Immediately, their heads turned away to the voice altogether. From a distance, an attractive young girl is waving her hand excitedly to Cristan and walked fast towards them both.
"Sandra ?? "
Surprised, Cristan said the young girl's name. Doubt could be heard from his tone.
Hearing her name was called correctly, the young girl's eyes lit up with joy.
Once she arrived in front of Cristan, the girl suddenly pulled Cristan and hugged him in a bone-crushing hug. Made Arissa feels uncomfortable all of sudden and she turned her head away to the other direction.
"Cristannnn, I miss you ..."
"Why did you never call me again?" The girl told him with a spoilt tone without letting him go from her embrace. On contrary with Cristan who struggling to release himself from her arms. After a while, he can pull himself off but the girl still stubbornly clinging to Cristan's arm.
"Cristan, I'm soooo happy…that you still remember me.. " The girl continued her line with her lovey-dowey sweet smile. Her grip on Cristan's arm even grew tighter. Made him grimaced in pain shortly.
"Ah, yes. But I'm so sorry…. "
"I'm not available today, Sandra…"
"Maybe next time…"
Cristan replied to her and insisted pulled his arms uncomfortably when he faced this Sandra.
"Oh, because you're so busy now, you rarely call me now? " Sandra keeps blurting her questions after question in a row without stopping and use her ultimate weapon. A pair of her sad puppy eyes and still in a demanding tone.
"I'm quite busy lately ..." Cristan replied nonchalantly. He was way too lazy to explain further to one of his "ONS" bed partners.
"Besides, I have a guest today. This is Arissa, one of my best friends and I would like to be a host and giving her a tour of Rotteo University today… "Cristan explained and introduced Arissa to Sandra.
"Hi, Arissa ..." Sandra greeted Arissa sweetly and stretched her hand, but the smile did not reach her eyes at all.
Somehow, Arissa got goosebumps all of sudden right after Sandra lays her gaze at her. It was so piercingly cold and heartless. As if there are thousands of knives being pointed at her. Hiyy…
But as soon as Sandra stared back at Cristan, her eyes returned to normal. There isn't any sign of danger from her.
What a scary girl!!
After a while, this girl looks so familiar to her. Has she ever met her before? But, where is it?
While Arissa was twirled in her deep thought, Cristan's hand tapped her shoulder gently and motioned her to hurry up while his other hand is waving goodbye to Sandra.
But for Arissa, for some reason, it felt like the temperature had dropped drastically straight down at her back!
....................................… …
There are 20 faculties at Rotteo University. But the most famous of them just only 3 faculties. The first is the Faculty of Biology, which includes the Biotechnology that Cristan is currently taking in for his master's now. The second is the Faculty of Information Technology, the one that Jacob is aiming for. Her only son is talented in programming for secure networks and develops his expertise in cybersecurity and game programming as the major that he's been interested in so far. One of his goals is to build his company in the online gaming industry.
The third is the Faculty of Economics with Business Management where was taken by Arina Levy before and it is has been proved successful when she applied what she has got and manage all the branches of Levy Inc. that spread across all over the world.
Inside the complex, whilst Cristan explained each faculty in Rotteo University to her, Arissa is observing her surroundings in awe. None of the buildings has the same design and each of them was built based on what subjects that they will study later once the students were accepted. This university not only builds its reputation by their knowledge but also with tons of undergoing projects that collaborating with lots of multinational companies under their name. Lots of students who joined and participated in those projects have been "reserved" by those companies to be their employees once they're graduated from this university. That's why this university is quite famous.
As a mother, Arissa put her hope high that her son may enter and study here so he may make his dream come true one day.
Time passed by. Daytime is over and the sky is getting dark. It turned blue and purplish with the rows of orange clouds. Sun is setting down. The wind blows hard and colder. Arissa brings Cristan towards the main square downtown. There is an annual festival which is regularly held once a year here. It's the Festival of Lights. Every year the mayor always holds exhibitions from artists and art students who willing to participate in this festival and show their artworks which would be illuminated by light exploration. For this year, the theme of the festival is Happiness and each exhibitor is required to bring an installation or artwork that presenting the main theme. And at the end of the event, there would be fireworks from the mayor as the closure.
When they arrived at the square, several exhibitors were there already and started to install their works on the ground while the committee began to arrange the queue of the visitor who has come and crowding outside the square. It's 06.30 PM and the exhibition will be opened at 7.30 PM to the public.
There are various forms of art installations that are displaying there. An installation of a woman hugging her child while the child is sleeping and yet, his face looks very peaceful. Those installations are in the form of colorful LED lights. They are fascinatingly beautiful. Shone brilliant and brightly in their uniqueness one another. .....................…
In total, there are 40 installations arranged and displayed neatly on the square and after they both giving the tickets to the committees, Arissa held Cristan's hand and bring him onboard to a boat, and enjoying dinner inside while they are waiting for the fireworks festival begun.
Their date today is quite simple. Just went to an amusement park, eat ramen noodles in a restaurant, they have a walk-in Rotteo University. Then, in the evening, visit the Festival of Lights of Sierra City. Then, as their closure, they would have dinner together on the boat. It sounds so romantic, right?
Strangely, for Cristan, even though he was used to accustomed to lots of glamour and merrier events for the have's community, he never even once felt such an intimate like this before. With Arissa, everything that he felt was giving him another sensation. It feels deeply personal. Relax and down-to-earth. He no longer needs to be the heir where he should pay attention to his gesture or what he should say before he speaks up. He feels carefree to be himself. Like the others. Ordinaries.
"You won…" Cristan whispered and smiled cheerfully at Arissa after they ordered the menu for dining in on the boat.
Arissa frowned in confusion. She has no idea of what Cristan had referred to.
"I like our date today. You are right. The lunch that we had before, was terrible.. "
"Your idea. This whole full-day package tour is great, Arissa. And I enjoyed it…."
"No, maybe because I spent it today with you, that's why.."
Cristan thinks that maybe next time….
It would be better if let Arissachoose the event and location for their date. After all, he liked it so much!
"But their food is so tasty ..." Arissa speaks up her compliment genuinely. Her blue eyes stared at the man intensely with pure sincerity. She's like an open book. Never hide lies or any falsehood in her words.
When their meals are finally served, Cristan thinks that this time would be the right time to ask the questions which linger inside his head for some while now.
"Arissa, may I ask you something?" Cristan asked her in a deep-serious tone.
Arissa nodded while she spooning her food and nod her head lightly.
"Yes, just say it.."
"Are you really… really an asexual?"
Arissa choked and coughed hard when she heard the question and Cristan hurriedly gave her a glass of water to drink.
After a while, Arissa felt that her throat had returned to normal.
"Sorry…. I did lie to you at our very first meeting. I'm straight, but sadly, I've never had any good experience with men. That's why.."
"How about Jacob?" Cristan asked her in a deep curiosity.
He is even more confused now. If Arissa has never had any experience with men, it means that she was never had any sex with any guy, right? Then, who is Jacob? Is he her adopted son?
"Did I tell you that I was abducted and locked up for 13 years, Cristan? It's all true. I was so young at that time when I saw my parents were killed in front of me. The man who killed them then took me away and put me in a dark room. Several years later, after I got my first period, another guy came over to my room and I became his sex slave since then. A year after that, I gave birth to Jacob… "Arissa explained softly. Her eyes glistened with tears as she told one of the darkest moments from her past to the man in front of her.
"Then, a week after Jacob was born, I decided to run away from that place and I succeeded. I smuggled myself into a cargo ship for 14 days until I landed on a harbor and coincidentally, I met my foster mother and treated at her orphanage afterward..."
Cristan was utterly silent after he heard her heart-wrecking story.
Then, she continued….
"I never told this to anyone. Only my foster mother, Jose, and you who know about my past. Not even Jojo… " Arissa confessed in a soft voice again as she looked out the window and sighed heavily with a sinking heart. As if she wanted to take out all the burdens deep inside her heart and throw them somewhere else, but she couldn't.
"Jose?" Cristan repeats the name cautiously and narrows his eyes suspiciously. Wait, he heard this name before. Yup, Jade mentioned it also before. Is there any possibility that they're the same person? Could it be?
"We came from the same orphanage. He is my senior and also the person who makes me believe that there is still kindness in the human heart. Someone that I can trust besides my foster mother. He's like a brother to me. Someone that would be there to protect and guard me. He also the one who taught me to be a strong and independent mom for my son. He is….. really means a lot for me…"
A blush was seen on her face when she is telling Cristan all things inside her heart. She didn't realize a change of expression of the man who is sitting across her. Cristan scoffed and sipped his wine then smile faintly. Trying so hard to hide the jealousy that slowly arose and eaten him up from deep within. But, at the same time, he couldn't do anything because in fact….
That Jose has entered her life earlier. Do some good for her which impacted who she is now. Showering her with his merciful kindness. And now, it's his turn.
However, her honesty made Cristan wants to protect her even more. He will do anything. Everything. To make this girl happy. Happier than she ever was before.
"Arissa, I ...."
BLARRRRR !!!
The sound of fireworks thumped in the air. A fiery red flower appeared in the dark sky. Followed by other striking colors. The fireworks festival has started.
Looking above the beauties up there, Arissa's eyes were stunned.
"... likes you."
Unfortunately, she can't hear it.
Again.