<p>How do the dead sleep at night?</p><p><br></p><p>I knew it; she was dead. At that moment, my legs were shaking, my head was spinning, it was a feeling I had never felt before. I looked at Leila’s mother, and though the whole place was filled with tears, her shock frightened me; the most; it was like a piece of her had just died. I tried as much as I could to keep my cool. My head became heavy, and I suddenly wanted to throw up. I took one step at a time until I made it back to the stairs.
</p><p>“I couldn’t believe it; they found her.”
</p><p>Aaron was at the staircase, waiting for me to come back.
</p><p>“Did they really find her?” He asked.
</p><p>I couldn’t answer him, not now. I just needed to lie down. I know he was calling my name but honestly, I couldn’t hear anything. My ears were ringing and my legs became frail. I made it back to my room and shut the door. I left Aaron banging at the door, asking to come back in, but I just couldn’t. I wrapped myself in my blanket. I always knew she was gone, but the reality had never hit me so hard before; I needed to be alone. My thoughts slowly drifted away till I fell asleep. I didn’t open my door for the rest of the day.
</p><p>By the time I had opened my eyes, It was morning. The sobbing and yelling from downstairs from the morning before finally came to a halt. I could see the sun rays slowly returning into my room. I had to get ready for school, but I was too weak from yesterday. Zainab’s screams still scared me, it happened yesterday, but I could still feel it. I gathered my strength and opened the door. The moment I did, I saw Aaron sitting at my door. He must have fallen asleep there. I bent down and gently tapped him. He woke up quickly. He was about to jump up, but he didn’t, he simply stood up and went to his room. I could tell he was upset with me; his silence said it all.
</p><p>“Sorry,” I said to him
</p><p>“Yesterday was just…a lot,” I said
</p><p>“When it gets a lot, you talk to me.” He said
</p><p>He held my hands as firmly as he could and I didn’t want him to let go.
</p><p>I headed to the bathroom. As the water in the shower touched my skin, the chills ran deeper into my bones; that was the first time I ever cried. She wasn’t meant to die. why did she die?
</p><p>I turned off the shower and went to my room. I locked the door and got dressed. By the time I was downstairs, mum wasn’t back yet, she must still be with Zainab. I made breakfast for Aaron and I. We took our bags and left the house. It's practically a 15 minutes walk to get to school so we normally don’t climb bikes, take buses or even take along to get there. It was an quiet walk but Aaron broke the silence.
</p><p>“Did they say where they found her?”
</p><p>Aaron asked
</p><p>“I didn’t ask.” I said
</p><p>By the time we got to the gate, the assembly was over ,and everyone was heading to their classes. Mr. Basi was at the gate, waiting for the latecomers to come around and receive their flogging but the moment he saw Aaron and I, he allowed us to leave the crowd. I could feel the wavering eyes that glared at Aaron and myself as we headed to our classes. Aaron looked at me one last time before we went towards different directions.
</p><p>The journey to my seat felt like a mile, everyone was just staring at me. It didn't stop until I had sat down. The awkward stares was interrupted when the maths teacher came in.
</p><p>I tried to pay attention in class, I really did but once in a while, my thoughts wavered back to Leila. The moment the bell for class over rang, I took my bag and began to head out but Madee, my class captain stopped me. She came to my seat. . Madee was always a nice person. We were never friends but she was that one girl that nobody had a problem with, she was one of the few girls who didn’t bully me.
</p><p>“Ozi,” she called out to me calmly, quietly.
</p><p>I looked at her, not affirming anything. Our eyes locking was enough confirmation.
</p><p>“How are you doing?” she asked
</p><p>“I'm fine!” I said
</p><p>“I heard about Leila.” She said
</p><p>“What about her?” I asked. I had no idea when I became defensive.
</p><p>“Well, umm… I’m sorry about what happened to her, I know you both were close.” She said
</p><p>I stopped what I was doing and looked at Madee. For a girl of sixteen, she was quite pretty, smart and kind, but I never knew she was also nosey like she was trying to figure something out. I smiled at her and said
</p><p>“Thank you but we weren’t close, we weren’t even friends.”
</p><p>She looked at me as though she was confused and I said nothing more. I watched her as she walked away and shortly after, I left the class.
</p><p>I saw Aaron outside my class, waiting for me and we walked home. He kept talking about what happened in his class today but I was too engrossed in my own thoughts, about what Madee had said. She knew I was lying, for the past three months, Leila had become my only friend but I didn’t realize that Madee knew. It doesn’t matter, it’s just one person but if it wasn’t? What if she had told someone? The fear has gotten me so exhausted.
</p><p>By the time, we had gotten home, mummy was in the house. She was in the kitchen, I could smell the soup before walking in, no doubt it was fisherman soup, that means TJ is coming home. She turned around to hug me but Aaron walked away and left her like that. Her hair looked like a mess and her eyes were swollen. I ignored her too and headed to my room.
</p><p>“Leila’s burial is tomorrow.” Mummy said
</p><p>I paused for a second when she said that.
</p><p>“We are going. Tell your brother. “She turned around and went back to cooking.
</p><p>I said nothing and kept on walking away.
</p><p><br></p><p>
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