Affianced By Force

CHAPTER FIFTY - ONE - A Heart-Warming Confession

A month after Umamah left, Faisal had kept to all his promises. He visited as often as twice a week and when his schedules were tight, he just moved his visits to weekends.

It wasn’t the same for Umamah. Only getting to see him twice a week. But she consoled herself with the thoughts that this temporary separation was only for a year.

Umamah had just entered strategy class when a familiar voice greeted her from the entrance. “Assalaam’aykum, Umamah.” It was Nurudeen, her seat mate. The guy was a Nigerian and was in Harvard on scholarship. He was really studious and liked interacting with Umamah. In fact, he rarely interacted with anyone else.

“Oh, Wa’alaykumussalaam Nur. Good morning.” She returned.
He walked ahead of her and prepared their seats. “Prof Mendez isn’t someone to be taken for granted. He is the University’s No. 1 Business Strategy Prof.” Nur lectured as he wiped their seats with a kerchief. He did this often. Whenever they had a new lecturer coming for his first class, Nur would give her the details on the lecturer. He always said knowing your lecturer was the first step to making his subject.

“Okay.” She replied, simply. She stayed as far away from him as possible, because she didn’t want to give him any ideas that she might be interested in him.

“That’s not all. He gives his first C.A on the second week of his classes. And most are to be self-taught. If you miss a thing in his class, then you will never pass.”

Umamah thought the word “Never” was rather too pessimistic, but she simply nodded her gratitude. She didn’t tell him that Faisal already did this. Every week, he sent her schedules detailing her new teacher’s lives, habits, likes and dislikes.

“Always welcome. Just make certain you pay attention, right? We are Nigerians and we must show these guys we are great at everything.?”

She nodded even though she didn’t believe in that. She didn’t have to compete with anyone or show anyone she was best at anything. She only needed to be her own best, and AlhamduliLlaah, it had always been sufficient.

The Prof. Walked into the class. He was a young Prof in his mid-30s. The class gasped, clearly not knowing that the well feared professor was so young. He was a mixed breed of Anglo-Saxon American. She heard a lady say “Gosh, he is so handsome. His looks alone will make me pass this subject.”
When he greeted the class good morning, Umamah heard another girl say, “Did you hear his voice? So deep. Goodness! It’s catchy.”

“I am Andy Mendez. I hope we will get along just fine.” The professor said.

Everyone listened to his lecture attentively after he gave his guidelines. Umamah couldn’t concentrate though. The shameless gushing and swooning over the man distracted her a lot. She remembered a certain man who was certainly more handsome and young looking. And she smiled, thanking Allah that that one was all hers.

“Are we amusing you, Miss Sulaym?”

Umamah seemed to have heard her name from a distance. Then, Nur whispered close to her. “Umamah. The professor is speaking to you.”

Instinctively, Umamah pulled away from him. He was awfully close just now. She looked up to see that she had somehow gotten the entire class’s attention. What? Why were they all staring at her? What had he said?

“Uhmmm… sorry sir, what was the question?”

Gasps filled the air as the entire class couldn’t believe her. She actually hadn’t been paying attention. Who could afford to stay miss a thing Prof. Mendez says?

“I was wondering if Miss Sulaym needed to be in a circus instead of my class.”

Circus? Why would he ask that? “No sir.” She replied honestly, and at his raised brow, she quickly added. “I am sorry sir. I… was distracted for a second.”