Without further ado, Jojo was rushing in and immediately handed his "final work" to Danny and Mr. Simon. Within a few minutes, a huge smile appeared on their faces. Then, A score was beautifully inscribed on his field form.
"YESSSSSSS !!!!!"
He jumped up and down happily when he saw it. It was the first A he got in the last months and it had wiped out grumpy mood instantly!
"YESSS ... YESSS ..."
"Err…. Congratulations?"
A voice addressed him from his back. It was the same voice of the girl who had helped him voluntarily to get a perfect score this time. That girl is holding her camera while she smirked at him. For a moment, Jojo was fascinated by her smile. Then, a minute later, his thoughts came back to his senses and Jojo stretched out his hand genuinely while he smiled back at her shyly.
"Hi, umm…. I'm Jojo. By the way, thank you so much for your help today. Still life…it's not my cup of tea, I guess. Well…have you taken your lunch yet? I know a really good western restaurant here. Their food tastes great and the decoration also eye catchy. How if we go there? Don't worry…it's on me.."
"Consider it as my expression of being thankful for my beautiful savior today.."
Jojo tapped his chest proudly. Showing his genuine intention.
He never wants to be indebted to someone. Nor his friends or even a stranger.
"It doesn't matter. Feel free to help. I just feel sorry for the camera that you want to slam earlier. It's not worth it. If you are upset, don't blame it. They didn't do any mistakes. You just add more trash on earth… " She replied with a clear crisp voice while welcomed his hand.
Jojo nodded in agreement while scratching his head warily.
"Okay…"
"You're right anyway. And your name is…?"
"I'm Arissa. Arissa Nova… "
"Nice meeting you, Arissa…"
............... ..
Since that day, the two of them became inseparable. More like partners in crime. Due to his neverending stream side jobs, Arissa became his doppelganger and attend every class that he was supposed to be in. And she was got paid for that. Whereas, aside from her part-time job as a barista, she also gets some projects from Jojo as his freelance photographer. In the meantime, both of them become a solid couple. Best friends. Best partner ever.
And there are some rumors from her college friends, Jojo also got some information that Arissa who has widely known as a beautiful and sole icy woman. Her popular nickname is Snow Queen.
Jojo also fully aware of this fact, apart from him, there were lots of prodigal suitors that after his best friend.
"Wow, you are so lucky, Jo. You can get close to Risa. I wonder, what kind of spell did you put on her so she willingly sticking around you every day? Do you mind to spare the tricks, Jo?"
Hearing the words that come out from Arya's mouth, Jojo burst out his laugh loudly. His intention is seen and written all over his face.
"You know that I have a crush on her from the beginning of the first semester. When we had just started our premature class in Nirmana…. " Arya blurted out the next plea with a begging tone while he and Jojo were having lunch together.
Jojo didn't respond to his plea whereas he just continues spooning his meal and finished it as soon as possible. Jojo would never let himself be played by his old tricks. This crocodile surely just after his best friend underpants. Arya was a great casanova because of his boyish looks and his parent's fortunes. Lots of girls had to bend their kneel under his charm. Junior, senior students, and even some female lecturers that take his liking will end up banging onto his bed for a night or two. Women, for him, as the same as clothes. Worthless.
As long as they look pretty and have a nice feature, he would willingly hook them up. A kind that Jojo avoid the most. Good in business, bad in a relationship, and worst in commitment.
But Arissa is the only one who cunningly escapes from all his tricks and traps of his seductive moves. And Arya was not alone. The others also end up in the same way.
Jojo just rolled his eyes at the ridiculous request of his close friends. For him, this is the umpteenth time he has received a similar request from Arissa fanatic fans. Starting from lecturers, cleaners, senior seniors, underclassmen, even to their classmates, those who are captivated by her charm. Unfortunately, exactly like her nickname, Arissa remains untouchable. She is like an icy mountain. Alluring from a distant sight and impossible to be approached by any males.
For Jojo himself, it wasn't easy to be friends with Arissa. This girl is very careful in her moves and playing her game along. Thus, giving someone her trust was similar to giving her breath away. It took a whole month for Jojo to get closer with Arissa to approach her so agreed to lunch with him and it even took him another 3 months to find out where does she work as a barista so both of them may meet and talked to her. Then, it took the next 6 months for Jojo when she slowly finally opens up about her past. Especially about the Young Generous orphanage and the story about his only child, Jacob. Because of this, Jojo has never crossed the line of their friendship. Winning her heart and able to be one of her besties was mean a lot to him. Moreover, Arissa was quite handy and often helps him to do his college assignments so for the next semester, he could able to catch up and manages to pass without any obstacles. All thanks to her.
As in return, Jojo often voluntarily himself as his "personal driver" whenever he can, to pick up and bring Arissa to the coffee shop. Especially if she was in charge of the late-night shift.
"Is there any reason why you so strangely cold to all your suitors, my sweetheart?"
Jojo abruptly spilled it out of the blue when she was in charge once in the daytime and fortunately, he also has nothing to do at that time after the informal meeting with his client to be is over. A question of curiosity to get rid of his boredom. Yes, he is practically bored to be surrounded by her extreme fans who vigorously asked for any secret tips so they may able to steal that girl's heart.
"Well ... there's no specific excuse ..."
Arissa replied amusedly with a crisp laugh while she is preparing coffee orders for the queue. Meanwhile, Jojo sat nicely like an obedient kid who is waiting for his mom.
"I don't have any chemistry, vibe, or whatever you name it towards them. That's all… "
She told him calmly while she walking to his table and give the latte to his best friend with a faint smile on her beautiful face. A genuine smile of honesty.
Jojo let out a deep sigh after he sipped his drink.
"It's up to you .. but frankly, I'm so damn tired of being a babysitter for your fanatic fans ..."
Jojo huffed resignedly while lit up his cigarette. Arissa laughed amusedly and showing the pair of her dimples instead. Ah, why this girl is so cute when she's laughing like that, he thought.
"Ok, you won. I keep myself for someone…"
She bluntly told him what's inside her mind honestly.
"But, I haven't proven myself to him yet. I still have a long way ahead of me by now…"
Jojo spontaneously moves forward. Hmm… this is interesting!!
"Ow? Seriously??"
She nodded lightly. "Yes…"
"And his name is?" He asked her back curiously.
"Jose… I called him Big Brother….," She answered his question without any doubt in her tone.
"Have I met him in person before?"
She shook her head weakly. "Not yet, dear."
Oh, this is great news….
Dozens of questions are swirling over and over inside his head now.
For him, Arissa is like a vast ocean, just like the color of her eyes. She is full of mystery and pretty much unpredictable. He has no idea how many secrets that she was hiding under her hands.
"I have an idea, Jo…"
"Why don't tell everyone that you're my boyfriend? Thinking about the fact that you're the one who pretty close to me? Moreover, it will solve your problem as well… "
"No more suitors. Then we may live happily as a partner like usual. How does it sound?"
Arissa teased him with amusement in her eyes.
Jojo spontaneously rolled his eyes and patted his forehead.
"And in the next second, I'll be doomed by all your hooligans....."
"Thanks to you, sweetheart. But no….. "
He chuckled in a mocking tone while he stared back at her with narrow eyes.
Next, Arissa burst into laughter when she heard his statement.
In the days ahead, Arissa was more opened about her past. About her struggles as a single parent and how she got a scholarship at Solacio University. The more he knew about her past background, his impression of this girl grows even deeper. She is not only has a look, but she is also smart and strong. The main reason why she took a part-time job as a barista was to sustain herself and sending some money for his biological son, Jacob, and support some financial aid for the orphanage that helped her a lot in the past. Even for himself, he might never be able to do that much for someone else. As a friend, Jojo sometimes asks her to take a picture of his clients' products for the catalog books. And those impromptu jobs would give her some extra income for Arissa.
Gradually, Jojo also found out about her real eyes' color by a coincidence when she deliberately hid on purpose because she was in the urge to wash her soft lens once. Jojo admired her baby blue eye color that considerately, very unique and stunning. Oppositely, for her, it was a curse. A birth-bear symptom that she inevitably should bring with her wherever she goes. Troubles and tribulations always come and haunt her life paths whenever she exposed her real eye color. Now, only with a pair of black soft lenses which able to disguise it, she is could breathe in relief.
"Please don't tell anyone about this, Jo ..."
...................
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