To be or not to be POLITE!

Was walking out of Dr. Haja's class when Bai Yang called me from behind. We walked and talked for a while, and then I told her that I need to go and see another lecturer.

"Alia, why are you avoiding me?"

"Heh? I do?" (where 'got' lah)

"Yah, every time I see, you will go some where else"

(That's because I'm busy!) "No lah, I have lots of things to do these day..."

"Are you sure?"

(why are torturing me like this lah, I'm already late for my appointment) "YES. I need to go now. See you in class OK?"

I went to see Dr. Zahariah to ask her to be my referee but she hadn't completed the form yet. After five minutes, I walked out of the room, thinking which way should I take to avoid the cafe because Bai Yang would be there. I didn't want her to think that I was giving excuses for not having lunch with her on that day - I actually thought it would take some time to explain the conditions and so on to Dr. Zahariah, but she's busy that day, I decided to leave early, didn't want to disturb her.

Yesterday we had another class together, towards the end of the class, she asked me,

"Alia, how come you never invited me to you house"

I wasn't in a very good mood at that time, so I was quite defensive.

"Yes, I DID. I INVITED you to my sister's wedding. I INVITED you to my house on last hari raya. I remember you wrote down my number, asking me the nearest lrt station to my house...bla...bla..bla...but YOU didn't come!"

I knew she was kinda surprised with my reply...I know Malaysians are "expected" to be polite, but sometimes, these people they just don't get it! so why bother being polite...at the end of the class, I invited Bai Yang to have lunch with me...aiyak, I felt bad and guilty!! So, there I sat in between her two friends, they were chatting, and I was drinking my orange juice. I felt so left out in the conversation that I went to the mosque earlier than usual. Her friend were OK, but it just felt "funny"...I was sooo out of place.