C12 Sudden Confession

'Cause I knew you were trouble when you walked in

So shame on me now

Flew me to places I'd never been

'Til you put me down, oh

I knew you were trouble when you walked in

So shame on me now

Flew me to places I'd never been

Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground

Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble

Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble

Anne is sitting at a reserved table while enjoying Dates Dates Cafe's songs played by a female cashier who is chatting with her male colleague next to her waiting for customers at the counter. She slightly moves her head to the left and to the right following the tempo while biting the lower lip. Immersion gets the best of her thus eyes dream for recall. Sudden taking a trip down memory lane makes her grin like a cheshire cat where she sang Taylor Swift's song, Love Story, like a madwoman in her room and keep replaying the music video countless times because it was addictive. She even did ballet movements and dramatically danced to the rhythm. But then, the recall ceases as she feels sick of idle time. "Where is he? Please don't be late, man. I've things to do at home. Huh" She mutters. She then stares outside for nothing in particular. Just bored. It is Friday yet the mall is pretty well full with people shopping and eating. She slowly takes a sip of her hot coffee a little while staring at nipper triplets talking to each other before someone approaches her with an average present box. Seeing a man at the corner of her peepers, she tries to compose and thought that he has already arrived plus literally wants to rant and rave but choose not to. She turns to him and unfortunately is just aware that it is the male colleague earlier. Incandescent mode cancels, she instantly smiles looking at him and the box in his hand back and forth.

"Miss, there's someone asked me to give this to you"

"Huh? Who?"

"Um, the man who reserve this table"

"Ah, I see. Okay okay, thank you"

She begins getting impatient. 10 minutes have passed, Khairi's nose stem is still not visible yet. She made her mind to read online fiction while waiting for him some more time. Did not even care to open her present. She is actually nervous about whatever going to happen if he appears at any moment from now on as she had never spoken with him before. Just chatting through Instagram. Just that. Engross in the fiction, she does not register a presence of a man sitting in front of her not long after. He initiates a sudden conversation with her and somehow it makes her jolt on her seat with her mug now glaring at him. Her reaction says otherwise after the discernment. Keeping herself cool and at the same time nonplussed are surely not easy. For the second attempt. Wait, not third? Ya, whatever. Ya Allah, mental breakdown. This is 80 per cent a window of opportunity for him to do his wants.

"Hi, sorry late. I had to spy on someone... so... ya, I'm here now"

"Wait, why are you here?"

"What?"

"Khairi is the one who supposes to meet me here. Not you"

"Um... that... I have to tell you something"

"Wait, wait. Is he sick or what?

"He's not... uh..."

"Not sick? Then why are you here instead?"

"He's my friend. And there's something you need to know"

"I'm confused. You guys planned this or what?"

"Actually... I'm the one who sent that dm yesterday"

"And... why is that? Why do you use his account? Don't you have yours?"

"Do you still like him?"

"So sudden?"

"Just... answer that first"

"I am... uh... not anymore... I think. Now... answer my JUST NOW questions"

"I don't have one and... he told me I can use it whenever I want"

"Ridiculous. How come he let you use his account?"

"Um... because I want to?"

"No, you still didn't answer my question"

"Okay, okay. He knew that I still have and had a crush on you because I tell him. And that's why he gave permission to use his account and I don't want to create my own as it's just temporary"

"Wha-what? You're joking, right?"

"It's the truth, Anne. And necessary. I wanna tell you that the moment I broke into your house but... I'm nervous"

"So... all this time it was you and not... him? What the? Fftttttt"

"I'm sorry... I've been crushing on you since 5 months ago. He knows it as I ask him if he knows you and he said yes. So, he shows me your insta account and told me to dm you... but I don't want to create one because I know it's just temporary. That's why he offers me to use his insta account instead"

"What were you guys thinking? Totally absurd. You think I'm what? Don't have feelings?"

"I'm really sorry, Anne. Please forgive him. He didn't do anything wrong. And I'm dumb for doing that"

"You should think before dm me, you witless. You know what... I thought he's the one replying to my dm all this time and was so happy when he replied... You're... hopeless. Your confession was pointless now. I'm sorry"

"But Anne, please hear me out. I have other things to tell you. I'm begging you. Please... Anne"

Anne?

Anne?

There is an intense dark aura all over her now. She could not comprehend spesh the moment he told her he used Khairi's account just to chat with her. The thing is he should have told her his name. At least. That is the most important thing, bro. Easy but he did not do it. Instead, he replied after months she confess to Khairi and right after her message that has been seen for two months. Two months! The first day she chatted with Khairi three months ago until yesterday's message popped up in her notification. She thought he was going to confess which she means Khairi, obviously. She prolly despises him for being selfish as dramatic as she sounds, he should have told her the truth from the beginning. ‘Wait, don't tell me he’s the one who replied to me all this time?’

She is beyond irritated before he could tell his dark secrets. Why would he? Just how many secrets would he tell her? Why her? The truth was already revealed, right? Much to Anne's liking, she wants to listen to his revelation but she had enough for today. She would listen to him as soon as she could figure out everything he had said a little time ago. Therefore, no more talking. After his last pleading, he attempts to call her twice as she remains lost in her thoughts. 'I didn't even know his name. The important part of all though. But what's so good about him? And does he has no brain? To introduce himself first? Bloody h*ll!' Last thought before she gets her consciousness back.

Abruptly on her feet, she shakes her head unbelievably sick with his choice of words and terrible method to approach a girl. She then scoffs and looks up at the ceiling as well as quivering a bit. She takes a deep breath, thinking if this is the best choice to do so. It is. Harshly she steps away and quickens her pace. She goes to the parking lot on the ground level and the step becomes slow as she senses an uncanny event where she is being watched. She calmly spin around to make sure he did not follow her.

She starts walking at a normal pace after she is sure he is already gone and speedily unlock her car while holding her breath. She enters it carefully, instantly securing and locking the doors as a safety first. She let out a heavy breath she did not realise she holds earlier. She put the key in the hole and rotate it to the right. Her engine starts. She waits for it to warm before driving. She drives to the 7-Eleven to buy a colourful Slurpee and her favourite latte after just about 9 minutes of waiting. Once reach, she gets out of her car and lock it. She enters the 7-Eleven and found the Slurpee machine but it is broken as there is a notice on it. “Sorry, dear customers. Slurpee machine is broken. Will fix this asap” She reads internally. Sigh. She ends up buying 1 tin of her favourite latte and a packet of chewing gum that contain 15 pieces in it. Saving it for another day. She treads to the entrance glass door as soon as she pays for the drinks and chewing gum.

Her eyeballs roam around habitually as she opens the glass door before heading to the car. She begins moving towards her car after feeling satisfied and leisurely gets into it. She nearly presses the door lock button but someone suddenly enters and plops beside her freely. The car slightly swaying up and down like an earthquake. The criminal then leisurely pushes the lock button meanwhile she hardly gulps down the saliva in her throat. Afraid to eye him or her, she just stays still in the driver seat and gazes at the 7-Eleven signboard with her broad eyes while thinking ways to take action against this robber.

'No, I should save myself now. Think, think'

'What should I do? What should I do?'

'Punch or kick? Or talk? Or...'

'Argh! I'll do whatever I can'

The criminal just glances at her for a minute before eyeing around to make sure no one sees him or her suspiciously set foot in someone else car. In a swift motion, she unlocks the door and yell and hit the criminal without even looking at his or her face with all her might to force him or her out as fast as she could. By hook or by crook, to go back home real quick. “Take this! Hyah!”

Wham! Wham!

“Help! Help! There’s a criminal in my car! Help!”

Wham!

While yelling and punching, she takes a glimpse at the hands of the robber for a second first then upper body but countenance. A male? What does he want? She halts from screaming and hitting as there is no progress and uses her legs instead to kick him out. She kicks his belly but he defends himself crossing his hands with his head to the mirror. “Stop, you Herculean!” He firmly says. “Better you stop now! Argh!!!” He harshly warns her. Wait! She starts wondering as she has heard this voice somewhere.

"Stop kicking me! Or else! Your legs will be gone!"

‘That voice sounds familiar...’

‘Wait!!!’

"Good..."

He takes the opportunity to grip her legs and slowly turns to her with his ugly signature smirk while puffing. She looks at him from the corner of her eyes and a loud gasp is blowing up of her mouth. She is contemplating to either continue kicking him but in the face or talk nicely to him. But, meh. She blows her top somehow instead as she remembers he did the same smirk the first time they met and do it again at this moment. Your. awful. disgusting. smirk. She wishes she could smash his pretty lips someday. ‘Just wait, you annoying giraffe’ She thought. She will make sure to punch his good-looking face too.

At last, she did neither of them. Later, he gives an order to drive to a peaceful and nice place but she does not know where. ‘There is no such peaceful and nice spot here though’ She thinks so. Not want to make him mad since she does not know what he is capable of thus she follow his order. She has to. No, had to. He leads her to God knows where. Ya Allah. Her pulse starts to beat faster.

‘Ya Allah, help me if he does any unpleasant things to me. Amin ya rabbal alamin’

He could have the intention of hurting her or even doing things that would surprise her. As always. Without a second thought to boot as he looks like a madman on their first encounter. Do not know why she always met him in this kind of circumstances. He did not tell his secrets but instead, ask her questions about figures and shadows as well as dreams. She is like being hypnotized for a moment. But then, hyperventilating chill and cold flurry air are all over her. It takes her a few minutes to realise what he was talking about. She stops the car all of a sudden and parks on the side of the road. Why he questioned her about them all of a sudden?

‘Why did he asked all of that?

That dreams...

No, no, no...

Those figures and shadows, to boot...

I- I can't breathe

H-help me’

The last two sentences slipped out of her mind not realising it cause her anxiety. He sees her spacing out and out of the blue twitching. He sends a weird glare at her for the first 3 minutes but promptly helps her calm when he discerns she gasps for air. He tells her to follow his instructions and starts putting his hands next to her cheeks and moves her head in his direction. She looks shaky. It makes him a tad panicked not sure what to do but composed himself for her not wanting to let her die beside him. Not today. He tells her to take a deep breath and hold it then let it out slowly.

She inhales deeply and holds her breath after 5 counts then exhale and repeat it for the second time. She follows his instruction and her heartbeats begin to tone down and calm a bit. Yet stay breathless, he orders her to tell him what is the five objects she can see, four objects she can touch, three sounds she can hear, two smells she can sniff and one emotional she can feel. And finally. After answering them, her breathing becomes much better. It made her wholly cool down also could breathe properly. He ceases asking about those matters and queries her before voluntarily driving her home.

"You can try the grounding method if your usual way is not working anymore. But anyway, you okay now?"

"Oh, okay. Yeah... thank you. I'm sorry about that"

"It's okay... I'll drive you home, okay? And I take no as an answer"

"Um... o-okay then. If you say so"

"Okay, great. Let's exchange our seats"

"O... kay"

"You can rest on the way home. I won't disturb you, I promise. It's gonna take 30 minutes so well rest. And don't forget your seatbelt too"

"Aye, boss. Thank you... again"

She drifts off in deep slumber not long after he moves the car. “Why it’s so quiet?” All at once, he mumbles. Feeling odd, he looks at her perceiving she has already nodded off. With guilt and apologetic eyes, he whispers sorry once again while glancing at her before moving back ahead to the road. After half an hour of the journey, they safely arrive in front of her house. He wakes her up gently yet neither does she stir nor open her eyes. He thought of some ideas that slipped into his mind and reach his phone in his right pocket, he dials her. She groggily opens her brown bonny orbs and is just about to swipe right but he quickly cancels the call. “We already arrive, princess” He playfully says.