hid in her bag before coming downstairs.
In the living room, she looked at Mama (Sailuba) and said, "Mama, give me my pocket money for school; I'm leaving."
Mama looked at her. "Didn't Baffa give you any?"
"He did, but it's not enough."
"Check my bag inside; there should be some change there."
Maryam quickly went in, came out counting the money, and said, "Mama, I took all 25,000 Naira." Hearing this, Ammey (Amina) looked up, and their eyes met. Maryam glared at her and looked away.
Mama then said, "Alright, Maryam, take care of yourself and focus on what took you there. Who knows, this might become your greatest advantage in the future."
"I don't understand what you mean, Mama. I don't like this kind of talk."
"This kind of talk is necessary, Maryam, because soon you might lose something very important in your life—whether it's us, the wealth, or all of us."
This time, both Maryam and Amina stared at Mama in shock. Amina's heart dropped, and she silently began reciting Hasbunallahu. Maryam left the house feeling uneasy.
The Ride with MD
Outside, she saw MD leaning against his car, dressed in his military uniform. It seemed he was heading to the office. Seeing his fiercely deep frown made her heart skip a beat, but being stubborn, she matched his scowl. She approached to open the back door, but he barked an order at her so sharply that she unconsciously opened the front door instead. She found herself sitting in the passenger seat, her body trembling.
He adjusted his posture, looked at her, and said, "You don't know how to greet people? Didn't that crazy foster mother of yours teach you to respect your elders?"
She turned her head away, grumbling and glaring out the window. He suddenly grabbed her roughly, pulling her so hard her head bumped against his elbow. "What are you saying? Do you think I'm playing with you?"
She remained silent, tears welling up in her eyes. In all his time knowing Maryam, he had never seen her look so defeated. He realized whatever had put her in this mood wasn't a minor issue. Seeing her tears, he abandoned his plan to punish her and pushed her back into her seat. She didn't look at him again until they arrived at the school.
As she got out, she felt subdued despite her usual stubbornness. He felt a pang of sympathy for her, though he didn't let it show on his face. As she turned to leave, he called her back. To his surprise, she returned and stood close to him. He knew something was bothering her; he had long figured out that when she was troubled, she was as docile as a tamed camel.
He handed her 5,000 Naira. She hesitated, then took it without looking at him or saying thank you, and walked away. He smiled and watched her go. Everywhere they had passed, people couldn't help but stare at them because of their striking presence and charisma.
After she finished her registrations, he took her phone, saved his number, called it to get hers, and handed it back. "May Allah grant you success," he said. As he got into his car, he caught her watching him. He gave her a stern glare before driving off.
She let out a sigh and turned around, bumping into a young woman about her age. The girl extended her hand and introduced herself. "My name is Maryam Abdullah Abubakar. And you?"
Maryam's eyes widened before she let out a confident smile. "My name is Maryam Baffa Abubakar."
The girl looked surprised. "Not Baffa Abubakar, the owner of the gas stations?"
Maryam nodded. "Yes. What department are you in?"
"Islamic Medicine," she replied.
Maryam's eyes lit up. "We are in the same department!" They high-fived and held hands, smiling. It turned out they were both starting late and hit it off immediately.
Page 17: Evening Encounters
The day was grueling. As soon as one lecturer left, another entered. She had no time to rest. When she returned home, she was exhausted. She took a shower and immediately looked for food, feeling ravenously hungry.
At the dining table, she met Nassar, who had just returned. His school (which Maryam had also attended) ran from morning till 6:00 PM, combining rigorous Islamic and Western education.
They had just started eating when MD approached, dressed casually in three-quarter shorts and a white sleeveless shirt. He sat opposite Maryam and said, "Serve me some food too; I'm very hungry." He did this attempting to draw her closer, as Baffa had requested. She looked at him in surprise; usually, if he saw her and Mama at the dining table, he would avoid it. Today was different. However, she ignored him and continued eating.
He stared at her with his large eyes, while she completely ignored his presence. Seeing this, he pulled her plate toward himself and started eating with a stern face. She looked up and saw he wasn't joking. She reached for her water, but he grabbed her hand without looking at her, continuing to eat. She yanked her hand away, stood up silently, and left. He watched her until she disappeared into her room.
She performed her ablution, prayed Maghrib, made her supplications, and read the Quran until Isha. She prayed in congregation and stayed in her room, never joking with her spiritual duties.
Nassar peeked in, and she called him, but he ran off. Minutes later, he returned, greeting her. Before she could ask why he was acting suspiciously, she saw who was behind him. It was MD. Nassar smiled, saluted MD, and ran off when Ammey called him.
MD made himself comfortable on the chair beside her bed. "Come sit, I came to chat with you," he said. She shot him a glare but said nothing, her heart pounding. She continued folding her clothes, ignoring him. Suddenly, she felt his breath right beside her; she turned in panic and almost fell against him. He was standing far too close. As she tried to pull away, he grabbed her shoulders and locked eyes with her intimidatingly. She looked away, pouting and grumbling.
"What are you saying? I came here so we could chat as brother and sister, and you ignore me to do chores I know you aren't doing for the sake of Allah," he teased.
She couldn't say a word. The proximity paralyzed her, and she began to tremble. A smile escaped him when he saw the clear fear in her eyes. He let her go, stepped back, and said, "Come sit down. You're going to tell me everything that happened at school today, what you were taught, and if you don't understand anything, you will ask me."
She was too stunned to reply. She knew he despised her and her mother more than anyone; why was he suddenly trying to get close to her? She suspected he was plotting some kind of wickedness. Despite his efforts to engage her, she remained tense, her eyes full of suspicion. He decided to be patient, knowing he would have to persist until she loosened up.
The Assault on Campus
The next morning, she got ready early, skipping breakfast just to avoid MD. She hated any interaction with him. However, as she stepped out, she saw him standing by his car with his driver, engrossed in his phone. Relieved that his driver would take her, she walked up quietly and stood nearby without greeting either of them (she deliberately ignored the gateman too, just to avoid greeting MD).
MD didn't seem to care. He simply opened the car door and said, "Get in." She complied. To her surprise, he walked around to the other side and got in beside her. She looked up, their eyes met, and he raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked. She looked away, ignoring him. He immediately returned his attention to his laptop, trying to finish some work before reaching the office.
She arrived early today. Just like the day before, he handed her 5,000 Naira. Wanting to avoid a long conversation, she took it and walked away. He watched her until she was out of sight, sighed, and drove off.
As she walked calmly, she reflected on Mama's words from that morning: "Maryam, do whatever you want. Life is uncertain. What is in your hands today might belong to someone else tomorrow. A rich man can become poor, and a poor man rich. Use your time and opportunities now, because once they slip away, you won't get them back." Mama's words always struck a chord, and she was surprised that Mama had given her 50,000 Naira that morning.
Lost in her thoughts, she suddenly bumped into someone. Before she could even look up to see who it was, she received a devastating slap across her face. The impact made her drop her bag and phone, scattering them on the ground. Furious, she looked up and locked eyes with him.
"What did I do to you for you to slap me?!" she demanded, holding her cheek.
"Is the road owned by your father or your mother that you swagger around bumping into people?!" he fired back.
Furious, she retorted, "Maybe it's your father or mother's road! You idiot, animal, fool! I swear to God, I will find out who your father is in this country, and you will see—"
Before she could finish, he delivered another brutal slap. Immediately, blood burst from her nose and the corner of her mouth. She collapsed to the ground, dizzy. He squatted in front of her, grabbed her chin, looked into her eyes, and sneered, "Go ahead and send whatever father you're so proud of."
Despite the excruciating pain, she spat, "You will see! I swear you will know my background. You will regret coming into this world today!"
"I'm waiting, little girl," he mocked, walking away.
The crowd that had gathered quickly dispersed. No one was surprised; "D-Boy" (Kamal Abba Al Hassan) was a notorious campus menace. Everyone feared him, including the lecturers, because his father, Alhaji Abba Al Hassan, was incredibly wealthy and powerful, giving his only son free rein to do whatever he pleased.
Page 18: The Aftermath
Once the crowd cleared, Maryam's friend (Maryam Abdullah) rushed over. Seeing her face covered in blood and her eye pooling with it, she burst into tears. "What is wrong with you? Why did you cross paths with that tyrant D-Boy? He has no respect for anyone. Look at what he did to your face!"
Maryam was too overwhelmed by pain and anger to speak. She just unlocked her phone, handed it to her friend, and whispered, "Call my brother." She immediately fainted on the spot.
Panicking and trembling, her friend searched the contacts and called the number saved as "MY LOVELY BROSS" (a name Maryam had saved sarcastically to tease MD).
MD had just arrived at his office. He was highly surprised to see her calling, knowing she would never call him unless it was a major emergency. He almost ignored it but decided to answer. Instead of Maryam's voice, he heard a strange girl frantically explaining what had happened.
A dark, terrifying rage consumed him. The veins in his head throbbed with raw fury. He sprang up, stormed out of his office while still on the phone, ignored his driver, jumped into his car, and sped off at a dangerous speed.
He arrived at the university in record time. Maryam was still unconscious, her friend desperately shaking her. A crowd had gathered again; some suggested taking her to the hospital, while others said to take her home since splashing water on her face hadn't woken her up.
With an aura of absolute authority and intimidation, MD approached the scene. His face was devoid of mercy. He was fully dressed in his military uniform, the insignia on his chest clearly reading: LIEUTENANT GENERAL MUHAMMAD BAFFA ABUBAKAR.
Before anyone could say a word, the crowd scattered. Without asking any questions, he scooped up his unconscious sister and carried her away. He headed straight to the nearest hospital, his mind boiling with the kind of punishment he would inflict on the boy. He swore the boy would learn a bitter lesson for daring to touch his sister.
Back at the school, shortly after Maryam was taken away, one of D-Boy's friends ran up to him. "Man, did you see the number of soldiers that came and took that girl away?"
D-Boy gave him a dismissive look. "So what if she knows a soldier? Pray she knows the barrel of a gun. You know who I am. There aren't even two or three people in this entire country who can punish me. I will do whatever I want. I am my father's only son, and he has bought me enough military escorts. Everyone will fear crossing my path starting tomorrow."
"Do you even know whose daughter she is?!" his friend pressed.
"I don't care whose daughter she is."
"She is the daughter of BAFFA ABUBAKAR!"
D-Boy's heart skipped a massive beat, but he tried to maintain his bravado. "Who cares? Does his power surpass Abba Al Hassan's?"
Before his friend could answer, about six military vehicles roared onto the campus, braking sharply next to them. Over twenty heavily armed soldiers poured out. Even the school lecturers, seeing this massive deployment, knew something had gone horribly wrong.
The soldiers marched straight up to them. One of them demanded, "Who is Kamal D-Boy here?"
"Are you looking for trouble? Why did you bring this whole gang of guards here?" Kamal retorted arrogantly.
Instantly, one of the soldiers grabbed him violently, shoving him forward with such force that he almost fell. They slapped the back of his neck, grabbed him by the belt of his trousers, and dragged him toward their vehicles.
"Do you know who I am to be treating me this way?!" Kamal screamed. "I swear, whoever you are, you will all lose your jobs! You will regret what you've done to me!"
None of the soldiers uttered a single word to him. They threw him in, sped off at breakneck speed, and left the campus in total chaos, with everyone whispering in shock.
