Memory: 2

The sun was shining a bit too bright on that day but for Tasnim, it was such a bliss. The office was too cold for her liking. It was not the first time that she exited the place puffing while rubbing both of her hands and trying to revive her almost dying, purplish nails. Tasnim just needed to defrost; yes, the office felt like a chiller.

Most of the people in the building have already went out to lunch. Tasnim purposely picked 1pm to go out just so she didn’t have to fight for space in the elevator. Maybe it was just her luck or the elevator was being super efficient but it took less than a minute for an elevator to carry her downstairs.

Tasnim walked against the stream of people coming back to their offices. She avoided faces, promptly putting on her sunglasses just to avoid familiar faces. Well, it would not make any difference anyways. No one will smile at her.

On top of the sunglasses, she walked with her head bowed down. All Tasnim could think was keep on walking, as if in a trance. Before she knew it, she already stood at the counter while looking at several coffee-based drinks. Not the franchise coffee chain but a normal kopitiam.

Everything felt like a blur. Almost on auto-pilot, Tasnim ordered cham, a combination of tea and coffee. It was only when she sat down, with a number in a hand that she realised where she was.

As Tasnim stirred the drink that arrived about two minutes after she sat down, all the memories came flooding back. It has been a little bit over a year.

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‘ I am seriously sorry,’ Tasnim stared at the blotches of coffee on the guy’s shirt. All she can hear was her voice saying ‘Merde’ in her head over and over again.

The guy who was standing in front of her didn’t even attempt to cover his fury.

‘ Seriously?’ the guy looked at Tasnim, a little bit red-faced. ‘ Seriously?’ this time, it was one notch higher.

Tasnim was shocked although deep down she knew that this might happen. Well, what was she expecting. She knocked the whole iced coffee on his white officewear.

‘ I am sorry. Seriously. I didn’t see you,’ Tasnim tried to apologise while looking at the wasted iced coffee on the floor.

‘ Well, of course you can’t. With that sunglasses in this mall,’ the guy rolled his eyes while walking to the nearest table for tissues. ‘ Stupid,’ the guy said without looking back.

Tasnim stood rooted at the spot, feeling the blood drain from her face.

‘ Hey! I said sorry,’ Tasnim marched towards the guy.

The guy stopped dabbing tissue on his shirt and looked at Tasnim’s face. ‘ So, does it change anything? Did the coffee stain vanish?’

‘ I am well aware it didn’t but that was not an excuse to call me stupid,’ Tasnim took off her sunglasses.

‘ Great. Should you have taken off that..’ the guy stopped mid sentence while still staring at her face. ‘ That…that sunglasses, this would not happen,’ the guy continued his sarcastic remark although it did sound a bit lame to Tasnim’s ears.

Tasnim did not have time to process the oddity. Instead, she did a mental calculation and fished her purse.

‘ Fine. Follow me,’ Tasnim turned around. ‘ I’ll buy you another shirt,’ she answered to an unvoiced question.

‘ What? But..’ the guy stopped cleaning his shirt and trailed behind Tasnim.

‘ Seriously, I’m sorry. Come on,’ Tasnim did not look back but she knew he was there. There was a whift of coffee from behind.

Without bothering to look at the guy, Tasnim walked towards one of the department stores despite the fact that she had no idea what guys usually wear to the office. As soon as she arrived at the front door, Tasnim stopped suddenly. She turned around and looked at the guy’s face.

The guy whose name Tasnim is yet to learn, raised an eyebrow.

‘ I..urmm.. I have no idea what brand guy’s wear,’ Tasnim said while unconsciously making her voice smaller.

No reply. Tasnim waited in agony before the guy burst into laughter.

‘ What?’ she asked. This guy can really change his mood faster than a female on PMS.

‘ It’s ok. It’s after work anyways.’

‘ But your shirt..’ Tasnim tried to reason.

‘ Nah. It’s ok. This will come off,’ the guy smiled. And Tasnim’s heart did a leap. A dimple on the right cheek.

‘ I’m sorry that I lost my cool,’ the guy brushed off his hair. Or fringe.

‘ Well, it was my fault anyways.’

Awkward silence.

‘ By the way, I’m Adam,’ the guy introduced himself.

‘ Tasnim.’ Tasnim struggled to smile as she could feel a blush coming.

‘ Wow. Such a beautiful name,’ this time, Tasnim really had no choice but to blush. ‘ I should not have called you stupid. It was totally uncalled for. Can we go for a drink as you lost yours and I haven’t had mine?’ Adam plead, his voice low.

Maybe it was guilt or maybe it was just fate. They sat at the same kopitiam a bit over a year ago and exchanged phone numbers over two cups of cham.

Tasnim could feel tears welling in her eyes. Adam….