Babysitter Cougar [COMPLETE]

Chapter 21 page 2 - Another Blunder

I arrive at Penang Sentral with a mixed feeling of despair and confusion. The building would have been a trailblazing infrastructure that mirrors KL Sentral's facilities but I'm astonished to see its half barren building with some floors and spaces still under refurbishment, leaving the other half occupied by only a handful shops, a couple of counter tickets and an information counter with no staff behind it.

That's when I realise, I've got the wrong bus station. This one won't commence until end of the year! Imagine if Saint hasn't offered himself to a rescue, I could've put myself into another chaotic disaster.

The 45-minute wait becomes challenging when this place has nothing to offer other than allowing me to hog three waiting seats to myself, outside the arrival hall by the drop off/pick up area. The stench of newly fresh paint, sealants and other chemicals infusing my nasal area has added to the burden of a long wait that I wish for Saint's immediate arrival.

I check my phone for any texts or calls from him but still none. I text him of my current location and he immediately texts back as acknowledgement.

I scout around for other signs of life out here as most of the activities are inside the building, more dulling than alive. Yet, there isn't any except for a blue Perodua Myvi car parked across the waiting area which has been there for a while with its engine still running.

Suddenly, I'm alarmed by the sight of its driver swinging the door open and let himself out. The driver is a man of an early 40s, in his tattered jeans, blue Adidas jacket and rubber sandals, leaves his vehicle and approaches me.

He asks if I'm someone by the name of Nurul and I told him he got the wrong person. When he tries to recover his humiliation by initiating a small talk, I become suspicious. This could be one of the tactics of a possible scam assault on a broad daylight, and I should back off from it.

"Sayang!" I heard a familiar voice call out from an army green Wrangler Rubicon that parks flanking the Myvi, it's Saint.

I'm aware of his intention, pretending to be my boyfriend just so that the man can back off and walk away, but him calling me 'Sayang' (love) has inadvertently warmed my heart to the core. Feeling relieved to see him, I hoist my backpack and rush past the man towards the Rubicon for sanctuary while Saint pushes the door of the passenger's seat from inside to let me in.

"Hi, you alright?" I ask as I mount myself up to enter shotgun. "Thanks for saving my ass back there. That guy is up for no good."

He doesn't respond but to dart his eyes away behind his Ray Ban aviator shades. He heaves a loud sigh and retrieves a cigarette pack from the middle compartment and extracts a cigarette out to smoke. I resume my silence, noting that he's angry at me for my recklessness, my weak basic self-defence, and my inability to prompt him when emergency.

                   🌸🌺🌼🍀🌸🌺🌼🍀

Despite the quiet drive back to the resort, I secretly enjoy Saint's playlist comprising Joji's 'Slow Dancing in The Dark' and Khalid's series of random songs. I hum to the tune of Khalid and Billie Eilish 'Lovely' when Saint disrupts it by jamming the power button, switching off the radio.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" he rages.

"Nothing's wrong with me," I deny, acting oblivious to his fury. "I told you it was a cocked up. How was I to know that hostel was such a rip off?"

"How much did you pay for it?" he interrogates.

"RM30.00 per night–"

"You traded off your safety for a cheap night stay? Are you fucking mad?!" Saint's uncontrollable anger oscillates that I can feel the vibration of the vehicle during its stationary.

"Look, I walked out the soonest I sense something is off with the place," I defend.

"So what's next? Waiting by the Gurney Drive to get laid so you could earn your dinner?"

"Saint, knock it off!" I bark at him angrily.

He holds his tongue, realising he had been out of line. "I could get you a proper accommodation, though. Doesn't have to be Garden Springs, just anywhere within my radar so I can watch over you."

"Thanks, but no thanks. Not interested," I quiver. Feeling churned by his insult, I avoid eye contact even though he tries to reconciliate.

"I told you to call when you need help. Is my help not good enough for you?" he asks, breaking the pause in between the conversation.

"I'm able to handle things on my own without having other people's plans ruined because of me," I say sulkily.

"Yeah, and get yourself in a deep shit situation? Brilliant!" he pounds his anger on the steering wheel. "That guy almost mugged you if I haven't come to your aid on time."

"I can shout for help, it's a public area," I argue back.

"From whom? There's nobody out there to bother at your howling. That place is deserted. Why were you there in the first place?" he probes.

I've no substantive reasoning for the question. I know that if I were to tell him the truth, I would be bludgeoned with more agonising questions and argument that I don't think I can handle them at this stage when I'm too worn out to utter anything except for, "I'm tired, Saint. I want to go home."

"I'm taking you back to the hotel. You'll be staying with me tonight," he responds crisply.

"What about Anita?" I ask, almost sounded like a broken record.

"To hell with Anita, she's not coming."

"Wait, what?" my sense perks up to this statement. "What's her excuse now?"

He shakes his head, doesn't want to talk about it. "Are you hungry? Do you want me to take you somewhere for lunch?" he asks, fostering a calm voice.

"I had a big breakfast this morning, so I don't know if I'm up for lunch. If you want, I can accompany you instead," I answer.

"I don't plan to take anything heavy before the run. Besides, your stupidity kills my appetite."

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