Loving The East Girl ✔

nine

nine

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"I love sleep. My life has tendency to fall apart when I'm awake, you know?" (Ernest Hemingway)

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I stared at him and lost my brain in the process. I just, why did I always bumped into Reed Powell? I didn't even know that I had so much luck in that department. Note the sarcasm. I just why it had to be him? All of students in Columbia?

I sighed big time and looked around hoping there was someone near me who could distract Powell. So, he didn't need to confront me or annoying me to death. Because...

Oh My God! I need to go to the mosque.

As I looked back at him, I answered his rhetorical question, "Sorry, I didn't see you there." It needed more than just my fault to actually apologize to him, I had to swallowed my dignity too. I couldn't help but, not to let my guard down around him. Especially, when I had to deal with Reed Powell or someone with Powell's vibe.

You know what I mean.

Okay. But, that was beside the point. Then, I saw Powell smirking at me like he was just hitting the jackpot or something. It made me scared even more when I saw him smiling like that. I unconsciously took steps backward. Maybe it was just my self-defense that automatically felt so insecure whenever he was around me.

"Of course, you didn't see me there. You are busying yourself to look at your smartphone rather than look at what's in front of you," he said with a matter-of-fact tone. Then, he was tsk-tsk-ing at me like he was mocking me.

I didn't like to repeat myself. But, I need to. This time. "As I said, I'm sorry," I said while gritted my teeth to the point that it might look like I was stuttering. But, I refused to explain more than I should to. He knew why and how I ended up like this. He was a jerk to make me repeat something that I knew for sure he heard me as clear as crystal.

"What are you saying? I didn't hear you. Can you repeat that again?" he then smiled smugly at me. As if he was waiting this moment the moment he was born.

What a jerk.

"I don't know that the great and oh- mighty Reed Powell is actually deaf," I atacked back. He fighted me, I fighted back. As simple as that. But, what he was doing next wasn't really that simple. He took several dangerous steps toward me and looked at me like he wanted to attacked me right there, right at that moment.

I took steps back but, my feet was already facing the wall. Oh great. I tried no to freak out when I saw a dangerous eyes shining through the light of Powell's eyes.

Take a deep breath, Nisa. Take a deep breath.

Without cutting any eye contacts with Powell, I tried to calm myself down. For all my life, I didn't felt like it was hard to breath just like I usually did in daily basis. But, that time in front of Powell, I felt like it was hard to even breathing when he was staring at me like he wanted to kill me.

Take a deep breath, Nisa. Take a deep breath.

"Who do you think you are talking to? Don't you know who I am? You are even daring to raise your voice at me. No wonder your so-called religion has been terrorizing my country from time to time."

Hearing those words was my undoing. I clenched my fist and snapped at him, "Leave my religion out of this. What I have faith in doesn't define who I am. Why do you hate me so much? I didn't get you." I refused to go down without a fight. It was worth fighting for.

"Are you hearing yourself? Doesn't define who you are. Really, east girl? You are who you are because you wear that scarf. I don't specifically hate you. I hate all people like you. So, do me a—," before he could finish the words, he was being cutted off by his friend.

"Powell!", his friend shouted. Both of me and Powell immediately looked at him. But, shocked was understatement when I saw Colvert walked approaching me and Powell. Colvert just stared at me blankly when he was watching me watching him.

I didn't know that he was indeed friend with Powell. No wonder he called me east girl the first time we met.

Suddenly one good idea appeared in my mind. Then, I acted as the idea came through me. As Powell loosen his intimidating posture towards me, I took this chance to step aside from him. When I looked up to watch if Powell realize what I was going to do, I saw Colvert smiling at me as if he knew what I was about to do. I just raised my index finger to my lips, gave him a signal to keep quiet. He was just nodding slowly not wanting Powell realize what I would do.

With that, I rushly ran away from Powell like there was no tomorrow for me. Powell then realized when it was too late for him to catch me.

From afar I heard him yelled, "Damn you, east girl. We are not done! Do you hear me?!"

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