Dancing In The Rain

three

"Slept well last night?" Abby asks as I get into the car.

"When was the last time you even heard her say she slept well?" Eden asks her.

I sit in the back seat of Abby's charcoal grey car. I've never really liked the colour of her car, because it reminds me of Jae's eyes, which I don't want to be reminded of.

"No, I didn't. So can you both give me some peace and silence so I can have a nap before we get to school for once?" I ask them.

"Sure, Ash"

The next few minutes in the car was silent as I close my eyes, then Abby pulls up into what I think is the school car park.

"We've already reached school? God, I don't want to see Mr McBrown," I mumble, thinking of my History teacher who ruins the class just by breathing.

"No, we haven't. We're heading for breakfast. Come on," Eden says. Breakfast? I thought they usually eat breakfast before picking me up. My eyes flutter open and I take in my surroundings.

Abby had parked her car in the car park of  Panas Panas Kitchen. Uncle Aziz, the boss and chef of this restaurant, is a famous man in our neighbourhood. Panas Panas Kitchen is a family business which had started generations before him, and the legacy was passed down to him to own this place.

It was their motto, to be kind to everyone no matter their appearance or how they treated others. Everyone was accepted there, and if anyone was caught feeling uncomfortable with someone else, they'd be brought to a special room to enjoy their meals. In the special room, Aunty Hafsah, his wife, would be seated there, reading or knitting. And trust me when I say she treats everyone as her own daughter or son.

I open the car door and got out of the car. Abby and Eden did too, and soon after locking the car, we all head to the restaurant.

As we walk, as if automatic, my head swerves to the familiar voice of a boy. Jae.

My eyes widened and goosebumps appeared on my skin. I clutch onto Eden's jacket, and he turns to me. I gesture towards the boy and his friends.

Abby looks at us, and gets the message. She looks at the group of friends, who were innocently laughing and quickly asks me, "You okay, Ash? We could go somewhere else if you want. Or we could ask Uncle Aziz if we can use the comfort room."

Eden nods at me, but I shake my head.

"No. I'm fine. We don't need to go somewhere else. We don't need to use the comfort room. I'll be fine. I can't let my demons control me for the rest of my life, right?" I say.

It's true. I can't. I have to face them in some point of life.

Abby and Eden break into a smile and put their arms around my shoulders as we continue to walk to the restaurant.

"I'm happy you're trying, you know that, right?" Eden asks.

I give a nod and smiled at him. "Yes, I know."

As we enter the restaurant, we see Uncle Aziz at the counter. He seems to have noticed us too, because he approaches us with a warm smile and hugs Eden, because he has a healthy relationship with Aunty Hafsah and keeps a gap from girls.

"Long time no see, kids. How are all of you?" he asks ever so politely.

We smile and tell him how we are and he leads us to two empty tables.

"We're really busy today,  so we only have two tables,  but you can choose which you want."

We give him a smile and sit by one of the tables.

"I thought you guys eat breakfast before picking me up. What happened?" I spoke up.

"Well,  we know you don't eat breakfast every morning,  so we decided to have some with you." I'm smiling at them, but my smile quickly fades as I realise I don't have enough money to get breakfast. 

"Thanks, but I think I'll just watch both of you eat, since I don't have enough money."

"It's okay, it was part of the plan that we'd get you the food," Abby says. Damn, what did I even do to deserve bestfriends like these?

"Okay, so what's the most expensive thing on the menu?"