He finished the drink and looked back to the sky. The rain was slowing down. He paid the bills to the mamak and ran to the bus stop. He sat down and checked the time, 7.15 p.m. It seems hopeless, as he knew his ears would bleed as soon as he arrived home. Busses after busses past by. The cab drivers honked at him, thinking that this poor guy need to get back home early. He did not really interested in taking cab. He remembered his last cab experience. It cost him RM20, from Chow Kit to Greenwood Alley, while it took him only RM2 by taking a bus. Plus, the cab driver can be quite disrespectful. When it comes to transportation, Areef can be quite a cheapskate. While waiting for the bus, Areef managed to take out his DSLR and snapped a few pictures, snapping the rain drops, the splash from the coming cars and motors, people running in the rain, and a school of crows. People watched his action, but Areef dont give a damn. He learn one thing in the photography world; Dont give a damn on what people think, always with your camera, as you may missed some great moment. Areef is in his own world, seperating the real world with his camera and his mp3. Waiting for the bus, with him are a couple of ladies and an elderly man. The ladies were wearing Baju Kurung, while the elderly was wearing formal suit, with a brief on his right hand, gripping it, as if there was a lot of money stash in his brief case. Then, Areef asked permission to take their pictures, the ladies and the man smiled, as they know that Areef has no bad intention whatsoever. He asked politely and said to them that they should feel natural. Then he stood in front of the bus stop, composing the pictures he about to take. He snapped a couple of shots, hopping that he could capture that moment. He thanked them for co-operating. After a couple of minutes, the ladies took a bus and the man took a cab. Now, Areef is al alone at the bus stop. Suddenly, his E5 vibrated. He knew that it’s from his mother. The vibe he felt was the same vibe as the Spiderman Spidey-Sensor. There are two possibilities. One that his mom is calling him, or two, his mother sent him a text message. He was hoping for the second possibility. He took his phone out from his front pocket.
It was a text message. He was seriously relieved! The message was written by his mother,
“Areef, where are you? Im coming home late tonight. There’s a meeting in the office. Tell your father about this. Take out some leftover chicken curry in the fridge and please heat it up. Please prepare the dinner. Thanks dear.”
He smiled, as he put his phone back into his pocket, he looked to the window, exhaling his breathe with relief. After 10 minutes, the bus stopped at the bus stop that quite near to Areef’s house. He walked through his neighbourhood. He met with Uncle Azhar, who was riding his motorcycle from the mosque back to his house. Areef greet him. He smiled back at Areef and continue his ride. It’s seems like he was rushing back. Areef entered his house, took the wudhu’ and rushed to his room and did his Maghrib prayer. After finishing the prayer, he sat on the mat, longer than usual. He lifted up both his hand and pray some more. Then he continue staring at the mat, sitting still like a log. Something had troubled Areef. He was staring straight to the mat. He was bugged with something. He was bugged with the truth he was revealed by a very deep, tense and loud conversation with his parents, a few days ago, about his life, about his future, and about his condition....
