PROLOGUE
Suddenly I feel that the hope will vanish…
Suddenly I feel that all expectance will disappear… Waiting lies no more meanings… All laughter will turn to tears…
Suddenly I want to turn this body away, going back to the past, going back to when I didn't understand the difficulty of an adult's life, going back to when there were only a few of children's bedtime fables which have now been forgotten, going back to when there was limitless dream as well as imagination, going back to when I was still looking at the future with optimism.
Suddenly I feel that this life has no more meanings… Suddenly I begin to understand nothing… All the dreams and imaginations from the past turn to perplexing questions. Where should I go? For what do I live? For what do we live when we are bound to die someday later on? Is the death the final answer to all these perplexing questions? Do I have to die first in order to figure out why I was born? If there were a Creator, knowing everything in the universe, I think this small and small question of mine will not be a burden for Him, will it?
Chapter 1
Sydney, 10th July 2018
The summer seemed to pass bit by bit. A puff of the autumn wind began to blow through the whole town. More and more people seemed to wear coats and caps when they were going outdoor. In spite of this, Sydney still looked crowded with all its inhabitants' going to schools, offices, and starting their own businesses activities. All public vehicles were packed and congested with students going to schools, young adults going to college, adults going to work places. Occasionally, there were some bicycles and private cars going to and fro the main road of the city.
Erick Vildy once in a while sipped his hot milk that morning. He looked at his watch for a while. It was still eight o'clock in the morning. His class would begin at ten. Sitting in the middle of the university cafeteria and facing to the main road in front, was an enjoyment for Erick Vildy during this two-year teaching period in this university.
"You don't have a class today, do you?" there was a woman's voice behind him.
Erick Vildy did not turn back. He smiled for a moment because he had known whose voice that was.
"Not now… Ten o'clock later on… I get an academic writing class. You? Why aren't you in the class? You can still be relaxed here, can't you?" asked Erick Vildy staring at the woman standing in front of him at the moment.
Knowing Melisa Rayadi since they were kids, definitely Erick Vildy had known this woman well. He had completely memorized this woman's behavior, personalities, movements, and even all her thoughts and opinions. From Melisa Rayadi's behavior at the moment, Erick Vildy could at least guess there had to be something coming up, and of course that problem had a connection with him.
Melisa Rayadi did not reply anything. She got a difficulty in finding a perfect way how to explain the problem to Erick Vildy. She wanted Erick Vildy to be responsive towards this matter, but simultaneously she also wanted this matter not to trigger Erick Vildy's anger. Giving up the war inside her own mind, she finally landed herself onto a chair in front of Erick Vildy.
"What's going on? There must be something awful, isn't it?" Erick Vildy began to frown his forehead.
Melisa Rayadi could merely nodded her head.
"And that something bad must be connected with me, isn't it?" Erick Vildy asked again. "What on earth is happening?" Erick Vildy asked again when he did not get the response he wanted from his conversation partner.
Melisa Rayadi sighed for a while. Erick Vildy ordered another cup of drink inasmuch as his hot milk had been finished.
"The girl whom you scolded yesterday is coming today with her boyfriend. Her boyfriend doesn't accept your scolding his girlfriend. They're now in the dean's office. The dean asked me to call you upon to his office. The dean and the girl's boyfriend are seemingly expecting a kind of explanation from you, Rick," Melisa Rayadi finished her short narration anxiously.
"The girl whom I scolded yesterday? Is she the Yolanda Velasquez coming from Spain, isn't she?" a pair of Erick Vildy's eyebrows began to rise up a little bit.
"Indeed..." said Melisa a little bit agitatedly. It was obvious that Erick Vildy began to be furious. "That's why I told you, Rick… We're now teaching in Australia, in an international university, and in an international class as well, so we'll be meeting a lot of foreign students coming from everywhere, not only from Australia and Indonesia. I even think the students from Indonesia will rebel against you if you scold her rudely like what you did to Yolanda yesterday. Moreover, this Yolanda is from Spain, and perhaps since she was a kid, she has never been treated badly like that, Rick."
Erick Vildy's lost his temper at the moment. Melisa Rayadi sighed again at her seat. She had known Erick Vildy very well since they were kids. Although he was now a lecturer and was teaching in an international lecturing, his real bits and pieces had not changed. Sometimes when he was cool and calm, he could turn into a brilliant man with lots of fantastic ideas. Nevertheless, when he was losing his temper, he could turn into a temperament and emotional guy. All his words and movements would be very rude, harsh, and unpredictable. That was what Melisa did not want to occur today.
"She can't master anything! I'd been explaining again and again and yet, her academic writing was still out of order. Her tenses and basic grammar usages were still erroneous! When talking about the coherence between the topic and her essay, it was even worse! If you were me, I think you would've been scolding her even ruder and louder. There are 50 students in that class. Ten students are not able, and I even think that they're not suitable majoring English literature. One of the ten students is her! The other nine did not really care about my words. They even promised to study harder for their English ability as well as understanding. I can't really figure out what her objection really is!" Erick Vildy's eyes seemed to burn with anger.
"So, what did you say to them when you figured out that they couldn't really master your lesson?" Melisa asked again.
"Yeah, I said to them forthrightly. Actually, they aren't suitable majoring English literature. I wonder why they can be accepted in the major, moreover in a prestigious university like this! If they don't want to catch up their lateness with the others starting from this semester, I asserted them to get ready for another major!"
Melisa put both of her hands in front of her mouth. Her eyes were a little bit bigger, keeping staring at Erick Vildy who was standing in front of her.
"Gosh, Rick! I indeed know that your English is excellent and you can even pass this university's teaching entrance examination. Yet, you must again and again remind yourself, Rick. She doesn't come from Indonesia, not from any Asian countries – same like us! She comes from Europe, from Spain, Rick…! The culture there, and the way the parents educate their offspring are totally different from our customs! Look! Her boyfriend is coming for an explanation!"
"I don't think I need to explain anything! That isn't my fault! It's her own mind which can't grab what I've taught!"
"The dean is waiting for you in his office, Rick. I think you still have to prepare a rational explanation. Her boyfriend thinks that your words are too rude, not educating at all, and even felling her mental down. You must still explain your reason behind those anger and words, Rick," Melisa kept being unshakable with her opinion.
Erick Vildy closed his eyes for a moment. He clenched a fist with lots of anger.
"I detest the most being asked to apologize for an error which isn't actually mine!"
"Like your problem with Erwie and Erdie in the past time, isn't it?" Melisa asked again while squinting her eyes.
"Don't ever talk about those two persons again, won't you!" Erick Vildy's voice tone rose up three octaves higher. He seemed to shout rather than speak.
Erick Vildy pushed his chair to the back. He gulped the rest of his hot coffee rudely. He took his wide steps leaving the campus cafeteria. Melisa Rayadi followed him. Realizing that he was being traced, he stopped his steps and turned back for a moment.
"Why are you following me?"
"Of course I'm following you to the dean's office, so that you can't do something you'll regret someday later," Melisa uttered briefly.
Erick Vildy snuffled for a moment. He turned front again and continued his steps to the dean's office. It was actually a really bad morning for him.
***
Mr. Joseph Brown let Erick Vildy sit on one of the chairs in his office. Melisa Rayadi did not enter. She was solely standing by the door outside and she overheard the conversation inside the office from the little space of the unclosed door intentionally done by Erick Vildy when he entered the room the moment before.
"Yolanda Velasquez is one of your students, isn't she?" asked Mr. Joseph Brown trying to select the appropriate words.
"Yeah, that's right… What's the matter, Mr. Joseph?" asked Erick Vildy as though he had been a knight being ready to go to the front zone.
"Let me introduce him for a moment. This is Alejandro de Santino, Yolanda Velasquez's boyfriend. I hear that you scolded Yolanda only because she didn't really master the lessons that you were teaching. Is that right, Mr. Erick Vildy?" asked Mr. Joseph Brown.
Alejandro de Santino forwarded his body a few centimeters, "I think… I think… I think your attitude is less appropriate. Yeah, first when Yolanda enrolled herself in this English literature department, her parents in Madrid there didn't really agree, either. I didn't really agree, either. I think this lady is more suitable majoring fashion designing, rather than English literature. Nevertheless, inasmuch as Yolanda is so keen on this department and in the future, she'd like to be novelist or a scriptwriter, I hope that you are also like me and her both parents, that you can encourage her, not to ruin her mental and spirit instead."
Erick Vildy raised up his hand for a while.
"Can I know from what side you can conclude that I've ruined her mental and spirit?"
Yolanda kept pulling her boyfriend's sleeve.
"Please stop it, Alejandro. I've told you we won't get anything from this useless conversation…" said Yolanda to her boyfriend.
Yolanda had known her lecturer's character as well as personality. If her lecturer was forced deeper and more severe, his defense and strength would become higher and higher as well. She started to regret her own decision letting her boyfriend meet her lecturer this morning. She had got a kind of instinct that this morning could turn into an awful morning for her.
"Of course by scolding her rudely, you have ruined her mental and spirit, Mr. Erick Vildy. Moreover, you also said that Yolanda wasn't suitable at all in this English literature department and suppose in this semester, Yolanda didn't want to catch up with her other peers, she would have to consider majoring other departments. I think… I think… I think that character doesn't reflect a lecturer. That attitude of yours is like a judge who wants to ruin the suspect's mental and spirit before sentencing your verdict to him. I'm sorry for being very impolite. However, I think even though you're a lecturer, you're still a human. Any human in the world still requires what is so-called self-introspection."
"When I'm done with my self-introspection, I still can't see where my mistake is, so that you can come to me early in this morning and confront this matter to me. I didn't give any corporal punishment to her at all. I solely reprimanded her. Perhaps I lost my control to my words a little bit, inasmuch as this is already her third semester, and meanwhile she still can't master some of the basic tenses-usage and English grammar. Do you think that your girlfriend is appropriate for majoring English literature?"
Alejandro de Santino was seen squinting his eyes for a while, trying to hold his horses.
"I merely gave her some firm reprimand. There are still many other departments. If you think you yourself aren't really suitable in one particular department, why should you force yourself like that? If you can't even get this firm reprimand as your morale booster for your better change in the future, I don't think your girlfriend can maintain her existence anywhere in the world, Mr. Alejandro."
Suddenly, Alejandro de Santino beat the table in front of him. Mr. Joseph Brown was shocked. The middle-aged man tried to fix the position of his spectacles. Melisa Rayadi standing outside was also astonished. It was only Erick Vildy sitting still at his place.
"The one you're teaching is my girlfriend, my future wife, Mr. Erick Vildy! I think you must take care of the way you're talking!" the firm and low voice had started here.
"Being a lecturer, I've taught my best to Yolanda. If that best attitude of mine is misinterpreted, I don't have any other option, either," said Erick Vildy trying to hold his anger and emotion.
"I hope that you can maintain the justice here and speak up a satisfactory explanation to Yolanda, my girlfriend, Mr. Joseph," shouted Alejandro de Santino towards Mr. Joseph Brown. "Or else, Yolanda will move to another university."
"Calm down… Calm down… Calm down, Mr. Alejandro. I will talk over this matter with Mr. Erick Vildy. I think you can come back again tomorrow and I'll try my best settling this problem. Can you…?" Mr. Joseph Brown seemed a little bit afraid of Alejandro de Santino's anger.
"Yeah… It's indeed like that," said Alejandro de Santino with his sharp eyes. Yet, Erick Vildy kept staring at him without any doubt and hesitation.
Alejandro de Santino held his girlfriend's hand. Both of them passed by that office. Those were Mr. Joseph Brown and Erick Vildy left in the room.
"Can't you be a little bit more gentle and polite, Mr. Erick Vildy? Your attitude doesn't reflect a lecturer's character at all. I wonder a little bit why the human resource department can accept you here and why you can teach here for almost two years," said Mr. Joseph Brown with his freezing stare.
Melisa Rayadi realized that Erick Vildy would soon lose his job in the university. Yet, she knew that Mr. Joseph Brown was a firm boss, and all his words and orders were undebatable. She wasn't brave enough to step into the dean's office and defense her childhood friend coming from the same country and city. She was merely standing still outside the room with her panic which became the order of the day.
"Why are you afraid of those students and their guardians?" asked Erick Vildy directly to the point.
"You… You… You even dare to question my leadership and management system here, don't you, Mr. Erick Vildy? You're nobody here! You have no rights at all interfering to my management system! Please keep that noted!" shouted Mr. Joseph Brown at that moment.
Erick Vildy kept staring Mr. Joseph Brown in front of him, as though he was waiting for that middle-aged man to finish all his arguments and ideas.
"You must know, Alejandro de Santino's father is one of the biggest shareholders in this university. If it isn't the share from his father, this university won't turn to one of the prestigious private-sector university in this city. You must keep that noted and you must realize whom you're dealing with! You can't do whatever you like! Suppose Alejandro de Santino's father were here, you…"
Erick Vildy interrupted Mr. Joseph Brown's long unfinished narration.
"Suppose he were here, he wouldn't be like you, like his crazy son who keep talking about the illogical things! Are you clear, Mr. Joseph Brown?" Erick Vildy raised up his tone and intonation.
Erick Vildy had run out of his patience. Melisa Rayadi was right indeed. He definitely could not be a patient man, as patient as a tortoise, in a condition he had to say sorry about the mistakes which he surely did not do.
"You… You…" Mr. Joseph Brown's mouth kept opening widely, being shocked with the real Erick Vildy's character in front of him.
"Listen, Mr. Joseph Brown! I'm genuinely working in education, not in business. I can't be like you, being a hypocrite, and turning the truth and the lie upside down each other, only because of the position and the money you gain! It was obvious I merely reprimanded Yolanda Velasquez; I absolutely didn't give her any kind of corporal punishment! Because of his pride and prestige, Alejandro de Santino would want to use his power and position to tread onto me so that I can apologize for something which is truly not my fault! One question, Mr. Joseph Brown… Are you using your brain?"
Surely, Mr. Joseph Brown could not hold his horses anymore, "Out of my room, Mr. Erick Vildy! Get out of my room right now!"
Joseph Brown's loud screaming was heard from his office. Melisa Rayadi covered her ears with both of her hands.
"Without your asking me, I want to step out from this office as well, Mr. Joseph Brown! I'm not teaching here anymore! You can search the other lecturers, together all of you can lick those rich and wealthy students' butts!"
Erick Vildy went out from the dean's office directly, leaving the dean alone with his widely-opened mouth. Melisa Rayadi tried to go after her mate coming from the same country and the same city.
"Rick! Rick! Hold on! You want to quit and that's all?"
"Yes! I can't stand with all these hypocrisy and politics dramas! Not in Medan, not in Sydney, all the people are just the same! It's disgusting, isn't it?"
"So, what are you planning at the moment?"
"Of course I will search another university or another school, Dear Melisa… I don't want to end up in vain here and return to Medan solely for being laughed by others, especially by those two! It's impossible, isn't it?" Erick Vildy said in low and angry tone.
"You obviously know that it isn't the places which are wrong; it is the people who get something wrong here. Medan isn't wrong; Sydney isn't wrong, either. Yet, it's the people who are wrong, Rick…" said Melisa.
"Yeah, I've got it now… Wherever I go, it's just the same… It's the people who make the place comfortable or not, not the place itself. Yet, I will remain here. I won't return before I achieve my goals. I won't return only for being laughed by others, especially those two! Never!" said Erick Vildy clenching his fist.
Melisa Rayadi was shocked a little bit. She stared at Erick Vildy with a sad look. She grabbed what Erick Vildy actually meant by his latest sentence.
"Almost five years…" said Melisa Rayadi in her gazing look, "almost five years, and you haven't even forgot that girl, Rick… You haven't taken her out of your mind…"
"Of course I'll always remember… I'll always remember all our times and memories in the past, remember the love we shared. I'll always remember those all, Mel, even though she doesn't live in the world anymore…"
Erick Vildy walked away. Melisa Rayadi followed the man's leaving with her sparkling eyes. Tears began to roll down from her eyes.
***
The night had come to Sydney. Sydney was still active during the late evening because it was the busy harbor city. There were many big and small ships leaving and heading the port.
In the city center, there were many cafes and shopping centers packed with many visitors from various countries. The workers working here were mostly hired from Asian countries, not from Australia itself.
Melisa Rayadi was seen enjoying her ice cream in one of the cafes particularly selling ice creams. She was seen licking her mint and chocolate ice creams. Her other friend, was also seen enjoying her dark chocolate ice cream.
"So, finally Erick has quit from work this morning and doesn't teach at the same university with us anymore?" Quiddie Smith asked while looking at her conversation partner with lots of curiosity.
"It seems so," replied Melisa Rayadi briefly.
Melisa Rayadi turned to Quiddie Smith again. She was doubtful whether to talk about her problems with this friend of hers or not. Yet, inasmuch as Quiddie was indeed a crossbreed between an Australian and a Chinese, of course she could at least understand the eastern people's problems which were interpreted into western people's culture.
"What's going on?" Quiddie Smith smiled for a while. "Honestly, Mel… Knowing you for these two recent years in the university, I think I haven't known you enough. Am I right?"
"Knowing me from what?" Melisa Rayadi also smiled.
"For instance… What are you from Erick Vildy's point of view?" Quiddie Smith went directly to the point. She thought Melisa Rayadi who suddenly asked her out tonight, must have got some problems to be shared. Melisa Rayadi must not have known with whom to be shared again about her problems.
Melisa Rayadi sighed for a while. "We've been friends since we were kids. Going to school and even to the campus together… When we graduated from our bachelor degree five years ago, he decided to work here in Australia. I followed him here. And, two years ago, one of his dad's acquaintance here recommended us teach in one of the private-sector universities. So, here we are as you see us today."
"Oh, so you both teach in the university due to an acquaintance?" Quiddie Smith had got it clear at the moment. "That's why I've been wondering… You're just 26 and 25, but you can already be lecturers and teaching the bachelor degree."
"Of course… It's impossible the bachelor degree graduations are allowed to teach the bachelor degree itself. We first worked in an Asian restaurant in the suburb. The boss was a Korean. Later on, we met Erick's dad's business acquaintance there, and he recommended us our current job. However, now he's lost that job. I don't know what to do anymore. If his dad and mom call me from Indonesia later on, I don't know what to say to them."
"You love him, don't you?" Quiddie Smith asked frankly.
"Oh gosh, Quid! How easy for you to say that word! Frankly, many years have passed by, and even until now, I don't have any courage to express that word to him," Melisa sighed for a while again.
"You easterners are rather weird…" Quiddie shook her head. "If you really like him, just say it. Why do you have to keep it in your heart? This life is short. Later on, don't regret that you haven't expressed your feeling to Erick Vildy. Right?"
Melisa Rayadi smiled sadly. "Since we were in the senior high school, he loves another girl, Quid. Even until now… How do you think I can have my chance to express this feeling of mine to him?"
Quiddie Smith looked at her conversation partner without saying any word. She understood that Melisa's position these years must have been very hard. If she were Melisa, she would have turned to another love. It was obvious she would not have been able to remain in an empty hope and imaginative dream for quite a long time. This time, it was Quiddie Smith sighing her breath. Is this what's so-called love, the real and real agape love? She obviously knows that the man she's been expecting loves another woman, doesn't turn to her at all, and she's still supporting and helping the man wherever he goes. Wow… Fantastic…!
Again, Melisa's mind returned to the past…
Medan, 21st September 2012
Melisa Rayadi was holding a box of cake in the medium size. She was hiding behind the drums, behind the dragons and lions which were kept in Erick Vildy's dad's dragon and lion dances studio building. She knew Erick Vildy was still settling some administrative matters and he would go home the latest among all the studio members. It seemed that the man started to go down the stairs from the third to the second floor. Melisa Rayadi had known Erick Vildy's figure so well since she was a kid that she could recognize the way he walked and even his footsteps on the floor.
Once Melisa was sure that Erick Vildy had reached the second floor, the candles on the cake were lit up. Yet, once she would bring the cake out from her hidden place, she heard other footsteps, also approaching where Erick Vildy was standing.
"You haven't gone home, have you, Stel?" asked Erick Vildy a little bit astonished.
Stella Kuangdinata approached Erick Vildy as well. From her back, she also took out a box of cake – but with the smaller size – together with some burning candles on it.
"Happy birthday… Happy birthday… Happy birthday to you…" the happy birthday song sung by Stella Kuangdinata was heard. All Melisa's hope and her background world smashed into pieces. Melisa Rayadi, hiding behind the dragons and the lions, started to sob bitterly.
"Happy birthday, Rick… May all your dreams come true… May you be always healthy and happy…" Stella Kuangdinata grinned a little bit.
"Thanks very much…" said Erick Vildy putting his lips onto his princess' forehead. "Besides Erwie and Erdie, you're another one remembering my birthday. Thanks, Dear…"
"Of course… One year being together, it's obviously impossible I can forget your birthday…" said Stella a little bit sheepishly. "I've prepared a little celebration for you tonight, Rick… Just go to Sun Plaza, shall we?"
"Okay… Okay… How about also inviting Erwie and Erdie to go together with us? They can be said as my brothers already. Moreover, one year dating with you, I haven't introduced you to them. Tonight in my birthday occasion, I'll introduce you to them. How is it…?"
Stella Kuangdinata looked blushful again. She turned her body and now Erick Vildy was standing behind her.
"I… I… I want to celebrate your birthday, only with you, Rick… Not with anybody else… I know tomorrow you still have a lot of time for your birthday celebration with them. Yet, at least… tonight give your time only for me… Can you…?"
At last, Erick Vildy nodded his head.
"Okay… Okay… My pleasure… Wait for me in the car for a while, Stel… I settle these first, and afterwards, we go to Sun Plaza… Okay…?" said Erick Vildy pointing to some dragon and lion dances musical instruments which were still on the floor.
"It's already seven o'clock… Don't let me wait for so long, Dear…" said Stella touching her lovely prince's chin for a while before finally walking away from the room.
It was Erick Vildy alone in the room. When he was collecting the dragon and lion dances musical instruments from the floor, suddenly he heard a soft cry. He stopped for a moment. It was obvious the soft cry derived from the same room. He tried to concentrate again to detect where the soft cry sound was coming from. Finally he realized it, the soft cry came from behind the dragons and lions being packed at the corner of the room. Erick Vildy went straight to the corner. He put some lions and dragons aside. He was startled spotting Melisa's existence there, sobbing bitterly with her tears rolling down from her eyes like a waterfall.
Melisa Rayadi was also shocked inasmuch as her existence there had been figured out by Erick Vildy. She quickly wiped and dried her eyes. However, when she stood up, of course Erick Vildy could know that the girl had just been crying. Erick Vildy looked at a drum beside Melisa. He saw a cake on the drum with some little burnt-until-half candles.
"What are you doing here, Mel? Haven't gone home yet, have you?" Erick Vildy did not know what to say to neutralize the stiffness between them.
"It's alright… I'm settling these dragon dance musical instruments. I'll go home shortly afterwards. You can go home first. It's been seven o'clock. You're being waited in the car," said Melisa as calmly and coolly as possible. Perhaps she did not realize that her voice was quavering.
Realizing he had spoken up the wrong words, Erick Vildy patted his forehead.
"Thanks very much, Mel…" Erick Vildy finally said something after being quiet for five seconds. "Thanks for remembering my birthday. I… I… want to celebrate this year's birthday with you as well, but… but… but…"
This time, Melisa Rayadi turned her body, trying to give her most beautiful smile, her most relaxing smile.
"It's alright, Rick… I understand you… You can go home first. I will lock the gate later," said Melisa giving her cake to Erick Vildy, "Sorry… You came so long. Only until the candles burnt until the middle, did you come here. Happy birthday, Rick… May your dreams and goals quickly come true."
Melisa Rayadi spoke up those words with a little bit grinning on her face.
Erick Vildy took the cake with lots of guilty conscience, with a little bit of grief mood mixed with lots of happiness and dilemmatic confusion in his mind.
"Thanks very much, Mel… Thanks very much as you've remembered my birthday," said Erick Vildy accepting the cake.
Melisa Rayadi replied the man's latest sentence with a smile – and actually a rather sad and grief smile. She turned her body again and now Erick Vildy was standing behind her. She pretended to settle the dragon and lion dances musical instruments on the drum. Unintentionally, her tears rolled down again to the drum in front of her.
The reflection of the tears from the light was caught by Erick Vildy's sharp and cautious eyes. He could not say or do anything. Stella was waiting for him in the car. He could merely turn his body away, leaving Melisa Rayadi – his childhood friend – in her falling to the endless cliff of sadness and disappointment.
"Whose cake is that?" asked Stella a little bit kidding when she saw Erick Vildy coming out holding a cake in his arms.
"From my mom of course…" said Erick Vildy trying to hide his grief and sorrow in his grinning face. "Okay… Let's head for Sun Plaza…"
Shortly afterwards, the car was heard leave the yard of the studio building.
Melisa returned to the real world.
"That happened during his 20th birthday. He met that girl during a national Indonesian dragon dance tournament in Batam. That girl only requires one year of time to make Erick not be able to forget her until now. But I… I…" Melisa's eyes began to be sparkling due to her tears, "I have spent more than ten years, and until this moment, I haven't achieved the love I've been expecting for so long."
"But he accepted your cake at that time, didn't he?" asked Quiddie sorrowfully.
"Yeah, but in his mind until now is Stella, not me, Quid… No matter how hard I try and struggle, he never turns to me although only once, Quid. What is inside his heart and mind is only Stella, Stella, and Stella…" said Melisa Rayadi standing up directly from her seat.
"Okay then… You must be bored listening to my love failure story. I'm done with my ice cream. You've done with your ice cream, haven't you? Let's go back…" said Melisa Rayadi heading towards the cashier table and doing some payment.
Quiddie Smith was silent afterwards. Inasmuch as Melisa Rayadi was seen wanting to go back already, she decided not to ask anything more again. There is a lot of chance later on, she thought in her heart.