The Sphere

Chapter 8: In a Blink of an Eye

"HEY, Gina! Can you please turn down the volume?" I half-shouted at Gina, who had been blasting 90s classics for almost two hours.

"Sorry, Marina," Gina replied slowly. "I don't know why I suddenly started playing those songs. They just made me feel emotional."

I didn't respond to Gina's apology. Instead, I got out of bed and closed the door to my room. I lay back down, staring at the slow-spinning fan.

"This can't be happening," I muttered to myself, feeling overwhelmed. My gaze shifted to the closet, where I noticed a blue polka dot pyjama given to me by Norman. Without thinking twice, I quickly stashed it deep inside the closet and returned to bed.

There was something unsettling about that pyjama, just like the songs Gina played. Each one of them reminded me of Norman. Even a trip to the supermarket could drive me crazy, especially when I caught a whiff of the perfumes from shower gels, face washes, deodorants, hair gels, talc, and everything Norman used. My mind was consumed by thoughts of Norman, Norman, and Norman.

I didn't seek Norman's attention on purpose, and my emotions weren't baseless. It was something I found incredibly difficult to admit. Being faced with this situation for the first time, I was still in shock. I felt like a statue, sitting silently all day, questioning if this was really happening.

Some of my friends used to talk about it, and every time I heard their stories, I asked myself, "What am I going to do if the same thing happens to me?" The question remained unanswered until one night, Norman surprised me with something I never expected. Every time I remembered it, I would feel upset and cry. It felt like I had lost something precious in my life, something I had cherished and taken care of for a long time.

"How could this happen to you, Marina!?" Gina half-screamed as soon as I told her about Norman.

"I don't know... I am confused too," I replied, my mind filled with questions.

"I'm wondering what is going on with him?" asked Gina, her emotions running high upon hearing about my past relationship with Norman. I could only stay silent, unable to provide an answer. It was a hard truth to accept that Norman had made such a sudden decision without discussing it with me or having any reasonable cause. My world felt like it was crumbling when Norman, who had been a part of my life for years, disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Since that night, I haven't been the same person. I feel like I'm floating in the air, my mind constantly drifting to thoughts of Norman. I keep imagining what my life would be like without him. Without his sweet words, his voice that always called to say hello and check on me, and his smile that could instantly lift the weight off my shoulders.

"This can't be happening! It never happened!" These words kept escaping my lips, as if I were desperately hoping it was all just a dream and that I would wake up from it.

******

Reflecting on that unforgettable night, I received a call from Norman, urging me to meet him at the McDonald's in Section 14, Petaling Jaya. It was always a thrill when Norman, who was constantly occupied with work and friends, wanted to spend time with me.

"Hi," I greeted him as I settled into my seat. In my hand, I held a steaming cup of coffee that I had just purchased from the counter. Following Norman's instructions, I carefully carried the coffee up to the third floor. Upon seeing me approach, Norman simply smiled, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"Sit down," he said.

"Just that?" I questioned, noticing only a cup of McFlurry on the table.

"Yes... I'm full," Norman replied curtly.

"Oh, so you just wanted to meet and chat with me? How sweet," I attempted to joke.

Norman merely smiled in response. We sat in silence for a few minutes, the only sounds being the chatter of other customers. The atmosphere on the third floor of McDonald's would have been eerily quiet if not for their conversations.

"Marina," Norman began, breaking the silence. "There's something I need to tell you."

"What is it, Norman?"

"I've been contemplating this for a while now, and today I finally decided to share it with you, Marina," Norman confessed, his gaze fixed on the McFlurry on the table, avoiding eye contact with me.

My heart started racing at Norman's words. In those few moments, I couldn't help but speculate on the various possibilities that might emerge from his mouth. Perhaps he wanted to expedite our wedding plans, I thought to myself, picturing the white baju kurung Gina had bought for me to wear on our special day. "Stop it, Marina!" I scolded myself, trying to push those thoughts aside.

"Honestly, Marina, I feel that..." Norman paused.

"Feel what? Say it, Norman... Tell me right away!" I felt like shouting in Norman's face at that moment.

"There is no more compatibility between us," Norman quickly finished his words.

"What do you mean, Norman?" I asked as soon as I heard what just came out of Norman's mouth.

"We are no longer heading in the same direction, Marina," Norman paused. I froze. It was hard for me to believe what I just heard, and in those seconds, I seemed to predict what would come out of Norman's mouth next. "I think it's best that we both go our separate ways, starting from tonight," Norman finished his words. He got up and immediately left me alone there.

My world turned dark for a while. Everything I had dreamed of for the past eight years was destroyed in the blink of an eye!