2009-10-12 - 5:47 a.m.
Last Tuesday night...
...was my very first motorcycle accident. No joke. I was on my way home when that happened. There was no 'angkot' (public minivan) around that much anymore, so I had to rely on an 'ojek' (a motorcyclist who'll take you to your destination for some money in return.)
As we were approaching an intersection, another motorcyclist sped by from the opposite direction. It was turning right while we were moving forward. I saw its bright headlights before closing my eyes as the 'ojek' biker failed to avoid the collision...
Oh, God.
Somehow, I managed to hold my ground on one foot, just to delay my fall a few seconds. Neither the biker nor I wore any crash helmets. (Stupid, I know, but most of us are reckless daredevils here they hardly offer me to wear any whenever I use their service.:|)
I guess that's why my head was pretty much saved from the possibility of bumping against the concrete, asphalt road. But still, it hurt.
People nearby rushed to help us get up, asking panic-stricken questions. Somehow, not a single scratch was on me. Yes, I was that lucky.
Last Wednesday...
...she finally came back to work. Almost everyone asked about her condition. She just smiled and said she was fine.
I couldn't be convinced, though. She usually wears make-up. However, I noticed that her black eyeliners had gone a little thicker than usual that day.
Also, there was something else too, but I still couldn't put my finger on.
"Was it a nasty virus?"
"Thank God, no." She shook her head. "Maybe it was just my exhaustion."
"Was it...your left eye?"
"Yes." A moment of hesitation. She looked at me, genuinely surprised. "How do you know?"
"Quite visible."
Oh, God. What did he do to you? Did he??
Last Wednesday night...
...the three of us decided to have a girls' night out. Gigi, Pitbull, and me.:) We went to 'Warung Jajan' for dinner. Our friend Dorman and his band-mates were there again, performing for the night. When he saw us, he deliberately invited me to sing again.:D Of course I did, especially since there was this really gorgeous guy sitting with his buddy at another table practically next to us!*gasps* Pitbull kept teasing me about him, because she knew he was my type.:P Tall, dark, big-nosed, and with thick, black eyebrows...
Hehe.*secretly drools with a big evil grin*
He seemed shy too, because - when I sang Kenny Loggins' "For The First Time" - he just smiled a little at me and then talked to his buddy. Definitely, my knees turned weak like jelly...*blushes*
Good God. Good thing I didn't stumble on a note nor forget a single line.:P
After singing Bryan Adams' "Heaven", I went back to the girls. We were just chatting again when her cellphone started ringing. She quickly answered it and - the next thing we knew - she excused herself to speak to the caller and left our table.
"That's got to be him," Pitbull said, discouraged. "I saw her face change like she did the last time we went to that karaoke lounge. She looked tense that night."
"Yeah." I had to agree. Somehow, it took quite a long time for our girl to talk to him, so I added, "Let's just hope he won't show up so suddenly like he normally does after work these days, or else it'll definitely ruin our ladies' night."
"Indeed." But then we had to stop talking, because she returned. Just after she sat back down with us, suddenly we heard a deep, male voice near us.
"Hi."
No way.
He was standing by our table, smiling at his personal sunshine that night. She smiled back. If he weren't a jealous, control freak - I'd be happy for her like any friend should.
"Man, you shocked me!" I finally found my voice again. "You keep showing up so suddenly like a ghost."
"Yeah, like a ghost," Pitbull piped in sarcastically. He laughed, obviously unaware of our tone.
Then I got a little bit distracted, because suddenly Dorman called me on stage again. I got up to sing Martina McBride's "My Valentine" (only because it's Pitbull's favourite romantic ballad :P) and Phil Collins' "Against All Odds". I noticed him sitting next to her, and that was an obvious sign he'd have stuck around with us for the rest of the night until we went home. Oh, well.
I sat next to Pitbull after that, realizing the drastic change of the mood. He ordered some toasts and drink and...smoked.:( He complimented my voice and I politely thanked him. For pure courtesy, both Pitbull and I just kept on pretending that nothing was wrong - for our girl's sake too. She was obviously in a bliss.
But under the table, we were secretly stomping on each other's foot as a sign of discomfort.
For the rest of the night, I noticed my friend's boyfriend's oddness even more. He said, I should join him and his buddies on a karaoke night next Monday, but changed his mind abruptly when she said she couldn't go. I casually told him that since she's my favourite duet partner, we had to go together. (Honestly, I am also curious. How do they usually interact when they're with his buddies?)
Then when Pitbull talked about her loving, protective brother who once chased after her abusive ex across the island, I quickly added, "If I were him, I'd definitely do the same. I totally disrespect men who are violent to women and children!"
"Hell, yeah!" Pitbull agreed wholeheartedly.
"Then you could be my big brother too," she joked and the girls and I laughed. He laughed too, but I could tell there was a trace of tension in it. His expression darkened too, until Pitbull later called it a 'murderous look'.
Oh, yes. We are watching you. Make sure you won't ever do any harmful shit to her.:|
The restroom is quite far and isolated, so Pitbull needed some company. I intentionally let Gigi accompany her, because I wanted to know the real him when she wasn't around.
Guess what? He just couldn't keep his eyes off the same direction, obviously waiting for her to come back with such impatience he tried to muster as we spoke.
"I was actually from Surabaya," he said as he ate his toasts. I went deadly quiet for a second.
"For the job?" He works at a travel agency.
"Yeah."
"Oh." Really? I hope I'd heard it right, because it was pretty noisy around us. I looked at his toasts and went on, "Have you ever tried their grilled bananas? Delicious too."
"Nah, I don't really like bananas."
"So what do you like?"
He looked up at me and said with such contentment: "Gia."
Iraised an eyebrow skeptically. Don't we all already know?
"Uh, dude...the context is food - not a person."
When the girls returned, he looked relaxed again. But not for long, because Dorman came to our table with a friendly smile - as usual. He's not just a lead singer (and sometimes a bass player), but also a host - moving from table to table just to greet the guests - mostly friends - he knows.
"Hey, people. What's up?"
"We're good." I grinned at him. Her boyfriend quickly introduced himself and explained the whole relationship status with my best friend (which also - in his case - meant, "She's mine so don't even try to get close to her."*rolls eyes*)
And then, whenever Dorman tried to talk directly to her, the dude kept answering for her. What was that all about?
*deep sigh*
My headache came as the night dragged on. Was it pure exhaustion or worry? Or both? I don't know. All I wanted was to lie down in bed, so we finally called it a night.
After the couple left with their motorcycles together, Pitbull turned to me and groaned, "Is it always going to be like this? Him shadowing her and our ladies' night all the freaking time?"
"Yeah, I know what you mean." Even the nicest boyfriends sometimes need some time with just their buddies and leave their girlfriends alone. I mean, we never interrupt their Saturday night dates.
Right??
Last Thursday...
...she was startled when I told her about what he'd said to me the night before. The Surabaya trip.
"No way," she denied. "He'd tell me about things like that."
"I don't know." I shrugged. "Perhaps he forgot."
Somehow, she talked to him on the phone after that. Later, she came back to me and giggled.
"You've heard him wrong," she claimed. "He said it was his boss who just got back from Surabaya."
"Oh." I fell silent instantly. I glanced at Pitbull, and she gave me the same look in return. Our looks equally agreed on one thing:
He's got her under his spell, which is impossible to escape. These days, she believes in what he says other than her own friends - people who really care about her and don't want her to get hurt. Of course, in the context of 'love', that is usually (more) understandable.
However, I am not going to lie to you. That is really sad. That hurts. But we all know what happens when our best friend in helplessly in love with someone who doesn't seem to treat them right - and that person keeps on tolerating it - all in the name of love. This isn't something new.
However, we know better to keep quiet.
For now.
Saturday...
I had a gym session with her. Good thing she still wants to do it, despite whatever he said about wanting her to stay with her extra pounds - just because he's too afraid and insecure if she loses more weight and more guys will go after her. I mean, isn't that stupid and shallow? I thought most people would be proud to have beautiful partners that could make others envious of their relationship.
These days, I just don't get it.
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