I dozed off for a bit, the clock barely hitting 4:30 am. "Those who find love effortlessly are truly fortunate," I mused to myself, sprawled on the bed, lost in thoughts of her. As dawn broke, my phone buzzed to life. I answered to discover there was a party at the club scheduled for 9 pm. A thrill surged through me at the news. Time slipped away like grains of sand, and soon it was 9 pm. I dressed up and hopped into a taxi, eager to reach the club. Upon arrival, I was taken aback to see Novita standing there. Summoning my courage, I approached her, despite my awkwardness with girls. "Hey, fancy seeing you again!" I greeted her. "Yeah… what brings you here?" she asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice. "An invitation to the party! And you?" I inquired. "Not really my scene. I work at the electronics store right across from the club," she explained. "Oh, that's cool," I replied, locking eyes with her. "Thanks for the chat, but I should head home now," she said, waving goodbye.
Being near her made me feel powerful and unique. How could I possibly strike up a conversation with her when I struggle to even speak to my classmates? I pondered this as thoughts of her swirled in my mind. "Could it be attraction, infatuation, or even love?" I mused, lost in contemplation. I was so absorbed in my thoughts of her that the lively party inside the club slipped my mind entirely. In a hurry, I dashed into the club and found my parents waiting for me there.
-Next day-
As I opened my eyes, I was greeted by the sight of my parents standing before me, their faces glowing with joy and arms filled with colorful gifts. Curiosity bubbled up inside me. "What's the occasion for gifts today?" "Is there something special happening?" I asked, puzzled. My dad smiled and asked, "Do you know what date it is today?" I thought for a moment, "Um, it's the 16th of April! Wait a minute—16th of April means it's my birthday!" I shouted in excitement, grabbing the gifts and bowing to touch my parents' feet. After receiving their blessings, I eagerly tore into the wrapping paper. Inside, I discovered a ticket for something mysterious. "Get ready quickly! You'll be heading out to celebrate your birthday on your own because I have a meeting with clients and can't join you. Enjoy your day, and we'll meet you later for the birthday party," he explained before stepping out. I quickly dressed in my new outfit and headed outside to catch the taxi waiting for me.
I hopped into the taxi, and the driver slid into his seat, firing up the engine with a low rumble. I had no clue where we were headed, and when I tried to ask him, he remained silent, not uttering a single word. After a twenty-minute journey, we finally arrived at our destination. To my surprise, it was a beach resort renowned for its thrilling water rides. I had only heard whispers about this place from my dad chatting with my mom, so I was taken aback to discover they had been planning a birthday surprise for me. I stepped through the entrance, quickly changed into my riding gear, and took in the stunning scenery. The rides loomed high above, intimidating yet exhilarating, but I was undeterred. I dove into the pool, and as I swam, I spotted Novita gliding through the water right next to me.
"Hey, look who it is again! This makes three times we've crossed paths," I murmured close to her ear. "Wait, who are you?" "Oh, it's you! You gave me quite a fright!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise. "Oops, my bad! I didn't mean to startle you, but I'm genuinely thrilled to see you again," I chuckled. "That's alright! So, what brings you here all by yourself?" she inquired. "Well, I'm here solo because my parents gifted me a ticket to this resort for my birthday while they're tied up in a meeting with a client," I explained as I glided over to the corner with her. "Happy birthday!" she said, her voice warm and inviting. A thought crossed my mind: I should tell her how I really feel. Sure, it hasn't been long, but keeping it to myself might lead to regret later. "But what if it ruins our friendship?" I pondered. "Maybe I should wait a little longer before I share," I decided. "Ah, Arigato!" I said, expressing my gratitude.
We climbed out of the pool, ready for lunch. "So, you're a fan of resorts and pool adventures?" I inquired. "Not really, I just wanted to spend the day at a resort," she answered, pulling her hair back into a neat ponytail. "Oh, that's cool," I replied. "Maybe fate wanted us to cross paths again, and that's why you ended up at this resort, hehe," I joked. "Hahaha, I don't think so. It's just a coincidence, dude," she laughed. "Please don't call me dude," I said in a low, playful tone. "So, where do you hail from? You can't be entirely Indonesian, can you?" I asked. "Yeah, I know I look a bit Japanese, but I'm 100% Indonesian," she said with a wink. Days rolled by, and by chance, we found ourselves at the same resort once more.
. I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of my emotions, and approached her, ready to bare my soul. "Hey, there's something I need to share with you," I said softly, my heart racing. "Sure, go ahead," she encouraged, her voice warm and inviting. "From the moment I laid eyes on you, I felt an undeniable pull. Your presence brings me joy, and I can't help but smile when you do. When you shared your sadness, it touched me deeply, and I wanted to be there for you. I think I might be falling for you, but we hardly know each other, and our different faiths could complicate things. But forget that for now; I just wanted to express my feelings. Thank you for listening," I said, feeling a mix of relief and apprehension. I turned and headed to the changing room, needing to wash away the salty tears that had escaped. About half an hour later, I spotted her waiting at the resort's exit, looking a bit lost. "Hey, what are you doing out here? You should be having fun inside!" I called out, surprised. "I was waiting for you! You shared your feelings, but what about mine? You just ran off after confessing!" she replied, her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue. "Okay, tell me how you feel," I urged gently, eager to hear her thoughts.
"I really like you," she said, stepping closer and wrapping her arms around me. "You helped me so much, even though we were just strangers. You've captured my heart, and as for our different beliefs, we can sort that out later, right?" Her words hit me like a bolt of lightning, leaving me momentarily speechless. Inside, I was bursting with joy, wanting to leap into the air and shout, "I'm in love! I'm in love!" But I held back, knowing we were standing right by the gate together.