Sunday, July 31, 2011

The overdue meeting

He steps out of the toilet, open his wardrobe and said to himself. "Okay, you've got to look smart, no, no shorts. Wear jeans"

He put on his jeans, and take out a few clothes. He tries one on, take it off and put it on the shelf. One more and he takes it off again. He repeated this steps for a few time. He put on a brown collared and concluded it's the one he's going to wear. He played around with his hair, it's screaming to be cut. It was Bieber like, and he hated that but he loves his mop, so he always hesitate to have a haircut. He applied his perfume and he's ready to go. He felt bizarre that he's going out, at night, wearing jeans, it was not his style but nevertheless, he want to make a good second first impression after such a long time not seeing her.

He entered his parents bedroom and took the car key, headed down. His mum ask where he's going, and he just said going out to dinner with an old friend back from his Nottingham times. His mom nod with approvals, albeit with flurry of questions.

He started the engine, and off he went. He check his phone for the last time, to look at the direction she gave her. He's blessed with a good sense of direction so this should be no problem for him.

He arrived at her house, and there she was, but her family was out there. He drove until the dead end and make a U-turn. He stops a few meters away from the house and texted her that he has arrived. A few moments later she appeared, and he brings the car to her. He felt nervous, it has been years since they last met. And on the last occasion they met at a mall during Eid, it was nearly a repeat of how they first met. He was panting as he ran from the bus stop to meet her, at the very center of the mall.

She got in the car and he starts to talk, a lot, perhaps too much. He asked whether he should meet the parents but he's shy, so he decided not to. But it's a decision he regretted as time went by.

In the car, he didn't stop talking, he felt at ease with her, he felt comfortable. He had a plan to bring her to Taipan, to go to one of his favourite dinner outlet but when they arrived there, it was closed. So off to Strawberry Field, but it was full. So he turn the car around to Shah Alam again, to Pak Li.

Arriving there, she said that this place evoke a lot of past memories, not Pak Li but the area surrounding it. He felt guilty that he brings her to such place but he couldn't have known. They both ordered and his came first. So he waited for hers and ate together. She's a slow eater, so he finished his early. He smokes, so it's natural for him to light it up after a meal. But he didn't want her to know, even though she already knows, thanks to the Internet where he has uploaded multiple photos showing him smoking. He waited for her to finish her Nasi Ayam Lemon and started to talk, they shift topic at lightning pace. It was one after another. Then he felt the place has become too crowded, so he offered to take her somewhere else.

As they got in the car, he really doesn't know where to go. So he just drives around, showing his many favourite spots around Shah Alam. Places where he always went alone, to delve into his many thoughts. They talked about their past, well he went first. He's not familiar with sharing it, and he's been quite discreet about it. But with her, he spilled all the beans, nearly every detail. He just didn't stop sharing, everything blurted out of his mouth. He never felt such at ease with such company, and he was comfortable around her. She shared her part, and while she was giving her story, he kept looking at her, hoping she wouldn't notice. Her laughs, smiles and giggles, he felt attracted to her. They've known each other for years, but he never look at her this way.

The night got darker, so he wanted to send her home. But he still wants to spend time with her, so they went to her house to drop off her broadband, and went to the Kopitiam not far away from her (aunt's) house. There's not much to do except for talking. Now, it's her turn to talk. As she yaps away, he kept staring at her. There's something about her. Something that he never felt for this friend of 7 years. Something that he should've felt sooner.

He.. he fell for her.