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Lisa crept out of the house, her eyes alert, making sure she had escaped Tina's sight.
She had made plans to meet William, her lover.
They were meeting in the village park, where the couple would spend the evening together.
Lisa was relieved to have managed to escape from home.
Dressed in her best clothes, like a celebrity from the capital, Lisa strolled toward the village garden, drawing the attention of neighbors and country girls.
She felt proud of her clothes, bags, and high heels—all of which she had received from the man who had proposed to her, the wealthy man from the capital who was about to marry Vira.
Seeing William's happy face on a lawn chair made Lisa impatient. She jogged over with a sassy strut, approaching her lover.
"Oh my love, you are so beautiful today!" William praised, pinching Lisa's soft cheeks.
"Ah, I'm always beautiful!" Lisa pouted, her lips curling in a playful snarl.
"Hehe… I know. But today, my love, you're even cuter and much more beautiful in that pink outfit. You look like a living Barbie doll!" William's praise made Lisa smile happily.
"Is it because I can smile properly today?"
William looked surprised. "So, what?" he asked.
"You know, dear. I've been dizzy from a guy's proposal for a month. He's been so interested in me. Ah, I'm finally free!"
William was even more confused. "What? I don't understand… Who dares to disturb my future wife?" William's face turned red with jealousy.
"Yes, what can I do, dear? It's hard because I'm beautiful, and many people like me. But you can relax now, because I've taken care of everything! Okay?" There was pride in Lisa's words.
"What's okay? Don't tell me you accepted that man's proposal!" Will sulked.
Lisa rolled her eyes, glancing at William's jealous face. "Uh, no! Really, I didn't!" she said irritably.
"I've cleared everything up!" Lisa's eyes turned meaningful.
Will focused on his girlfriend's face, waiting for a clearer explanation.
Lisa looked at William lovingly. "I sent Vira over there!" she whispered proudly in her lover's ear.
Instead of being happy, William was shocked. He pulled his head back quickly, staring at Lisa's triumphant face.
"WHAT?!" he half-shouted.
"How shocked are you?" Lisa felt William's reaction didn't match her own excitement.
Will quickly adjusted his expression, not wanting to let Lisa suspect that he'd always had a crush on Vira. Yes, he'd liked her since elementary school.
But because Lisa was too confident and misunderstood the situation, they were dating now.
Will had to forget his feelings for Vira because there was no hope—Vira didn't seem interested in him, even though he was a handsome and popular young man in the village.
"No, no, dear. It's not like that. The man is just looking for an excuse. If Vira marries that man, what will happen to her love with Dion?"
Lisa shrugged. "Why should I care? Besides, Dion hasn't even contacted us since he studied abroad."
"Why are you thinking about it? Dion probably doesn't even remember Vira!" Lisa said indifferently.
"How could you, dear? You know that Vira likes your brother!"
William's words annoyed Lisa.
"Why are you defending her? You want me to marry that man, huh? Why are you so concerned about Vira's relationship with my older brother? They don't even care! You're weird, you know!" Lisa said irritably.
"No, honey," William calmed her down.
He didn't want Vira to marry that man, and he didn't want Vira and Dion's relationship to work out. He didn't want to lose Lisa.
"What I mean is, why don't you just refuse the man's proposal?"
Lisa raised both eyebrows, unfazed by William's words.
"Then... do you want me to use my old cellphone again? Do you want my clothes to be turned over, my bags and jewelry taken away?" Lisa grabbed the hem of her dress.
"Then can you buy it for me? If you can give me what I want, I'll return all of this!" Will sighed heavily at Lisa's demands.
"It's up to you, dear," Will said.
"That's why you don't need to debate. It's good for Vira—she doesn't have to worry about going to college if she can marry a rich man!" Lisa continued.
"Just pray that old man dies quickly! Then she'll become a rich widow!" William laughed at Lisa's sarcasm, which suited her cute facial expression.
"You're mean to Vira... hehe..." William chuckled at Lisa's cruel words.
"I don't care!" Lisa exclaimed, sitting back on the park bench.
William put his hand on Lisa's shoulder, embracing her.
"Hey honey, is this jewelry beautiful?" Lisa showed off the new ring on her finger.
"It's pretty, like a girl wearing it!" William replied with a fake smile.
Hopefully, Vira wouldn't get married, he thought quietly in his heart.
***
Vira was on the road.
"Why, sis?" asked the passenger sitting next to her. She felt something was off about the girl beside her.
The girl smiled and pulled up the knit sweater she was wearing. Vira adjusted her clothes. "Are you cold? My body feels cold—ugh, I have goosebumps!"
All the other passengers looked at Vira in annoyance. Where's the cold? Didn't she see everyone waving their hands, trying to cool off?
Imagine a minibus with six to ten people and no working air conditioning.
Vira let out a faint smile. It looks like she has a fever. Is she really the only one cold here? She scratched her sweaty neck.
Why do I feel so bad?
Vira's hunch about tomorrow was never wrong. It would be the last day she was single!
She dreamed of going to college and getting a good job in the capital.
Her eyes stared along the village streets with deep emotion.
She held back tears.
Nothing special happens as long as you live here.
She recalled how mean and cruel the Darsono family had treated her. And today... she was letting go of everything!
I'm free.
I'm free now! Vira thought happily.
She would leave the crocodile's cage and live in the lion's den.
"Hehe..." She laughed to herself.
Her behavior made her the center of attention on the minibus.
"It's a pity. She's still young, but she's out of the normal life," whispered another passenger.
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