2008-07-02 - 8:05 p.m.
June 6, 2008
He woke up much later than before. I knew he was exhausted. The night before, we'd returned at eleven. He'd gone straight to my room. I ended up falling asleep on the couch in the living room until Mom woke me up and told me to move into her room.
Since I was already so hungry, I didn't wait for him to wake up. But when he finally did, he just smiled and said, "That's okay. You don't have to wait for me."
Once again, he needed to go to the 'net-bar' to check messages and stuff. But before that, we stopped by at a quiet restaurant next to the 'net-bar' for his brunch. He ordered steamed noodles while I was just watching him eat and drinking my tea. I could tell that the two waitresses were eyeing both of us from a distance and giggling excitedly. I could hear their hushed whispers too. Well, well, well. I bet they thought that he was pretty damn cute too.
We spent an hour at the 'net-bar'. I understood that he had a lot to do. I just sat next to him, enjoying his sweet smile most of the time he answered his friend's questions on the chatroom. He looked so happy. I knew that I should've grabbed his camera and impulsively taken a picture of him, but I just didn't have the guts. I wasn't sure how he might've reacted to that.
Damn, I let the most beautiful expression on his face get uncaptured. I only kept it within. A wonderful memory.
--- // ---
"I don't think we have enough time to go to any museums today," said Nick as he looked at his watch. "It's already two."
I nodded, trying to hide my disappointment. I secretly texted Hani while we were having lunch right in front of Century Drugstore in Panglima Polim. We had chicken soto and satay by the food vendor. It was also raining.
I asked Hani if The National Monument would still open until after three. Her reply was: "Yes." She even suggested that we meet her someplace after a visit to The National Monument. I agreed, and then asked Nick about it. Of course, his answer was very simple:
"Sure."
--- // ---
There was almost nobody around but us that late afternoon. The rain just started again, and I had to use my umbrella to cover our heads. It was a bit funny to look at, because I was the one holding the umbrella up and Nick was a little bit taller than me.
Thankfully, the rain gradually stopped. I shut the umbrella and carried it with me. The weather was very nice. It was very cool, the kind you normally get in Jakarta right after the rain in the late afternoon and before the night comes. Perfect. I could tell that he was enjoying it too. He was smiling again. Good. He didn't have to deal with the hot weather anymore that day.
I was glad that I'd asked him to bring his student card with him. Because of that, we got discounts for the tickets to enter the monument. I took him to the diorama museum in the basement.
"Wow, interesting!" he exclaimed as we browsed around the large basement hall. "A little history lesson about Indonesia."
"Yeah." Then Hani suddenly texted my cellphone, teasing me:
"Now it's time for you to fulfil your romantic fantasy with him there!"
What?! She was crazy, I thought, although partly sensible. (And I can't believe I'm writing this here!) I giggled. He noticed me and frowned a little, then grinned with obvious curiousity.
"What is it?" he asked me.
"Nothing," I answered, trying my best to suppress my grin. "Just a text from Hani."
"What is she saying?"
"Nothing."
"Ruby!"
I just giggled but didn't answer. There was no way that I'd have told him that right there and then. No way! I was embarrassed (and still am as I write this, but I guess this is just the price for my own honesty. Hehe.)
Then we went to the top of the monument too. I've already been there a few times, but it was still spectacular. I just love being there.
And I was glad that I shared that with him. The cool wind was blowing at our faces, sending slight shivers down my spine and making my wavy hair look like the hair of those Japanese anime characters. His hair was always tied in a ponytail, though. I asked him to untie his beautiful red hair, but he grinned and shook his head.
"No, no, no," he said, and then took more pictures of the city view from the top of the monument. He did that until the battery in his camera ran out. The sky was starting to darken above us. Gradually, everyone was leaving. There was no one there but us. Just him and I. Perfect.
I didn't want to go home. I just wanted to stay there with him. I wanted time to stop forever, just so I could enjoy his presence longer than in real time. Just the two of us - a clumsy tomboy who didn't know what to say or do most of the time and her dream prince charming come true.
Hehe.
--- // ---
We had dinner in Sarinah. As usual, he wanted more vegetables in his menu. The restaurant was a little bit expensive. Then, we carried on to Ismail Marzuki Park in Cikini, Central Jakarta - because Hani and Mbak Bina wanted to meet us there. There was an art exhibition there.
Just as I'd predicted earlier, Hani couldn't stop giggling when she saw us. I seriously had to shush her up for that. Mbak Bina just smiled.
We'd spent the rest of the night just roaming around the gallery, the bookstore, and finally just sitting on the bench in Jakarta's Art Instituted's outdoor Greek theatre. The air was pleasantly cool, despite so many mosquitos biting our legs. It was quite a pleasant time as well.
We were there until about...ten. Oops. Of course, in a dangerous place like Jakarta, you can't just go home alone by either a bus or a taxicab. Hani reminded me about a gang of mean street thugs robbing people in buses and cabs. Plus, Nick is obviously a foreigner. Believe me, the last thing I ever wanted was to see something really awful happen to him. No way! If it were only me, I'd take all the risk out there all by myself. After all, I grew up in this city.
On our way back home in a cab, my cellphone beeped. I checked and there was a message from Mbak Bina:
"Ruby, my niece's birthday party is tomorrow. I want you and Nick to come. You guys can stay at my place too."
I showed him that, and he grinned at me.
"I'm in."
"Great." Then I replied Mbak Bina's message, telling her that we were coming.
The Author
