Chapter 2
“Do you notice that all these kids have the same style of clothing? They’re too influenced with the likes of Avril, Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff,” said Eryn, opinionated.
“Yeah. I think it’s sad that most of them think what they do is cool. They haven’t taste the real world yet,” agreed Lysa while browsing through various kinds of shoes in the shop. She picked up ones she liked and tried them, often asking Eryn’s opinion.
“Honestly, Lys, what bothers me is that there are so many of what they call ‘Skinheads’ now. I mean, can’t they see that they look totally ridiculous? People are saying that they are gangsters and all…but who cares? At least, I don’t. Come on, to me they’re just a bunch of posers.” Eryn rolled her eyes in irritation. She had encountered with too many of that species and she felt as if the world she was living in had been invaded with ‘Skinheads Aliens’. The guys dressed ludicrously bad with carrot cut jeans stopped at the ankles and the girls, either baring too much flesh or dressed very tomboyish ala Avril Lavigne when she first came out.
Lysa nodded while putting on a shoe for trying. “Luckily we didn’t end up like them,” she replied. “Nice?” she asked Eryn about the shoe. She put out her right foot with the shoe fitted in at her friend. “I have to get a pair of comfortable shoes so that I don’t have to wear sandals when I go out. They hurt my feet.”
“Yup, luckily. And yes, that’s very nice. Suits you.” She browsed around and her eyes fell on a pair of nice brown heels. She took it and jokingly asked Lysa, “Check this out. What do you think?”
“Eh…that really suits you. You should get them. I never had the chance of seeing you wearing heels, you know,” Lysa said.
She smiled knowingly. “That’s because I only wear them on certain important occasion only. Many people think I am not use to heels but actually I wear them more often than not!” she explained. She took a glanced at it and put it back in place. “I like the looks of it but nah…I won’t wear it much anyway.”
“I’d like to see you wear that one day,” said Lysa, trying the shoes she wanted to buy for the last time. She then packed the shoes in its box and took the receipt from the salesgirl to be paid at the cashier.
“You’ll see me in that on the day I get married,” replied Eryn spontaneously and both of the ladies laughed.
Looking at her watch, Lysa said, “Ryn, let’s go eat. I’m hungry!”
She turned to Lysa. Knowingly, she suggested, “Arena?”
“Okay!”
Bringing the tray containing her food to the table, Lysa saw Eryn sitting there, checking her phone. “Have you ordered?” she asked, placing down the tray on the table.
“Yeah, five minutes,” she replied and helped Lysa in removing the tray while she switched her food onto the table.
“Thanks. Aren’t you going to take your food?”
“Five minutes.”
“Ryn, five minutes is not long. I bet they’ve done with your order.”
“Okay, okay. I’m going…”
Lysa chuckled watching the lady strode along to take her food. It was so Eryn to wait a bit more than five minutes to take the food. She knew her best friend was somewhat self-conscious and sometimes need to be pushed.
“Hmm…satisfied?” said Eryn when she came back with a tray in her hands.
Lysa giggled. “Wow…black pepper! Yummy!”
“Want some? Eat, eat.”
As the two best friends savoured their lunches, talks kept going. Much to be caught up after months separated without contacting each other.
“Um, so what’s the story between you and Adil?” asked Eryn, remembering about the two’s relationship.
Lysa raised her shoulders. “I don’t know. I choose to not care either. He’s always hot and cold so I decided I’m done for.”
“Really…” She looked at Lysa with raised eyebrows. She could hardly believe Lysa could be over it so easily.
Lysa let out a tiny smile. “What…Of course! He’s so egoistic. He won’t let me win in any way. The other day, I didn’t wish him on his birthday. I waited if he would call. But he didn’t! I guess I kind of felt guilty, so I called him about two days after that. So, I wished a belated one. He said he waited for my call on that day but I didn’t call. Then, I just told him that I purposely did that because he didn’t call me and all. And then, he said he too purposely didn’t call! After that, get this, he had the nerve to say that he won because I gave up and called him!”
“Lysa, it’s obvious,” said Eryn. “He likes you! But he is so egoistic!”
“Adil. Egoistic. That fits him perfectly.” Lysa recited. She smiled but at the same time annoyed when thinking of Adil. “So, what is this story about Amran? You still like him?” she asked Eryn, changing the topic.
Eryn sighed. “Gosh, Lysa. My girl friends over there encouraged me to think it over! They kept saying things like, ‘Why did you guys break up?’, ‘Amran is a great guy!”, ‘Pity! You two suit with each other’ and all. Even Nat said it will be no harm to start over.” Natasha is Eryn’s best friend who stayed in another state and studied down south. She was one of the reasons Eryn kept searching for free time to go over there. She, like Lysa, wore scarf but she was a lot shorter than Lysa and she is a Gemini, which Eryn found her hard to understand. However, it was unbelievable how they got along so well whenever they were together.
“Meaning, you still have feelings for him?” asked Lysa, looking straight at Eryn.
She shook her head. “I’m scared to say anything. You know me. I don’t want to turn back. If it’s in the past, it will remain at that,” explained Eryn, firmed with her decision.
“Oh, well. If that’s what you want, then okay. I just don’t want you to feel left out and neglected again like what happened last time.”
Her phone rang. She was on the computer, replying messages on Friendster and was lazy to get her phone. But it rang and rang, urging for someone to answer it. Her brows scrunched. Who would have called her at this time? It was already 7.30 p.m. She sighed. “Yeah, I’m coming!” she shouted to the phone. She ran upstairs to her room and grabbed the phone. “Yeah, what?” she answered.
“Where are you?” asked a male’s voice.
“At home.”
“Want to hang out?”
“Where?”
“Hartamas,” he replied.
She thought a while. “Erm…alright.”
“Fariz will pick you up at 8.30. Chow,” a short goodbye came from her friend.
“Oit, Zek. Tell Fariz to pick up at 8. That means 8.30 to him,” she said, knowing how a procrastinator Fariz is.
“Right, chow.”
She threw her phone on the bed and smiled. “Yes!” she thought. “Out and away!” She grabbed her towel and rushed to the bathroom.
“So, what’s on?” she asked when the guys took a seat near the big screen.
“Chelsea and Arsenal,” replied K-Ry.
She smirked. “Ahh…Chelsea will win no doubt.”
“Eh…Arsenal’s the one, man!” protested Haziq, who is known among them as the number one Arsenal’s fan. “I know you hate them Ryn. But you got to admit, they’re the best around. Come on, they beat Man U last week.” Haziq knew Eryn’s liking for Manchester United. But he also knew that she could be universal in supporting teams.
“No way. The Arse suck. I don’t care if they beat Man U or not. We’re talking about tonight’s game.” Eryn did not exactly hate Arsenal, but she purposely bad-mouthed them just to irritate Haziq. Haziq is a real fan of Arsenal and he once refused to go to school because Arsenal had lost a match one night. She remembered that and never forgot how she was the one who discovered his reasons of not going to school. “Ey, Haziq. You know that Chelsea has been strong lately right. There’s no denying that Chelsea will win tonight,” she predicted. “Right, K-Ry?” She turned to look at their friend, a Chelsea fan, for his reply.
“Totally right, Ryn.” K-Ry replied in agreement. Eryn felt victorious over that and stuck out a tongue to Haziq.
Haziq mocked her by imitating her gesture. “Hey, you’re asking a Chelsea fan. Of course he backs you. Why don’t you ask the rest?” He laughed at her. “They’ll surely back me. You want to know why? Because I’m The One.” He laughed again at his own so-called Matrix joke.
“Ahahaha. As if.” She rolled her eyes. “I’ll smack your head, and then you’ll know who is better.”
Haziq imitated her again which made his face looked funny. A few of the guys laughed along. “I want to see you try.”
Suddenly, a voice louder than Haziq’s and Eryn’s sounded, “Fariz, look at them. This is a sign. A healthy relationship in the progress. Man, can’t you guys stop arguing? The games starting you know? If you couple want to fight, go back to Haziq’s house. Then, you can have your real ‘fight’.” And all the people on the table, including Eryn, laughed. They all knew what he meant.
“Zek, they really make a perfect couple,” stated Fariz. “Every time we go out together, these two just can’t stop taking each other’s throat.”
Zek laughed. “Why don’t you two just stick your tongues into each other’s throat then?” Loud laughter burst again.
“Eeiii…Haziq? No way, dude.” Eryn started. “He’s the one always trying to annoy me.” She took a glimpsed to her side at Haziq. “He’s always saying he’s better than me whatsoever. He’s the one who always have to win. And the ‘I’m The One’ thingy? Matrix’s over okay, Haziq.”
Haziq kept on imitating her. His mouth followed as Eryn babbled on. When Eryn saw this, she nudged the side of Haziq and he jumped. “Ah! Enough, enough. Games on.”
