Khalid, surprised to see her flee, spreads his arms wide, looking around, confused.
Khalid (wondering aloud): What just... happened?
Ridwan runs towards him, panting heavily. He stops, trying to catch his breath, then looks up at Khalid.
Ridwan (breathless): Who are you? Are you trying to kidnap her?
Khalid (frowning): I should be asking you that. She ran off the moment she saw you.
Ridwan (panting): Women... so unpredictable. Full of problems.
Khalid (standing firm): Who are you?
Ridwan (still breathless, confused): What?
Khalid (boldly): Why is she running from you?
Ridwan (straightening up, annoyed): Look, I don’t know who the hell you are, but stay out of my way.
Ridwan storms off, heading in Sefinat’s direction. Khalid watches him closely, then turns and walks away.
************************************************
[Scene: That Night - Inside the House]
Habibah is in the kitchen, searching for food. After several minutes of rummaging, she finds nothing. She looks up at the ceiling, shakes her head sadly, and returns to the bedroom. She lies on the bed, deep in thought, wondering how she can survive a marriage filled with starvation. Eventually, she dozes off.
*******************************************
[Scene: The Next Morning - Classroom, 10:34 AM]
In the middle of a lecture, Sefinat enters, looking exhausted. Her appearance catches everyone's attention, including the lecturer’s.
Lecturer (calling out): Hey! Young lady! Where are you coming from?
Sefinat (tired, looking up): From home, sir.
Lecturer (raising an eyebrow): Are you sure? You look like you spent the whole night hawking!
The class bursts into laughter. Sefinat says nothing, staring at the ground. Khalid observes her quietly from his seat.
Lecturer (mocking): I won't even bother asking why you're late. Your face says it all. Just make sure it doesn’t happen again, or you'll spend the rest of the semester outside.
Sefinat nods and starts walking towards her seat, but murmurs ripple across the class again.
Lecturer (sighing): What now? Hajia too?
Habibah drags her dusty feet into the room, panting under her black niqab.
Habibah (panting): Good morning, sir.
The murmuring grows louder. Sefinat reaches her seat, briefly locking eyes with Khalid before quickly looking away.
Lecturer: Hajia, explain yourself. Why are you late?
Habibah looks down, feeling embarrassed. A.Z stands up.
A.Z: Sir, I don't think she's feeling well. She's always punctual. Something serious must have delayed her.
The class murmurs in agreement.
Lecturer (snapping): Did I ask for your opinion? Anyway, go sit down, Hajia. (mutters) Suffering under all that attire... how do you even breathe? I don't know why some Muslims take religion too seriously—yet act so unholy.
He returns to his lecture. Habibah walks sadly to her seat.
Sefinat suddenly interrupts.
Sefinat (firmly): With all due respect, sir, you have no right to judge how someone chooses to live. If we were allowed to criticize, I'd start with your shoes... clearly a rushed choice. Let's respect boundaries.
Khalid pulls Sefinat’s veil slightly and whispers urgently:
Khalid (whispering): What the hell are you doing?
The class giggles silently. The Lecturer fumes.
Lecturer (furious): You dare stand there lecturing me? Your parents must regret having you. But don’t worry, I’ll teach you manners. (pointing) You’re officially carrying over this course. Don’t ever step into my lecture again. Now, get out!
Sefinat grabs her bag and leaves amid mocking laughter.
Aisha (mocking): Always acting like she knows everything. Senseless girl!
Sefinat pauses, moves closer to Habibah, and secretly drops something in Habibah’s bag before leaving.
Khalid, furious, excuses himself and follows Sefinat.
******************************
[Scene: Hallway - Later]
Khalid finds Sefinat pressing her forehead against the wall, breathing heavily.
Sefinat (panting, whispering): This isn’t helping. I just want to get to the bottom of this... why is it so hard to find you?
Khalid (stepping closer): Who are you looking for?
Sefinat startles and stands straight.
Sefinat (defensive): What do you want?
Khalid (raising an eyebrow): Is that the thanks I get for saving you last night?
Sefinat (awkward): Uhmm... thank you. But why are you here?
Khalid: Right. And what the hell was that display in class? Rude to a lecturer?
Sefinat (coldly): None of your business.
Khalid (shrugging): Typical. Rude and full of yourself. Something baffles me though... how did you even join us this semester?
Sefinat (shrugging): Also none of your business.
Khalid sighs, giving up.
Khalid: There's no point talking to you. You're just like the guy that got killed recently.
Sefinat’s eyes widen. She suddenly grabs his shirt.
Sefinat (urgent): What did you say?
Khalid (startled): Hey! What’s wrong with you? Are you trying to fight me?
Sefinat quickly lets go, embarrassed.
Sefinat (apologetic): Sorry... I’m sorry. The guy... you mean Jamiu Babatunde, right?
Khalid (dusting his shirt): Yeah. (smirking) You’re one wild lady.
Sefinat (desperate): Please! Tell me more about him. I need every detail!
Khalid (sighing): I wish I could. But you know why I won’t?
Sefinat (anxious): Why?
Khalid (mockingly): Because... IT’S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!
He walks away, leaving Sefinat standing there.
Sefinat (softly, to herself): I guess I messed up again... It’s high time I try to befriend his classmates... maybe then, I’ll find the information I need.
.***********************************
[Scene: A Few Hours Later - Classroom]
Sefinat returns to the classroom and finds only a few people left. Her first confirmation is seeing Habibah, who is busy scrolling through her phone. Sefinat moves forward and sits next to her.
Sefinat (gently): Habibah... can we talk?
Habibah (shaking her head, focused on her phone): ...
Sefinat notices Habibah staring fixedly at a message that pops up on her screen.
Sefinat (concerned): Habibah... is everything okay? You don’t seem to—
Before she can finish, Habibah stands up, grabs her bag, and leaves the class.
Sefinat (calling after her): Hey... I was just trying to help.
Sefinat hesitates whether to follow her or not. Her attention shifts when she notices some girls crowding around Khalid, admiring him. She shakes her head and heads out of the class. Reaching the door, she notices blood on the floor. Alarmed, she traces the blood trail, which leads her to the female bathroom.
She takes a deep breath and steps inside — only to find a girl lying in a pool of blood, one of her fingers cut off and bruises all over her face.
Sefinat (horrified, screaming): Somebody help!!! Please!
People rush to the scene. Within minutes, the restroom is crowded both inside and out.
[Scene: A Few Minutes Later - School Grounds]
An ambulance arrives, carrying the unconscious girl away. The crowd grows thicker. Sefinat stands in shock, unable to believe what just happened. Her outfit is stained with blood from helping the girl. Suddenly, a police car pulls up, causing students to scatter in fear. Sefinat stands at the balcony, watching, when she sees Mrs. Gbenga step out of the police car.
Khalid appears behind her.
Khalid (worried): What is going on? Why are the police here again?
Sefinat startles badly, clearly having a panic attack.
Khalid (grabbing her hands, gently forcing her to sit): Sefinat!! Are you alright? You're covered in blood... Easy now, breathe...
Sefinat (tears streaming down her face): Is this really how it is? Is this really how innocent people die? Her finger was chopped off... she was in so much pain... (breaking down) Why? Why must the innocent suffer?
Khalid (nodding sadly): I don't understand what's happening anymore, especially in this department. No one knows who killed Jamiu yet... and now this?
Sefinat (looking up at him, voice shaking): Do you know who killed Jamiu? Do you know him?
Khalid (glancing around nervously, whispering): Shhh... we can't talk out loud. What if someone hears us?
Sefinat (wiping her tears): Who was it?
Khalid (lowering his voice further, whispering into her ear): Cultists.
Sefinat (whispering back): I guess they must be behind Jamiu’s death too...
Khalid stares at her, suspicious.
Khalid (serious): Wait... why are you so concerned about Jamiu? Were you his girlfriend... or related to him?
Sefinat’s eyes fill with fresh tears.
Khalid suddenly looks deeper into her eyes, piecing things together.
Khalid (shocked): Wait... wait a minute! Who are you?
Sefinat (breaking down, crying): All I wanted... was to find his killer... I just want to see him, ask him questions... because he brought so much sorrow and darkness into my life.
Khalid’s heart pounds heavily.
Khalid (whispering, breathless): Are you... Jamiu’s sister?
Sefinat’s phone rings suddenly. She quickly wipes her tears, clears her throat, and picks up the call.
Sefinat (quietly): Hello?
Khalid stands frozen, his heart racing, memories of Jamiu flashing through his mind.
Scene: FLASHBACK - School Campus, Last Floor]
In an empty classroom, a few guys are gathered, gisting and laughing loudly.
Khalid (laughing hard): Yoh!! Listen to what she said! (Plays a voice note while the others listen closely.)
Sefin (bursting into laughter): Can you imagine that? Man, girls have lost their values completely! Like, what the hell!
Stanley (grinning, waving his phone): Guys, come look at this. (Shows them something on his phone as they all laugh in unison.) I slept with this one, and now she has the guts to bill me!
Sefin (shaking his head): Look guys, let's be real. There are still some good girls out there, you know...
Stanley (coughing playfully): Hard to believe that. All that’s left in this world are bitches, man.
Khalid (laughing): Seriously, bro... Like, how can a lady be forcing herself on me? Even sending her nudes! It's crazy, man.
Sefin: Trust me, decent girls still exist. They're just very hard to find.
Khalid: They better exist! Because if these are the only ones left, I'd rather be single for life. (They all burst into laughter again.)
Sefin (smiling proudly): Like my sister — she's decent and very ambitious. She’s my world, man, my everything. Sometimes I think... if marrying your own blood wasn’t a sin, I'd marry her. She blows my mind all the time.
Stanley (raising a brow): You got a sister? I thought you were an only child.
Khalid (surprised): Same here.
Sefin (playfully warning): Watch it, guys! She's not available for your dirty minds. I got a sister — she’s cute, adorable... actually, she’s my twin sister.
Khalid (shocked): Wait, what?!
Stanley: Are you for real? Can we see her pic?
Sefin (grinning): Guys, chill! No way I'm showing her to you dirty-minded fools. Let's change the topic. She’s way too precious to me, more than you could ever imagine.
Stanley: We got you, bro...
[SNAP BACK TO REALITY - Khalid's Thoughts]
Khalid (panicking in his mind): Shit! She’s Jamiu's twin sister!
[Scene: Later That Evening - 7:23 PM]
Habibah drags herself into the compound, exhausted. She reaches her apartment, unlocks the door, and pauses — her heart sinking as she sees her husband's shoes at the entrance.
Her rage builds with every step toward the living room, where she finds him calmly waiting for her.
Amir (coldly): Where are you coming from at this hour?