"YAZ!" called Mummy, knocking on his bedroom door. "Come on, dinner first!" she invited.
Diaz did not respond from inside his room. He was busy playing online games on his PC. So he didn't hear his mum's voice calling him from earlier.
"Yaz, I'm leaving. Didn't you say goodbye to me first?" This time it was his father's turn to call out.
Diaz still wouldn't listen. He turned up the volume on his headphones. Choosing to stay quiet and not leave the room is a form of protest against the changing attitudes of his parents who no longer care about his feelings. If they could be so indifferent, the he could do the same.
Father was patient with Diaz's behavior. After a while, he also got angry because Diaz's behavior became more and more unruly. In fact, their upbringing, which always teaches manners and etiquette towards elders, seems to have faded away.
Diaz's silent action apparently triggered his parents quarrel again. They blamed each other. They argued again in front of Diaz's room. Until finally, Diaz was upset and left the room.
Diaz passed by his parents who were arguing. He descended the stairs at lightning speed because he was too lazy to hear their argument. Then, his father chased after him. According to dad, Diaz had gone too far and disrespected him.
"Where are you going at this time of night?" Dad asked as he grabbed Diaz's hand and held him away.
"I'd rather leave this house if you're still fighting," Diaz threatened.
"What did you say?" Father grew angry at Diaz's answer. "How dare you be so insolent to your parents, huh?"
"I'm sorry, Dad. I thought you were thinking about my feelings. But you didn't. If you want to fight, you should first look at the situation and conditions. I'm still here, Dad. Is that how you show your fight in front of your child?" Diaz babbled at length. He chose to leave the house anyway.
"DIAZ!" his father shouted. Diaz kept walking away from the house.
When Diaz came out of his house, all of a sudden, a motorbike passed by. Eh! Isn't that ….
"Diaz?!" Afika turned her motorbike around and caught up with Diaz who was hurriedly leaving his house.
Diaz heard Afika's call. Then, he looked back. He saw her wandering around again at night in his housing complex.
"You? What are you doing out here at this time of night?" Diaz was surprised. But then, that was Afika.
Afika has something to do at night. She helps her father deliver food orders.
"Here!" ponted Afika with her luggage on the motorbike. Oh, Diaz knew it. The little girl was on night duty, apparently.
Afika happened to be on a motorbike. Before his parents found out, Diaz told Afika to get off the motorbike.
"Hurry up and get off! Let me take the motorbike," Diaz ordered Afika. He immediately jumped in and forced Afika to get off.
"Eh! Why are you carrying the motorbike? Where are you going?" asked Afika in surprise.
"Alright, just get on! I'll explain on the way. Now, where are you going? Let me take you," Diaz replied.
Afika was still gaping at Diaz's words. Wanting to take Afika to deliver a food order, he said.
"Hurry up, it's taking so long!" Diaz urged. Afika immediately climbed into the carriage.
Not long after, Diaz took off from the elite housing complex. Oh my! Diaz was speeding again. Spontaneously, Afika wrapped her arms around Diaz's waist. She didn't want to fall when he was speeding on two wheels. Safety riding is important.
Deg!
It was Afika's first time riding with a boy. How does it feel different? His body smelled nice and warm, and his back was big and wide. Eh! Don't take too long! It'll make Diaz uncomfortable. She immediately removed her hand. Afraid of getting carried away.
After delivering the food order, the two stopped by the nearest minimarket. Afika bought a carton of cold milk for Diaz. The boy must have been thirsty after delivering his order.
As a thank you for Diaz for taking her. Oh, yeah. What happened to Diaz? Afika was still curious.
"You said you wanted to tell me. What's wrong?" Afika started the conversation first. She'd seen Diaz moody after leaving his house.
"Oh … that." Diaz finished his drink first before telling the story.
"Yeah, why? Tell me!" urged Afika impatiently.
"It's normal, a problem at home," Diaz said.
Diaz himself was reluctant to talk. He had to tell his family's personal problems to a stranger. He could not trust Afika to keep his family's secrets.
Diaz had been silent all this time. Afika felt bad about forcing him to tell her. That was it. If Diaz didn't want to tell her, Afika could wait until he talked about the problem himself.
"My parents are getting a divorce. They decided to separate forever," Diaz revealed. He immediately lowered his gaze and looked very sad.
Afika could understand Diaz's feelings at the moment. It must be very difficult for Diaz to share his story with her. Because the problems he is currently facing involve the relationship between his parents.
"Be patient, yes. I'm sure you'll get through all these problems well. I'm sure of it," Afika consoled. She smiled sweetly as she soothed Diaz's heart.
"Where are you going on holiday, Fik?" Diaz asked distractedly. He didn't want to talk anymore about his personal problems.
"There's no holiday for me. I want to help my father sell food at the stall," Afika said with a straight face. But her eyes were glazed over.
"The semester holiday is quite long. Can't you make time for yourself?"
Afika turned to Diaz with a sweet smile. Then, she whispered, "It's a shame the money was used for the holiday. I better save it first and buy a motorbike later."
Diaz laughed at Afika's excuse that she didn't want to spend her semester break going on holiday. Afika laughed very widely. It was as if she was laughing at herself for not being able to go on holiday like her friends.
Oh my!
Diaz's eyes were distracted by Afika's thin lips that were wet from drinking the milk box earlier. Suddenly, he remembered the sweet smell of Afika's strawberry-flavoured lips. He hurriedly pushed the thought away. Don't think about it again!
"What's wrong with you?" asked Afika.
Diaz immediately got up from his seat. Then, he told Afika to go home.
"Let's go home! It's late. It's not good for you to still be on the streets at night. You're a girl," Diaz said, changing the subject. Surprisingly, he was so attentive to Afika now.
"Yes, I know. Nag! Guys talk a lot. Like those mothers who hang out at the greengrocer's," Afika grumbled as she started the engine of her motorbike. Diaz was still stunned to see Afika grumbling to herself.
"Hurry up! Do you want to go home together?" offered Afika in a slightly jerky tone.
"No, I don't. You can go home by yourself. I still want to stay here first," Diaz refused. He was still reluctant to go home.
"Oh yeah, I want to return your sweater that I was wearing earlier. Just a moment!" Afika opened the trunk of her motorbike. The, she took out the goodiebag containing Diaz's sweater.
"Thank you," Afika said as she handed the goodiebag to Diaz.
"Didn't you wash the sweater first?" Diaz was surprised that Afika returned it within hours.
"I washed it," Afika said. "I took it to the laundry to make it smell nice," she reasoned.
Diaz nodded with a smile. It's good that it's been washed. That way he'll wear it now. Not bad, his body isn't cold anymore. Earlier, when he was on the motorbike, the night air was cold and made him shiver.
"Do you really not want me to take you home?" Afika offered again. Just in case Diaz changed his mind.
"That's okay, if you insist." Diaz took over Afika's motorbike. "Move!"
"I'll drive," Afika insisted.
"No way! Men drive everywhere. Are you going against nature?"
Afika chuckled. She was forced to give in to Diaz. Instead of fighting on the road. Right?
"Hold on!"
"HAH? WHAT?" Afika widened her eyes in shock.