"Are you jealous or something?", Hanan said.
I only responded his words by wrinkling my eyebrows, then left right after he was throwing a smile at Ryan and Anne. I didn't leave away with no reason, actually Aunty Lusi waved her hand on me.
I disliked Hanan's appearance since he had always cornered me by his words. Besides, he also realized something which no one could see.
He was never failed to ruin my serenity, to bring my mood down, to increase my vexation, and to endanger all of those bad emotions. Therefore, I just wanted to avoid him for many reasons.
"Datin, this's my niece from Indonesia", Aunty Lusi said.
["Datin" is a special honorific title given to Dato's wife]
"What's your name?", Datin asked me.
"Ara, Ara Sofia", I replied.
"Your name is beautiful as you are", Datin Almeera said.
"Puan Lusia is my best friend, so just call me aunty", she continued.
["Puan" is the first name pinned to married women, while "Cik" is pinned to unmarried women]
I only nodded and faintly smiled, it was a bit awkward. Then, Uncle Sofyan approached us with a middle-aged man whose had a Malay-European face combination.
"This's my husband, Dato Adrián Mikail", Datin Almeera said while her husband just smiled. She also introduced me to her husband as Aunty Lusi's niece.
"It looks like Ara seems close to Hanan", Dato Adryan said before smiling. His words sounded like a question.
What happened here, suddenly being linked with Hanan, it was unfair at all.
Their eyesight was utterly bad, they couldn't clearly see the difference between a real closeness and a coincidence. I was speechless after hearing an absurd conclusion.
The atmosphere was being worse by Hanan's false confession who just came by. How can he easily assemble a lie in a second in front of his parents.
I was shocked to hear his confession which claimed that we're in good relationship. Wasn't that too much?
He didn't determine his lies would get me into a trouble. His unabashed claim may bring my good and fair reputation to nothing.
I WISHED I COULD THROW HIM OUT INTO THE DEEPEST DEAD SEA.
"Take Ara to our home to get familiar with our family members", Dato Adrián said.
The misunderstandings had started, I have to straighten up all of those. When I was thinking hard about how to fix everything wrong, Hanan added a long list of new misunderstandings by immediately responding to his father's request with a certain nod. Then, he smiled and glanced nosily at me.
I gasped, I have been hocused by him.
Spontaneously, I deliberately stepped on his shoe with full of angers which made him grimace. Even though, the action neither relieved my anger, nor lessened my vexation. There was nothing I could do to correct the problem that triggered by him.
I was unable to do anything with those misapprehensions, even failing to convince Auntie Lusi who looked quandary and showed a questionable expression as our gazes collided on the same line.
The different reaction was shown by his parents who glanced at each other, then smiled kindly at me. Before leaving, both of them greeted Aunty Lusi and Uncle Sofyan, then his mother hugged me.
"Oh my goodness!", I thought.
"Ara, this weekend, you must go to our home", Datin Almeera said, and again, there was nothing I can do, except smiled awkwardly.
"Good night, Ara Sofia", Hanan whispered before catching up his parents.
I wished I could give him the best pummeling. No, it wasn't enough.
If Muslim doctrine hadn't prohibited the assassination and categorized it as a grave sin, perhaps I would have murdered him.
There was nobody before him that fearlessly pushed me to the bottom of the abyss.
Suddenly, he messed up everything in just seconds. I can't put up with his arbitrary behavior, even less forgive him.
Every action has a retribution. Hanan Mikail, wait for my revenge!
Oh, NO. I didn't have to resist him. I've to act like usual; ignoring him like ignoring others.
I shouldn't be bothered by any underlying reason. Everything won't be different, hatred or attraction will take up the empty space in our brain that will house all memories of somebody.
"Are you already close with Hanan before?", Aunty Lusi asked me after their leaving.
"Nope", I answered.
Aunty Lusi awkwardly nodded. It was clear enough that there were doubt leavings on her face. It might be hard for her to completely trust me since Hanan's statements looked more convincing. But, there was also nothing I could do to convince her.
***