Fiza was just 17 year old girl, who lived her life in the village. She was a very cheerful
person until one day 'black event' took it away.
She used to have a very caring mom, who always cook her favourite dish, and very
supportive father, who willing to work hard as long as she gets the best education
in the world. They expect nothing from her but Fiza always promised her father
that she will buy a mechanic shop for him as he was a skilled
mechanic in the village but operating from home.
Just like any teenage girl of her age, she has two very closest friends,
Ida and Suraya, But among all, Fiza was the smartest,
she often in Top 3 at school, but her friends hardly get Top 10.
Somehow, Fiza always kind and down to earth.
Suraya and Fiza both have feelings for the same guy in the village, Mahmud.
Ida warned them not to be near him as her parents said he was drug addict,
not only school dropped out.
Suraya determined to make him a boyfriend, but Fiza just keep that feeling in her heart.
Mahmud lived alone as both of her parents passed away. To go home,
Fiza has to pass through the road in front of Mahmud's house,
they always smiling to each other, and Mahmud always singing and played guitar.
Mahmud knew from Fiza's eyes that she loved him, and Fiza also knew from
Mahmud's eyes that he loved her.
One day, Fiza was on the way home from somewhere, and Mahmud as usual
was singing and played guitar. He called her and she stopped.
He offered her something that she's really interested.
"Do you wanna learn how to play guitar?I can teach you," he said while
sitting on the stairs of his village house.
"I have only one guitar here, you may enter my house and took the guitar in the
room. I have extra one there. So young and so naive, Fiza followed his
instruction.
Fiza searched everywhere in the room, and still couldn't find
"Where is it, there's nothing here," said Fiza
"There is, look properly near the wardrobe," said Mahmud
Fiza sensed something was not right, She immediately came out
from the room, at the same time Mahmud came to her and he was
holding a cup of water, knocked her and poured on her clothes.
"Go change the clothe, I have clothe for you in that room,"
Mahmud said. But Fiza refused as she was uncomfortable,
she excused herself to go home but Mahmud grabbed her by the arms,
and grabbed her to the bedroom.
Mahmud too strong, Fiza couldn't let herself go, she wanted to scream
but Mahmud immediately threatened her,
"If you scream, I will kill you and I will kill your parents."
Fiza was so scared and was so helpless at that time.
Since that day, Fiza became very quiet, refuse to eat and crying all the time.
She didn't tell her parents, and they also worried looking at her
condition. Parents never thought something could go wrong,
because their daughter always lovely and positive. But, since that day,
Fiza felt lazy to go to school, there were times she just cut class.
Until one day, when mom woke her up from sleep,
forcing her to go to school, she was shocked,
this girl was nausea, and vomiting.
She immediately suspected her daughter was pregnant and
told the husband. They asked her and she cried, and of course
that's confirm what was going on.
Father was so furious and wanted her to tell the name
of that guy, but she refused as she was threatened,
the case goes unreported!
Father wanted to abort, but mom forbid as from abortion
villagers will find out.
In conservative community, women often been looked down
if she pregnant out of wedlock. She will be blame that she's
the one asked for it either through clothes or behaviour.
Same goes with Fiza, she mentioned to parents, she was
raped, but parents didn't believe her. They thought she just
made up story, plus she refused to tell the name of that guy.
When her tummy become bigger, she was forced to leave school.
But, as she was smart student, school refuse to teminate her
studies there. Mom informed the teachers and villagers that
she went to another state, to study with her cousin.
The sweet friendship now just a memory, she knew
she couldn't tell anyone over what happened.It's embarrassing to
her family and it will put their lives in danger, there's
just no way out.
Meanwhile, mom hide her in the bedroom, and mom
had to pretend that she was the one, pregnant.
Then, came the time for her to deliver,
mom with her pregnancy act, brought her
to the midwife.
Midwife was shocked to see two pregnant women at her door
in the middle of the night, but she just kept looking
and kept quite.
The pregnancy process traditional way was a painful one,
but Fiza has to stand that for her baby.
It was a baby girl.
"She's lucky, this baby is small, otherwise I don't know
what will happen," said midwife
"From now on, remember, this is my baby, not her baby.
You keep this secret forever, don't tell anyone," said Fiza's mom
to the midwife and gave her the money.
Fiza was crying in the room, that baby doesn't belong
to her anymore, it's her mom's baby,
to protect the dignity of their family. Midwife symphatised
to her over what happened and hold her hands.
Since that day, villagers found out Fiza's mom gave birth
to a new baby girl. They came to visit them.
One day, one woman visited her mother and she was a chatty one.
"Timah, I heard people saw you drying clothe and you're not
even wear socks. You cannot be so active during this
confinement period, you have to take care of yourself."
In Malay culture, confinement was super important period
for woman to recover herself.Normally she was not allowed
to do any work, and of course wearing socks all the time, as the belief,
air will enter through the feet and makes you unhealthy.
And again, those visitors asking for her daughter, Fiza.
They didn't see her for long time, that was something really
irritate her parents as they have to lie all the time for her.
They even advised the mom to go for massage, as this is
the cultural practice after delivery as well. The declination
did bring some doubts to the villagers and they often asked her,
"what did you eat, why you look so healthy?"
These period was tough one as well, the father just refused to talk
to her and always furious over small matter.
When she tried to talk with him when they on the dining table,
he just refused and became a monster especially when he
heard the baby's crying. For him, what she did was too much.
She is the one and only child and now she's shattered their dreams.
For him, it's her fault, she's the one looking for trouble.
It's one month past, after the delivery, mom forced her to go
back to school as she will sit for her big exam which will
determine her future.
She studied very hard, she knew she has to get a good
result to win her father's heart again. She stayed away from
friends as they were asking too much about her. She felt uncomfortable
and they also felt left out somehow with how she treated them.
At school, she suffered breast engorgement due to the milk influx,
she knew she had to breastfeed her baby to relief the sore.
She immediately rushed home from school, when friends asked
to hang out she will excuse herself to take care of her
new baby sister.They felt hurt but there's nothing they can do.
One day, she rushed home and found her baby was crying unattended
and her mom was eating chips, while watching tv.
She was so frustrated and asked her mom,
"Why you just leave Fajar alone?"
Mom replied, "You're the one who making her,
you're the one supposed to take care of her."
She felt so sad with that answer, and went back to her baby.
"You are hungry, you want milk? Let momy breastfeed you."
When she placed her baby on her lap, to breastfeed her,
mom immediately appeared on the door and scolded her.
"Don't you dare call yourself mommy, you wanna announce
to everyone that you get pregnant out of wedlock.
I'm the mom, not you! And don't breastfeed her,
feed her with formula milk, don't be stubborn!"
"But mom, my breast hurt.," said Fiza in a sad tone
"Don't be stubborn and make the formula milk
to your baby, and put cabbage on your breast so
it won't hurt, go now, I said!"
The baby continued crying.
The caring mom now turned into a fierce witch.
However, at night she will breastfeed her baby without her
mom found out about that. She still traumatized with that
rape event. It totally disturbed her sleep at night.
Fiza studied very hard, even after what happened, she wants
them to be happy again. She wants her father to be proud of her.
So, the day came when she received her school result.
She scored straight A's but her parents didn't come to
school together with her,
"I will help you to apply for scholarship, guarantee with this result
you will get scholarship to study Law, this is your dream, right?"
Fiza felt confused, she whispered to herself
"What will happen to Fajar if I pursue my study?"
She went home to show the result to her parents,
expecting them to be happy but father tore her exam
slip into pieces.
"You think you just can get away pursue your study?
And then we have to take care of your child?
Forget about it"
Her heart was terribly broken.Just like the paper, it shattered into pieces.
Fiza knew, from now on, whatever she did, she just cannot
turn their lives back to the past. It won't work.
She has to prioritize her life and her baby.
She tried to run away, at the bus stop she met Ida, her good friend.
Ida informed her, her mother was so angry, scolded and hit her baby sister.
She was shocked and cancelled the plan.
She rushed home, and mom was still so furious,
Her baby was peeing on the bed, and
that the result of she's hitting the kid.
He baby's body full of bruises, they were non stop being screamed at.
That night, she was determined to leave home but bring her baby with her.
She went to the big city, and met a woman that offer her job
in the motel, she was given a room too. A t first she was glad, as she
was so desperate and in need of money.
But it was just a trap, that woman wanted to use her
as prostitute, but she managed to escaped from one bad customer.
She managed to escape from being rape again.
What is the cost?She was chased out from the motel and
not being given salary too
She was sad over what happened.
At home, her parents just found out she ran away, they realized they
treated her bad, but they never intend to chase her away.
But their ego, refrained them from searching for her.
Not knowing where to go, with crying baby
which also hungry, Fiza finally end up on the street.
But she's being saved by one woman, a cleaner
who was doing her job at that time.
She told her, that Fajar was her sister and their parents
already passed away.That woman lived alone, so she willing to let
them live with her.Fiza was so grateful.
Meanwhile, Fiza contacted Ida to inform her situation and she was
accepted to the Law foundation programme. She even asked Ida
to give her parents money and to inform them about that happy news.
However, father was so angry at Ida, and told her to tell
Fiza not to send money anymore and they don't wanna
see her again.
But father just ego, he really missed her daughter, he fell ill
because of that. His business also slow down and finally he had
to close down his workshop which he just opened from
getting the loan. He just couldn't concentrate.
Then he just passed away.
Fiza finished her study, but she still sad as her daughter keep asking about their parents.
Fajar was sad as she always think their parents don't love them.
Finally, Fiza opened up whole story to the woman who take care of her.
She advised Fiza to tell her daughter the truth but Fiza just couldn't
as the father is the rapist.
When she found out her father was dead, she went to the village with her daughter.
it's passed 7 years, but mom still reluctant to accept her;
she still thought it's not a rape case.
Fajar overheard the conversation and was shocked to hear that
Fiza was actually her mom.
She asked to reconfirm, and the grandmother immediately
reaffirmed that to her. Fiza was unwilling, but things happened.
Fiza found out that Suraya, her old bestie wanted to marry Mahmud,
now they are engaged. Fiza need to stop that as Mahmud is rapist,
plus he has to pay the price of her silence.
Fiza now a future to be lawyer, she aware of her right.
She opened up the story and discussed with her master.
He willing to help her in the court.
The next step is to do the dna test
It was difficult for Suraya to believe her at first or even her mom,
but she has to stand up for her right, and plus
to help others in her situation as well.
Finally, the system do the justice. Mahmud was
arrested and will be imprisoned for 18 years.
Mother was happy, but sadly father couldn't see
that today but mother convinced her that
he knew about this 'there' and he is more
than proud.
