I woke up slowly, terribly drenched in water and when I opened my eyes, Khadijat parents were still staring at me.
She gave me a towel to wipe myself and asked if I was hungry. Hungry? I didn't even have the appetite to be alive, let alone eat food. At this point, I just wanted to vanish.
"So Khadijat, of all the Muslims we have in this country and predominantly in this state, it's a Christian you decided to date? I know we asked you to focus on settling down after service, but we didn't mean with just anyone."
Her mother gave me a hard stare as she spoke.
"Look, I don't know what you see in him that has made you this stupid, maybe it's because he is handsome, but that is where it ends. Whatever you guys are doing has got to end and immediately too!"
Khadijat eyes were soaked with tears and she was breathing very fast at the same time. I wished I could reach out to her and hold her hands but I dared not as her dad had his eyes, fixated on me.
"But Dad, you preach everyday and every time to be about embracing every religion. That it is the people that matter and their intentions. You told me that as long as their hands are not soiled with blood, then we shouldn't despise them or run away from them."
"When I asked you to embrace them I never said you should date them. Our legacy has to continue and being with a Christian doesn't help our chances. Look, I and your mother are going to check into a hotel and you can come see us there later today, we will talk more about this."
Her pleas for her parents to stay fell on deaf ears as they walked out of the house. She ran after them but they didn't give her a listening ear.
She came back inside, crying and I did my best to atleast calm her down.
"This one that my parents are behaving this way, I wonder what your parents will say. Caleb, I love you like my life depends on it. I'm ready to be a Christian for your sake if it will make your parents happy. I don't want to lose you for any reason."
She leaned on my chest as she cried the more. My eyes were moist too but I just had to control myself.
"Look Khadijat, I don't know, I have never felt this way before in my entire life over anybody, I haven't. I expected your parent's reaction and I'm sure mine will be worst, but if we want this to happen, we just have to hold on to each other and not let go."
After a while, we settled down to eat.
Khadijat offered to see me off as it was her usual routine. On our way home, we were met with a serious traffic and suddenly we saw people running helter skelter.
I checked to see what was happening and I saw young men wielding machetes and guns. They were in front and behind.
"Oga, wetin de happen?" I asked one of the guy that was running.
"My brother, they are killing Christians!" He dashed off immediately.
I looked left and right and there was nowhere to go, the driver turned around and gave me a cheeky smile when he saw the men move closer as Khadijat held my hands so tight!!!