International Airport City J
I was currently at the boarding gate waiting for my flight to Germany to be called which would take off in a few minutes. The bustling atmosphere at the boarding gate didn't bother me, when I myself was busy with my memories, precisely when I was still at the ice cream shop with Aileen.
It was still fresh in my memory, when she put on a surprised face, when I told her my guess about her feelings. Her surprised face looked innocent in my eyes, making me realize that I shouldn't have that feeling inside of me.
Flashback on
"Are you jealous, Ai?"
Aileen just stayed silent, didn't answer what I asked, making me even more suspicious if she really had that feeling, when she felt annoyed with her friend with me as the victim.
"I ...."
Seeing her response like that, I hoped that my guess was correct. Usually, women would hide their feelings and covered them up with a strange attitude like this. I knew because it was not once or twice that I had relationships with women. Although I never guessed their feelings because they were always honest with their feelings towards me. But, I learnt from them, how women behaved.
Women were living beings who liked to complicate things. They said that it was up to us but when we chose, they didn't necessarily like it. Likewise, when we were silent, they would even weirder and ended up with the male being inhabited.
"For example, Aileen, a woman or a kid who is currently suffering from a confusion," I thought to myself and shook my head not understanding.
"I... I can't be jealous, Glenn. T-that's impossible," Aileen stuttered.
"You didn't like those who were curious about me, you were angry with a woman who made fun of me and you were angry because I didn't explain who that woman was. If that isn't jealous what else can it be? Whereas you only need to explain who I am and ignore who that woman is to me. Am I right?"
Again Aileen looked at me with a shocked face and wide eyes.
"It's not like that, Glenn. I didn't like them being excited about who you really were. I also didn't like it when a woman looked for a fuss like that, especially in public places," Aileen explained quickly.
Her explanation sounded cliché, twisted and uncreative. The more I believed that she was really jealous right now.
"Aileen."
"What?"
I paused the sentence I wanted to say, and looked at her seriously with her turning her face the other way, avoiding me.
"When you feel angry with someone, because of something you don't know the reason. Don't you think that something strange, especially when you are angry with the opposite sex. You should ask yourself again why, instead of prolonging the duration of anger," I said with arms crossed, so that she finally gradually looked at me.
"Sorry," Aileen mumbled and looked at me regretfully.
Aileen was like an open book which every page I opened would explain how she felt. That meant the fault was mine, because I should be the one who opened up to her. After all, Aileen wasn't me, who had a lot of experience dealing with things like this.
Aileen was just an innocent young woman who got into trouble because of my will. If only at that time I didn't bring her and forced her to marry me by contract, maybe this time we also wouldn't be involved in trivial matters like this.
"No, it's not your fault. I should have explained about Zoya to you, when you two met at that night. Instead of just being silent and assuming you don't need my explanation. I'm sorry, Aileen," I replied with a small smile.
Aileen lowered her face again, but before looking down completely I saw her blushing face which I didn't know why. But after this incident, I didn't want to draw arbitrary conclusions anymore, without asking her beforehand.
"I think, Aileen was annoyed because she really has something for me. However, it seems she hasn't realized it and it's best if that something doesn't grow. I don't want Aileen to think too much about things like this. It's better for her to continue her dream," I thought inwardly and tried to realize my position.
"No, it's not only you who are wrong, I am also wrong. We are wrong and I hope that we can forget this matter. In the future, I will be more open and will also try to respond casually when someone asks me about you," Aileen said without looking at me.
"Hmm.... That's better," I said with a nod of my head.
"Ok, I have to go to the airport. My plane will take off in a few hours. I don't want to be late and end up messing up the collaboration," I continued to explain.
"You want to go already?" Aileen asked and this time looked at me with that expression again.
An expression as if she didn't want to part with me, the same as when I told her that I was leaving this morning.
"Hmm, you should also return to the building, isn't it like that?" I said and got a low nod from her.
"You be careful," Aileen warned.
"Of course."
"Glenn...."
"Hmm?" I just mumbled with an eyebrow raised, when she discontinued the call and looked at me uncertainly.
"What is it?" I continued to ask.
"Em.... Nothing, then we better get out of here quickly," Aileen evaded as she stood up from her seat in a hurry, making me suspicious of her again.
"Don't hide anything anymore, Ai. Tell me what you wanted to say to me earlier," I demanded.
Aileen who almost turned her body back stood facing me, then sat down and looked at me doubtfully.
"I...."
"Hmmm?" I muttered again and waited patiently for what she wanted to say.
"I want to take you to the airport," she explained and looked at me shyly, causing me to blink quickly, between disbelief and amusement.
"Gosh, Ai. Why should you be so embarrassed, when you just want to take me to the airport. It makes people misunderstand," I said with a small chuckle as I looked at Aileen, who immediately put on an adorable face with lips pursed like a duck.
I used to think that a woman who pursed her lips was not funny at all, let alone cute. But, why was it different now?
Aileen actually looked cute and adorable, making me have to be extra restrained so as not to pinch her cheeks right now.
"I'm afraid you won't like it," Aileen said in her usual annoyed voice, making me chuckle even more with her stupid guess.
"Says who? I am fine. So, from now on anything must be said immediately, so that there will be no more misunderstanding between us. Ok, Ai?" I said in a firm tone and looked at her earnestly which got a nod from Aileen whose cheeks were blushing again.
"Ok."
"Good! Then call your coach and tell her if you have to go. I don't want to be thought of as kidnapping someone's child, because there was no advance notice." I explained.
"But you are kidnapping me." Aileen whispered.
"What, Ai? Did you say something?" I asked, when I heard a whisper but it was not clear.
"Nothing. I mean, I'll tell my coach directly. Because I still need to change my clothes," Aileen said evasively to explain in words that made sense.
She was right. She was still wearing her ballet clothes. I nodded then stood up from my seat, and extended my hand towards her who just stared at me silently.
"Let's go," I said still holding out my hand.
She finally grabbed it. Then I gripped her tiny hand tightly, and pulled her gently to walk out of the ice cream shop and back into the building.
Flashback off
The call from the airport loudspeaker made me flinch and wake up from the daydream of the conversation between me and Aileen a few moments ago. I stood up, queued for boarding, gave my boarding pass as well as my passport and walked again when the flight officer returned everything to me. Then I walked down the hallway that leaded up to my plane.
"Good afternoon, Sir. Welcome to Eagle Airlines!"
I boarded the plane, headed to the business class, and looked for my seat. Then I sat comfortably in my chair and leaned my back trying to relax and exhaled slowly.
"Aileen, don't be like this.This feeling should never exist. I hope that by the time you follow me to Germany, your feelings will be gone." I whispered while looking outside where there was a clear afternoon sky as a beautiful sight in my eyes.
To be continued