Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

 

“Good morning. Come in.” Major General Abdullah stood up from his seat and walked towards that person.

 

Sofiah slowly stood up from her seat and turned her body. Once she took a glance at the figure in front of her, she felt like her world was slowly falling apart.

 

“Lieutenant Sofiah, meet your commanding officer, Captain Matin,” Major General Abdullah said with a wide smile.

 

Sofiah just stood rooted to the spot as she still couldn’t believe her ears and eyes.

 

“Lieutenant! Where are your manners?!” Major General Abdullah said with a cold voice.

 

She snapped back to reality and quickly saluted Matin.

“Lieutenant Sofiah! Welcome back, Sir!”

 

“Thank you, Lieutenant. I hope it's still not too late to wish you welcome to BAF.” Matin smiled.

 

She was not blind. She knew behind his smile, there always would be an evil Matin.

 

“Thank you, Sir.”

 

“Captain, may I have a word with Lieutenant Sofiah?” Major General Abdullah asked Matin.

 

“Sure, Sir. Lieutenant, come to my office after this,” Matin commanded her.

 

“Copy, Sir,” she replied and bit her lips in nervousness.

 

Once Matin walked out of the office, Major General Abdullah started nagging his daughter.

 

“Lieutenant Sofiah, I want to remind you that he's your Captain, regardless of how long you've known him as a friend or family. In the military, you need to respect your commanding officer. Do you copy that?!”

 

She swallowed hard and replied, “Copy, dad.”

 

“This is an order from Major General, not a father!”

 

“Copy, Major General!”

 

“You're dismissed.”

 

She let out a big sigh as now she needed to face her biggest enemy in life.

 

❤❤❤

 

She’s now in front of Matin's office but she’s hesitated for a while. She was about to knock on the door but startled at his sudden command.

 

“Come in, Lieutenant!”

 

What the hell?! How come he knows I'm outside?!

Taking a deep breath, she walked inside his office.

 

“Sir!” She saluted him. It felt weird but she didn't have a choice.

 

“Have a seat,” he said with a firm voice.

 

Matin cleared his throat and asked, “How do you feel having me as your commanding officer? Excited? Thrilled? Delighted?”

 

She chuckled as he’s so full of himself.

 

“Do you want an honest or fake answer?” she asked, mockingly.

 

“So, you don’t like it, do you?” He narrowed his eagle eyes at her.

 

“No, Sir,” she replied with a poker face.

 

“I know that we are not on very good terms and don't speak to each other much. But let’s be professional. What do you think?” he asked.

“That’s absolutely a brilliant idea, Sir,” she replied with a strained smile.

 

Yeah, she agreed to be professional for the sake of her career. But then, his next words wiped the smile right off her face.

 

“So, if you don't want your name in the disciplinary paper, you must respect and listen to me,” he said with a smirk, threatening her.

 

She clenched her teeth in annoyance.

 

How dare he threaten me with that disciplinary action?! she said in her head.

 

He added, “I'm very sure you don't want to see your father in the disciplinary room. And your father also doesn't want to see you being punished. But if I'm not pleased with your behaviour, I have to send you there.”

 

He playfully raised his eyebrows with a smirk on his face.

She clenched her fists tightly as she really wanted to punch his annoying face. It took her a while to regain her composure after hearing his remarks.

 

“Are you threatening me, Sir?”

 

“Nope. It's called a reminder. So, behave yourself. Do you copy that?”

 

“Copy, Sir,” she replied with a low voice.

 

“What?! I can't hear you.” He was testing her patience.

 

“Copy, Sir!” she said with a louder voice while rolling her eyes.

 

“Don't roll your eyes at me!” Then, he showed the disciplinary paper to her.

 

She bit her lower lip in annoyance and took a deep breath. She could get high blood pressure sooner or later.

 

Be patient, Fiya. Your time will come, she said in her head.

 

“I'm sorry, Sir,” she replied with a fake smile.

 

Wow! It feels so good to see a tiger is becoming a cat, he said in his head while smirking at her.

 

“Great! So, how is work so far?” He changed the topic.

 

“Good.” She’s obviously not interested to have a conversation with him.

 

“Any problems or difficulties?” he asked again.

 

‘No.”

 

“I heard you did attachment at General Hospital. How many times a week?”

 

“Two to three times.”

 

“Do you think you're free enough without any work?!”

“What do you mean, Sir?” She’s confused as he suddenly raised his voice.

 

“From now on, you're only allowed to go there only one time a week,” he stated.

 

“What?! No!” she protested.

 

“Why not?”

 

“I will have a surgical examination. I need a lot of surgical attachments. Sir, surgery is also very important in the military. I need a qualification.”

 

Matin thought for a while.

 

“P-please.” She hated herself as she’s now begging him.

 

“Since you’re nice today, I can tolerate only two times a week.”

 

She cut him, “Thank you, Sir!”

 

“But… if I need you to be here, you must come. Any objections?”

 

“No, Sir.”

 

❤❤❤

 

“Mazid! I have bad news!” Sofiah said, as soon as she entered Mazid's car to go for dinner.

 

“What happened?” he asked, anxiously.

 

“Matin! He's my commanding officer! Oh my god! I hate it!”

 

“Oh! About that, I can't help you with it, Fiya. But maybe try your best to be professional. That's the only thing you can do.”

 

“But he kept getting on my nerves!”

 

Along the way, she kept complaining about Matin and Mazid patiently listened to her with a smile. He loved it when she talked non-stop and told him everything.

“Mazid, why are we here?” she asked as they came to their hang out restaurant again.

 

“Tonight, we will celebrate Matin's graduation as a helicopter pilot,” Mazid explained.

 

Her expression turned bitter after hearing his name.

 

“I don't want to see his face. Take me home!” she commanded.

 

Mazid gently held her hand and said, “Fiya, the squad has been asking for you. Please bear with it for them.”

 

During dinner, Matin just smirked as he knew she’s trying to avoid him at any cost.

 

“Fiya, don't you have to call Matin ‘Captain or Sir’?” Amin asked her with a teasing smile.

 

“No need. It's not working hour now,” she replied with a poker face.

 

Matin chuckled at her answer.

“I still remember when both of you became a class monitor and assistant class monitor. It's a disaster back then. I hope this time there is no disaster at the air base.” Sean joked around, causing the others to burst into laughter except for Matin and Sofiah.

 

Flashback

 

Back to high school

 

“Sofiah, bring these books to Teacher Clara,” Matin said while putting a pile of books on her table.

 

“Why me? She asked you right,” she protested and ignored him.

 

“I have collected books. Now, I'm asking you to bring it to the teacher,” he said while glaring at her.

 

“Why me?” she asked again.

 

“Again? Can't you just go?!” He started losing patience.

 

Everyone in the class was silenced as they witnessed the two enemies arguing. No one dared to interrupt.

 

“No! I don't want to. I’m not taking orders from you,” she replied with a nonchalant face.

 

He took a deep breath while clenching his teeth.

 

“Who am I?” he asked with a cold voice.

 

“I don't know.”

 

“Who am I?” he asked again.

 

“Why? Are you having memory loss?” she replied, mockingly.

 

“Who am I?”

 

“You're the most arrogant person on Earth!”

 

Matin clenched his fists.

 

“Who am I?”

“Hey! Go away! You bug me!” She pushed him away.

 

But he still didn’t give up.

 

“Who am I?”

 

“Haishhhhh! You are a class monitor! Satisfied?!” she shouted.

 

“And you're my assistant! When I ask you to do things, just do it!” he shouted back.

 

“No! I don't want to!”

 

“Guys. Let me send these books to the teacher,” Sean said as he thought this would be a never-ending argument.

 

“No, Sean! Let her do it!”

 

“Let him do it! Teacher Clara asked him, not us!”

 

“I will send it no matter what!” Sean snatched the books and ran outside.

 

“Sean!!!” Both of them shouted his name.

 

End of flashback