She did

Okay she said but I said no like what happened to you you are such a whore wearing such revealing clothes and she replied yeah thanks Arfeen you are so sick and pretentious why do you even care of praying five times a day then come back to me to make love and I said that's normal for a couple and we fought and we broke up damn why I was 23

I laughed and laughed and laughed until I discovered that it happened many years ago I got an invitation to Meliha’s wedding but why did she bother to send me a card like she thought of me then I said if she did she still loved me didn’t she

She did

I am sure

Oh I came to her wedding oh my she’s such an angel she was wearing hijab oh that’s my first time seeing her in hijab and that sweet flower crown on her head oh my then I saw her husband he’s ridiculously handsome no no don’t call me gay but I’m being honest they are a perfect couple and I realised I’m such an ugly sinister who wanted a freaking beautiful girlfriend oh wait look Meliha and her husband were coming to me and then greeted me hi Arfeen long time no see you and I replied yeah yeah congrats on your wedding and I shook my hand with her husband’s and I could feel the warm of his hand told me something like go away she’s mine now like he knew I made love with his wife I bet Meliha didn’t let him know but that’s better

It’s already Ramadan and I’m fasting of course I am why shouldn’t I but

I’m 27 and I heard Meliha just got labored to a baby boy whose name is Areef oh not heard I stalked her instagram account oh suddenly it struck me that her baby’s name is almost my name Areef and Arfeen oh she remembered of me didn’t she

She did

I guess

Then that night after tarawih prayer I went out with my girlfriend whom I was gonna marry on the second hari raya because she’s almost 40 well it’s a trend now for males to have much older partners right

Right

My girlfriend Siti is much older but she’s hot like she’s not pretty at all but she’s a hot body like wow whatever they call it in Muricah butter face is it oh I left Muricah for four years now yeah I was a student in Yale University freaking genius I am can’t believe how I ended up breaking up with Meliha and she chose to marry a clerk instead even though he’s too handsome but my friends said don’t be too sad Arfeen you must know that you’re not suitable with her she’s so beautiful and you’re damn ugly you’ve big ears and your skin’s like you’ve been burnt in hell hundred times but you have a better job than Meliha’s husband just relax and I was like what the hell but you guys are right

Right

I never made love with my girlfriend Siti because I repented I wanted to follow God’s rules and it’s Ramadan even respect for the holy month and no I have never drink alcohol why do you even want to ask me that I never okay

Not really probably I was thinking of Meliha oh she smelt so good oh God why you separated me and her why God why

Walking in bazaar Ramadan that evening oh man I bumped into Meliha’s husband oh he’s realised me shoot me I can’t even remember her husband’s name oh man he came to me Arfeen how are you and I could see his yellow teeth like he never brushed his teeth oh Meliha kisses a man’s lips who has yellow teeth oh no that is absolutely crap oh the teeth are bad too like you’re handsome but you should wear braces man but I didn’t say that out loud of course

Ya I’m fine just buying food for iftar later I replied and you alone I asked

He said yeah I just came back from work and Meliha’s at home not really well I bought chicken soup for her oh I said hopefully Allah will give back her health inshaAllah and he said thanks and he said again happy fasting see you soon and I said you too and we went our own way

23^rd day of Ramadan oh wow how did that happen it’s so fast Siti was so busy asking me to go fitting for our wedding dresses that’s like in 9 days I said I am tired darling can we go tomorrow she said no Arfeen please please I can’t wait to see our beautiful outfits for the big day and then I said ok darling I’ll wait you at the lobby we break our fast in McDonalds she said yes Arfeen yes yes I love you

Oh yeah I met Siti in my workplace she’s my manager but she’s single when I first knew her but whatever I am not single at least and she drives the 200k Mercedes so why not I’m an accountant but I’m still young still cannot afford a Mercedes but I studied in Yale I should be paid more but 6k every month for now is ok

Right

While waiting Siti fitting her wedding gown I checked my instagram and saw Meliha uploaded her baby’s picture who’s only 20 days old wow Areef could already play with her damn that’s cute really

Hey Arfeen how do I look in this dress oh you know I have been eyeing on this dress so long oh my I honestly think she looked so horrible because she’s ugly and her dress was so beautiful but I said ya baby you look fantastic in that then I gave her a kiss then she said thanks Arfeen now your turn to try yours

So that night after tarawih I texted Siti I was going to sleep early and she said okay Arfeen thank you for today love you loads kiss kiss and I said love you too baby

Then I saw Meliha’s instagram again. She uploaded a video of her baby Areef than she said something like my mama’s sweetheart I love you Areef then she showed what she had for iftar it was McDonalds too like what I had McDonalds too I had like fillet-o-fish and she had the same too that’s our mutual favourite because McDonalds in Muricah are not halal so we could only eat fillet-o-fish oh she remembered of me didn’t she

She did

I knew

It's finally the day I solemnized with Siti wow she looked amazing and different with thick makeup but I still think she’s ugly

I know what you’re thinking like why do I still think she’s ugly like now she’s my wife which husband would call his wife ugly isn’t beauty subjective and if you’re in love but in my case no she’s ugly and no one can deny that but I can perfectly accept that because I’m ugly too and the question is am I in love with Siti

Like no I’m in love with her Mercedes oh God why am I so pretentious and fake but tell me which young guy would go for a forty year old lady who’s such an unpleasant face to look at but hold on she’s rich so never mind that’ll do

Meliha came to my wedding but without her husband but with our friend from Yale University her name is Izyan and I asked you’re well already and she said yes I’m fine it was a normal labour ah congrats Arfeen may Allah bless your marriage and handed me a huge box of present and I said thanks and I said thanks to Izyan too and they went to take food

Oh Meliha why are you here then after that she asked me if she could take a picture together I mean siti and I and Meliha and Liana then I said oh why not come then later that night I checked my instagram account and saw Meliha’s uploaded the picture she took with us and the caption says went to Arfeen’s wedding today I am so happy for him then I liked the picture and commented thanks Mel for coming and for the present later she replied oh no problem Arfeen you and your wife are so sweet

Siti went to work the next day oh she’s the manager what could she do working on hari raya who cared though it’s 5^th Syawal already no one celebrates hari raya that long but I didn’t go to work just because

I took satay leftover from yesterday’s open house which was kinda post-wedding ceremony that Siti held for close families then I got a message from Siti hello hubby I am going to be late home I’m sorry see you soon kiss kiss and then I replied it’s ok baby I’ll see you soon eating satay now kiss kiss oh God why did I add kiss kiss at the end of the message I never wrote such to her

Whatever

Oh then I remembered we still haven’t had time to open any presents the guests gave to us on our wedding day and suddenly I got the urge to open the gift Meliha gave to me I ran to the piles of presents in the room near the kitchen my eyes were looking for her present oh it’s there

I took it quickly and opened it by tearing the wrapping paper she had wrapped very nicely just like the way she used to wrap gifts when we were together oh how stupid I was I never appreciated what she gave to me like I never actually kept any gift she gave not one and now oh look it’s a bed sheet and a card inside hmm knowing Meliha I doubt if this was her choice because it’s something really practical not like when she was my girlfriend she would give things I wouldn’t even want to use or don’t know to use for example a snow globe decoration or bandana or fancy socks like really which guy would want things like that but this time a bed sheet wow amazing but why a bed sheet isn’t that quite symbolic ah no she’s just being practical

And the card says hey Arfeen it’s amazing to know you’ve finally found your another half I’m wishing the best for you and your wife take care Mel and wait there’s a kiss also wow I must hide this from Siti

But it made me smile that she remembered of me didn't she

Yes

She did

Later that end of year Siti told me she’s pregnant and I was quite surprised to be honest because I thought she’d never get pregnant because I read a lot when women reach 40 plus it’s hard for them to get pregnant but why our marriage is not even a year

Long story cut short Siti gave birth to a baby girl I’m glad she didn’t inherit our traits she has beautiful round eyes and she’s not an ugly baby at all and most importantly she’s not dark like me glad Siti is fair even though she’s ugly but

Her name is Melisa but I call her Mel

One day when Siti and I went for a walk with Melisa in her baby stroller in Jusco Ampang I bumped into Meliha oh she’s wearing hijab still she’s with her one year old son and she was like Arfeen you have a baby now oh why didn’t you tell me oh she’s beautiful what’s her name and I was nervous and Siti couldn’t recall who’s Meliha so she made a perplexed face like who’s this mad lady and I said my old friend Meliha and Siti replied oh

I said Mel thanks and it made Siti shock that I called Meliha Mel the name we call our daughter then after Meliha walked away Siti asked me by any chance is there anything that you’re hiding from my back like I replied like what

Then Siti pulled the baby stroller that had Melisa in it and left me

Meliha if you didn’t leave me I would love you then

Only if you remembered of me I know you did

This would never happen but it did it sucked I don’t know what to do I wished you remembered me more often because I kinda still love you but it’s okay

At least I got that she remembered of me after all these things

I knew

She did