The ride home
# The Ride Home
I hated leaving an examination hall.Not because I hated going home.
I hated the part immediately after.The noise.The arguments.
The endless—
“What's your answer for number twelve?”
“What did you put for question five?”
“Was number twenty-five A or C?”
I walked out of the hall with my examination card clutched in one hand and my bag hanging from the other.
“Don't ask me anything.”
A girl beside me laughed.
“I haven't even said anything.”
“You were about to.”
She laughed again.
“I just wanted to know if you—”
“No.”She shook her head.
“Okay, fine.”
I smiled and walked toward the gate.
I had already decided there was no discussing the exam.Whatever happened, happened.
The only thing on my mind right now food and sleep.Mostly food.
Then I saw the black Mercedes.
My steps slowed.
Ya Ridhwan was sitted the driver's seat , his phone in one hand.
He looked up.
Our eyes met.
He immediately put the phone away.
“How was it?”
I sighed dramatically.
“Don't ask.”
He laughed.”That bad?”
“I don't know.”
“You don't know?”
“I don't know if it was good or bad.”
He opened the passenger door.
“Get in.”
I climbed inside.
The air-conditioning immediately hit my face.
“Ahhh.”
He laughed.“Hot?”
“Very.”
“You've been inside an air-conditioned hall.”
“That doesn't mean Lagos wasn't waiting outside to kill me.”He shook his head.
“Dramatic.”
“I'm tired.”
“Did you eat?”
I opened my eyes.
“No.”
He gave me a look.
“Mummy told you.”
“Mummy tells everybody everything.”
“She's right.”
“She's always right. It's annoying.”
He laughed.
Then he started the car.
We drove for a few minutes before he spoke again.
“So?”
“So what?”
“How was the exam?”
I sighed.
“Fine.”
“You said you didn't know.”
“Now I know.”
“How?”
“I've decided it was fine.”
He laughed.
“You're strange.” he replied
We drove in silence.
Then he suddenly asked, “Do you like shawarma?”I turned toward him.
“ Why?”
“Just answer.”
“Yes.”
“ Chicken or beef?”
“Chicken.”
He nodded.
“Okay.”
“Ya Ridhwan…”
“Hm?”
“What are you planning?”
“Nothing.”
“That means you're planning something.”
He smiled.
“Relax.”
I folded my arms.
“I don't trust you.”
“Good.”
I laughed.
A few minutes later, he pulled into a small shopping complex.
I looked at him.
“What are we doing here?”
“Getting food.”
“You're buying me food?”
“I'm hungry too.”
“Oh.”
A smile wanted to escape my lips but i bit my lips trying not to let it slip
We went inside.
He ordered two shawarmas and two slush
I stood beside him, watching.
When the food arrived, he handed mine to me.
“Here.”
“Thank you.”
We sat at a small table outside.
For some reason, eating beside him felt strangely comfortable.
Maybe because there were other people around.
Maybe because the conversation didn't feel forced anymore.
Or maybe because he was simply easy to be around.
“So,” he said.
I looked up.
“What's your plan after secondary school?”
“University.”
“I know that.”
“I mean, what do you want to study?”
“Pharmacology.”
He nodded slowly.
“Why?”
I shrugged.
“I like drugs.”
He almost choked on his water.
I stared at him.
Then realized how that sounded.
“No! I mean—”
He started laughing.
“Ya Allah.”
“You know what I meant!”
“I know.”
“I mean medicine.”
“Pharmacology is not medicine.”
“I know.”
“Then?”
“Okay, fine. I like learning how drugs work. Their effects, how they interact, how they're developed…”
He listened quietly.Then nodded.
“You'd be good at it.”
“ How do you know?”
“You talk about it like you actually care.”
I looked down at my food.
Nobody had ever said that to me before.
“You think so?”
“I do.”
Something warm settled in my chest.
“Thank you.”
“Ba komai.”
We finished eating and got back into the car.
The journey home felt shorter.
Maybe because we talked more.
He told me about Gombe.About medical school, how difficult his classes were.
I told him about my siblings.
About Labeeb.
About how Abdullah could argue with a wall if given the opportunity.
He laughed.
“You're close to your siblings.”
“Very.”
“Lucky.”
I looked at him.
“Are you not close to yours?”
“I am.”
“Which one are you closest to?”
He thought for a moment.
“Maybe Amrah.”
I laughed.
“Really?”
“She's annoying.”
“Exactly.”
“But she's funny.”
“That is true.”
He smiled.
“And Hanan?”
“She loves you.”
“She loves everybody.”
“She likes you more.”
I looked at him.
“How do you know?”
“Because she talks about you.”
“She talks about everybody.” trying not to make it a big deal
“Not like she talks about you.”
my gaze shifted out the window.
I didn't know why that made me happy.
Maybe because I was beginning to realize that I was becoming familiar with this family.
And somehow…
they were becoming familiar with me.
---
When we reached the house, Mummy standing on the veranda.
The moment she saw the food bag in my hand, she raised an eyebrow.
“Kin ci abinci?”
I smiled.
“Eh.”
She looked at Ya Ridhwan.
“You bought it?”
He nodded.
Mummy smiled knowingly.
“Allah ya saka da alheri.”
“Amin.”
Amrah appeared behind her.
She looked at the shawarma.
Then at me.
Then at Ya Ridhwan.
Her eyes narrowed.
I knew that look and immediately pointed at her.“Don't.”
She smiled.
“I didn't say anything.”
“Exactly.”
She laughed.
Hanan came running.
“Se’ad!”
She hugged me.
“What did you bring?”
“Nothing.”
“You have food!”
“It's mine.”
“Give me.”
“No.”
“Se’ad!”
I laughed and ran upstairs before she could follow me, closed my bedroom door behind me and leaned against it.
For a moment, I simply stood there.
I could still smell the faint trace of his perfume on my sleeve from where I'd accidentally brushed against him when we got out of the car.
I looked down at it.Then shook my head.
What was wrong with me?It was just a ride home.Just food.
Just a conversation.
Just Ya Ridhwan.
I changed out of my uniform and sat on my bed.My phone buzzed.
A message.
I looked down.
Ya Ridhwan: Don't forget to study for tomorrow.
I stared at the screen.
Then smiled.
Me: I won't.
Three dots appeared.
Ya Ridhwan: Good.
I waited.Nothing else came.put my phone down.Then picked it up again.
No new message, this was being ridiculous.
There was nothing special about two people texting about an exam.
Nothing at all.
Still…
I slept that night with a smile on my face.