Lova lay down on the soft hotel bed. Tired of walking all day in the safari park. I mean by car.
There is a certain satisfaction when Lova can see the big cats there.
Lova didn't even think she could take a picture with one of the lions that had been tamed. Obviously with the supervision of the officers on the safari.
A smile emerged from the straight-haired girl. She closed her eyes and made everything that happened in that afternoon repeat itself well in her mind.
The shadows of the animals that greeted her and other visitors. How she enthusiastically saw the animals on the safari. Or how she could touch so many animals that she had only seen on TV. Oh fun.
Then the smile flashed. The smile that made Lova tremble lately. From the man Lova herself never thought would return to fill her life with all the impossibility.
Lova opened her eyes to dispel the pleasant images from the man. But her retina couldn't find any light. The hotel room became very dark.
Seeing the rain that had not let up and the sound of thunder everywhere, Lova believed that there was an emergency power outage. She immediately grabbed her phone and turned it on.
Lova sat on the edge of her bed. Several times scrolled through the applications on the phone, then lay back down after seeing nothing interesting there.
The girl's eyes closed again. Hoping to sleep to relieve fatigue.
"Miss, please. I'm afraid of the dark. I'm scared, miss. I can't breath. Miss, help me!"
Lova was shocked and immediately sat up. It seemed like she was remembering something and forgetting someone. The girl ran outside barefoot with a flashlight from her cellphone.
Immediately Lova opened the door to the room next to hers.
Dark, same as her room. Lova circulated her flashlight throughout the room. Suddenly a feeling of worry overcame her after the memories came back to her.
"Alder!" Lova amplified her voice. It was still raining hard outside and Lova didn't want to lose her voice. "Alder Reuven!" Slowly, Lova went deeper into the silent room. There has been no response from her call.
"Alder, it's me. Lova." The girl was still trying to circulate her flashlight to every corner of the room.
Srak!
Lova immediately turned around. The light from her flashlight captured the silhouette in the corner of the small room that became the barrier between the bedroom and the bathroom.
Lova rushed over. Placing the cellphone carelessly with the flashlight position above. So that the room becomes a little brighter because of the flashlight.
"Hey." Lova wiped the man's face which was now wet with sweat. "Breathe, Alder. Slowly."
The man who now looked like a child again in Lova's eyes, followed orders. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
"I-I'm going to the bathroom," Alder swallowed repeatedly to calm himself. "Suddenly it was dark. The lights are off, Lov."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Don't talk anymore, okay? It's okay, I'm here."
Lova repeatedly rubbed Alder's face. The tall man's body shivered. Her arm was tightly gripped by that large palm. Lova really felt the fear from Alder's grip.
"I'm scared, Lov. So scared." Alder hugged her tiny body.
Lova was actually at a level of worry that took herself by surprise. Seeing Alder drenched in sweat, reminded her of the image of seven years ago.
You're still this scared of the dark, Al? Why?
"Al. Let's try to lying down, huh? Who knew you could sleep." Lova felt Alder's head move, shook his head. And his arms tightened. "I'm with you."
Alder finally let go of the hug. Following Lova who was holding her hand. Leading Alder to lie down on the bed.
The apple-smelling man still gripped Lova's hand firmly. Lova covered Alder with blanket and lay half-sitting beside that tall man. The thirty-four-year-old woman's free hand stroked Alder's head gently.
Alder moved his head closer to Lova. So it looks like Alder is lying on Lova's lap now.
"Al," Lova whispered, making sure that Alder was still awake.
"This is the reason why I want you, Lov. The reason why I have to look for you. I really need you. Darkness doesn't feel scary when you're near me. You are a tranquilizer. And I won't let you out of my life."
Lova was silent. Even though it was like a mutter, Lova still clearly heard every sentence Alder said.
"I've grown into a man, Lova. I'm not the Alder you knew like seven years ago."
It seems Lova's heart is not normal. The beat was too strong, so Lova could even hear the beat clearly.
"I love you, Lova. I really, really love you."
Alder's breathing became regular. There were no more murmurs. Lova was sure that Alder was asleep now. Then what now? Who can help calm the pounding of her heart that makes Lova's head cool?
No! Lova has really fallen!
~.~.~.~
Evelyn sat at the sate padang shop customer bench she used to go to with Lova. After ordering jumbo satay, Evelyn waited while playing with her cellphone.
Lova Zem Zem : Hey! What are you really up to, you fool?
No reply. Evelyn snorted and put her phone back on the table. Lova hasn't contacted her since yesterday. That made Evelyn a little worried.
"If you really mess with Alder, I'm happy too, Lov." Evelyn chuckled after the monologue.
Lova will definitely hit it out if she hears this crazy remark. Ah, she missed her best friend so much.
"Hi, Eve." Someone sitting down made Evelyn hold her breath for a moment.
"Hey, Zal." Rizal sat down with a smile after ordering the satay.
"Order something?"
"Of course. Jumbo portion of sate padang." Evelyn grinned and showed her flat teeth. Although Rizal's question doesn't seem to have to be answered, because it's clear she's going to order satay at a satay seller, right?
"Can you eat it by yourself?" Rizal's question seemed to indicate that he was surprised by Evelyn's portion.
"Absolutely, yes. It's also normal to order the same with Lova." They chuckled. Immediately eat the satay that was just delivered by the shopman.
"Lova didn't come?" Evelyn slowed down the pace of the spoon that kept shoving rice cake into her mouth.
"Yes." There was a tone of disappointment in Evelyn's answer. Rizal was even looking for Lova at a time like this. Evelyn smiled faintly.
"The new boss isn't in either." They stare at each other.
Now Evelyn is a little confused to reply to Rizal's words. Should she say that Lova might be with Alder right now?
"As it happens." Evelyn smirked again. Take care that her behavior as normal as she can and not suspicious.
Evelyn wouldn't reveal her best friend's secret. If it wasn't for Lova to admit to herself what kind of relationship the girl had with Alder, Evelyn wouldn't have done it either. She still very confused about them too.
"I was rejected by Lova." Rizal looked at Evelyn who was chewing slowly in surprise. "Even before I confess I like her." At first glance, a chuckle was created.
"I sorry to hear that, by the way. Don't take Lova's attitude to heart." Evelyn became a little sorry for Rizal's confession.
You're so arrogant, Lov. Just because the boss is chasing you, Rizal, you broke his heart before going to start the battle.
Rizal smiled and shook his head. "That's Lova's right. I can't afford it."
The girl who was taller than Lova nodded in agreement. "You're still handsome, Zal. A lot of women like you for sure."
"Yes. I know why. They even often send me flowers and dolls. Feels like I'm a girl who really feminine."
Rizal chuckled, as did Evelyn, who didn't expect that someone as stiff as Rizal could joke around.
"But no one I'm into in, Eve. Maybe yet." The atmosphere suddenly became quiet.
Evelyn was slightly shaken by Rizal's words. Even though she is not the sender of flowers and dolls, Evelyn is also one of the women who likes Rizal. Even though she just confessed to Lova.
"Slow down, Zal. I know, there is someone will makes your heart pounding, soon." There was nothing Evelyn could do now, other than be the person Rizal considered a co-worker.
"So far, I'm still into Lova who makes me comfortable. Even though she didn't think much of it. But hopefully in the future there will be someone who can make me much more comfortable than Lova did, Eve."
Evelyn just smiled faintly. Chew the sate and rice well. In order not to be seen if now her throat was choked after hearing Rizal's words.
I can make you comfortable, Zal.
Obviously Rizal will never hear the words Evelyn said in her mind.