A rose by any other name ...

Warning! Sappy/pathetic love story ahead.






The first time Rose and I met, we had this serious case of mistaken identity. You see, I took my 1 year matriculation at Kolej Islam Johor somewhere in Larkin near Johore Bharu. I was this quiet and reserved, slightly chubby 18 year old, fresh out of school and had no previous experience whatsoever with girls. While studying there I noticed these two girls who kept staring and smiling at me whenever we met. I didn't give them much thought then since people do stare at me occasionally because of my bald head (and dashing good look maybe :)). And then one day those two girls finally approached me and said one of them was like interested in me. I was quite taken aback you know for their directness. Coming to JB was a huge culture shock for me in the first place but having a girl interested with me was like totally bizarre! I always thought it was the other way round but apparently city girls are like more open??

Anyway the two girls was Aida and Rose. It was Aida who liked me all along. So somehow she got my hostel's room number and started calling me and stuff. I was excited of course since I never had anybody interested in me before. So we went along together fine, even went out together with Rose to JB city once. The funny thing was, all those time I thought Rose was Aida and Aida was Rose. They never did introduce themselves properly the first time we met so I just assumed that skinny girl must be Aida and the slightly bigger one was Rose. It went on for some time until someone pointed out the truth and I was like completely freaked out when I found out the truth. And all those time we went out together all 3 of us, I kept walking next to Rose thinking she was Aida also at the library where we usually met I kept sitting next to Rose again thinking she was Aida.

Rose and her good friend Meow

To cut the story short, we kinda broke up after that. It's pretty awkward for everybody involved to continue our relationship. But Rose and I remain close friends after that. We kept in touch even after I left JB. So I moved on with my life, got into UPM met another girl, got my heart broken real bad and didn't hear much from Rose until some time in my second year. One evening in my second year at UPM, Rose gave me a call asking me "Hey Afif, would you like to be my boyfriend?". I thought she was just kidding with me so I said, "sure, why don't you fill up an application form and send it over to me then I'll think about it". A few days later I actually got her application letter by mail. Although the content of her application letter was really amusing, she was actually really serious about this. Although she's not exactly a drop dead gorgeous type of girl, I thought Rose was a really nice girl to begin with. She's funny and friendly and caring and I had a really good time just talking to her. We were doing just fine just being friends so when she wanted to be more than that, I was afraid we'd destroy this beautiful friendship we already had. Plus I was still recovering from the big heartache because of that other girl, my heart wasn't ready for anyone just yet. So I said sorry Rose, let's just be friends and sent her those lyrics from the song Dan by Sheila On 7. She was rather disappointed with me of course (and cried reading that song's lyric) although she'd never say it out loud. But like I said, I was not ready for any relationship just yet.

dan

Fast forward a few months later, Rose and I were still friends and we kept exchanging snail mail to each other (yes I love writing letters :). And so season changes and time heals and eventually I started to develop feelings for Rose. I thought my heart could never open for anyone again but it just did (this is where u make that vomiting noise). This time it was my turn to go chasing after Rose instead. She gladly accepted me with open arms of course and soon we became a couple. I was studying in UPM at that time and Rose meanwhile was doing her diploma in the same college we met. So we had to maintain this long distance relationship which prove to be a huge burden for me emotionally (and financially too!). But we managed alright. I even took the trouble to visit her once by train just so we could go on a date together and she returned the favour by coming to KL (with her family though!). That's when I met her family and folks for the first time. She's got like 6 brothers and she's the only girl in the family so they're like quite protective of her. (In another word her brothers were garang giler!).They'd probably think what's this punk doing with our precious?? Her parent we're quite nice though when we met at that fun fair in front of Mines. Then again we only met for like 10 minutes where we shake hands and chatted a little and then I left. (I came with my black leather jackets, ripped pants and all).

Dating in JB (Holiday Plaza to be exact)

Everything was going fine, or at least that's what I thought. But things wasn't all that rosy on the later in our relationship. Turned out, somewhere after me rejecting her application form, she was applied for by another guy, a friend of mine during my matriculation year too. So this guy was like calling her from time to time and was about to take that guy if I haven't make my move like a few days earlier (u still with me here?). I don't know what she sees in that other guy but that butt-ugly alien (forgive me for being a little bias) somehow charmed his way onto Rose. So suddenly she's like having this dilemma of choosing between the two of us. Huh? Whatever happened to you jump - I jump Rose?

Considering the gravity of the situation, I decided to go down there to JB immediately to see Rose and settle this once and for all. It was the end of the semester and most students had already gone back to their hometown and all. Being a student I was understandably without much money in hand at that time of the year. So borrowed a hundred bucks form my good friend Azif and rode my beat up, 15 years old RX-Z all the way down to JB. I just got my motorcycle license that year and I've never travelled further than Selangor before but I did it anyway by the name of love (cue: vomit sound again). So in JB, I crashed at a few of my friends place since I don't have any relatives living there and there's no way I can afford a hotel. First day I got there, Rose decided she was not ready to meet me yet so she told me to wait until the weekend (it was Thursday). So okay I thought, I waited a little longer but the problem was, my friend's place where I was staying at that moment was about to have a kenduri so I can't stay there for long. Lucky for me I had a few more friends in JB where I can stay at their place. So on Friday I managed to stay at another friend's house in Larkin but on Saturday I actually had to crash at another friend's hostel room since I ran out of place to stay.

We finally met on Sunday afternoon where we talked and talked and when we finally finished talking she came to the conclusion that she couldn't make up her mind of choosing between the two of us and had to let both of us go.

To say I was devastated would be an understatement. I went through so much trouble for this? I'd totally understand if she'd chosen the other guy but letting go of both?

Did I say I was sad? Anyway we parted our ways and I slept at the hostel for one final night. The next day we meet up again to say our last goodbye. I still remember vividly that fateful morning at that bus stop in Larkin where she made some of her special cucur kentang for me before I left and we talked for the last time. She also let me hold her hand you know cause we never get to the part where we hold hands while dating and stuff. It's the first time I've ever touched any girl's hand and hers was like sooooo soft and gentle! Anyway, It was slightly drizzling when I started my bike that morning and left and it poured somewhere in Tangkak and I had a flat tire just after Mallaca. I had to load up my bike on a pick up truck for the rest of my journey to Seremban. Talk about bad day huh?

(Okay you can wipe those tears now)

"You're like the most romantic and devoted lover ever!" that's what my friend said after they heard of my story. I just thought I was this totally gullible/stupid and naive young man. We moved on with our lives after that. Of course Rose and I are still friends till this very day and we still keep in touch occasionally. She finally made up her mind on one Zahrin Azlin cause they're getting engaged this Sunday. Congrats to you guys. Sorry I won't make it to JB but I'll definitely come to your wedding in Cheras next year (Insyallah). You're still the only girl I can call my ex-girlfriend and thanks for all the wonderful (and the not so wonderful) experiences. I do hope you won't change your mind on this Zahrin guy though. You're not getting any younger and you know Adam won't have a brother/sister before you do first (ha ha!).

The end.


Okay time for the most depressing song ever..

percayalah

I'm just glad I met Linda in the end :)