Chapter 1
Chapter One
The Beginning
Yusrah was sixteen years old when she learned that life could change without warning.
She lived in Kano State, Nigeria, with her parents, in a home where money had never really been a problem.
Her father was a billionaire—a well-known businessman who owned rice companies, filling stations, motor parks, and several other businesses, including foreign exchange. His name carried weight wherever he went.
But despite growing up surrounded by wealth, Yusrah was nothing like the spoiled rich girl people expected her to be.
She hated depending on people.
If she needed something, she would rather work for it than stretch out her hand and ask.
That was simply Yusrah.
Cheerful. Independent. Hardworking.
And perhaps a little too stubborn for her own good.
Her high-school life was surprisingly normal. She had good friends, plenty of laughter, and one person she could always count on—Abba.
Abba was her best friend and classmate.
He was the kind of person who could listen to Yusrah talk for hours without ever looking bored. She could tell him practically anything, and he would listen patiently, almost like a therapist.
That was probably why she became so attached to him.
At the time, Yusrah wasn’t interested in relationships.
Dating?
Love?
All those teenage dramas?
No, thank you.
She had better things to do.
Or at least, that’s what she thought.
Until her senior year.
It started with something completely ordinary.
Her school had organized a vaccination program against liver and kidney diseases, and students from different classes were gathered for the program.
Yusrah was talking with Shaheeda, one of her friends, when Shaheeda suddenly leaned closer.
“Yusrah.”
“Hmm?”
“Someone wants to talk to you.”
Yusrah raised an eyebrow.
“Who?”
Shaheeda didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she glanced toward another part of the school.
Then she smiled.
“Just come.”
Yusrah followed her, confused.
And that was when she first noticed him.
Sabeer.
She had probably walked past him countless times before without paying attention.
But that day, she finally noticed that he existed.
He was calm, intelligent, and, admittedly, handsome.
Still, Yusrah wasn’t impressed.
At least, not at first.
Apparently, Sabeer had asked Shaheeda to help him approach her—the typical teenage-school way of getting someone’s attention without actually having the courage to do it yourself.
Yusrah found the whole thing slightly embarrassing.
She hated being teased.
Absolutely hated it.
So whenever her friends started making jokes about Sabeer, she would immediately shut them down.
“Please, leave me alone!”
But the funny thing about feelings was that they didn’t always ask for permission.
Slowly, without realizing it, Yusrah began getting used to Sabeer’s presence.
Their conversations became more frequent.
His messages became something she looked forward to.
And somehow, the boy she had barely noticed at the beginning started becoming part of her everyday life.
Then came the midterm break.
And suddenly, everything became obvious.
One day passed.
Then another.
Yusrah found herself staring at her phone, waiting for his message.
She missed talking to him.
She missed hearing from him.
She couldn’t understand why.
Until one evening, she finally admitted the truth to herself.
She had fallen.
Yusrah had fallen in love with Sabeer.
And she didn’t even see it coming.
