Hyperventilated

Chapter 2 - Who's that

It is already 1 am but Anne still cannot sleep although her eyes were shut. Her brain cannot stop thinking about some trivial things as it suddenly appears out of nowhere. She is usually a light sleeper and easily dozed off whenever she lays on her bed. You know when you start laying on a soft thing then after several minutes your eyes betray you and in a puff of smoke, you are dead to the world and yes she needs that right now. 'Ugh! What's wrong with you, Anne?!! Why is it so hard for you to catch some Zs now? Stop thinking! You have class tomorrow for God's sake! Ah... my sleeping beauty' She whined while promptly moving to the left side of the bed. After 15 minutes of ranting with herself,  she sighed being like a madwoman before fall into a deep sleep. Suddenly, she vaguely heard someone talking in a raspy, deep low pitch, and not-so-audible voice at the corner of her room which is near the window on the left side.

"Hey up... Anne"

'Maybe dad is not sleeping yet' She brushed off thinking it is her dad because he sleeps late sometimes to release stress or she thought so. She is drowsing and not making any moves as she tries to sleep back. By the way, her room is close to her living room. So, she is hundred per cent sure that it is dad and falls asleep back after. She snubs off that thing or whoever or whatever movie or drama dad is watching. Thereafter, the dark figure whispered and growled along with a light breeze whisked to her face simultaneously unaware.

"Please, give me a chance..."

"Grr"

After 4 hours of sleeping, she is now awake and realizes that she catch a cold which she is sure that she already closed her windows last night but shrugs it off. She is trying to remember what dream she had last night. It made her head dizzy and heavy just like when she dreamt of anything else but that. 'It felt so real and somehow surreal' She thought while stretching her body to boost her energy. She then takes her shirt and jean in the closet before going to shower.

After finished showering and wear the outfit, she checks her for her books, stationery, phone and everything that she has to bring before get going. She eats two corn buns, a packet of chocolate biscuits and a glass of sky juice which is her favourite since the first day she becomes a Technology MARA University student. As a first-year finance student. The clock now shows 6.50 am. She rushes to the sink and quickly washing the glass. Once done, she cleans the table she used earlier and goes to her parent's room after.

"Thank you mom, for the breakfast!" she said and shaking hands with her mother as it is what most Muslim people do to the elder or people who are older than them before going to leave the house for school, work or university or even going anywhere as a sign to respect them. "Okay, take care! Be a diligent student, okay?" Said mom while sending her to the front door. "Ya Allah! I’m already 23 years old this year, mom" she nodded anyway to answer her mother’s question and makes her way to her lovely Axia car.

"Oh no! I'm gonna be late if I don't pick up the girls now" She muttered while starting the engine and put her bag in the backseat of her car. As she is waiting for the car to heat, she uses the time to read her Arabic notes. She has a quiz regarding Arab sentences that her lecturer had taught her last week. After a few minutes of waiting, she drives and picks up Farah and Raja as she hates being late to class. She wants to prepare herself more before the quiz started. After 5 minutes of her arrival, she hastens to her class which is somewhat too far to her liking but a good and healthy lifestyle for her as it is one of the best ways to lose weight and be more productive. She guessed. Yet, it is a fact.

Her best friend, Farah is a business economic freshwoman while Raja is a fine art fresher. All of them apply at the same university since diploma but got different branches. Raja in Melaka while Farah and Anne in Negeri Sembilan. Both Farah and Anne even got the same course for diploma which was business studies but separated to pursue their degree in a more specific and absolutely different field but what is even better is three of them had the same branch for their degree. Woah, what a destiny! 

She stops running as she almost reaches her class. She is now walking and eyeballs wander left and right to see if the lecturer or any of her classmates are advents before her. As well as looks at her watch then and there. 'Wait... 7.35 am? It's still early. Why would the lecturer come early anyway? I still have time to prepare before the quiz started... Ustaz Azli will surely start it at 8 am. Certainly at 8 am. So... Okay... What is that sentence again?’ She mumbled while turning back searching for her small notebook in her bag.

'Oh!'

'Wait, not this one...'

'Argh... where is it?!!'

'Why there are so many books here?!!'

She grumbled before she found what she looking for. She then accidentally bumps into one of the students who is walking opposite her direction. "Oh, sorry!" She says still not looking at whoever she bumped into just now. The quiz is crucial but then she remembers saying sorry is much essential. It shows how knowledgeable you are and the morals that you have.

"Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future" - Paul Boese

Better sorry than being remorseful since an overthinker like her cannot forget over some things easily. Thus, she finally looks up then turns her head instantly to his or her direction. She gasps at their propinquity and her eyes widened caused of how tall and good-looking that person is. 'Captivating... wow... Never thought this kind of person exists in this world...' She trances not moving an inch until she recalls her purpose of going to the class today. 'Woo... Woo... That's not how you greet people bruh!' She snaps and shakes her head. On the other hand, he calls her twice and still got no response.

“You?”

“You?”

'Wait... since when I'm friendly? I don't greet strangers, remember? I will just smile to him an-' He cuts her off before she could carry on with her thoughts again. "Hello? Girl? Um... are you okay? I called you earlier but you seem like... I don't know. Are you good? Are you hurt anywhere?" He says while looking at her like she is somewhat sick and raised his left eyebrow since she did not respond to any of his questions yet. "Ah... I'm good. Just... Um, never mind" She replies with a modest smile on her face. People always thought she is an icy and snobbish Chinese little bit*h as she has sharp squinty eyes, pointed nose, wide lips and fair skin which clearly they judge a book by its cover.

"Sorry again... for bumping into you" She apologizes while making an apologetic face before step away a bit before other students notice their closeness and make it viral. She will indisputably hate it very much. She rather chose privacy over fame. "It's okay. My fault too... And..."He says while looking at his watch slightly smirking. What is with the sudden smirk? He then intently looking at her eyes. She gulps at his out of the blue daggers at her. 'Is he alright? And... did he just smirking? Oh my-' He cuts off her thoughts again. "By the way, I have to go now. See you again..." He waves his hands and begin walking leisurely. She nearly waves back but he stops in his track in a flash next to her. He slowly whispers some codes in an inaudible voice in seconds.

"1... 6154... 176" 

"Huh?"

'So sudden? ...again? Aiyoo... what does he wants? I don't have much time, please' She swiftly snaps at him and tilts her head slightly with a questionable front. "Oh... Nothing..." He says while glancing at their surroundings but me. She frowns but stays focus. She is taken aback at what he said after. She obstructs what she feels inside and shows no emotions in case he wants to tease her if they meet again in the future. But deep in her heart, she felt distressed and anguished by the way he said it like sardonic her for whatever reason he had.

"Anne... the coward and vulnerable kid" 

"Wha- what?" She flinches slightly with her mouth agape a little. She is unfortified and nearly crying but had time to control and forced it before he looks at her one more time. It does work someway for some people. He then steps back and begins to walk away. She feels relieved but somehow tries so hard not to cry as her verge of tears almost fall as that sobriquet man recalled her forgotten past recollection and still cannot process what had happened just now.

'How come...'

'He...'

'Who...'

She is shaken and quivers, after he left as her brain cannot hold it anymore. She wipes her tears and takes a deep breath before gets into the class. She keeps up memorize what she has read earlier and pretend as if nothing happened. Four hours passed and thank Allah her mind still functioning. She was settled into a cafeteria dining table and read some notes to try to understand the flow of business and finance while waiting for Farah and Raja before buying lunch. 'Oh... I get it now' She mumbles.

After 9 minutes of waiting, Raja and Farah yoo-hoo Anne as she is a studious girl and so into it that she did not realise her best friends already standing beside her. "Woi!" Both of them yell in unison then look at each other's faces and giggle like it is funny. She put the notes in her bag and seriously stares at both of them with a boring expression. "Huh? What's so funny?" She rolls her eyes in exasperation and still not moving from her spot. The other two stop giggling and start attacking her with questions as she acts volatile. They feel apprehensive about it. She immediately changes her expression before they realize that there is something wrong with her. Or are they? 'I'm not supposed to show it. D*mn it!' She shows a fake smile instead and strain her arms as well as begin to stand between them.

"You good?"

"What's wrong, Anne?"

"Who made you this furious?

"Weh, wanna tell us?"

'It's not important... for now' She thinks while trying to change the topic. "Nah! It's just... I'm stress about the Arabic quiz. I don't know if I could get full marks. You know I love Arab subject" She lies and assures them that nothing happened but mad. Just academic things and stressed out. Good, liar. She then slowly walks forward. "Raja! Anne! Let's go!" She calls them and seemed that they were still contemplating but shrug it off after. She whines while heading to the food compartment as the short and second tallest are still not moving.

"I'm hungry while waiting for you guys okay... Get your bum here.. NOW" She emphasizes the last word as she is getting pretty hungry and a little impatient and not turning back as well. They immediately put down their bag on the table not forget to bring valuable things alongside them. They begin walking towards her while eyeballs roaming around. They trying to choose various dishes to eat. Yet in the end, they all chose chicken rice for lunch.

After done eating chicken rice, which kind of unexpected that they chose the same food with mineral water, lemon iced tea, and ice coffee for her, Farah and Raja respectively. They have another one hour and a half before prayer time and another class that they need to attend. The class that she hates the most, English oral presentations. Mostly what introverts hate, talking and being in front of a crowd that she barely knows. That feeling when suddenly nothing comes out from your mouth and almost near to breakdown or even worst collapse which utterly nightmare for them if it is really happening.

Suddenly, Farah indicates yesterday conversation while getting up to get ready to go to the mosque after cleaning up the table and tidy up her bag. The tallest quietly follows her whilst Raja is already next to her waiting for Anne. They start walking with her in between Anne and Raja. They chit-chat a bit along the path to the mosque.

"Before I forgot, you said you wanna talk about your crush, Raja? So... tell us more about him" She says and turning her face to the shortest. "Oh... um... ya... I forgot. To begin with, I start liking him... last year since the day that I unlooked-for found him on Twitter" Raja contemplated then exhaled deeply. "Wow, that long? Did you confess already?.. or... I guess not?" She asks and is surprised by how long Raja keeps it from her and Anne. 'She must be hurt. A lot. Argh! I feel so bad for judging her before listen to her whole story' Anne thinks while looking at Raja. Anne just stays silent as if not going to intercept them. "Yeah... Of course, not... I rather keep it to myself than confess to him" The shortest shakes her head showing that she will not tell her crush how she felt towards him, never. Such a pig-headed girl.

"I tell you what, you can always try" And that grabs both the shortest and second tallest attention as they thought the tallest was worn out earlier and sounds a tad like a crashing bore but actually care about her. "I mean... you know if you don't wanna do it then let one of us do i-" The shortest cuts her off and looks keenly into her eyeballs but being a stubborn best friend she is she continues talking although she already forgot what to say. "But still, we can you know... without telling you and boom!" The shortest swiftly craned to the tallest’s direction.

'Ah sh*t! Did I say something bad?!! Oh yeah, who cares' The tallest thinks.

"Obviously, I won't let you guys..." The shortest carries on and emphasizes the whole word. "...especially you... Anne!" The tallest eyes enlarged and hastily lift both hands as she surrenders for the nonce. They already arrived in front of the mosque. "Don't worry we'll pray for you and who knows you might stumble across him when we go to Japan next week" The second tallest smiles and steps inside after placing her shoes on the rack and followed by the others. They prayed and went straight to their class separately after.

After their evening suffocating classes, they bid goodbye. Anne sends them home and not talking much as well plus dusk is falling rapidly. Fatigued and sleepy get the best of her since the final exam is around the corner yet she still could focus while driving. Once she reached home, she let out a heavy sigh when she opens the front door and walks straight to her room upstairs. 'Finally... oh my Allah' She groused.

'No... you have to move now. You still have 1 report and 2 assignments to complete today. At least finish one of them" she then grabs her favourite pyjamas while amble lazily to the bathroom. She also prayed maghrib then immediately sits on her downy chair and finishes her works in 6 hours but could not finish it all. Only completed one report and one and a quarter of the assignments albeit she felt sleepy nonetheless ate some snacks and prayed isya’ for the last time in the day and obviously drank some water too. Plus, a cup of hot neslo(Nescafe + Milo) also walked back and forth to the loo numerous time. 

The clock on the walls shows 2 o'clock in the morning and it is about time for Anne to sleep but suddenly she hears a loud thud outside but decides to ignore it since it is already 2 a.m. 'It's nothing... yeah, nothing... better I sleep now. I can't take it anymore' She thinks while laying on her bed and pulling over the duvet on her body. She then falls asleep.

However, not long after she slept there is a slight shadow at the edge of the bed. Not moving and watching over her like prey. She did not notice its presence. It attentively watching her and making a gentle breeze with eerie sound from its mouth thereafter. "Haa....." She feels chilly and moving unconsciously but notice. It starts moving slowly and becomes darker and darker as it comes closer. It whispers and she felt something at last and half awake now. "I'll make you suffer... Anne" She senses something is moving and an abrupt long cold temperature made her unbearable and nearly conscious.

"I know who you are..."

"Kiddo... Anne"