Chapter 14 - managing without our great leader
With Melissa is still in hospital and definite a maternity break from it. Mr Rahman is looking for a replacement.
"Maybe Mariam and Amin because ideas flowing out their own heads…"
"I do agree with that…"
"I can't you let be in office…."
"I'm not interested doing the leader stuff, not my style…"
"I see…."
Mr Rahman suddenly show me another files and this time another kid
Priscilla Newman age 15, former 2- Leo, a prodigy in sports and arts currently living alone, she is not Malaysian. She is from Australia, parents have been divorced and living in separate ways. Her closest relative is a doctor in a local clinic in Putatan. She is an avid surfer and diving. Her academics is really good, she could speak Malay and English fluently. She is also half aboriginals, and Maori including British bloodline. Her height is 5'11 damn she is tall. Mr Rahman also explain her physique dark skin, blond hair short, slight muscular. Her trauma is cause by the constant harassment with the girls for being tall, including a victim among male teachers there.
I look at Mr Rahman 😒
"Not me again, those teacher are!!😓 look I have transferred them to another school already"
I see the picture, and remember it well.
"Got it, will get the job done…"
"Good, if I'm not mistaken she is doing a job in the diving business with someone"
"Then the beach then…well that is for the weekends"
I could see Mariam and Amin in the student council office is already at work, the neatly arrange tables that Melissa manage had turn around into a chaotic place, files all over the place, Mariam is drawing the design and tables for the festival while Amin is managing the guild that I have suggested. I really don't want to be involved in this mess.
"Honey!! The cultural club is requesting a slot and a rental traditional costume we have to make a letter for request for the KDCA!!"
"Got it, let me handle it!!"
"Hey Alex don't just there help us!!"
"Ugh…I'll do cleaning of this office…"
I help them arranging back the files, and I wonder how Melissa manage to make this place neat even with being pregnant. She is really capable.
"You need back-up…."
"Oh yeah….just think about finding someone that is capable in helping us!!" 😵💫
Mariam is really at a mess, I just couldn't help it, but where is Micheal?
"Hey where is our seniors?"
"They busy with class prep and they got to manage their own activities for the festival as well"
"All of them?"
"Yeah!! See it for yourself!!" 😤
"Hey babe!! The computers gone!!"
"Huh!! Get it back!!"
"..."😅 in one day is already a mess here.
"Hey Alex!!, since you free, find someone to help us will ya pronto!!!" 💢
She literary threw a pencil at me nearing hitting my face. And the pencil stuck at the wall
"ahh..!! fine…I'll help!!"
Now to find someone that is free. Almost everyone is involved in the festival preparation, even Hana is busy with preparation. I just got ditzy with this noisy crowd, I look at the podium maybe someone is here. I forgot that I have basketball club but when I see it, seems they have made a team, and its Thiru!! Practicing the games. I visit them.
"Captain!!"
"Looks like we got a team here…"
"Yep, we'll manage with this, Frankie and the coach will handle the training"
"Hey!! Thiru!! Help me out with the new players here!!!!" - Frankie
"Got it!!"
"What the hell is this defence!! Get it right!!, hey you!! What the hell is that shooting!!!" - Frankie
"Block,block it!!!" - Coach David
"Rebound!!!" - Frankie
"Seems we have this team member first…any luck with other potential members?" - Coach David
"Not yet…but I will try to talk with them…" - Alex
Thiru approach me and offer his help
"Anyone you had in mind let me help, I'm a SIGMA now, 5 - Patriot"
"We rivals then….😁"
"yeah…"
I showed him the list of names and he said to me
"Hey let me handle Chong and Danish because they lived close at my place, they know me well"
"Thanks, I will handle Jackson he stay close in my place"
"Got it!! I'm excited to be part of the semi-pro level team competition!!"
With that done, someone is calling me, the juniors from Borneo College. It's Toby and Mina
"Hey Alex, this place look fun, we bored with school anyway…" - Mina
"Can we visit the place?"
Maybe this two can help me with Mariam's work.
"Sure but you got to help me with something.."
"What is that?"
I brought them to meet Mariam and Amin, introducing them
"This is Mina and Toby…."
"They are not in this school…wait Borneo College?" - Mariam🤔
"Hi looks like this place is a mess…"
"Yeah….😅 we busy with school festival…" - Amin
"Sounds fun can I help!!🤩"
"Uhh..sure but what your class?"
"We bored anyway, come on Toby!!"
"Fine…."
Looks like they adapting well with Mariam and Amin. The office is now in control, started to get stabilise. I help them, helping the preparations. In 1 hour they manage to clear all of the paperwork.
"Huh finally is done!!" 😰
"Shit man….this is nuts!! I wonder how did Melissa manage all of this?" 😵💫
"Talk about the mess we make…"
"Thanks to Alex is cleaning up out our mess…" yeah…😑 thanks to me
"Toby and Mina since I'm free would you like to take tour in this school?"
"Sure!!!"
At least Mariam took the twins in the tour, while me and Amin in the office. He is relaxing on the couch.
"Since we free, how about we hang around at the podium?"
"Cool.."
We head at the podium, he took a cigarette and offer to me. We smoke and hope there is no one here.
"Hey Alex, the school is really changing thanks to you…"
"Not me dude, is you guys…"
"I feel is you…because just by saying that everyone started to move….even Mariam said that if it wasn't for you this school could not exist and she will just quit and return back to America even if her parents won't allowed that. At least Mariam does feel that way anymore"
"yeah…"
"The three musketeer..eh…"
"heh…three idiots"
"Or even better crazy"
"Yep…or we the dark horse…"
We hang around for a bit, and a loud shout from Mariam
"AMIN!!!!, where the hell are you?!!!!" 😡
"Oh shit!!! What happen!!!"😨
She suddenly pull both of our ears
"Bunch of lazy bozo, get your butt down to school now!!!" 😤
"Ouch!! Hey!! Why the hell am I involved with this!!"
"Since Melissa is not here, you guys need to help me with another work"
"Hey, I said I'm not interested in the student council work!!"
"What's going on!?"
"We need to settle the music anthem for our school remember?"
"Oh ya…"🤔 she pull Amin's ear really hard
"Ouch, ouch!! Not too hard your going to rip my ear!!" 😵
"Did you forget it!!!💢"
"Hahaha…😅"
"Why the hell am I involved in this?"
"Since you had that idea, you have to be part of it…and….😈"
I got a bad feeling about this, from her
"You guys need to practice your acting script for Romeo and Juliet…kukuku…."
Shit!!! 🥶 I forgot about that
"Hey honey!! 😨 don't tell me…"
"Yep, rehearsal….kukuku"
"Honey you not serious right!?"
"kukuku…😈"
" But that part is…."
"yep…."
"Bitch I'm not doing it!!!" -Alex
"Our Romeo and my Juliet….🥰" oh shit…
"..."🥲 - Amin
We were drag by Mariam to the theatre, and the English teacher and the arts teacher is waiting for us.
"Yes, our main star of the show…!!"
"Huh!?" 😳
Everyone applaud
"Here is your script and practice method…we doing the rehearsal now"
"I'm not doing it…."😑
"Honey…😅"
"….🥰…."
She is smiling, that bitch, when I get my hands….on her.🤬
We practice the act, while Mariam really enjoying the moment.
"Alex and Amin had talents in acting it seems…"
"I think is going to work…" Mariam is holding her laughter 🥴 that bitch…🤬
We practice again until everything is in order until the end.
"Wait!!" What now Mariam!!?😩
"There is another scene is missing!!" Oh no…
"I think is not proper with our 1st festival but we will think about it…"
"Aww…😚" safe😅 that will ruined me and Amin.
After the rehearsal she ask us both to stay back and discussing about the school anthem
I remember a song from my mother one of her songs.
"Hey do you remember from the Lookout girls?"
"Yeah!! Its the only beginning"
"You sing and we play the music instrument let us try it"
Then we played Mariam sing the song, the student and the teachers listen to it.
"Not bad but its still missing something let us try another song"
We played 'all's right with the world'
"We still feel is missing"
Mariam then ask us to play the survivor - the moment of truth
"You sing this time..here is the lyrics"
"Me?!"
"You got the voice…Amin don't have it"
"Ugh…."
We started to sing it, everyone of them look at me
I started to sing but I tweak it a bit
When we're alone we ask ourself
What are we searching for
Deep in the night a dream is born
One that we can't ignore
If you think we can't find the passion
And we're ready to take a chance
If we really believe we can make it
Then the power is in our own hands
It's the moment of truth
we're giving it all
Standing together, willing to fall
If we can do it
Get up and prove it
Get up and show them who we are
It's the moment of truth
It's all on the line
This is the place
This is the time
Waited forever, it's now or it's never
Nothing can stop us now*
Once in your life, you make a choice
Ready to risk it all
Deep in our soul we hear a voice
Answering to the call
Though you know that it won't be easy
It's a promise we make for love
For the people that keep believing
And the one that we're thinking of
It's the moment of truth
we're giving it all
Standing alone, willing to fall
If we can do it
Get up and prove it
Get up and show them who we are
It's the moment of truth
It's all on the line
This is the place
This is the time
This song is credits to "survivor - the moment of truth' based on the 'karate kid'
Everyone is excited, maybe this is it, because it resonate our school as well.
"This could work!! Let do it again!!"
"Huh?!"
"Come on Alex let do it again!!!"
We played the song again, and someone broadcast the music and suddenly the theatre is started to have a crowd, the place where this was once the place they were treated like shit by the Elites. Now I could only see happy faces. Cheering for us. Mariam and Amin is enjoying this. We could the everyone is shouted and cheering
"Its the moment of truth!!"
"This could be our school anthem!!"
We sing it all over again and again. Till finally Mr Rahman announce that this will be our school anthem. Everyone is excited that we finally have our own anthem. It's a bit long but at least it symbolise our spirit as SIGMA. Everyone shouted again
"Encore!! Encore!!! Encore!!"
Now some of the student stand there, and started singing together at the stage. Everyone in school sing that school. It really noisy in the theatre. The spirit that was once oppressed by the Elite suddenly come to light. Someone took a picture of us. Together, Hana is there as well. Its not like those crazy gig that most people did in any concert but it's like something burning in them that they wanted to show. Everyone shouted to us
"You did it!!! This is our time!!!"
"This is the power of music!!"
"yeah…"
"Dude we did it!!! Finally this is really awesome,"
We hug together, this is being with best friend is all about. We manage to handle this without Melissa.
"I hope Melissa like it…"
"She will loved it because is a fresh music, and motivational" - William
"Hey!!"
"Will!! Can we see her?" 🤩
"Yeah I'm going there, she is waiting for me"
"How about it Alex?"
Suddenly someone hugged me its Sylvia!!🥶
"You look cool there, I'm your no 1 fan!!!" She kiss my cheeks and Hana pull me away
"Stay away from Big brother!!!grrrr!!!"
Someone record the music and broadcast in the speaker. Mariam started to cry
"This is our legacy you know…"🥺
"Yeah honey!!"
"Yep!! Big sis Mariam!!"
Starting from today the three of us had becomes the legendary trio of this school, the pillar of this school. Natalie, I hope you doing fine there. It's already been a month here. We change this school from them.
Sylvia is still aggressively hugging me, while Hana tried to break it. Mariam is still crying over this. Amin is consoling her. I just smile to see this. This feeling of achievement. We head to the hospital to see Melissa and Mariam is like a little kid explaining to a big sister.
"We did it!!! We got our school anthem!!!"
"Yeah…quiet will ya…"🤫
Mariam report to Melissa about what have happen today, Melissa smile and declared to everyone
"Seems like I'm right on the money, Mariam will be my successor for the president of the Student Council…you going to be leader among the student…"
"Eh…😨…"
"Good for you!!!" I tap her shoulder😁 finally revenge that is sweet. Even though I know that Melissa told me about it.
"Yo Honey proud of you!!"
"Then Alex and Amin will be my members…😏"
"Ah no…if all this done, I'm only activity will be relaxing from all of it..😒"
Amin lock my head "yep he will be!!! We're the three musketeer!! Aren't we!!"
"Is this the president of HELP club…Mr Jack-of-all-trades…."😏
"Huh!?"
"Alex you know that you form a club of your own aren't ya…"
"Eh….Melissa don't!!!"
"Isn't just we called it the volunteers club?" - Mariam
"What is it I heard from Mr Rahman…Heal, Experience, Love, and People Club right?"
"That is cool!!! Never knew you had it in you…"
"ugh…"
Melissa daughter Chloe came out from the baby room, a nurse give it to her.
"She is CUTE!!!!" Mariam
"Chloe!!" Hana
"Alex…when is our turn?" 🥶 oh please don't you not suppose to think like that
"Hey Mel!? We going to have a theatre show!!"
"Oi don't!!!"
"Alex and Amin is main star of the show"
"oho…who they going to become?"
"Alex is Romeo and Amin is Juliet!!" Mariam!!!!😱
"Honey!!!" 😱
She laugh out loud,
"Hahahahahaha…. I know Alex and Amin is a nutcase but this is over the top!!! Hahahahaaha…😂🤣 can't wait to see this!!"
"Ugh…" Amin and me 😓
The baby is crying
"She is hungry…"
All the girls😒 "boys…"
"Ah…"😮
"You want to see my boobs…" Sylvia show her boobs in front of me😨
"Ah…no thanks Amin" I pull Amin out of the room. Me and Amin said to me about the show
"this is crazy….how the hell we going pull this out.."
"yeah….lets find a replacement what do you think?"
"You know what will happen to us if Mar finds out…"
"uh..I just run away"
"You run away what about me? I will die man, she will definitely forced us to do it"
When we hang around outside, I saw someone that is familiar, its Uncle Usman!! I went to see him.
When I approach to meet him.
"Assalamualaikum"
"Walaikumusalam…"
"Hey I know you…Alex right?"
"Yeah!! I am…"
"I haven't meet you in years…"
He is the only one that listen to me, I instantly hugged him.
"Hey…what is going on?"
"Just visiting friends in the hospital"
Amin approached me and introduce him.
"Is he your friend?"
"Yeah, Amin his name…"
He just smile and said to me
"How about your father?"
"….."
"huh…never mind…better meet your cousin you know. They wondering where is you…"
"yeah…"
"Aunt Salina is in the ward right now…"
"What wrong?"
"Ah nothing just a normal check up…"
"Is Mr Rahman is doing well in school?"
"Yeah he is, the principal of SIGMA"
"Yeah that stunts you pull…but kinda feel satisfied with it…"
"Oh…." I started to look serious at him.
"I though I wanted to install the wifi system in your house"
"Yeah dad told me about it"
"We'll see in the weekends…"
"What is WIFI?"
"Is like using internet without wired connection" - Uncle Usman
"Whoa that is new…"
"I'm pretty sure Mariam has it…"
"Yeah Junaidi wanted to install it for her daughter…"
"You want to see Aunt Salina… but where is Hana?"
"She is inside…"
"Well after this look at ward 5B, in the women department"
what is going on? I understand the look in Uncle Usman face a sad face in him.
Amin ask me
"Is that your uncle?"
"Yeah, Professor Doctor Usman he is a former Elite student in Borneo College one of the best, and brightest mind in Malaysia, he study in Tokyo University"
"Yo..talk about amazing…at least you have a reputation here…never knew about that"
"Yeah, just keep it between us…"
"Alright, not even Mar?"
"yep…"
"He is also the one that told me about the finding ways in combining the two tradition together…"
"Yeah like we did to our school right now…"
"Yep…"
Hana is calling us
"Hey guys, I think we going to leave now, see you guys"
"Bye!!see you Chloe!!" Hana kiss her
"Hana we going to meet our uncle okay?"
"Oh who will that be?"
"Uncle Usman..and Aunt Salina"
"Oh okay…"
When we there in ward 5B, mom and dad is there as well.
"Hey kids!!"
"Hey mom, hey dad"
"mmm." Dad
"Alex salam your dad…"
"Fine…"
"Man…he is your son…"
I kiss his hand and he let it go.
"How about her health?"
"She is fine…"
"Alex…my how much you grow, you just a little kid the last time I meet, and you Hana you getting even more beautiful like your mom here…"
"Aunt Salina…." She could not remember because she was just only 1 year old at that time.
With Uncle Usman is here, dad is restraining himself. Because Uncle Usman is like the patriarch of the family. While mom dad, and Hana is chatting with Aunt Salina. Uncle Usman brought me out of the room. He wanted to ask a serious question.
"Did you beat your dad?"
"…yeah…."
"Because he beat your mom is it…?"
"Yeah…I'm angry…at that time"
"huh…at least you didn't pull stunts like join a gang again..that is what I'm concern about."
"Well I did beat your dad, because that is not being a man is all about…plus marrying another women behind Mas back is something that I was angry about it. He haven't introduce to me yet but I know he is also scared of me…"
"...."
"But forget about it, it's already happen. I'm just curious, with sudden change in Mr Rahman who is my good friend and my junior, he suddenly spouting nonsense to me, but with that change in the school. Its seem to be in a good way. But this talking nonsense, I heard you have been engage?"
"Uh…." That is embarrassing to say it but I'm going to say it
"Yeah.. Natalie is her name…"
"You going to be the first to wed someone who is not in this country…hahahaha"
"Uh….why you ask that? Does dad knows about it?"
"Yep, he actually had some future planning to wed you with someone of influence but I warn him about it"
Geee, never knew dad had that kind of plan.🙄
"You going to be the man of the family…and I know Mr Hawk"
"Huh…wow Uncle sure knows a lot of people…"
"We does research together in Japan before…in the late 70's"
"Huh?"
"Does that surprised you…but never expected her own daughter that you trying to marry her"
"But I don't know that…"
"😳 …..really!!….hahahahahaaha😂"
"What so funny!?"
"No wonder your mom said you're an idiot"
"Huh?!"
"Very well, I just wanted to know what do you really want now for yourself"
"I don't know maybe traveling around the world seeing people around like mom…"
"Hmmm interesting, never knew you had that kind of interest…"
I explain about my adventures in the jungle and he suddenly become excited
"You have the journal of Professor Yukimaru!!?"
"Yeah, but I had a hard time reading it…"
"Maybe come to my house and bring it okay then you could meet your cousin…"
"Yeah that is good idea…"
"Good this week…"
"Sure, got it"
"You know your mom told me you are a girls magnet but you're an idiot when it comes to females…better watch out or you not going to survive that long"
He really understand me!! 🥲 that is why I know that I had someone to listen to. We chat a little longer, I had this feeling like a father and son talking to each other. He also ask about my gangster life, even though I reluctant, but he really understand the situation at that time.
"Well then, at least you enjoying life at school…"
"Maybe one of these day, I would like to meet her"
"Yeah, I do hope so…"
We return back to the ward and dad had already left. Saying that he is busy with work. Uncle Usman said to me to head back home as well. We return home and I check my emails and another message and its from Damien and Matt. They only trying to check on me, I reply their message. I wanted to log out then another message from Natalie but its only an attachment
For you…
Another picture but this time, a beautiful face and she smile wearing glasses. That picture will be my favourite one. She is really wanted me to be back to America. I got goosebump because of this, this feeling by just this picture strike at my heart. I suddenly had tears from my cheeks, my insecurity because I could not hold her, listen to her own voice. I sat there and I realise that this is her pain of being distance to me. It really felt my heart, I could not stop it.
I really miss her because I'm also madly in love with her.
Not just her beauty but her own heart that could even accept me, before and after. The pain in my chest. I could see in her eyes that wanted to share her feelings to me.
Just stop it Alex. I sat at that looking at that picture, the most beautiful girl that I have let go. The feeling of intense regret is within my heart. Its too strong, my emotions is controlling me, luckily no one is here. Mom and Hana asleep. Just in this quiet house that is filled with rooms.
"Son…. of….. a….. bitch... Alex..., just…..stop….it…..just….stop….crying….."
It did not stop my tears flowing down to my cheeks. This is the first time since I was 11 years old felt this way. I cocoon myself trying to suppress this feeling deep within me. Anger, insecure, depressed, and loneliness with within me. I suddenly felt weak, too weak to even punch someone. Just by looking at her. My vision is getting darker and I felt asleep. Only to see Natalie is in-front of me, smiling.