I got a leading in my heart on what to do. I knew that Auwal loved me and if he could go this far just to marry me, he would grant whatever I wanted him to do for me. I knew what to do.
Coming out the next morning from my room my attitude towards everyone was different. I greeted them with a smile on my face and a loving tone. Nobody would stop me from my dreams not in this life or the next but I had found a better way and there was no longer need for me to be angry or emotionally downcast. Everyone was more than surprised. It was as if they were dreaming or I had become a completely different person overnight. Their replies showed it but they were happy as their girl had snapped out of her rebellion. Our next paper was the following week's Monday.
Life went on as usual but we ate better food and thrice a day because of the numerous foodstuff they gave to us. It was finally Monday and they driver came to pick me up as usual and took me to school. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't stop my education or the scholarship I was enjoying as everything had been paid for prior and he wouldn't want to do that to the love of his son's life. We got to school and I went up to my class to settle down for my exam. On entering into my class, I saw Auwal sitted alone on his seat and some of my classmates too as the driver came to pick me later than normal so I got to school later than usual.
There was a strange and sudden silence as I walked in and they all stared at me like the president's wife had entered the room but that didn't concern me. Auwal was sitted with his head bent towards the ground. As I moved closer to my seat, he raised his head up to look at me. He stared at me with so much pain in his eyes. I looked into his eyes and froze for some seconds and my heart broke because I knew I had said really hurtful things to him. "My Auwal" I said in my heart.
I dropped my small bag, moved to his seat and sat beside him. He couldn't hide his surprise and confusion to the fact that the girl who practically hated him previously and didn't want to have anything to do with him sat beside him. I placed my right hand on his left hand which he rested on top his lap. His eyes grew wide open. I put my left hand on his cheek, drew his face close and whispered "can we talk after our exams?" He nodded yes as he couldn't bring himself to speak. I smiled and said "OK," stood up and went to my seat which was in front of his.
We began the exam by 9:30am and we had finished writing before 11am. Civic Education was way too easy for us to waste so much time writing it. During the exam, he kept poking my back with his finger while the invigilator was focused on others students. Anytime I looked back he gave me a cute and mischievous smile and I blushed and smiled back. We finished the exam and he went out of the class. Few minutes later a junior came up to my class to look for me. When he found me, he said senior Auwal had asked him to give this to me. It was a note. I said thank you and he left. In the note he requested that I meet him downstairs in our food court so we could talk. I immediately went to meet my soon to be husband so we could do just that.
When I got there he had bought food for the both of us. For me he bought masa with yagi pepper and fried chicken because he knew it was my fav and for him danwake and chicken because it was his own favorite. I sat down and he said we should eat first before we talked so we did. After we were done eating, he asked me what I wanted to talk about so i began talking. "My Auwal, look it's not that I don't love you, it's just that I wanted to go to school first." He was about to say something but I closed his lips with my forefinger and said "shh, let me finish. But I understand your point and I've accepted to marry you." He leaped for joy, pulled me up and hugged me while spinning me around. He was so happy and just kept saying thank you. I kept on laughing as he could not curtail his joy. I told him i wasn't done and he said "anything, whatever it is just say it! I know you have a condition. Whatever it is just tell me and I'll give you I promise on my life!! Oh my goodness! I'm so happy ahhhh!!!" So he dropped me so I could stand and I was dizzy for a little while. He was still holding me. Then I said "Only if you let me go to the university to study my dream course and graduate and you also go to a university. I don't want our education to end after we're married. If you don't want me to school in Lagos on a scholarship then your dad will have to sponsor my studies. I'll marry you only if you do this for me." He was a bit hesitant as his dad had wanted him to manage one of his companies in our state but there was nothing he wanted more than for us to get married. He said "your wish is my command baby. I'll speak to my dad and I know he won't refuse. I love you so much. Thank you for making me the happiest man in the world!" I smiled and said "I love you too my darling" and he screamed. That was the first time I ever told him that. He had finally gotten his woman and I got a first class ticket to study in the university. I didn't need to ask as I knew he would take care of my family with all his heart so I wasn't worried about that. But I needed to get my university studies finalized so it doesn't become a thing of the past when we're married. It would be much harder to convince him when we're married than at that time so I had to play my cards well and with wisdom. You can never be too confident especially with our kind of culture.