You say you love me, I say you crazy
We're nothing more than friends
You're not my lover, more like a brother
I known you since we were like ten, yeah
Don't mess it up, talking that shit
Only gonna push me away, that's it
When you say you love me, that make me crazy
Here we go again
You can't be reasoned with, I'm done being polite
I've told you one, two, three, four, five, six thousand times
(Friends by Marshmello, Anne-Marie)
.........….
That morning, Arissa and Cristan are doing their routine as usual without saying much at all. They are eating breakfast and prepare themselves in utter silence. In less than 1 hour, Arissa and Cristan have gotten into the car that gliding smoothly on the road. Behind them, other cars entailing their car. It's The Troops a.k.a the bodyguards.
Shortly, the six of them arrived safely in front of Emerald Tower. It's their office. Cristan deftly assigns 2 bodyguards to guard Arissa when she rushed in and shifted as "Snow". Meanwhile, he would monitor her and all her doing from afar.
Jojo, who already in the studio, just throws his glance in suspicious several times at them both. His brow furrowed in confusion when he saw Cristan and Arissa's "very unlikely and unusual" attitude.
"Arissa, are…you…okay?"
"No, my real question is…. are you both…okay?"
Inwardly, Arissa groaned in annoyance and rolled her eyes exhaustedly.
Seriously, Jo?? Shall we discuss it … right now???
It's not a good timing, ferguso!!
"Soooooo... mind to tell me what exactly is happened between you two?"
Jojo curiously asked her while he helps to dress her up for her photoshoot that day. His eyes and ears all open. Ready to hear and chew anything that would come out from her mouth.
"It's nothing, Jo…"
"We…just….having…some…issues…that's all…"
"It's okay. We are... completely fine…."
Arissa replied to him briefly. She isn't in the mood to discuss anything with Jojo or Vika or whoever you-name-it. Especially that guy.
Cristan.
Because of her sour face, Jojo finally zipped his mouth and didn't say much afterward. Then, they keep working until Snow's photoshoot is over that day. Whereas, Cristan just sat quietly in the corner while he still keeps monitoring Arissa under his watch. He still in heartache after her rejection last night but he is unwilling to give up now. Not yet.
After a while, he let out a deep sigh and he pulls out the phone from his pocket and starts playing it until eventually, his thumb suddenly stops on a picture.
The candid picture that he took when Arissa was busy taking some pictures in Lavender Hill some while ago. Cristan's face beamed with a smile when he saw it.
Arissa had finished changing her clothes and is getting ready to go home that afternoon when a voice greeted her.
"Arissa!"
Soon, she turned her head towards the source of the voice and a broad smile slowly appeared on her face.
"Jose!!"
A brown-skinned man is smiling at her and came over to Arissa directly but then, his move was intercepted by a bodyguard.
"Sorry, please let him in. That man is my friend…" Arissa said awkwardly. She did not expect that the bodyguards assigned by Cristan would be so strict with her friend like that.
Once the bodyguard let him in, Jose stretched his arms wide out and hugged her in a bone-crushing hug.
"It has been a while, Arissa…"
"Yeah, it is. How are you doing? And why are you here, Jose?"
"How did you know that I'm working here anyway?"
Arissa asked him repetitively with a beaming smile on her happy face.
"Oh, it was Anne who told me. So, are you done?" Jose asked her again in his casual tone as usual.
"Yeah, it's done. I'm done. Why? Would you like to take me out?" Arissa asked him and raising her eyebrows while carrying her bag.
Jose nodded his head firmly.
"Yeah, are you free now?"
Now, it's her turn who nodded her head.
"I would like to take you to the amusement park. I heard that there's a new attraction in there and I would like to try it. And, for your information, young lady…"
"I'm also free today. I have cleared out my scheduled yesterday…"
"So, Arissa. I'm all yours today…" Jose explaining about his arrival today while they both are walking out from the building.
For Arissa, this moment is like a treasure. She was here before with Cristan before. Now, when she is here again. In the same place. With a different person, it feels… strange. Weird. Awkward.
And, she has no idea why.
Why is this happening?
To her, Jose is still and would be the same person. Someone that she would always adore and admire and rely on but why did it feel so different when she was around with him? With Cristan?
When she was with him, she feels so damn comfortable and contented. It felt like there were thousands of butterflies in her stomach that dancing happily every time they spent time together. But when she is with Jose…
Right here, right now. This feels so different. They are proximately close, yes. They came from the same orphanage. They shared the same foster mother. They came from the same background.
Abandoned. Thrown away. Left out.
He knows her well and otherwise. But, this feeling, it's more like a platonic relationship. It's like having a big brother who would always be there and stay on her side on her stormy days. Coaxed her that everything will be fine in the end.
Jose's attitude towards her is indifference. He treats all children who are younger than him with the same attitude. In his eyes, everyone is his brothers and sisters.
No less, no more.
............…..
"Arissa, here is your ticket…." Jose said it while he hands over the ticket to her.
"Oh, okay, Jose. Thank you…" Arissa replied shyly as she took her ticket.
They went straight into the amusement park together and tried all kinds of rides like a bunch of kids who have just found a new toy. Jose also talked a lot about his current job and what he is doing to get rid of the traumas from the war veterans. Arissa listened to all of his stories with great interest. She knows well that her senior is fully dedicated and seriously attached to his job and a real hard worker, but what he is working now with these veterans made his value increase a fold-hundred times in her eyes!!
In the distance, a pair of jealous eyes stared at them piercingly.
Seeing her adorable admiration on her face. A beaming spark of her smile towards the man that she had been idolized over these years, made Cristan's heart boiled with anger.
Damn it!!
He never felt as angry as this before!! And, he had never felt so badly lost before!! And, now, seeing the love of his life is having fun with another man beside him…
It's driving him crazy and made him want to tear and rip Jose into a million pieces right now!!
Cristan gripped the walkie talkie in his hand tightly. If there's a slight movement, any of it, from Jose to Arissa, he is more than ready to give him a huge surprise!!
Something that he would never expect before!!
Ha ha ha ha…..
"So, the only reason you come and pick me up today because do you think that I'm pretty equeal with you now?" Arissa asked him again. The smile never leaves her face. She still clearly remembers their agreement for 15 years ago.
"Well…you can say that…."Jose replied to her casually while they are walking around.
"By the way, may I ask you something?"
"Huh? Yes? What is it?" Arissa look upward at him forlornly.
"This.. probably is not appropriate for me to ask this right now. But, I'm curious.."
"So, is there someone that you take a liking, Arissa?" Jose smiled at her while he spilled it out and winked his eyes amusedly.
A red tone slightly flushed on her cheek after she heard the question but then, she shook her head.
"Then, I still have a chance ..." Jose teasing her again with his playful smirk.
Arissa raised her eyebrows in confusion. Chance? What chance? What is he talking now?
"For this, Arissa…"
In the next second, without saying much, Jose leaned towards her directly.
At the same time, an instruction came out of Cristan's mouth immediately.
"Now!!!"
Then, the twenty fire trucks that already standby around the park sprayed water simultaneously altogether from their hoses.
Pouring down all over the place in a minute.
Heavily.
...........
Don't go look at me with that look in your eye
You really ain't going away without a fight
You can't be reasoned with, I'm done being polite
I've told you one, two, three, four, five, six thousand times
Haven't I made it obvious?
Haven't I made it clear?
Want me to spell it out for you?
F-R-I-E-N-D-S