Chapter Five: Mishap

Fluttering her eyelids against the glaring sun, Nadiah's vision was temporarily marred until she turned her head the other way, avoiding the harsh rays. Oh how she wished she was dreaming. That she didn't just rammed into Maa'rof and gotten herself into a sticky situation. But she knew she wasn't. The moment her eyes landed on the mangosteens and rambutans rolling about the ground accompanied with a low grunt, she knew that she was in deep trouble. She wasn't prepared to face him now, especially not in this predicament. She wondered if she should pretend to have fainted but cancelled that plan as soon as she heard him get up and pat the dirt from his clothes. She pushed herself up, wobbling slightly as she tried to regain her stance.

"For-Forgive me...Abang..." She breathed, the last word coming out softer than she had intended. Nadiah stared at him, willing for a reply. The continued shuffling of his feet as he bent down to gather the loose fruits was the response. He didn't even look at her. Did he not heard her? Surely he must have heard her, would he not? She studied him for a few seconds as he dumped a few peaches into the crate secured to his bicycle and proceeded to collect the spilled rest. His gaze was so focused that there seemed to be a dangerous aura lurking around him that she dared not provoke him.

Is he mad? She thought as she followed suit, picking up a fruit - knowing full well that she'd caused the fruits to spill. Maybe he is and that's why he isn't answering. She tried her hardest to reason and to give him some credit. The minutes stretched on and the ominous silence that clung between them was driving her insane. Why had he not uttered a single word to her, let alone, glance at her baffled her. Did he know who she is - the girl whom he had grown up with? The girl who would address him as Abang (Big Brother)?

Stricken with a mixture of emotions, Nadiah moved to the crate with a handful of fruits in her cradle. One mangosteen dropped to the ground in the process and just as she reached for it, her fingers brushed against a warm hand. She hadn't anticipated that. Startled, she pulled her hand away and looked up for the first time into the eyes of Maa'rof, who appeared to be shocked by the contact as well.

The forsaken mangosteen landed onto the ground once more with a soft thud. For a split second, amidst her momentary confusion, she noticed a flicker of emotion in his eyes which wasn't there prior. It was the first time she'd touched a man's hand - a man who wasn't her father or a blood relative. Even though the contact was light and brief, it felt as though she had just been jolted with electricity. Before she could analyse what was happening, Maa'rof stood up wordlessly and, without sparing her a second glance, walked to where the remaining fruits were. He had returned to his emotionless state again.

She started to feel the heat forming on her cheeks and at that moment, felt deeply ashamed. Having been brought up in an Islamic surrounding where she was taught that the slightest contact with a non-mahram male - no matter how minute or brief it is - is haram (unlawful/prohibited) made her feel as though she had just committed a great sin.

She knew it was unintentional but it did not lessen her guilt. She saw the hostility in his eyes - it was unspoken but she'd read it and it made her feel unwelcome. Pain shot through her chest as she stood rooted to the ground; helpless, confused and confined to the entire situation. Tears were beginning to form but she refused to let it go. She could never allow him to see them. Not only did he forgot her after he left but he now had formed some form of dislike and possibly hate towards her....and it was her own fault.

Nadiah squeezed her eyes. She forbade herself to break. Clamping her lips tightly, she found her limbs and returned to the task at hand while trying to occupy her mind with positive thoughts. Eventually she sobered up, the dejected feeling crippling along with it. As the crate is filling up, came the brooding question which plagued her mind once more. Does he know who she is? She wanted to ask. Every inch and fiber of her body was screaming the question. But she stopped herself. Would he even pay attention to her words now that he had formed a negative impression of her? She was afraid of being ignored again. His rejection she so feared. But would it really matter that he knew and acknowledged her existence?

It mattered to her. Hell, she needed him to teach her English but was it important to him? There were only a few fruits left, scattered near her feet and she had to be quick as he would soon leave.

Plucking the last fruit from the ground, she shifted towards the almost full crate reluctantly. Maa'rof was already holding onto the grab bars of the bicycle, staring ahead with his back facing her. Seeing this, the shooting pain came back as she was reminded of how he had not spoken a word to her the entire time. Perhaps he did know who she was, perhaps he did not. It didn't really matter because she knew from his arched back, he couldn't wait to be rid of her and summoning the question would only add to his irritation. Dropping the fruits sullenly, she tried to calm the rippling waves in her heart.

"Terima Kasih," (Thank you) were his only words, echoing with indifference as he mounted onto the bicycle. He was so close to her. So very close. She had waited and held on to the promise he made only to be met with disappointment but now it was extra painful especially seeing how distant he had become. He was like a star in the sky with which she could only look at from afar.

And this distant star was leaving once more. Her Maa'rof was leaving and this time round, it was a testament that the friendship they once had was no longer existent.

***

"You are back early," Aminah commented as soon as a dazed Nadiah popped into the kitchen. She hadn't been expecting her return to be so soon. Especially when it had been a long while since Nadiah made a trip there. "Is Ibu well?"

Recollecting herself, Nadiah quietly nodded her head as she filled a glass with water. It had not been five minutes since Nadiah came home but Aminah had already took notice of Nadiah's quiet demeanour today and she thought it to be odd. She was accustomed to having her daughter heading over to Tok Haji Ali's residence to chat with Melati and she knew how close they were. Usually Nadiah would be full of stories to share with her whenever she came back from visiting Melati but today her lips were sealed. She watched her youngest daughter drink the water with curiosity.

Rinsing the glass, Nadiah said, " Mak (Mother), I'm going to go pray Asar now."

"Uh-huh..." Was the reply. Aminah knew something was up but she decided to hold back from asking. She watched Nadiah float upstairs like a lifeless soul.

Thirty minutes later, Nadiah returned to the kitchen as Aminah was setting the table. "Mak, why are you setting the table?"

Aminah raised an eyebrow. "To eat of course! Why would we be setting the table for then?"

A skeptical Nadiah said, "But it's only five o'clock..."

" We are going to the surau (small place of prayer, something like a masjid) after dinner."

"What's the occasion?" Nadiah asked, confusion written in every line of her face.

Aminah exclaimed, "Lailahaillallah!" (There is no God but Allah) Budak ni! (This child!) Have you forgotten? Tonight is malam jumaat. (Night of Jumu'ah - Friday night)"

Nadiah answered, "Oh..." Realisation began to dawn upon her as she remembered the significance of Thursday nights. "OH!"

Aminah shook her head wearily. "Tsk, what has gotten into you, Nadiah? You have been in a daydream from the minute you came home. Now, go and get your father. Dinner is already prepared."

Nadiah's face flushed from embarrassment. Silently, she reprimanded herself for letting her mind be preoccupied with Maa'rof.

After the meal was cleared and the dishes were washed, Nadiah slipped out to the bathhouse outside of their home and took a quick bath before running upstairs to change her clothes. Malam Jumaat or 'Friday Night' falls on Thursday nights - a day before Friday. Fridays are a significant and blessed day for Muslims worldwide for numerous reasons with one of it being the day where Muslim men to go to the masjid (mosque) to pray Salat Jumaat.

It was customary for the villagers to gather at the surau (small place of prayer) every Malam Jumaat where after Isyak prayers (the final prayer of the day), the Surah Al-Kahf will be recited followed by a khutbah (sermon). Nadiah always attended every Thursday night with her parents and she would often stay after the Khutbah ended as that would be the time where Ngaji Al-Quran (learning to read the Quran) classes started.

Securing her hair in a bun, she tied it with a hair band before putting on a slip on tudung (Hijab/headscarf). She slung her telekung (a set of white, long hijab and skirt which women wear when praying) around her arms and took out her copy of the Quran.

Her parents were already dressed and locking the windows when she came out of her room. Together, they made their way to the surau and arrived ten minutes before Maghrib prayer. Many villagers were already in attendance. A few village men were standing outside the place and engaged in a conversation while most people were already seated inside the prayer hall, awaiting for the azan (Islamic call to prayer) to be recited.

Nadiah followed her mother to the female section whereas her father went to join the other males at the front. They found Zainab, Ainum and their mothers and they settled down next to them. Nadiah slipped onto the telekung and minutes later, the Muezzin - who is Zainab's paternal uncle stood up and began to recite the azan.

No one spoke during the few minutes when the azan was being recited. Then it was time to pray Maghrib. After completing sunnat and Maghrib prayer, there was about an hour to Isyak so people took this opportunity to talk to their neighbours, have some refreshments or read the Quran silently.

"Nadiah," Zainab said as she tugged on her arm. "Accompany me to the toilet, please."

Nadiah nodded and followed Zainab out of the surau, stepping around people who were seated on the floor. Though the toilet was not far from the surau, it was pretty hard to see due to the limited lighting. Zainab shone the torchlight as they huddled together towards the toilet.

"Wait for me here and let me know if there's any biawak (monitor lizard) lurking around," Zainab instructed, shuddering when she said this. Nadiah nodded and urged her friend to go in. Monitor and house lizards were a common breed in the village and Zainab was afraid of them while Nadiah wasn't. She was used to having them cross her paths whenever she's outdoors. The toilet was a small stall which was big enough to accommodate one toilet bowl, a pail, a tap and a hook to hang the torchlight as it had no lighting.

The night was chilly and Nadiah found the hairs on her arms standing from the cold. She rubbed the cloth against her skin to keep her warm as she waited for Zainab. She could hear the buzzing of the crickets, hidden in the tall thickets. That's when the unusual happened. The bushes nearby rustled for a bit even though there was no wind. She glanced at the bushes just as the movement stopped.

Silently uttering a prayer, Nadiah plucked the courage to shone her torchlight onto the bushes. There was nothing. Her mother would flip if she knew she had shone her torchlight onto the bushes. It was a strong superstition that one should not shine their torches on bushes or trees at night for you might just shine onto the face of a ghost.

She had never had a supernatural encounter but just the thought of it chancing upon one made her shiver involuntarily. Especially since she was alone in the dark and the surau was a good sixty meters away. Zainab sure was taking a long time and Nadiah was quickly getting impatient and crept out. Another minute passed and the same bushes rustled again. She decided to heed her mother's advice this time round and ignored it. The rustling didn't stop there. Nadiah knocked the door and called out, "Zainab? Are you done?"

"Wait, I'm having a bad stomachache," Zainab groaned from inside the stall.

Of all the times for her to get a stomachache...Nadiah mentally cursed Zainab's bowel habits and the distance of the surau.

"Well, hurry up!"

The leaves shook more vigorously that Nadiah's heart felt like jumping out. Ya Allah! (O God!), please protect me. She pleaded when suddenly, a man decked in black clothing jumped out from the bushes and yelled, "Boo!" Making Nadiah scream...

***

A/N: Yes, I know this is overdue, sorry! >.