C4 Familiar

Several days later, Farah, Anne and Raja are going to a cinema at High Mountain, 30 kilometres from their houses at 9 o’clock in the morning. Farah suggested watching a movie at 10 or 11 o’clock as the early, the better. Raja’s plan three days ago to watch a movie was successful as they are now discussing what movie to watch on a wooden seat upfront of the cinema. Anne chooses to watch a horror movie but conversely, Raja chooses other genres but horror.

They quarrel with one another as the emotional girl is into cartoons such as anime and Disney. As a result, she chose Storks instead of a horror movie. Yet albeit she wants cartoons so much, the observer beat her to it as she says that she will watch it with her together with the overthinker soon, after they get back from Japan or perhaps not as they could watch it at home next month anyhow. The observer unconsciously smiles and begins to tease her while internally smirking inside. The overthinker just watches them with as dull as dishwater expression as they are such a pain in the neck. Such an embarrassing moment for her.

"Are you kidding me?!! Did u just chose puppies over Sadako vs Kayako?" The observer says while playfully gasps with a pretend-to-be-shocked-face and one hand covering her lips.

"They are cute what?!! And besides, nothing caught my attention until I saw Stork's poster" She retorts with an expressionless countenance.

"But... you are... cuter than those puppies" The observer teases her as she wants to see her reaction.

"What is the bloody h*ll is wrong with you??! You're h*llish cranky, d*mn! " She disgusts with furrows brows.

"I-well... not lying. So, nothing is wrong with me. And I'm strong and healthy... plus, I'm really fine woooooooooo..." The observer says nonchalantly.

"You are unquestionably mad as a hatter, Anne... Ya Allah, you're sick!" She boldly replies while shaking her head left and right countless times.

"I will not be going anywhere if I'm sick right now. And I only... stated the fact, bruh" She grimaces while widened her eyes as she could not believe what the observer had said to her.

Not even once in her lifetime that her best friends, especially the observer, had just said that to her face. Like that. But frankly speaking, the observer never said anything greasy so smoothly without her saying that the observer is out of her mind and could care less with whatever her response is. The observer just wants to cheer her up and appreciate her for who she is. But that was not the case, her brain looks like it was a tad damage just now. She did not know the observer is this cheesy(upgrade) and cringe-worthy. W to the o to the w, wow.

On the other hand, the overthinker remains watching the two of them while shaking her head and rolls her eyes to them for bickering like there is no one around. Therefore, she murmurs in an inaudible sound while silently walking to the counter ticket as her time is precious and ashamed with her best friends fighting over trivial things as well as pretending not to know them. She also facepalms and those two humans made her internally execrated. Not wanting to but they made her blood boils a little.

"How come you guys are my friends? Ugh!"

"You know what?!! Let's just leave them and buy the tickets right now"

"Sorry... I don't know them"

"Ha ha ha... Yeah... they're insane"

"Ya Allah! It's better if I watch this alone without those two!"

Finally, they stop bickering. As they realize the overthinker is gone, both of them start searching for her. While eyeballs wandering around, one of them found her not long after. She stands a bit far from the counter ticket on the left while crossing both hands and shot daggers straightly at her unashamed best friends. The emotional and observer look at each other and smile apologetically at her as they forgot about her while she is still stay put for two of them to move their butt here. She then tells them to treat her later as a punishment when both of them reach before her. Those two apologize and agree to treat her with whatever she wants before getting into the cinema.

-------------------------------------------------------------

"Weh, I just realized that you look like one of the ghosts" Anne initiates a conversation to tease while slightly looks at Farah after the movie ends. They leisurely walking to the exit door with Raja and Farah in between her.

"It's more like you honestly. Your personality is exactly just like one of them... or might be you are their long-lost friend" Farah replies as she knows Anne is teasing her though she did not mention any and decides to play along.

"Yeah... I miss them... Eh??! I don't even know why they are fighting though they are both ghosts anyhow. Didn't they usually scare the h*ll out of people?" Anne rolls her eyes and shakes her head as it does not make any sense as to why they are fighting like they are humans.

'Shouldn't they work together? Hm...' But Anne also could not understand herself at times as she unconsciously talking nonsense and such.

"They also have feelings, IMBECILE!" Raja interjects and emphasizes the last word as she thinks Anne is asking stupid questions then snickering as she teasing her. Anne slowly nods and thinks that it is somewhat possible ghosts have feelings. Raja let out a light sigh and realises her tease became a statement. "Ya Allah... wait, were you sleeping when a scene of the truth unfold?" She asks and wonders why she got this kind of friend who easily trusts her as she obviously was just trying to fool her and surely so done with Anne’s antics. "I'm lying, Anne. Enough with your twit remarks, silly!" She adds and her best friend is carry on being lost in her thoughts. "Argh! I should jus- you know what.. never mind" She put a mental note to not answer Anne’s stupid questions again and looks above the ceiling while desperately closing her eyes. Her best friend is zoning out with only her lower body is moving. Really, Anne? Oh my! How Raja would have known? She habitually did that whenever she is talking poppycock.

As Anne is walking with them to the parking lot, she sensed like someone peek at them all at once. She begins to feel anxious but in some way disregards it off as it may be just her eccentric guts which sometimes has been mistaken and perturbation as usual. Yet she usually not even cared about her surroundings unless there is a suspicious human or creature that behave weirdly and keeps looking at her which patently will make her petrified. Who knows, right? Yet there is no exception for today natheless she cannot apprehend it.

She slowly and playfully craned to her back to make sure nothing unpleasant happen. She also makes it like she is not aware of her surrounding. Besides, there is nothing to worry about, right? She is very much query at the moment and almost gets a panic attack as she cannot pacify her panic state. It is uncontrollable. 'Aargh, please... I need certainty right now not b*llsh-' But in a matter of seconds, she sees a small dark shadow speedily moves on her right shoulder thus she jolts and flinches numerous times while clasping tightly on the hem of her blouse. It is already gone when she promptly turns her head to the right and loosen her clasps. She touches her right shoulder and caresses it gently and subsequently lost in her train of thoughts.

'Oh, thank Allah... it’s maybe just my imagination...'

'But why is my heart thumping so fast?'

'Oh, ya... I forgot I tend to overthink'

They go to Secret Recipe after paying for the car parking ticket and gain the cafe while admiringly looking at the beautiful painting on the walls around with quotes and a designed cake clock on the right side. It is almost packed when they set their foot in the cafe but gladly they hit here early before it is crowded. There is also nice 3D cakes wallpapers where people could snap tons of photos. They all set their eyes to the 3D wallpapers afterwards and a table close by as well as later, they get to sit there. The near the better. Apart from that, there are glass mirrors on the left side which is where the doors are located and a few tables and chairs in front and next to them.

"Yes! After so long... I miss my chocolate indulgence cake" Anne says while gazing at the chocolate indulgence cake in the chiller.

"You gonna eat cake only for lunch? No rice?" Raja asks with a frown on her countenance.

"She might be on diet today" Farah answers although today is actually a cheat day for Anne.

"Woo, relax guys. I was just saying. I will order a set of meals too and I'm not on a diet since today is Saturday" Anne replies with a smile on her face as she finally gets to eat her favourite cake.

"Too bad. I wanna show off my food" Raja says nonchalantly.

"Right? Eat it deliciously as we've never tasted it before. Make her tempted and drooling" Farah adds and playfully stick out her tongue.

"Uh-uh, no way. You won't know when I'm on diet. Bleh! I-"

She is cut off when a waitress came and asks for their order. They begin to look at the menu and immediately write their order on an order paper then give it to the waitress. The waitress then says thank you and they reply thank you back as it is common in Malaysia. Like not wanting to end the conversation. She then consecutively looks at the waitress because of her dimples on both sides, perfect U-line, not-so-pointed nose, oval shape face and big eyes but somehow she looks familiar as she has had met her somewhere. Not to forget, the bit tan skin that suits her makes her more attractive as she would definitely make other girls insecure despite her short height. That made her even cuter. What matter the most is that she looks like the mysterious guy she met a few days ago. Yes?

------------------------------------------------------------------

"Anne!"

"Anne!"

She is spacing out when someone suddenly called her as she is breathing the cold air to refresh her mind after sending her mother to her friend's house and stop by a convenience store to buy a cold latte and coffee. She maunders outside the store for a minute or two while holding a plastic bag in her left hand that contain 2 small bottles of coffee and lattes. Plus, recalled in a flash. She seeks for the voice until she faces this one standing tall and sturdy man with an almost square face, neat beard, sizeable eyes, sexy lips and pointed nose walking in her direction. 'Is he the one who's calling me just now?' She questionss herself.

She is supposed to be at home right now and resting. Her mother called her just after Farah, Raja and her finished eating because of sore matters. Her mother said her father was working and no one can send her to her friend's house because she wants to meet her friends and has been so long not meeting or even talking with them. 'Mom? Really? That's what you called emergency?' She thought. And again, she lost in her thoughts out of nowhere for three minutes. He calls her for the second time as she is still not moving an inch from her spot.

"Um, miss? Are you okay??? Miss?"

".........."

"Miss Anne??!"

"U-uh, d-did you call me?"

"Uh, yes... I have something to tell you"

"Me? Um... about what eh?"

"Follow me then I'll tell you"

"What makes you think that I'll follow you? I'm sorry, not my intention to offend you or what but who are you? I won't follow you, anonymous"

'Ya Allah, he's weirdly attractive but no sh*t. I'll better get going before... no no no, I don't want to even think about it' She thought with her brows knitted and shakes her head after.

"It's really important. Serious. If not, I won't be following you here"

"Why not telling me here instead?"

"I can't. Can you just please follow me? It's about us"

"Sorry, I don't even know you"

'What does he mean about us? It's ludicrous. He's beyond grotesque' She whispers with a glower on her front.

She begins walking away and heading to the nearest parking lot without even glancing at him. She is getting ready to get into her car when he suddenly approaches her from behind and apologizes for being rude earlier. He promises not to force her again and asking for her number if she can meet him at some other time. She concurs and gives him her number. He then bids goodbye with apologetic peepers. She immediately drives home and arrives not long after. She locks her car then closes the gate leisurely not looking at the odd car upfront her house. There is this one black shiny car that stops surprisingly in front of her house but she thought it is maybe the neighbour's family or might be just waiting for someone while she starting to walk to the door.

As she is twisting the knob, someone briskly pulls her inside and locks it right away. She is flabbergasted and nearly gets a heart attack. But what is scaring her more, the man that she met just now was 10 metres ahead of her. He steadily walks towards her with an intimidating dark expression. It made her widened her eyes. Her breath hitched and becomes heavy as she walks backwards till unknowingly her back touch the hard walls behind her. She tries to get away by moving instantaneously to the right but he abruptly put his arm on her right alongside her neck. She could run away easily now by slowly moving to the left without him knowing while keenly peering into his eyes to distract him.

Yet again, he unexpectedly corners her with his left arm while unknowingly shows his lopsided leer which one hundred per cent makes her unbelievably going off her head together with swearing internally. And there she is, standing weakly between his arms and looking anywhere but him when there is only an inch close proximity between them. Her chest panting with alarms up and down in a double-quick time like she just ceased her haunted house tour. He simpers all of a sudden and could have been seen that his nose is almost touching her’s as well as could feel his blows breathe on her face. He starts changing his expression back to the intimidating one which is the opposite of what he showed her in front of the convenience store just now. She gulps the lump in her throat at the closeness of their faces. The introductory set in.

"Remember me?"

".........."

"Cat got your tongue, exquisite?"

"Wha-what do you want??!"

"You don't have to shout. I heard you very well, shadowy ethereal beauteous. And I told you to follow me but you said no... so, I don't have any other choices"

"W-what d-do you mean? You always got... options! Please.. let me go..."

"Well, I guess now I've more time to spend with you..."

'Oh no, I'm dead for sure. I'll be dead by tomorrow. Oh, Ya Allah! No no no, this is not good! I should give him my money. The only RM50 left in my wallet and my- Eh?!! How come this dimwit jerk knows my house?!! Please, mum and dad help me... please.stop.falter-' She thought, still stumbles over the words.

"In your house... just..."

"W-what are you talking about? You said you wanna tell me something. So, what is it?"

"You're cute when you're mad. Oh, nothing actually. I just wanna warn you to cancel your trip to Japan"

"And why is that?"

"Just... cancel it. Aside from scrub it, you can just staycation here. Much better than going abroad"

"Meh... you don't have a valid reason though why do I have to listen to you?"

"Just... do it, d*mmit! Ugh! Don't make me-"

"I've many things to do than listen to your abrupt remarks if you please!"