Chapter 31 - the party crasher after the school festival

The next morning where I woke up and I had this strange feeling that I had to go out, and I found a letter in-front of the house. I read it and it wrote

Puan Mas,

You have been invited to the meeting on tonight, as one of the members of the board in the house of orders, your husband Tuan Imran asking you to come to this place at 8pm. Please be prudent if you don’t want any of your children becomes a target.

The bastard…..black mailing my mom. My blood is boiling again, what do they want this again. This time, I’m not going to let mom see this, and going to visit them this time.

Today school is free because we manage to complete all of the 2nd paper examination of the midterms. Today is also our school festivals

“Alex? What’s going on?”

“Nothing mom” I hid the invitation letter.

“ok…”

This time I’m going to meet Mr Haqib seems he is there asking his opinions

I saw him drinking coffee outside

“Asalamualaikum!!” me

“Walaikumusalam”

“What is going on Alex? I just saw someone drop a letter there…”

I showed him the letter and he reads it

“This is dangerous…don’t worry kid I’ll investigate it…”

“This time they pushing it…” my eyes wanted him to let me to see them

“This is dangerous kid, I don’t want you anything happen to you while we prepare for this”

“This is going to happen soon and they started it, don’t tell mom or anyone what I’m going to do”

“You going there?”

“Yeah, because that is meant for me…”

“Then I will make the arrangements…you better be sure that you be safe got it?”

“Yes sir…”

I leave the place and head outside where there is a phone booth there, I make the phone call from there.

“Helo…”

“Amin its me…”

“Hey!! Aren’t you going to school today…?”

“I need your help….”

“What’s up?”

“Look after my family for a while”

“What’s wrong?”

“Just please look after them, you the only one that I could rely on now…don’t tell Mar about this got it!!”

I hung up. I went back to the house where Sylvia is usual preparing them to go to school.

“Get ready darling!! We are late!!”

“Got it!!”

We get ready and mom said to me

“This weekend I want all of us back to Long Pasia after the festival would you be interested?”

“All of them?”

“yes…”

“Got it…”

We all head to the festivals, Sylvia preparing herself.

“Mother…could you help me?”

“What would you like?”

“I’m going for the Unduk Ngadau competition”

“Wow!!! It will be an honour for me to make you special!!”

Mom showed her traditional dress, a Lun Bawang dress and she wore it. While Mom and Hana make up her, Tama also involved with the Unduk Ngadau. Mom is really passionate with the preparation.

The festival will start at 8am and ended in 11pm to celebrate the harvest festival. Its Saturday today. We reach there, everyone is preparing themselves.

We sing our first anthem, they asked me to sing It to them. The three of us together

Mom is really proud of me singing that song. The best thing is that everyone sing it, other school were amaze as well only to hear from them.

“ALEX!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!”😍 banner from the Siti Aishah All-Girls school

“DARLING!!!!!!MY BOYFRIEND IS SINGING!!!!😍 from Siti

Sylvia and Priscilla is glaring at me. 💢

“ITS ALEX!!! WE LOVE YOU THANK YOU FOR SAVING US!!!!!” 😍 Banner from The Chai Seng City School

“ITS ALEX THE HERO!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!!”😍 Banner from St. Angela Girls School

“HE IS SOOO CUTTEEEEE!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!😍 Banner from City High School

“WE LOVE YOU ALEXX!!!!!!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!! MARRY US!!!!!!😍 Banner from the Anzac School

Amin and Mariam look at me😒

“Uhh…its a long story” 😓

“kukuku…you quite popular outside of school eh…”

“Damn….I’m pretty sure they all over the heels for you dude…”

“Uhh….shut up dude…”

“You have doing something behind our backs eh…”

After the entry event, Melissa’s turn to make a speech

“Welcome all to our first annual School festival please enjoy the event for until 11pm. I’m Melissa the president of the student council of this school. This is our way to introduce ourself for you all. Please Enjoy!!! And Thank YOU!!!”

Everyone shouted and applaud.

The festival started with a performance from Mariam and her follower doing the traditional dance of Sabah. Everyone is excited, with everyone is done. This part of the performance where the modern starts. While I plan to escape from the performance because I will be Snow White and Juliet. Amin pulled me in and said

“You can’t escape!!”

“No way man!!”

They change me to a woman dress as Juliet while Amin becomes Romeo.

Mariam makes the MC.

“We will have another performance to our to stars for a show, for Romeo and Juliet!!”

Everyone is shocked to see me as a girl…at the same time they laugh but the girls from other schools say other wise.

“KYA!!!!!😍” all of the girls from all girls schools

Priscilla and Sylvia is glaring at me💢

“HE IS SOOO CUTEEEE!!!! IN THE GIRLS DRESS!!!!!!😍” the girls from other school

Then the performance ended with the death by poison in the theatre. Everyone applaud then Mariam is going to torture us even more.

“Next performance will be another epic performance by our home star ALEX!!!! In SNOW WHITE!!!”

The girls shouted at me

“AHH KYA!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU ALEX!!!!” This is getting out of hand

I had to wear the snow white dress, where everyone laugh out loud while, but this time, Sylvia is the witch and Priscilla is the prince. What the fuck Mariam!!! Is this what you planing all along!!!!

“kukuku…enjoy the show…” bitch!!!!

Priscilla is duelling with Sylvia acting the evil queen. They fight and I had to lie down after eating the apple.

In the ending part is where the prince kisses the snow white

Priscilla is really close to me

In mind right now is begging someone to save me, Sylvia save me will ya….

Suddenly the lights is out and Sylvia said to the spectators

“And so the prince kiss Snow White and they lived happily ever after.”

Priscilla is really mad at Sylvia

“You bitch!!!”

“Don’t forget that we are not allowed until the unduk ngadau…”

“Fine!!”

“Hmph!!”

Mariam is really laughing behind me

“Uh…I better get out of here!!”

“You have another job to be one of the judge!!!”

“Hey!! Why me!!”

“Kukuku….”

“Sonava….”

“Better get ready!!”

Next will be the unduk Ngadau everyone is excited to see the beauty pageants, but what I know is that the story goes where the to commemorate the spirit of Huminodun

According to legend, Huminodun was a maiden sacrificed to feed her famine-stricken people.

Kinoingan and his wife, Sumundu, had an only daughter named Ponompuan. She was named "Huminodun", which means "transferred sacrifice". She was kind hearted, thoughtful and wise beyond her years.

There was a time in which the land became infertile that it could not grow a single plant to produce food. Kinoingan learnt that the only way to overcome this famine was to sacrifice his daughter.

Ponompuan willingly accepted his father's demand, and she was determined to save her people from the famine. She told her father.

With her sacrifice the land was bountiful with harvest. Hope they understand the true essence of the story.

Mom told me this story since I was young.

“Other schools also involved please enjoy the show!!”

All of them show their beauty, Mariam is also involved with her mother ethnic the murut, while Priscilla wore her Dr Maggie Kadazan dress, a lot of ethnic was in the show until the end Sylvia wore mom’s traditional dress a Lun Bawang dress. Everyone is in awe, I forget that Sylvia is also a Lun Bawang ethnic. Maybe that is the reason because mom like her I think.

Her simple design is not many people manage to catch but I did. Mariam look at me, and she smile

She does work wonders about this. The winner of the unduk Ngadau was from the all-Girls Siti Aishah, which Siti won it. After the event, all of us open the booth for the visiting people around.

Mariam said to me

“I know that you are smitten with Sylvia, but I want to be fair…”

“thanks…”

“How do I look!!?” Priscilla

“Beautiful…” I had to

“darling….” Sylvia

I simply smile at her

“Yep…beautiful…”

Mariam said to me

“You two hold his hand”

“Hey what are you doing!!”

“Cheese!!”

A picture is taken with two of them together then Priscilla was drag by his father

“Victoria!!! Oh you look stunning!!”

Mariam then ask Alex to stand there while Priscilla instantly hold his arm another picture is taken.

Then Sylvia’s turn to take with Alex. Mariam realise something that I don’t know and she taken it. She realise it as well, she knows that I like Sylvia.

“See told ya, you need more experience…”

“yeah…thanks”

Priscilla and Sylvia with their fathers. Mom approach me

“You know that I really like Sylvia a lot just like I like Natalie…” she realise it as well.

“You know what mom, that I’m still young to think about that…”

“Wise choice, cherish this moment..”

“Thanks mom..”she hug me knowing this is a happy moment.

We hang around the school, then I remember that this moment. Is the day I will keep it as a memories.

“Natalie..”

It was getting dark and I approach Amin and said to him

“Amin don’t forget what I said ok…”

“Hey what do you mean about it?”

“please….”

“Fine…don’t do anything stupid…”

“Thanks…”

While they had fun, I head out from the school to the place that mom suppose to be. Once I reach there. Somewhere in a hotel in KK. I give the invitation letter and said I’m the representative. Please Amin…let them be safe and don’t tell them about what is going to happen.

I reach there where all of the members that involved including Dad, and Uncle Usman!?

“Alexander Imran!! Stand in the middle!!”

I stand in the centre of it, as if I’m going to be sacrifice.

“You have been a thorn among the society, this family is has honour why do you oppose?”

“Maybe before that, how about introduce yourself to me because I don’t understand one fucking thing you said…”

“How rude!!”

“Bastard child!!!”

“A disgrace to the family!!”

“Do I look I care for your stupid traditions!!” 🖕🏼

Someone struck a dagger at my arm.

“Bastard child!! You did not listen to our voice!!”

I pull the dagger and throw at the man that struck me he got stab instantly

“He is not part of this Family!!!”

“Good!! Because I don’t want to be a part of it!!!”

“Child!!! We will judge you whether you are part of this family or not!!”

“Fuck you!! Fuck you all that treated traditions like a murder scene!! Fuck you all for ever existed!!”

“If you want your mother and others surrounds you to be safe follow this wishes!!”

“Don’t you think that I could not reach my hand on you!!”

“they are safe and sound!! As long you accepted this punishment” I already know this is the only way to tame me.

“And what will that be?”

“A whip from this!!” A leather whip

“If I accept this, you will not disturb us again right?”

“Yes…”

“Because if you lied…I will find you and all of your family. This fist will be stain in your families blood…”

I look at them like a murderer and they all scared

“Please this is for your own good. We don’t want you to be disgraced by this”

“What about the black mail for my mom, why dad acting like he is forced, and Uncle Usman why the hell are you here? What’s with all of this stupidity!!!”

“Question and question is that all you have to say!?”

“If you scared to show yourself in the dark then I will see it with my own eyes!!”

“They all are in the festivals and if my men will make a mess with that school. All that efforts will go in vain child.”

“You have done wonders with my son now he is shell of himself”

“He deserved it!! An asshole advice to another asshole advice just to remind you all as long I’m here don’t you dare touch my friends, my family and anyone you think that I have related to…”

“Hahahahaahaha!!! he is a warrior at heart!!”

“Patriarch!!”

“Don’t you ever think that this nephew of mine is weak as you think!!”

“Alex accept their weak demands”

“Got it…”

“Show them they are nothing but foolish old men that don’t know what real strength is…”

One of the men tied me up

Uncle Usman give me something to bite.

“Just bear with it, son, Haqib is ready”

I nod

“10 lashes” they whip me, its extremely painful, each whip is like a sword slicing at my back, dammit its really painful

“IMRAN!!! Is this what you want right!!!”

“…………..”

“Then this boy!! Will be my own kin, don’t you dare get close to him again!!!!”

Someone in front of me is Sylvia’s mom

“A boy like you is the reason she is being disobedient!!” She hit me with a rattan whip to my face. I look at her.

“As long I’m here, you as her mother should protect her NOT SELLING HER OFF!!!!!! BITCH!!” I spit at her she is really pissed

“Bastard child”

And the police raided

“Police!!! Hands up!!!”

Haqib see me

“Mashallah!! Alex!!”

He untie me and I said to him

“I’m going to end this foolish traditions!!”

Sylvia’s mom run away in fear, along with the man from the above. I chase them and I manage to get her and thrown her to the police

“Talk to her, just retire!! Be her mother for once!!”

One of them brought Hakim and dad is also there as well.

“Why are you running!!!?”

I punch dad and he went unconscious

But my grand uncle the patriarch of the family is running away, but Uncle Usman catch him while Hakim tried to shoot him with a gun. I protect him but I feel something behind me. A gun shot hit me I realise that I went in. I cough blood. I could only hear Uncle Usman is crying for me

“Alex wake up!!! Haqib call the ambulance”

“Mashallah, come on carry him to the hospital”

I’m not dead yet..my vision become blurry.

Someone is talking to me, when I open my eyes is Frederica, I cried to her

“I’m dead right?”

“No stupid…you are a part of me, there is role that you have not yet fulfil, my wishes is not yet fulfilled”

“FREDERICA WHERE ARE YOU GOING!!!! COME BACK”

I cried a lot like I was before then someone talk to me

“Homie, still the cry baby that I know before….”

“yeah…”

“Get up soldier!! You job is not yet completed, you have a duty to fulfil!!”

“Ah…” I stand and a bright light said to me its Frederica

“Get up stupid!!!”

I woke up in a hospital where someone is humming, Natalie? My vision is blurry than when I see it clearly its Sylvia! she is crying, why are you crying? I’m not dead yet..but I could not talk. She still wore that traditional dress. She is stunningly beautiful.

“………stupid……” Sylvia is trembling again sorry about that.

I could not said anything. Mariam entered the room with Amin they look really pissed

“We’re the three musketeer why you have to take this kind of heat alone!!” Mariam is crying

“Shit man!!! You know that I have been lectured by honey because of this, I did not expect you going on a fight again!!”

“…sorry…bro….thats because is what I’m….good….at”

“Fuck you…” they hold my hand.

Mr Haqib enter the room

“How could you!! Letting a kid settles something an adult should do!!” Mariam is really angry

“I’m sorry but its seems that Alex show me the black mail letter saying that they will hurt all of you if he don’t met their demands”

“But!!”

“Honey…”

“Why he had to suffered to all of this!!! Arrgh!!!” She kick the chair out of frustration

“Mr Haqib…tell us…I see he had another scar from the back…” Amin

“………….”

“TELL US!!!! UNCLE!!!!” Mariam

“Alex I will not said it!! You settle it!!”

“Thanks Uncle Haqib…sorry for the troubles”

“No, thank you, you just getting a lot of leads just from this…”

Uncle Haqib left the room

“Alex….”

“Don’t worry about a thing got it? is already settle anyway”

“Don’t bullshit me!!”

I know this is going to be loud between them.

“Sil…leave me with them for a while…”

“Alex…”

“please…”

“Okay…”

Sylvia leave only Mariam and Amin in the room.

“Mar…”

“You stupid Asshole!! Look at you right now!! In the hospital again..”

“Ah…yeah…sorry…”

“Don’t you need to tell me what have happen  because your Uncle have told me everything!!” Mariam is really pissed

“Honey…”

“Honey shut up!! All this stunt, what are you looking to prove for?” Mariam

“………..”

“1st Natalie, now Sylvia, she had almost fainted that you went out facing off like that, and when you lie down on that stretcher. What kind of reaction do you think all of us had?”

“………….” Mariam look at me

“Scared as heck!! Do you have any idea!! How all of us feel when you suddenly went off  like that, lucky that Honey knows what happen!!”

Mariam really lectured me

“Are you telling me that when in LA you going to settle things alone!!?”

“………..”

“Don’t be an idiot!!!! Alex!!!! Recklessly trying to get it done, are you trying to be a hero!!? HAH!!”

“Honey….”

“I told ya, stop it because he just need to be lectured again!!! Because we are his best bud!!”

“……don’t be…because….I….a…mons..” Mariam slap me that hurt really bad

“Not a monster…just an idiot who don’t know to choose…” Mariam

“Alex….just admit it because Honey…just squeeze Mr Rahman about you secret jobs…and Mar also slam at Melissa because of this…”

“If you want to live longer just don’t do anything stupid again!!”

“Yeah…sorry…”

“This time I don’t want to know any hidden jobs again…”

“……….I….”

“And this time, if you did that again!! I not going to hold back Alex!!! You hear that!!!”

“Honey…”

“Alex….if we are the three musketeer just call us got it…not using us an excuse to lessen a burden that you face. I just warn Mr Rahman, this time…”

“……”

“Now tell me the truth….”

“………” I had to share with them whats driving me to be like this

“Mar….Amin….there is something that I need to tell you….”

“What is that?”

“Is about closure between me and Damien….”

“The guy in America?”

“Yeah…and another person that I need to close…”

“Who is that then?”

“Naomi…”

“She is another person in my life that we haven’t close.”

“So then…what are we going to do about it?”

“I’m going to help you to the audition..”

“Nope because I can handle it but this time, me and Amin is going there together, closing whatever that you need to let go.”

Looks like I haven’t trusted them but this time we going together as a team.

“Look Mar…I’m training now…building my strength”

“Then don’t forget about us then”

“Yeah!! We are a team!!”

We fist pump.

“See told ya its that simple”

“Yeah don’t blame me if you into the cross fire!!”

“I got my honey here become the shield”

“Honey…😅”

We laugh. And mom enter

“Thanks Mariam…I really glad that he has friends like you”

“This idiot will not going to survive long if he continued like this.”

“Yep…” she is crying

Sylvia enter the room back.

“Now its your turn…he is soften a bit now…”

“Thanks”

Mom and the others leave but mom approaches me

“You have a lot of explaining to do with her, about Priscilla Mariam had a talk with her” she must have explain to her as well

“Got it mom”

When mom left the room, It was an awkward moment right now, she sit right next to me, her expression doesn’t show anything only just wanted to ask me.

“Alex…did mom…beat…you…?”

“ah…no…why…?”

“Don’t lie to me…I ask mom directly and she admit it”

“Ah…then did you manage to have a talk with her?”

“Yeah…she apologise to me about all of this…”

“Is good then…”

“No…for me is not….I’m really angry right now….” She is trembling. And she suddenly shouted at me

“YOU COULD JUST TELL ME!!! JUST ASK MY HELP!!! WHY IS IT SO HARD TO TELL ME!!!”

“…….” there no way I could not say anything because right now, its basically my fault.

She hold my arm.

“All of this, all this pain you went through alone again and for what just get yourself killed again!!”

“…….”

“If Mariam lectured you, I’m not going to hold back because this is what I called STUPID!!! DUMMY!!!ASSHOLE!!!!”

“……….”

“I met your dad….”

“Did he said anything?”

“that is not a person that could be called a father…”

“You did what then?”

“I lectured him…”

“Hah…you did huh? What did he said?”

“He shouted at me because I’m a bitch” asshole, dad when I get my hands on you!!

“I really pissed right now…”

She suddenly hugged me, she only look at me

“Now when I heard you going to LA, if you act like that again, I’m not going to let you go there!!”

“Its really important for me to settle it…”

“I heard from Mariam about Natalie, if she is here, I slap her!! For being stupid”

“Yeah but I’m not going there because of her but I’m going to settle with Damien”

She suddenly kiss me, I don’t know what to say anymore because I have fallen for her.

“I don’t want anything happen to you again…if you act like this I’m going to follow you to LA..”

“Ugh…please don’t…I don’t want anything happen to you if I start chasing Damien…”

“The guy that visit you before.”

“I’m going to settle all of it once and for all”

“Then if you pull that stunt again going off alone…I’m going to marry you and having your child then…”

“That’s not funny”

“I’m serious if you act like this again…” shit now this is getting even worst

“If Natalie doesn’t take you seriously I’m going to take you then…” that is even worst

“But what about you life then?”

“I’m not going to be happy if you just going to make your own life miserable…”

“…….”

“I told you Alex…we are alike, because we are like reflection in a mirror…”

Yeah she did mention about it.

“Sil…sorry”

“For?”

“Making you scared like that…”

“Yep…its really scary that you did that…now for the punishment”

“uh…just go easy on me…”

She suddenly jumps over me and lie down next to me.

“At least I want to sleep like a couple” she giggle.

“Yeah I felt warm.”

“Good, I just felt safe when I fell asleep…”

She suddenly fell asleep, yeah its a really tiring day

I also felt sleepy and I close my eyes. But this time I felt really peaceful. Her hair smell pleasant, what the hell am I thinking!!. But I’m extremely sleepy with all the commotion today.

“Hey Sil…?”

“emmm….yeah…?”

“Want to go on a date?”

“…emmm sure but not tonight I’m…really tired from all of this….”

Yeah I better treated her better after this.