<p> </p><hr><p>They were walking cautiously. Their minds were in sync, and their body language was the same. With one glance, you could tell they were calm and composed. Their clothes were neat, the kind worn by students of an Islamic school, freshly washed and ironed.</p><p>They were on their way back from their Islamic school when one of them, Rahamat, moved her lips as if about to speak to her friend. But I thought it wouldn’t be right for her to talk before I introduced them to you…</p><p>They are both fair-skinned.</p><p>Aisha-Labibah is a beautiful young girl with a gentle and composed demeanor. She has a delicate face, a straight nose, slightly full lips, and soft, silky hair. She is cheerful, loves to smile, and is affectionate, but she has the playful stubbornness of children and a soft, sweet voice.</p><p>Fatima-Zarah, on the other hand, is also fair, with long hair, an elongated face, and a prominent nose. She is talkative, expressive, and confident, and she dislikes being taken for granted. Unlike Aisha-Labibah, she doesn’t easily warm up to people.</p><p>These two girls, Aisha-Labibah and Fatima-Zarah, are best friends. Interestingly, they were born on the same day—Fatima in the morning and Aisha in the evening.</p><p>Their houses are right next to each other. Their parents have been close friends for years, which extended to their daughters as well.</p><p>Fatima-Zarah’s parents are Fulani from Gombe, but life brought them to Kano, where they settled in the Kurna neighborhood. There, they met Aisha-Labibah’s parents, who were also Fulani, but from Yola. Living as neighbors, they became as close as family.</p><p>Aisha-Labibah has two older brothers, Suleiman and Usman. Suleiman is married to Zainab, and they have three children. Usman, on the other hand, is more focused on his work and has no interest in marriage yet.</p><p>Fatima-Zarah’s family consists of four siblings. She has two older brothers, Bashir and Nasuru, both of whom are married with children. She also has a younger sister named Sumayya.</p><p>Aisha-Labibah and Fatima-Zarah are both seventeen years old. They have completed secondary school, but since their parents prioritize Islamic education, they were not sent off to further their secular studies yet. Instead, they continue attending their Islamic school.</p><p>That is their background, after God.</p><p>As they walked, Aisha-Labibah turned to Fatima and said, "Did you see how rude Malam Auwal was to us today?"</p><p>Fatima-Zarah sighed and replied, "Hmm, I saw him in our class making us do frog jumps."</p><p>"So, he really saw us?" Aisha-Labibah asked. "Wallahi, I can’t stand him."</p><p>Fatima-Zarah teased, "Did you say you can't stand him or he irritates you?"</p><p>Aisha-Labibah scoffed, "He's a cruel, wicked man with a terrible attitude."</p><p>Fatima-Zarah nodded. "Hmm, true. But one day, he’ll realize his mistake when he meets some stubborn students…"</p><p>Before Aisha-Labibah could hear the rest of Fatima’s words, she caught sight of a handsome young man in a sleek car. Fatima, however, didn't notice him.</p><p>With just one glance, Aisha-Labibah could tell three things about him:</p><ol><li>He was exceptionally good-looking—the kind of refined beauty seen in Arabs, with a calm aura and a fashionable yet modest appearance.</li><li>He carried himself with confidence, intelligence, and sophistication, radiating class and cleanliness.</li><li>He had a slightly reserved nature, someone who followed his own mind rather than being easily swayed.</li></ol><p> </p>
