THE ASRAMA ANTHOLOGY

The bell rang, a happy sign for all the students of Maktab Rendah Sains Mara, Kuching. This is
especially so for me. I spring up from my seat, grab my empty backpack and tie my long hair. When
the teacher steps out of the class, I jiggle my hand and legs, warming up for the run. I was sitting next
to the window and my friend is blocking the way.

“Cepatlah. Aku nak balik ni” I said angrily.

“Where are you going Milah? Dari tadi aku tengok rushing?” ask the petite girl.

“Today I have a mission impossible. I want to rasmikan katil Siti” with that answer, I run out of the
classroom, almost bumping into the teacher.

“Amboi Milah, hostel tu tak lari pun” perli Ustaz Daud who had known Milah’s mischievous attitude
since she was Form one. Even after three years, the fifteen-year-old girl never change.

“Alaa sorry lah Ustaz, saya nak cepat ni” I smile apologetically to the teacher and continue running.
Ustaz Daud shakes his head either in despair or admiring a youth’s stamina, I will never know. The
distance from the classroom to the asrama is only a 10-minute run and with my stamina I could sprint
all the way.

The problem is Siti’s classroom is much closer to the hostel so I need to surpass her. I know
she will also run to the hostel to save her own bed. Who the hell care about lunch anymore? Even
though my stomach had been grumbling since Ustaz Daud ‘s class started and there is the possibility
of a stomach ache, this is more important. We were friends since elementary school but given our
personality we like to tease each other. Now that Siti have a new roommate she had been very close
to Fat Fatimah and I hate that. It feels like she stole Siti from me.

Just as I was passing Siti’s classroom I saw her pulling Fat Fatimah, to dash out of class. I’m a
bit relief because Fat Fatimah cannot run so fast. For God’s sake she’s obese. As her name had given
away, she weighs 152 kilograms and is the proud champion of Tarik Tali every year.

Do you know what is rasmikan katil? This is our inner language about who gets to be the first
to sit on the beautifully made bed. At the hostel, it is a rule that every morning all students have to
make the bed. It can be defined as making sure the bedsheet is well pressed and the ends of the sheets
are tucked around the corners of the mattress. You need to make sure the sheet is tucked tightly
around the corners of the mattress and you may need to lift the mattress slightly to achieve this. Also
students need to make sure the fitted sheet sits smoothly on top of the mattress, without any creases
or wrinkles. There’s a term "hospital corner" which refers to a specific method of folding the end of
the top sheet tightly under the mattress. It is the trickiest step in making a bed, but is also the part
which will make your bed look neatest. If your bed is not tight enough, the Student Council will punish
you ketuk ketampi. 1o times in front of everyone. Do you know how embarrassing that is for a popular
girl like me?

Even though no one remembers since it became a competition, the tradition goes on.
Yesterday my bed was the victim, again. When I saw it, I could feel my face reddened and my hand
clenched, all my hard work this morning was destroyed. Then I remembered Siti’s laughing face when
I was scolded by Ustaz Daud. It must have been her doing. I will make Siti pay for this. My breath was
short when I reached the asrama but it was worth it. Siti and Fat Fatimah is not here yet.

Luckily, two of my roommates was in our room, feigning sickness to escape class like the
rascals that they are.

“Hidayah! Aminah! Cepatlah tolong aku!” I screamed and bang the door to our room which
was just a few doors away from Siti’s room. Alone, I wouldn’t even stand a chance fighting Fat Fatimah.
When I saw Siti and Fat Fatimah closing in to their room, I run to them and smash my body on the
door. They were about to lock the door from inside but I manage to stop her in time. After a few
second, Hidayah and Aminah came and help me push the door from the outside. Can you imagine
what happened to the door? It’s a close call of between closing and opening, leaving only a small room
in the middle.

“Jahatlah…” Fat Fatimah shouts.

“Tolak! Tolak!” Hidayah heaved.

“Siti sebab kaulah aku kena denda yesterday!” I screamed.

“Kau tu apa kurangnya? Habis aku kena marah cikgu sebab bilik tak kemas,” Siti shouted back.

“Eh, that’s not my fault. Hari ni I will make you pay,” I yelled.

Both sides are screaming whatever swearing words we know. Imagine the shrieks of a group
of teenage girls upon seeing artist like ‘budak-baru-nak-up’ nowadays. That’s the level of noise we are
making. Of course some students are so used to our rambunctious pranks they didn’t even bat an eye.
It feels like hours we were pushing the door. Suddenly I could feel other people came and start pushing
the door too, joining the fun. Maybe because Hidayah keeps calling other students to help us. It almost
feels like the sports day. Bersatu teguh, bercerai roboh. Fat Fatimah was really something. There’s
only two of them inside but they manage to hold the door for so long. On our side there are at least
five of us pushing the door.
 Suddenly I heard someone shouting from the inside.

“Stop, stop”.

I look at my friends, they were shaking their heads and telling me not to believe that lie. It
must be Fat Fatimah whining.

Focusing on the voice, I recognized Siti’s voice and seeing how grave the sound was, I stop
pushing. The other girls follow suit after I scold them. Then, the door slam shut from inside because
Siti and Fat Fatimah was still pushing.

Silent.

I was nervous because of the sudden quietness. I ask.

“Apa hal?”

Then the door opens slowly. I saw Siti sitting on the floor, holding her ring finger. At first I saw nothing
unusual. The other girls came circling her like flies. I flock closer and peek a look.

“Her finger was stuck” Fat Fatimah report gravely.

“What? Where?” I ask accusingly.

“Why didn’t she say so?” someone else chime in.

Before anyone could answer me, suddenly there was blood everywhere on the floor. I gap at the red
color. Wondering who to blame and what to do and what to eat for lunch. Everything just
simultaneously came into my mind.

“Tissue, tissue please” the other girl grabs the towel and someone grab a gayung. They coed and
console Siti like a mother chicken. I just stood there, in numb. I feel guilty. Siti had a pale face but she
wasn’t crying, she didn’t make a sound at all which was unlike herself.

“Let’s call for Ustazah” someone said.

“Hei Milah tadi bukan main laju kau lari? Go run to Ustazah’s house and tell her what happen.” Fat
Fatimah ordered angrily.

“Huh?” I was still blur and transfixed with the blood. My feet feel heavy. Then someone shake my
shoulder and push me away.

“Eh Milah pergilah! Masih jugak tercegat situ macam patung” Fat Fatimah push me out of the room
and I was awaked from my trance.
“Oh yes, sure…” with that I gather what was left of my strength and run. I run like Watson Nyambek.
What happened after that was a blur of arrangement. Car, clinic, doctor, stitches. Only Ustazah and
Fat Fatimah accompanied Siti to clinic. After that, Ustazah gives us all an ear. We apologized profusely
for what happen. It was just a game, an accident and promised to never do such stupid thing anymore.
I was surprised to see Fat Fatimah crying hysterically after being scold.

Only the next day I get to meet Siti. At first I was afraid to ask her what happened. I was afraid
to even look her in the eye. She saw me and wave enthusiastically. She has always been the cheeky
one.

“Hey look at my finger” she shoved her wrapped ring finger to me defiantly. I stare at the white
bandaged finger with a controlled expression. I didn’t dare to joke about it. Yesterday’s event was still
fresh in the back of my mind.

“The doctor was so funny you know. He looks at my finger and said, alamak tak boleh kahwin lah
macam ni? And when I heard that I start crying. It wasn’t the pain at all but the shock of it. Then the
doctor laugh and says it a joke. He wipes the wound clean and inject something like a bius. Then he
said kalau takut jangan tengok. I didn’t feel a thing after I close my eyes, “Siti explained everything in
one breath excitedly.

“So it’s all good now?” I ask.

“Well if good means my nail is gone yeah.” Siti shrugged nonchalantly.

My mouth creates an O shape.

“Yes, my nail is pulled because its crack into half. But the doctor says it will grow and I need to keep
seeing him every week.” Siti says with a smug. “The doctor is really cute so I don’t mind.”

“I thought Fat Fatimah was angry with me”

“No you should have seen her yesterday. It’s so funny how chivalrous she was. She holds the door like
her life depends on it. I should have thanked her”

I couldn’t muster my sorry when I saw her happy face. But I know we would never play that game
anymore. After that incident we mellow down. The tradition was banned without anyone saying it.

Fat Fatimah was the one who kept our friendship from dying. She always calls me to hang out in their
room and have lunch together. I didn’t even remember why I hate Fat Fatimah before this. Now the
three of us are inseparable. Until today whenever I made the bed in the morning, my mouth
automatically curls up into a bitter sweet smile. Youth was just so exciting isn’t it?