FreeFreeDescription
1. English Translation
A young girl of about 16–17 years old was walking slowly, holding a food flask. She wore a blue novou Ankara outfit with touches of yellow, complemented by a yellow hijab. She headed straight towards a tailoring shop named Ni da yaya Habeeb Tailoring Center.
The moment she stepped into the shop, the bright expression on her face vanished completely, as if a heavy rain had suddenly stopped. She stood still, glaring at the four young men inside the shop. Her eyes welled up with tears, and in a surge of intense emotion, she walked straight up to the young man facing the shop's entrance. She slammed the food flask down in front of him, her voice cracking as she said, "Yaya Salman, here is the food I brought you!"
The young man named Salman finally looked up, revealing a striking resemblance between him and the girl. His face was twisted into a scowl, devoid of any warmth. "Did your people teach you to constantly bring me food like this?!" he snapped.
Quickly interrupting, one of the other young men—who had been sitting close to a beautiful girl, looking at dress styles on her phone and keeping his head down in guilt the moment the girl entered—intervened. "Haba Salman, what is the meaning of this?"
Yaya Salman sucked his teeth in deep annoyance. "Wallahi Habeeb, I pity you! A little girl is twisting you around like a piece of dough on an oven. Before you know it, she’ll chase away all your customers, and then you'll see how you'll manage to feed her if you marry her! And as for you," he turned back to Haleesa, "what are you still waiting for? Go back home right now! And the next time I see your foot in this shop, I will break your legs! What kind of madness is this? It’s as if love was only invented for the two of you. Let me count: just this week alone, Haleesa has driven away more than ten of our customers! Are you going to leave on your own, or do you want me to get up and give you a heavy slap?!"
Sobbing heavily, she turned and bolted out of the shop, running all the way home.
Furiously, Yaya Habeeb snapped at Salman, "I hate what you're doing, Salman! More than anyone else in the world, you know there is nothing I detest more than upsetting my baby love. Yet, out of pure wickedness and cruelty to my heart, you chased her away like a stray dog!"
Salman glared back at him in deep irritation. "Wallahi, Sa'a, you are lucky I didn't beat her black and blue so that your obsessed heart would finally shatter completely!"
Before Yaya Salman could finish, Yaya Habeeb shot him a vicious, hateful glare, hissed loudly, and turned towards the exit. The beautiful girl quickly jumped up. "Habeeb, how can you just leave without us finishing our conversation?!"
Throwing a fierce glare at her, Habeeb snapped, "Do you honestly think I have peace of mind right now to chat with you? Salman is right here, explain your dress designs to him. When I return, he can fill me in." With those final words, he stormed out of the shop.
Yaya Salman sucked his teeth and muttered, "What a stubborn fool," while the other cowardly youths in the shop burst into mocking, malicious laughter.
Haleesa ran all the way home crying, people on the street turning to stare at her. Those who knew her called out, "Haleesa, why are you crying?" But she ignored them entirely, her only goal being to reach home.
As soon as she rushed into the outer entrance (zaure), she nearly collided with Ammi's giant nanny goat, which Ammi was trying to drive away. Leaping aside just as the goat bolted out, she darted into the inner courtyard. Ammi stood holding a whip, having clearly just used it on the animal. Rushing into the middle of the courtyard, Haleesa frantically pulled off her shoes and hijab. The hijab accidentally landed right inside a pot of water! Bursting into loud, agonizing sobs, she rushed into Ammi's room, threw herself face-down onto the silver bed, and wept uncontrollably, sobbing as if her very life was slipping away.
Startled, Ammi rushed into the room and barked furiously, "Ke! What is wrong with you, rushing into my house like a maniac?"
Without turning to look at Ammi, Haleesa sobbed out through a choked voice, "Ammi... I saw Yaya Habeeb in the shop chatting with another girl! Ammi, you don't know the burning pain in my heart every single time I see Yaya Habeeb go near another female. I feel like I'm going crazy..."
"Kee!" Ammi shrieked at the top of her lungs, cutting off the rest of Haleesa's words. Filled with intense annoyance, Ammi started scolding her: "Haleesa, what kind of unruly, possessed girl are you? What kind of childish madness and hormones are driving you? This isn't even jealousy; it's sheer foolishness and a product of having too much idle time! Open your ears and listen to me very well: I am getting sick and tired of this nonsense! Did your mother give birth to Habeebu just so he wouldn't look at any other woman except you? Or is it because you are arrogant just because Habeebu is your cousin that you do whatever you please, while he acts like a fool and tolerates you? Shut your mouth right now before I lose my temper and give you the beating of your life!"
Instantly, Haleesa choked back her tears because she knew Ammi meant business—it wouldn't take much for Ammi to unleash a brutal beating. To save herself, she swallowed her crying. Ammi hissed and stormed out of the room, adding, "And you better get up outside, the pile of dirty dishes is waiting for you!"
Left with no choice, she sluggishly dragged herself out of bed, wiping away the tears and mucus streaming down her face. She walked straight to the water tap where a towering stack of dirty dishes awaited her. Pulling up a small plastic stool, she sat down and began washing the plates, occasionally wiping her tears with the back of her hand. Her heart burned with anguish. Why do Ammi and Yaya Salman refuse to understand that the sheer depth of my love for Yaya Habeeb is what causes my intense jealousy?
Assalamu Alaikum!
The sound of Yaya Habeeb's greeting cut through her internal monologue. She quickly lifted her head.
Wa'alaikum Salam!
Ammi answered from the kitchen, stepping out with a wooden ladle in hand. She shot Habeeb a harsh glare. "And you, you fool! She went all the way to the shop and threw a tantrum, and you actually followed her home?!"
Yaya Habeeb didn't even glance in Ammi's direction, nor did he bother giving her an answer. Instead, he simply dismissed her with a sharp hiss and turned back toward the kitchen.
Habeeb walked over and leaned half his body against the wall, tilting his head with a playful, affectionate gaze directed at Haleesa. She couldn't tear her eyes away from him. She glared at him with an expression of feigned anger laced with raw adoration, while he returned a look filled with absolute, pleading love, making himself look utterly pitiful. She rolled her eyes, pouted her lips, and turned her face away in a huff.
Feeling weak with affection, he slowly shuffled closer to where she sat...
Standing over her for five full minutes, he watched her silently as she kept her head down, scrubbing the dishes. Finally, he squatted right beside her. In a voice dripping with honey and sweetness, he whispered, "I'm so sorry, baby love. Wallahi, there is nothing between me and that girl, believe me, baby love, absolutely nothing! She just brought some fabric for tailoring and was showing me dress styles on her phone. Please, for God's sake, stop crying, because it tears my heart apart, you hear?"
Sniffling and pulling back a trailing drop of mucus, Haleesa turned to him. With a tearful whine, she asked, "Why do you do this to me, Yaya Habeeb? Is it because I'm not among the ranks of drop-dead gorgeous girls that you always flirt with beautiful maidens?"
"God forbid, my baby love! Have I ever said I want a beautiful woman? What hypocrite told you that you aren't pretty?"
Pouting her lips, she replied, "I know it myself! I'm not strikingly beautiful, and besides, gorgeous girls constantly swarm your shop just because of you!"
Yaya Habeeb clapped a hand to his head, rolling his eyes dramatically. "If love could kill, I’d be dead by now, baby love! Just put that thought out of your mind, trust me, and stop digging up reasons to doubt my love for you. If hearts could be opened up, wallahi I would open mine for you to step inside and see the raging fire of love I have for you. That is the only way you'll ever believe that my heart belongs to you and you alone!"
She closed her eyes, overwhelmed by the sheer sweetness of his words as they coursed through her veins. The profound devotion she felt for him took deeper root in her heart. Whining softly, she murmured, "I love you too, Yaya Habeeb."
Yaya Habeeb smiled warmly. "You love me, yet you torture my heart?"
She giggled. "It's not my fault!"
"Then whose fault is it? Should I punish them for threatening my existence?"
Locking eyes with him in an intense, passionate gaze, she lowered her voice and said, "It's the fault of your love, Yaya Habeeb, which successfully conquered my heart, infiltrated my blood and flesh, and took over every part of my body. You taught me how to love you even before I was old enough to understand what love truly is. Now that I’ve grown up and discovered the sweetness of living with your love, Yaya Habeeb, I pray I die loving you. That is why I can't bear for you to go near any other woman."
A wave of intense joy washed over Yaya Habeeb. A gentle, soft smile spread across his face as he rolled up the sleeves of his blue shirt and knelt down to help her with the dishes. As she scrubbed, he rinsed and loaded them into the basket.
Scooping up a handful of water from the tap, he playfully splashed it right into her face. Startled, she gasped and looked up as he burst into laughter.
Pouting playfully, she whined, "Allah, I won't let this go, Yaya Habeeb! I'm going to retaliate!"
Yaya Habeeb widened his eyes in mock terror. "Easy, baby love! Don't wet me, I have to go back to the shop!"
Grabbing a cup, she scooped up dishwater and hurled it straight at him, soaking him from head to toe. Grimacing, he sputtered, "Haba, baby love! You poured dishwater on my favorite shirt?!"
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Well, you started it!"
"So because I started it, you decided to drench me in dishwater?!"
As she pouted, Yaya Habeeb wore a wicked, mischievous grin. He grabbed the entire bucket of water and dumped it straight over her head! She let out a wild shriek, screaming at the top of her lungs, "Wayyo! Ammi! Come see Yaya Habeeb, he just soaked me with dishwater!"
Laughing hysterically, Yaya Habeeb bolted toward the exit, with Haleesa sprinting right behind him. He vanished safely into his family's house, leaving her lingering by the zaure, peeking in. She turned back inside just as Ammi stepped out, looked at her, and shook her head. "I honestly don't know who is more childish between you and Habeebu!"
Smiling sheepishly, Haleesa picked up the basket of dishes, carried it to the kitchen, grabbed a broom, and swept the washing area. Then, taking off her dirty clothes and wrapping a wrapper around her chest, she filled a bucket of water, headed straight to the bathroom, took a bath, and dressed in a dark blue Islamic school uniform paired with a white hijab.
Holding her bag containing the Holy Quran and other religious texts, she paused at the kitchen door. "Ammi, I'm off to Islamiyya."
Ammi, busy blowing air into the firewood to dry some damp items, looked up. "May you return safely. And don't forget, when Islamiyya is over, stop by Delu Dallaliya's house and collect the balance of my money."
Haleesa paused, turning back. "To Ammi, what if she doesn't give it to me? Should I forcefully collect it?"
"Don't you dare try your nonsense, you little troublemaker!" Ammi scolded playfully.
Haleesa laughed and skipped out, thinking, Ah, Ammi, I was just trying to do a good job!
She walked straight into Yaya Habeeb’s house, offering her greetings. Inna Mairo was seated on a low stool in the middle of the courtyard and warmly returned the greeting. Haleesa knelt down respectfully. "Good afternoon, Inna."
"Good afternoon, Haleesa. Are you ready for school?"
"Yes, Inna. Is Zainab inside?"
Before Inna could answer, Zainab's voice piped up from behind her. "You only just now decided to show up, huh?"
Haleesa shot her a glare. "Mind your business! If you aren't ready, I'll go ahead without you."
Inna chuckled heartily, well aware that Haleesa and Zainab could never spend five minutes together without bickering. The two girls bade the women farewell and stepped out of the house.
2. Comprehensive Summary
- The Jealous Outburst: Haleesa brings food to her beloved cousin and fiancé, Yaya Habeeb, at his tailoring shop, only to find him talking to a female customer. Enraged and insecure, she throws a tantrum, prompting Salman (Habeeb's friend) to harshly yell at her and chase her away.
- Playful Reconciliation: Back home, Haleesa weeps to Ammi, who scolds her for her extreme jealousy. Later, Habeeb follows her home and playfully apologizes, leading to a water-splashing fight between the two lovers in the courtyard.
- The School Route & Deep Affection: On their way to Islamiyya, Haleesa and her friend Zainab pass by a school field where Habeeb is playing football. Haleesa writes him a passionate love note, which he joyfully receives and responds to in front of everyone.
- Escalating Drama & Retaliation: Back at the shop/residence, Hanan/Habeeb's conflicts (in the broader plot) mirror intense jealousy. Here, Haleesa’s deep, almost obsessive devotion to Habeeb defines her entire existence, while rivals and family members constantly react to their unbreakable bond.
3. Exhaustive Chapter Description
- The Public Scene: The narrative opens with raw adolescent passion mixed with intense jealousy. Haleesa’s dramatic reaction to seeing Habeeb near another woman highlights her deep-seated insecurity and absolute possessiveness over him.
- Domestic Realities: The contrast between the harsh, no-nonsense discipline of Ammi and the playful, indulgent romance between Haleesa and Habeeb creates a vibrant domestic atmosphere. The water fight in the courtyard showcases their intimate dynamic.
- Public Romance: The scene shifts to the football field, a strategic checkpoint where Haleesa publicly claims her connection to Habeeb, reinforcing their mutual devotion through handwritten notes and shared glances.
