The Morning After The Good bye, Vol. 1

Imran woke up at 5.15am on the dot for the morning sahur. He sat at the edge of the bed, his eyes adjusting to the lights. Immediately as if on cue, his thoughts goes back to her. He would've texted her to bid his salam and good morning and to ask what's for sahur on her side. Sometimes she'd reply almost immediately, more often than not it would be towards the later part of the morning. Either way, he enjoyed the anxiety that comes with waiting for her reply.

His brother popped his head at the door and asked him whether he would to have sahur. He nodded and signaled that he would be joining him soon. 

He then reached for his phone, scrolled the message and silently wished to see 'Assalamualaikum and g' morning Imran ' but he knew it will not be there.

I miss you, my friend. 

Imran walked out of his room to join his brother for sahur... 

The Night After The Goodbye, Part 1

Imran stared again at the screen.

Arrived in KL. Thanks for the crumble. Sedap!

It must have taken her close to 5 hours plus to reach Hentian Duta from Sungai Petani. Traffic must be quite light, he said to himself. He put down the phone and went to the kitchen. It is after all about 15 minutes before maghrib and he happens to be fasting today. While unpacking the mee goreng he bought earlier, his mind began wander about the how during ramadan they would be exchanging messages and updating each other on what dish they had for the buka.

It dawned upon him that he misses her.

The Goodbye

Thanks to the driving skill of his brother in his trusted Kancil EXi, he managed to arrived there in the nick of time.

Imran alighted from the car and thanked his brother profusely. His brother smiled and motioned him to quickly do what he intended to by coming here. The express bus terminal at Ukir Square, located by the UTC Sg Petani stood before him. He made his way to the teminal and started to scan the area for the bus she told him she would be taking. Various buses of colours and destination near and far were parked waiting for their passengers to board. After a few searches he finally found the double decker Cosmic Express, emblazoned in a fiery red livery, bound for Kuala Lumpur.

He scanned the passengers around and couldn't catch the sight of her. The passengers haven't started boarding yet so it is easier to look for her among the crowd gathering around the bus. Doubts started to crept in. Did he get the right bus company ? Is it the right departure time.

He had said his good byes over the phone. Messages, call and all. There was nothing unpure about. It was friendship at its best. He harbored no ill intention or any unpure thoughts. He just enjoys being a friend to her.

A chance meeting while taking the same train back to SP rekindled an old friendship that dated back to the old Maktab days. After exchanging numbers, they bade farewell to their respective house and didn't thought much about it.

Until of course when the MCO started to kick in and with not much opportunity to venture out, he started to contact her via Whatsapp. What started as hi and bye became full fledge conversations just about anything under the sun. Never has he felt so comfortable being with someone, as a friend no doubt, like he feels with her.

The announcement for passangers bound for KL on Cosmic Express blared over the intercom. Passengers started to queue up but she is still not in sight. Suddenly, he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. He turned around and there she stood before her, smiling and asking him in a bewildered tone.

"What are you doing here, Imran? You didn't tell me you are coming to send me off?"

He felt so relief at the sight of her. "I wanted to say a proper good bye to you. I also want to thank you for the best 80 days and 79 nites I have had, with our talks and chats. It wouldn't be proper for me to not say to you in person."

Her smiled grew wilder. "Thank you too, Imran. I thoroughly enjoyed it too. All those stories, chats and anecdotes. Definitely a thing I won't forget for a long long time. Funny that we weren't this close in our school days, kan? Imran, I do have to go. My bus will leave without me nanti"

"Sure, I know. But nah, here's something for you.Bekal for your bus ride. I did promise this kan"  He handed her a tupperware which he has been carrying since he left his house.

She looked surprised and asked,"What's in this?"

"Well, once you are in the bus, take a peak. Apologies in advance if tak sedap, hehehe"

"Will do. Imran, I need to leave. I'll text you once I have safely arrived. Insya Allah, when you are next in KL, do not be a stranger ok?"

"Ok, have a safe trip..take care. Enjoy the thing I gave"

As the bus departed the terminal, she put the tupperware on her lap and took off the lid. 

She smiled her sweetest smile.

Contained in the tupperware is a freshly baked Apple Crumble ....