Gantung Chapter 11

"Gibran!" Fara's voice tried exceeding the whooshing of winds and other vehicles.

"What?!"

"I… want… can… any…"

"Huh? What?!"

"I want to pee! Can we stop at any R&R after this?!"

"Owh! Roger that!"

You didn't want to stop earlier, and only at night did you get a call from nature, Gibbs grumbled. Gibbs saw a signboard stating Next R&R - 25km. That's quite far. As long as you don't leak on my bike, then that's fine.

Just 5km before reaching the R&R, Gibbs saw another signboard… Sorry - the R&R is being upgraded. Any difficulties in your part would receive our utmost regret. The next R&R - 33km.

"Fara! Can you still hold on?"

"Hah?!"

Gibbs parked his bike to the side. Vehicles drove to and fro. There were only gra.s.ses on the roadside and if you go deeper, trees.

"Why did you stop?" asked Fara, a little panic in her voice.

"I asked earlier but you didn't hear it. Ext R&R is in another 33km. Can you hold it?"

"33km?!"

Guess not.

"You could…" Gibbs started suggesting.

"I could what?"

Just do it here."

"Hah?! You insane?! There's no way I'd do that!"

"It's night anyway, people won't see. Just go deeper into the bushes over there. Here, I have a mineral water in my bag if you want. So?"

Fara's face showed her hesitation. But looking at how she was 'dancing', it really looked like she wouldn't last longer.

She took the bottle from Gibbs' hand. "Don't you dare peek!"

"No worries. I'll just sit here. If anything happens, scream hard, okay?" Gibbs advised.

Fara nodded. Just as she was going, Gibbs sounded again, "Eh, wait a bit!"

"What is it?"

"Err… don't forget to say this - Greetings, ancestors. This young one would like to pee," Gibss advised again.

Fara's steps stopped. "Are you serious?"

"Do you want something else following us?"

Fara looked like she was about to argue with Gibbs again, but because she can't hold it in anymore, she just shook her head and went off.

Not long after that, (it's actually quite long, to the point Gibbs though whether the la.s.s was taking a pee or bathing.) Fara returned.

"Did you say what I told you to?" Gibbs asked in all seriousness.

Fara looked at him with an annoyed look. They continued their journey.

Before turning the corner towards Fara's aunt's place, Gibbs pleaded to her to stop at a food stall. There's no way she'd reject right… as even when she wanted to p.i.s.s in a bush, Gibbs just followed along.

"You seriously believe in all that?" Fara asked while Gibbs was gorging himself.

"All what?"

"The ancestor greetings and all that."

Gibbs smile. "I grew up in a village. It's become normal. When you do those long enough, it becomes common sense," he explained.

"You? Growing up in a village?"

This time, in his heart, Gibbs laughed a rambunctious laugh. This was the tactic he always used, wanting to give out the aura of mysteriousness from himself. It's true he grew up in a village - 6 months. That's long enough, right? Long enough to be used to flirt.

"Why? You don't believe it?" Gibbs asked back.

"You don't look the part at all," Fara commented.

Gibbs just smiled. "Sometimes, we're just too quick in judging people," Gibbs mocked. Not wanting the atmosphere to become any more awkward, he continued chatting, "You? You don't believe them?"

"I do. But my belief isn't the same as yours. No ancestor this ancestor that."

"What's your belief then?"

"I believe in what I can see."

"Yeah, but we can't see these things. So you don't really believe them then?"

"The problem is, I can see them."

Gibbs observed Fara in curiosity. "You're telling me you see dead people?"

Fara looked straight into Gibbs’ eyes. He felt something inside him tremble, and it definitely wasn't because of his handphone.

"Yeah, I do."

Gibbs chuckled. "Nice try."

Fara smiled. "Sometimes, we're just too quick in judging people."

"Okay, let's say I believe you," Gibbs played along. "Right now… is there any? Among us?

Fara looked around. Her eyes then focused on the man that sends water in the stall. She looked at him long. For some reason, Gibbs got the chills all over him.

"Behind that man… there's a little kid. A girl. Around 4. Maybe his late daughter," said Fara.

Gibbs looked. It was clear that there was nothing behind that man.

"So… what's the story?" Gibbs continued playing along, pretending he wasn't scared.

Fara was silent, not answering. Then, she smiled… smiled towards the man's back. She nodded a bit as if beckoning to the one who saw her smile. Then, she bent down a bit, as if hearing something being whispered to her. Her smile then turned into one of sympathy.

"She drowned in a river. Her dad was engrossed in grilling fishes. He thought that her brother was looking after her, but the guy was playing with his friends," Fara narrated.

What convincing act. Maybe she's like me with a talent in acting but never auditioned for Ray's shows, Gibbs thought.

"So, she's haunting her dad? Did she blame him?"

Fara denied. "Her dad still feels horrible about the accident. She's trying to tell him that she's fine. That he wasn't at fault."

Gibbs smiled. "Kids are more forgiving and accepting, right?"

Fara was silent.

Ha, did it hit somewhere that hurts?

"Go and tell the man, then. Maybe the kid's soul would finally rest in peace. Finish her unfinished business so she can move on," Gibbs suggested.

Fara shook her head with a bitter smile. "Sometimes, even if something is true, not everyone would want to hear it."

She really thinks she has a sixth sense. It's fine, as long as she has good looks… I'll still like her! Ye, the world is looks-listic… deal with it!

"It looks like this is where your roommate gets her att.i.tude," Gibbs said.

"Deepa? What att.i.tude?"

Oh s.h.i.t! How could I have let that out? But Gibbs felt that now was the right time to tell her. It looked like he had broken the ice with Fara…

So Gibbs told her of the incident with Deepa at Bintang Coffee Shop. Fara listened with full concentration.

"Yeah, well… she does that," Fara said after finishing his story. "Like… spells and stuff. I once asked her whether that has anything to do with her religion, or perhaps customs. She said no. It's just the norm in her family. Like you said, when you do those long enough, it becomes common sense, right?" explained Fara.

Gibbs nodded.

"She really likes you, you know?" said Fara.

"Hmmmph, yeah right. If she really does, why would she blackmail me like that?"

"You're… just too naughty," replied Fara.

Naughty. Naughty is good. Naughty is not bad, right? Naughty is… cute. Right?

"We only live our school days once. We need to be naughty sometimes, only then would we have stories to tell our children in the future," Gibbs made an excuse.

Suddenly, Fara smiled. Gibbs looked at her weirdly. "I'm sorry. It's just… the image of you settling down, have kids and all. Somehow… it's hilarious."

"Ouch," Gibbs pretended to be hurt but with a smile. "Hey, I'm a family man you know?"

"Yeah, right!"

"What makes you think I'm not one?"

Fara went silent, thinking for a moment. The moment she looked at Gibbs' bike, he caught it.

"Because I ride a big bike? That can't be it. I would change that bike with an SUV just to fit my wife and half a dozen kids.”

"Half a dozen?!"

"Of course! It's fine, right? Not too little, not too many," Gibbs replied.

"Not many you say? That's six! You think your wife is a factory?" Fara asked with her hands on her hips.

From what I can tell, you look quite fertile… it's fine, Gibbs whispered in his heart.

"Not a factory. But…" Gibbs left his sentence hanging purposely.

"But what?"

"Don't wanna say it. G.o.d knows what you'd start thinking in that head of yours."

"Just say it already!"

Gibbs released a sigh like he was going to tell a huge secret. "I feel that… when my wife is pregnant, she would look very s.e.xy. Because I always felt that the most beautiful moment for a woman is when she's pregnant. That's why I feel like I'll get lots of kids… since after she's given birth, I'd want to see her pregnant again."

Fara clammed up.

"You must think I'm sick, right?"

"No! I actually think it's… sweet," replied Fara.

Nothing was in Gibbs' mind, as this was not a tactic. It really came from the bottom of his heart. Even he didn't know why he was willing to share his secret with Fara.

Gibbs shook his head.

"What's wrong?"

"Now you know something about me… that even my best friends don't." Gibbs answered.

"And that's bad because…?"

Gibbs shrugged. "It's not cool la."

"Is it really important being cool?"

Gibbs smiled. "Didn't I tell you? We can only live our school days once. If you're not cool then, when can you be so? Once you're in university, you can't play around anymore, have to be a nerd. Once you're married, you'll responsibilities."

"You sure think far," Fara commented.

"You really think I'm narrow-minded all this while, huh?"

"No! You really like putting words in my mouth, eh?"

At least it's 'words'… if it's something else? Gibbs naughty mind had the time to whisper.

"Alright then. If so, why don't you be honest with me? What's your real opinion on me?" Gibbs asked, looking straight into Fara's eyes. This is a tactic. But… staring straight into her eyes without even blinking… that's something out of his control. Her eyes are seriously beautiful.

"We should get going," said Fara while standing up.

"No, no… you're not getting off that easy," Gibbs replied… and inadvertently pulling her hand. Electric charges sparked.

"Fara pulled her hand back. Probably on reflex.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" Gibbs said.

"No, it's fine. I…"

Both became quiet. Gibbs broke the silence, "I'll go pay first." Then he added, "Should I pay it to the man… or his daughter?"

Fara smiled, holding in a laugh. "Insult me all you want. Next time, it won't be me, but his daughter that's riding behind you… only then you'll know!"

Gibbs laughed, but a slight chill encroached his spine.