"Haniyy?" My mother called out. "Where are you going?"
"It seems like she wants to eat with him," my father remarked to her. "Let's sit somewhere nearby to keep an eye on them."
Balela Badila and her husband joined my parents' table. "Assalamu alaikum. It's been a while, hasn't it, Sakina?"
"Walaikum assalam, Benesha!" My mother's face lit up with joy at seeing one of her closest friends. "I didn't expect to see you here!"
I turned to the boy. "Can I sit here?" I asked.
"The seat is yours," he replied. I sat down and we began our dinner together.
"Thank you for protecting me," I said softly, grateful for his help earlier.
He looked at me with sincere eyes. "I'm sorry you had to go through something like that."
He was such a sweet, kind-hearted person. Throughout the meal, he kept his gaze lowered to his plate, never once looking directly at me. It was refreshing—this was the first time a guy hadn't been fixated on my looks, and somehow it made me feel even better.
"What's your name?" I asked, breaking the silence.
"Sansula," he answered.
"And your family name?"
"Badila."
The name struck me instantly—Benesha. He resembled her so much.
"Hey," I said, turning to him. "Yeah?" he responded, looking up at me briefly.
"Will you marry me when we're older?"
The question hung in the air, and he stopped eating, clearly surprised by my boldness.
I knew it was sudden, but boys like him were rare, and I felt compelled to claim him before anyone else could. He was everything I could want: handsome, tall, dark, wealthy, noble, and pious.
Before he could respond, a familiar voice interrupted.
"Well, well, if it isn't Haniya," I turned to see Benesha walking up to the table, accompanied by a man... and Lilith?
The three of them casually sat down without an invitation.
"I see you've just met my little brother," Benesha said with a smirk.
"You have a kindhearted little brother," I commented, glancing at Sansula.
Lilith's smile widened. "What makes you say that?" she asked, her tone light but probing.
I turned to Benesha. "What is she doing here?" I asked, my voice low.
"My parents had the brilliant idea of adopting her," Benesha replied with a shrug, her expression unreadable.
Sansula looked between us, confused. "The three of you know each other?"
"We went to the same kindergarten," Benesha explained, keeping her tone casual.
"Anyway," Lilith cut in, a sly glint in her eyes. "How have you been, Haniya? Or should I say, 'Ashley'?"
Her sudden mention of my music career sent a chill through me. What did she know? Was she planning to use it against me? Would she tell my parents?
I quickly regained my composure, giving a nervous laugh. "Ye-Yes... I'm doing well. What about you two?"
"Same here," Benesha answered, a faint smile playing on her lips. "This is Tshikuta Badila, by the way."
"Nice to meet you!" Tshikuta added, smiling warmly.
"Likewise..." I replied, though my focus remained on Lilith, who was studying me with an unreadable expression.
Sansula, ever observant, noticed my discomfort. "Are you okay?" he asked, his concern evident.
Before I could respond, Lilith leaned forward, her smile sweet but insidious. "By the way, Haniyy dear," she said, her voice sugary but laced with malice. "Did you know that Sansula and I are engaged?"
The words struck me like a blow to the chest. I could only stare, stunned into silence.
"I never agreed to the engagement," Sansula murmured, his voice tinged with frustration.
Lilith's smile only grew wider. "That just shows you're still a little kid," she teased, a mocking edge to her tone.
"Well, I'm only 14, after all," Sansula said, his voice softening with an almost apologetic shrug.
"So, you two are going to get married when you're older?" I asked, my voice shaking slightly with a mix of confusion and curiosity.
Sansula answered with a firm "no" just as Lilith responded with a confident "yes." The contradictory answers left me reeling, unsure of what to think.
I looked at Benesha, hoping for some clarity, but she just shrugged, her face inscrutable.
The weight of the conversation settled heavily on me. If Sansula was engaged, my chances with him seemed hopeless. Yet, his lack of enthusiasm for Lilith's advances gave me a flicker of hope. There was still a chance... maybe.