RIIIINGGGGGG
It is already at 15.30. The school bell ringing loudly, signaling the end of today's lesson.
All students are tidy up their books and stationery immediately. Then, they rushed out of the classroom. Some of them are go straight to their home, hang out in a food stall with cheap food next to the school, clean up the class according to the picket schedule, or take another extracurricular activities.
I wear the gray jacket that had been sitting on my chair. Eventhough the weather outside is nice, I decided to wear it because I am really lazy to carry it in my arms.
I walk out of the classroom with today's subject books inside the black backpack on my back. half run towards Ayse's class on the 2nd floor — through the bustling atmosphere as some students were still chatting with their friends in the corridor.
Arriving on the 2nd floor, two steps closer to Ayse's classroom. Suddenly I am looking at Alan. He seems talking to Ayse. I do not know what they are talking about.
My eyes turn to a rose stem in Alan's grasp behind him. I almost stepped into Ayse's class. However, at that moment I am looking for a safe place — behind the foundation near the classroom door.
"Alan declare his feelings to her now?"
I am really agitated. My mind is filled with negative expectations between them. I do not know how long I am here like a cat hiding from its master.
Suddenly Ayse come out from her class, wearing a tosca green hoodie. Her braided brown haired blown by the wind along her footsteps. Walking alone in the middle of the 2nd floor corridor. Unknowingly, she passed through me who still hiding.
I am trying to approaching her.
"HOI!"
"Hey, Devin!" she said with her gaze at me.
She was not surprised at all.
"I thought you'd be surprised," I said.
But, she do not say anything and silent with pursed lips.
"Um, are you okay?" I asked, confused seeing her sullen face like there is a big black cloud above her head.
"Of course not," she replied. "I'll tell you later. Now, I want to eat. I am hungry"
"Okay!" I said with a big smile.
"Follow me!"
At the moment, I take her hand immediately towards the bicycle parking lot.
"Have you told your parents that you will going home late today?" I asked.
Ayse nodded. She said, "I've sent a message to my Mom that I have a extracurricular activity today."
"Okay!" I said. "Now, sit behind me."
"Okay!" she said.
She sit in the back seat of my bike. While i am sitting on the front seat.
We heading to the Vita Nova Restaurant.
The location is one-way with the same direction to where my tuition center at, So, I do not need to activate the GPS on my cell phone.
Suddenly her hands hugged me from behind.
I do not say anything, just enjoying her hugs and the atmosphere in this afternoon in the city of Jakarta. My tired soul, changed for the better soul because of this moment. My heart beats fast along. I do not know, I never felt this feeling before.
10 minutes later, we arrive at our destination.
Honestly, I am confused because the building is not same as the picture on the internet. The restaurant building is small like an ordinary small house with lots of green leaves, spreading in each side of the house and trees. However, "Vita Nova Restaurant" writing in vintage-themed lettering style, same as the picture. So, it convinced me a little bit that this is the right place.
I park my bike in front of the restaurant, right next to a white car and motorbikes of visitors.
"Although the place is small. But, lot of people come here."
We got off from my bike and walk into the restaurant. The bell ringing as soon as the door was pushed, signaling our arrival here.
It is totally different than I thought.
It turns out that this restaurant has a large space.
It is contrast to how it looks from the outside.
In fact, there is a bar table, in addition to chairs and dining tables. The decorations here are usually made of real wood so that it gives a unique impression of its own, different from restaurants in general. The lighting still using oil lamps that hung from each wire on the side of the restaurant wall. The strong scent of cinnamon wafted my nose.
"Welcome to Vita Nova Restaurant!" exclaimed a women wearing a maid uniform — a white dress with a black vest and a knee-length skirt. Her blonde hair tied in two buns.
Her action makes me a little bit nervous.
From her looks, she is in the same age like us.
"For two people," I said.
"Alright! Please choose a seat!" she said with a friendly smile.
I nudged Ayse's left arm. "Where do you want to sit?"
"Um, better for us to seat there," Ayse pointing to one of the chairs for two people facing each other.
"There?" Suddenly the maid asked Ayse as if she is knows of what Ayse means.
"Yes."
"Alright," she said.
Then, she walk towards the chairs that Ayse pointed to. The two of us followed her steps until we arrive at that place. Ayse and I sit opposite each other.
That waitress put two menu books on our table.
I smiled at her a little.
My fingers flipping every page of the brown-covered menu book.
Many types of food and drinks along with the prices there. The prices are cheap. There are chinese cuisine, Indonesian cuisine, and western cuisine. The drinks are also available such as mineral water, juice, soda, and even local and international beer.
I would not to choose a beer. Honestly, I'm allergic to beer. If I just drink one sip, I threw up immediately. That is why my gang mocked me a 'Holy Man'.
"What do you want to order?" Ayse asked suddenly.
"I haven't decided, yet," I replied. "You?"
"Maybe I'll choose Fried Rice with Goat Meat," she said.
"Sounds good," I said.
"How much it costs?"
"Rp10,000," she replied. "I'm in the mood for rice and goat meat today."
She order her food and drink to a waitress who already waiting for us.
Honestly, because of the variety cuisine in menu, I confused to deciding.
"Okay, the cheapest one," I thought.
"One serve of Chicken Satay with rice cake," I said.
"Okay," She note down my order on a memo with a red ink pen.
"And mineral water, please," I continued.
"So, two glasses of mineral water?" she asked.
"Oh, you ordered that too?" I asked Ayse.
She nodded.
"Yes," I replied to a black-haired waitress.
"Alright," she said.
"I repeat. One serving of Fried Rice with Goat Meat, one serving of Chicken Satay, and the drink is two glasses of mineral water.
"35 minutes!" she continued.
"Are you serious? That is really long time!" Ayse interrupted and surprise.
"I am sorry. We're having a serious problem in our kitchen," she explained to Ayse.
Then, she left us alone. Her form disappeared behind the wall that separates the kitchen and dining room.
A moment of silence between the two of us.
"Thank you, Devin," said Ayse suddenly. "I really bother you."
"Take it easy," I said. "I was the one who invited you first, right?"
She smiled.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you what happened to me earlier," she said. "About Alan."
I silent while listening to her explanation.
"So, when my class is over. Suddenly Alan came to my class and met me,
"Things that makes me still can't stop to think is how did he know my birthday?" she frowned.
"Then he gave me a rose and asked me to be his girlfriend. The class was full of students and he dared to do that!"
Ayse sighed. "He has no shame anymore, really."
"Then, how do you respond?"
"I reject him," she replied.
"You know, Alan is the famous playboy among the girls!
"I am so bored every time I hear the girls at school always talk about him. It's like there is only one man in this world," she continued.
"I understand," I said simply.
"Even he sent me gifts many times. Starting from chocolates, doll, and so on," she explained. "Well, i gave it to my neighbor who has a daughter."
"Maybe after you reject him, he will stop bothering you."
"Are you sure about that?" she asked.
I nodded slowly.
"By the way, I—"
I have not finished my sentence yet. Suddenly in the middle of our conversation, a waitress come back to us again. But, with our orders.
"You said that we have to wait 35 minutes," Ayse confused.
She smiled as she placed our orders one by one from the wooden-tray. "The problem in our kitchen was resolved quickly."
"Oh," Ayse said simply.
After the food and drinks are right on our table, she pointed her tray near her chest.
"Enjoy your meal!" she said with a friendly smile to us.
"Thank you," We both said at the same time with a smile on our face too.
That waitress left us again.
I sighed.
"I'll tell her after the dinner," my thought.
Suddenly the smell of Chicken Satay and Fried Rice with Goat Meat blended into one. The smell of our food blends with the smell of other food ordered by other visitors.
In terms of beauty of the dish, I could say it is standard. But, I am more concerned with the taste than the beauty of the plate.
My mind is distracted by the delicious food in front of me right now.
I saw Ayse gulped a bottle of mineral water immediately. In fact, that waitress had already provided two glasses for us.
I eat the food that is in front of me, exactly inside a white plate.
"This Chicken Satay is so delicious!" I thought.
I continued myself to eat every piece of rice cake and every piece of chicken meat mixed with peanut sauce
"This Fried Rice with Goat Meat reminds me with my grandmother's cooking," Ayse exclaimed, as she eats every piece of rice on the tip of her spoon.
We continued to finish every food and drink that we ordered.
But, suddenly something happened.
On the last stab, I feel a bad air around me.
"Just my feelings." I thought.
However, this is getting worse.
"Ayse," I called her.
She do not answer me. Her eyes staring down at her Fried Rice.
"Ayse?" I called her again.
Still no response from her.
Something is getting really weird here. I feel it. With courage and curiosity in myself, I try to call her name again and again.
"Ayse?" I touch her left hand that still holding the iron fork. "Are you—"
Suddenly she grab my hand. Stronger, like not the figure of her I know. Her head slowly lifted with a blank stare at me.
"W—what are you—do—ing?!" I asked her with panic in my soul.
My whole right arm feel broken as soon as I feel how strong her energy is. I tried to release her grip and fight. But, my efforts is in vain because her other hand managed to block the action of my left hand which is about to cut her hand with the knife that on a empty table beside me.
At the same time, the visitors staring at me blankly. Their skin turn pale, including Ayse.
Not only that, now my food turned into a stick of maggots that are still wriggling and my drink turned into fresh red blood.
"NO WAY!!!" I shouted.
A waitress come to me again and touch my cheek with her fingernail until it left a red streak there. Her face no longer displayed the beauty as before — instead a pale and half-skeleton face, smiling crookedly at me who is in agony.
"Enjoy!"
A word came out from her bloody mouth.
Suddenly a bunch of human hands appears from wooden floor around me. The hands trying to pull me. One of the hands managed to pull my legs.
"PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM ME!!!"
I tried to kick them. However, my energy has limited because there are so many hands.
Panic and fear mixed in myself, followed by my mind that unable to think clearly anymore. Cold sweat covered my whole body.
Now, there is not a figure Ayse that I know in front of me. But, a figure of demon that shrouds into Ayse. There is a smirk on her face, looking at me with her sharp gaze.
The atmosphere of this restaurant turned gloomy.
"This is just a dream!"
My mind keep repeating that sentence.
"Please wake up now, Devin!!
"WAKE UP!!!!"