Just Because

Part 1

Just Because

A short fiction story by Blair BW.

PART 1

Dea, just Dea.

I think my parents were lazy enough to choose my name. It was pretty common, short, it gets noticed everytime.

Saya lahir dalam keluarga yg biasa-biasa. My dad is a policeman, my mother is a nurse. Tiada yg menarik.

I live in a pretty boring life. Bosan. When I think more about it, it gets bosan as bosan can get.

In life, I pretty much have no worry, no fears, nothing really fascinate me. Kalau di depan saya ada 10 jalan yg berbeza, I'll just take 1 and walk straight as it is.

****
Life.

I was 17 back then.

Bangun seja dari tidur, sa buat rutin mcm biasa. Bersiap-siap trus turun pg dapur di bawah. As usual, sebelum mummy sa pg kerja kalau shift pagi, dia kasi sedia milo sama bread di atas counter top di dapur kami. Kalau dia shift petang, ada lah nasi goreng garlic atau nasi goreng cina dia masak.

Harini bread sama milo. So I knew she's on morning shift.

How ordinary. Right..

Daddy sa kerja office hour. He has worked for over 20 years, baru beberapa tahun lalu lah dia kerja waktu pejabat. Tiada sudah shift, tiada on call. I used to go to school with 'aunty bas' (bas sekolah, female driver yg sa panggil aunty). Tapi skrg daddy sa yg hantar sebab tu balai polis berdekatan ja sama sekolah kami.

In school,  I get noticed easily as my name gets.

I am blessed to be a bright student. Saya masuk kelas yg paling numbur satu lah urg blg. Kalau exam, usually sa dapat top 3. Ya mimang ada yg lagi pandai lah dari sa. This year, saya kena lantik jadi ketua pengawas.

I expected that already. Everyone expected that. So again, tiada menarik bagi sa. Nothing unusual.

Everything I do, it seems like I am in that role. It seems like it was already prepared for me. My life story has been written just a 'perfect fit' for me.

I joined pageant contest at school, and I won. Saya ikut competition macam poem recital, quizzes, chess, usually yg individual category saya menang juga. School level, district level, zone level, state level. You name it. Sports? Yes, johan lumba lari, lompat tinggi, lari berpagar = olahragawati sekolah & daerah.

Unusual? No it is pretty ordinary for me. I get used to it. I get used to hearing my name called on stage receiving certificate of achievement, medals, reward, etc.

Can you get me now?

I was everyone's favorite. Teacher's favorite, tapi satu seja yg pelik. I don't think I have any good friend. Ada lah kawan, but no best friend. Everybody has their own best friend at least one. But saya? None.

Brenda sat next to me. She has been there since primary 1. But she has her own best friend, Zoey who sat next to her. Oh well.. Biasanya sa bercakap sama dia di sekolah ja. Brenda hates sports, so kalau sa pg training sa saturang ja. She doesn't invite me to her birthday party because I would not turn  up. She doesn't want to lepak with me after school because I said it is such a waste of time.

Sa balik sekolah pun bejalan kaki satu org pigi sana bustop tunggu daddy sa. My dad will pick me up at the same spot, same time, everyday. As usual!

Sampai rumah about 1.30pm, lunch, rehat kijap, buat revision or home work then jam 4pm saya pg training di sekolah (alternate days) so kalau hari yg tiada training di sekolah biasanya sa pigi jogging. By 6.30pm every day, sa memang ada di rumah sudah. 7-ish having dinner, 8.00pm TV time, 9.30 pm getting ready to sleep.