"Dave, wake up!"
Someone shook me hard enough to rattle my bones. I groaned and buried my face into the pillow.
"Go away."
I didn't know what time it was, but I was ninety percent sure it was Sunday. A sacred day. A day meant for sleeping like the dead.
"Wake up! Dad said you need to send me back to campus," Brenda whined, shaking me again like she was trying to summon my soul. I sighed and sat up, squinting at her.
"Didn't you want to drive yourself back to campus yesterday?" I am pretty sure that she wants to drive, but why today I will drive for her?
"Dad want you to drive for me. He doesn't believe my driving skills"
"That's because you almost hit people every time you drive" She smiled sheepishly at me, and once again I sighed. I just want to enjoy my sleep today, tomorrow is a harsh day, so let me live for today. Wait a minute, wasn't she going to her campus with Heidi since Heidi headed back to Kuching today. Wasn't she supposed to send Heidi and head back to her campus?
"Where is Heidi? Wasn't you supposed to send her to the airport today?"
"Mom and Dad send her. You need to send me back to my campus. Please" Damn Brenda, what a nuisance. I rubbed my eyes and yawned, I didn't want to get off my bed. I married to my bed, please today is Sunday and it suppose to be my off day. Although I need to go to church today but nevermind, I skipped as for today. Remind me to confess this sin before Christmas.
"Come on Dave, I don't want to be late because I have a meeting with my friend" and once again I sighed, I told her to wait for me while I freshened up. After that, I started the car engine and we went to Brenda's dormitory.
"You're the best brother that I ever have. Thank you!" I turned to look around and then I gave her RM500. Of course her eyes become blink-blink. "Thank you so much, big brother" she smile at me as she kiss my cheeks, which I wiped it away. And then, I watch Brenda went inside her dorm. I already know Brenda, if she praises me all of a sudden that's means she want some money. As a good older brother, I do give her some money.
I took out my handphone and looked at the screen. It is 10 o'clock. "It's time for a cup of coffee" I rubbed my neck as I walked away. I try to find where the is cafeteria at this campus. I could have a cup of coffee and walk around this campus. This campus seems cool and why I didn't want to further my degree here before?
Finally, I found a cafe and ordered my drinks. As I want to take a seat, the barista calls my name. It is too fast or I walk slower to the seat. I turned back to the counter but when I arrived there, there a guy who grabbed my drink and took sip of it.
"Er.."
"Sir, that is not your drink. This is yours" The guy turns to look at the barista and then looks at his drinks. He was surprised as he realized he had taken the wrong drinks. "Sorry, my bad."
"I can make one for you" suggested that barista but I stopped her. "It's okay, I can take his drinks" the barista nodded and I took his drinks. Once again he apologized for taking my drinks. "Its okay man, we both order the same coffee. Let me pay for you" he try to stop me but I already give my money to the barista.
"Man, I feel bad. I took your drinks and then you paid for my drinks "he said. I laughed at him and patted his shoulder. "It's okay. It is not a big deal. Shall we sit?"
"Oh right. Let's sit over there" he pointed at the empty seat and we sat there. I took a seat in front of him. "I am so sorry, it shouldn't happen"
"Nah, It's okay. It's not like every day I going to pay for your drinks. I am not your sugar daddy anyway" He laughed at my joke.
"That was a good one although it does sound like a dad's joke," He said.
"Oh hey, I like dad's joke."
"So that mean you are getting old" and we both laughed. Man, I like this guy. He's fun and chill. I don't know how we talk like we have met before. "So, what's your name by the way?" I asked him. He look fun, and seems to be chill.
"Ah. The name is Immanuel. People call me Iman because…well, Immanuel's just too long for most folks," he smiled at me. I shook my head, I knew this boy was cool.
"Nice name by the way" I took a sip of my drink. Ah... That's hit the spot, morning coffee is always the best.
"Hahaha, Thanks. And you are? You seem not familiar here. Which faculty are you from?" before I could answer him, I got a phone call from my boss. I rolled my eyes and told Immanuel I needed to go. He nodded his head and bid me goodbye. I waved at him as I go and answer this damn phone. After a few minutes answer the call, I saw Immanuel with a girl. The same girl I saw from the church last time. The same girl who smiles at me before leaving the church.
Wait, she's friends with Immanuel? I should have asked Immanuel for her number earlier. Wow, man, I didn't know that she went to the same university with Brenda. If Brenda finds out, she won't let me live in peace.
I walk closer to her but then she is gone. Like, she vanished into thin air. Same with Immanuel. Where I can find Immanuel after this, I totally forgot to ask for Immanuel number so I could track her down. "Damn man" I took a sip of my coffee and then I leave the cafe. As for now, I know she went to the same university as Brenda. Well, maybe sending Brenda back to her campus today wasn't a bad idea. I kinda love it.
"Look who we got here" oh, that familiar voice. I turn to look back and there are three guys. I turn to look at them. "What do you want?" I asked them coldly. They are laughing at me as the guy in the middle walks closer to me.
"Damn Dave, you look old now. Long time no see" he said as he patted my shoulder. I rolled my eyes as I pushed his hand from my shoulder. "Leave me alone Graham. I am allergic to you" I said, he pretended to be hurt by touching his chest. Pretend like his heart is hurt.
"Long time no see Dave" said Darell, he is the tallest among the three and I am still the tallest among them. "Same with me, long time no see Darell"
"So, what are you doing here? You further your master here?" asked Richard, he is the fairer among them. I meant for his skin. "Hahahaha, very funny Rich. Me and Master didn't go along. Enough with the degree" And degree didn't get along with me either. But thanks God, I graduated last year.
"And what are you doing here?" asked Graham.
"Did you forget that Brenda went to this university or did you just hit your head with a stone?" I don't know why am I being sarcastic to him.
"Rock Dave, not stone. Stone is smaller than rock" said Richard. "It's the same thing, Rich" Richard nodded his head as he laughed. Oho, I miss having a laugh with them.
"I swear I forgot that Brenda studies here"
"Yeah, you only remember about your girlfriend," I said.
"Huh, looks who talking. Someone with a lot of girlfriends" Richard and Darell laughed at me. The same goes for Graham. Very funny!
"Excuse me. I don't have a girlfriend okay. I am single now. I am free"
"Like we believe you after you date 5 girls at once" and once again they laugh at me. I rolled my eyes and let them enjoy their day laughing at me. I wait for my day to laugh at their ass because they make fun of me.
"Anyway, come to my party this Saturday. Got a lot of girls there" said Graham.
I pointed my middle finger at him and once again they laugh at me. You see, I am two years older than them but they seem to having fun to bullying me. What a good big older brother am I because I let them bully me.
"But seriously Dave, I invite you to my party. You can just chill there and release your tension. Leave your work world for a while" said Graham.
"He's right. You need to take a rest from your work world" said Darell
"Don't worry, I will invite MacChrist and Arthur too" said Richard. Wait, Mac is here? How dare that idiot didn't tell me that he is here.
"Mac is here?"
"Yeah, he just came back from Port Dickson yesterday. He didn't tell you?" I quickly shook my head. Oh, that idiot didn't tell me he was at Sarawak. "I need to leave now," I said.
"Where? Kill Mac?" asked Richard, I rolled my eyes. Bro, I am his best friend and he should tell me when is he come back. After a few minutes of random talk with these bastard, I drive back. Not to my house but to MacChrist's house.
I rang the bell as I arrived there. The door opened and I banged in before MacChrist could let me in. "AHHHH, DAVE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING???" and we start running around in the living room like we used to do as a kid.
"YOU IDIOT, HOW COULD YOU DIDN'T TELL ME YOU CAME BACK!" there was a sofa between us. When he wants to go left, I go left too. When he wants to go right, I go right too. He seems to having fun rather than being scared of me.
"I'm sorry okay, Hahahhaa. I was supposed to tell you yesterday but I was busy"
"Busy for what? Having fun with ladies?" Although I knew Mac didn't do that, or maybe he did.
"Ohoooo, talk to the mirror bro" These people really like to counter me, isn't it. It is damn fun right.
"Get over here!" I started to chase him and he ran away while laughing at me.
"Is this how you getting chased by your Tuan Sergeant?" he laughed even louder. "Nope, that is more scarier than this! HAHAHAH" and we keep running in the living room until he give up. We both almost out of breath.
"Yooo, I miss you, idiot. Stop chasing me" he said. He seemed tired and gave me a stop sign using his hand. "Don't tell me you're out of stamina when you are a policeman" MacChrist laughed at me, and he turned to look at me with his stupid smile. I miss this idiot so much. MacChrist or we usually call him Slenderman, not because he likes to kidnap kids. No no no, he is not a paedophile and he never be paedophile, we call him that because he is the tallest among all of us. His height is 180 something, I don't know and he is slim, more slim than I was before.
Girls like him back then in secondary school. He used to be a futsal star and football star, but I never heard about him having a girlfriend. Most of us assume that he is gay. And the funniest thing is when we call him gay, he laughs like an idiot. I don't know what is funny but I am pretty sure he knows what gay means. And this idiot right now, he works as a policeman in a different state, he came back for vacation or I don't know.
Can you believe it? This idiot is a policeman now, the one who always encourages us to steal cotton candy at funfair back then. Although his name was MacChrist, that didn't make him a saint. Far from it. His mother had a habit of giving her kids these lofty, religious names as if the words alone could shape their souls. Irony, of course, had other plans. MacChrist was clever, charming and mischievous, the exact opposite of what his name promised.
The universe, apparently, had a sense of humor: the name was holy, the kid was chaos.
"Dude, I am a human too"
"I know you are" and we both laugh. Men are simple, he laughs and I laugh. Everyone laughs.
"Oh, hello Dave." it is MacChrist 's mom. Before she smiled at me, she looked horror at us and "Why are you two sweating so much? You guys just done a marathon aren't you?" and once again we laughed, his mom shook her head and she went to the kitchen.
"You know what, this remind me something" like just call him Mac, I feel bad for author to keep writing his name that long. My bad for breaking the 4 wall.
"What?"
"Let's have a seat first" and we sit on the sofa."
"What is it?" he looks at me and I look at him. We are staring at each other, having a staring contest. The staring contest stops when Nikki, Mac's younger sister enters the room.
"What are you guys doing?" we turn to look at Nikki, who looks disgusted at us. Obviously at her brother. I greet Nikki and she greets me back. Nikki was Brenda's friend back then in secondary school so she knew me well that I am his brother's best friend.
"Try to kiss each other?" I look disgusted at Mac. Nikki rolled her eyes. "Well, I leave you two alone. Bye," She leaves the room. I turned to look at Mac, and he smiled cheeky at me which made me slap his face.
"Ouch. By the way" this human is sick. From hurt to normal, is he even normal? He changes his feelings that quick.
"Did that damn Graham tell you that he is having a party at his house?"
"Yes"
"And what you should do?" his eyes become small when his eyes are already small. I meant he narrowed his eyes as he looked at me. Waiting for my answer, dude I don't know what you expect from me.
"Bring beer?"
"Classic answer buddy, sure thing but that is not the answer that I want" I look at the ceiling. How many years has this ceiling fan didn't clean, there is a lot of dust in there. Mac is too lazy to clean the ceiling fan even though he is tall. What a waste.
"I don't know, what do you want me to do?" I give up. I don't know what this idiot wants. He laughs, more like laughing like an evil villain who just got a thing he wants.
"Fetch me please?"
"What?"
"I said, fetch me before you go to Graham's house." I look at him, and he looks at me. "Can't you drive yourself that day?"
"Nikki use the car. Fetch me la bro, you said we were friends" Since when I told him that we were friends, I mean he literally picked me as his friend out of everyone in the class before. "Okay okay, pukul berapa?"
"Pukul memukul" and then I pukul his head for being not funny. He groaned in pain as he rubbed his head. As he groans, there he is laughing like a maniac. I hope I didn't hit the part where his brain wire connected, he seems like he has the potential to become a mental patient for laughing too much.
"I said what time I fetch you, monkey"
"4 pm, baboon"
"Okay" and then the room becomes silent until Mac breaks the silence. This man hates the silence so he is always ready for his stupid question. "So when are you getting married?"
"Huh? Who told you that?" I asked and he looked surprised at me. "So, you are getting married?" I am even more confused.
"What? Noo.. Who told you that?"
"Aik? Nikki told me that you are getting married." Nikki? I think Brenda gave misinformation to Nikki. It is supposed to be Heidi is getting married not me.
"Heidi is getting married, not me."
"I know that but I want to know when are you getting married," he said, I rolled my eyes. I don't have a girlfriend and how am I supposed to get married. "How can I get married when I don't have a girlfriend? Think about it, man"
"Really? I thought you were taken"
"Nah, I am single. I already break up with my girlfriend"
"Oh, sucks to be you. Padan muka"
"You always feel sympathy at me and also add a little spice of sarcasm to it. I like it anyway" I patted his shoulder and he smiled cheeky at me. His dimples have shown. "That's why we are best friends"
"But what I heard from Brenda is, you are seeing someone from the church. Am I right?"
"What the, Brenda told you nonsense. I didn't see someone from the church" he raised his eyebrows as he didn't believe my ass. I rubbed my face. "What else Brenda told you?"
"Actually, Brenda told Nikki and then Nikki told me. You know, Nikki always tells her older brother everything because I am the only sibling she has." It was funny, in that slightly annoying way only younger siblings could be. Nikki had a way of talking that made everything feel urgent, even when it wasn't and Mac had learned long ago that ignoring her was not an option.
"Brenda always tells a lie"
"And I don't think this is a lie" I sighed, okay I gave up. "Yes, I am seeing someone from the church. Happy now?" and then he clapped, he looked proud. Very proud, just like a dad. Now he has the potential to be a dad. "This is the first time that you seeing someone from the church" he nodded, like a detective.
"But the problem is, I don't know her name"
"What?"
"And I met her at Brenda's university. A while ago"
"And you choose to not ask for her number? "
"She is gone when I try to approach her. Okay? It's like she vanished into the thin air" Mac raised his eyebrows as he put his arm around my shoulder. "Then, you should chase after her"
"And then people will think that I am a maniac because I chase after a girl. No way man"
"Yes way man, you are a maniac. Who the heck dated 5 women at the same time but didn't get caught. You are the only one who could do it. I would never do it, especially if Nikki knew about it. Nikki will smack my ass" Talk about Nikki, I remember the last time I date Brenda's friend, and of course, I don't know that girl is Brenda's friend. And when we break up, she told Brenda about it and made Brenda kick my ass.
"It was a long time ago. This is the new Dave Michael Masons, not the old Dave" Mac rolled his eyes.
" I hope it real, not fake" I laughed at him, I swear I am not the same old me now. I want to change, I don't want to hurt people anymore.
"Talk about that, what makes you become a playboy? You used to be a good boy back then. Even Father Richie praised you for being a good altar boy"
"People change Mac, so do I"
"At least I don't go around playing with people's feelings" he laughed at me as I was annoyed with him, and then he handed me a cigarette and looked at me. "Want some?" I smirked at him and took the cigarette. Let us burn our lungs first before continuing this cruel life.
"Dave"
"Yeah?"
"Remember to fetch me, okay"
"Ya ya ya, I will keep that in my mind. Don't worry"
"Yeah, love you"
"Ew.."