Morning already come, it's time to shop!
Dewi had no desire to go—not after yesterday's news still clawing at her thoughts—but they'd pressed relentlessly, leaving her no choice but to relent. At dawn, she hurried through a frigid shower in the communal bathroom, the chill of the tiles seeping into her bones. As she stepped out, towel clutched to her chest, she nearly collided with Fitri lingering by the doorway.
Fitri arched a brow, arms crossed. "So you're actually going with them?" Her voice sharpened. "Yesterday you swore you'd refuse."
Dewi tightened her grip on the towel, shoulders stiffening. "What else could I do?" She forced a laugh, brittle as glass. "They're *international*. We're supposed to be welcoming, right?"
A flicker of hurt crossed Fitri's face. "Ah. So I'm a foreigner too now?" She bit the word like a curse. "Since I'm not Indonesian *enough* for you?"
Dewi's resolve wavered. With a sigh, she pulled Fitri into an embrace, fingertips tracing the curve of her jaw. "You're my girlfriend," she murmured, lips grazing Fitri's ear. "Since when does a goddess like you count as a *stranger*?" The lie slipped out sweetly, honeyed to smother the tension.
Fitri huffed, but her rigid posture softened—just enough. Dewi hid her relief in the warmth of Fitri's shoulder, her smile fraying at the edges.
Fitri leaned against the doorframe, her tone casual but edged with purpose. "So you're still going with Austina and Emeka, right? When?" She paused, fiddling with the hem of her sleeve. "If you do, buy me face cleaning cream. mine's almost out."
Dewi hummed in agreement, pressing a lingering kiss to Fitri's cheek. "Mmm… You smell like vanilla and jasmine today," she murmured, nipping playfully at Fitri's earlobe. "Relax, I'll get it. Now, what's your Sunday plan? Wanna do something… fun?"
Fitri shrugged, staring blankly at the ceiling. "Dunno. Probably just binge BL dramas like always. Snacks. Couch."
Dewi cackled, nearly doubling over. "You're *such* a weirdo! A lesbian obsessed with boys' love? Shouldn't you be into, I don't know, *GL*?"
"I like all the angst," Fitri shot back, rolling her eyes. "Now you must go—they'll leave without you. It's already half past five."
"Fine, fine!" Dewi slung her bag over her shoulder, tossing a wink. "Don't miss me too much."
Fitri's fingers twitched like she wanted to grab her back. Instead, she pretend-punched Dewi's arm. "Just… be safe, okay?" The words came out softer than she'd intended, betraying the worry she'd sworn to hide.
—
After slipping into a crisp outfit, Dewi strode to the school gate, where Austina and Emeka were nowhere to be seen. The clock had already struck half past six. "Ugh, where are they?" Punctuality's a myth with these two, she grumbled inwardly, kicking a stray pebble across the pavement. The predawn gloom clung to the deserted campus, its silence broken only by the distant snoring of students still recovering from Saturday night revelries. Should've slept in, she thought bitterly, pacing circles under a flickering streetlamp.
Forty-five minutes crawled by. Dewi had resorted to sketching shapes in the gravel when hurried footsteps finally echoed behind her.
"Where the *hell* were you two?" she snapped, whirling around. Her voice sharpened to a blade. "I've been freezing here for an hour!"
Emeka raised his hands in surrender, breath visible in the chilly air. "My alarm didn't go off! Blame Austina—she dragged me into a gaming marathon last night."
Austina winced, her sheepish grin not quite masking the dark circles under her eyes. "We're so sorry, Dewi. Time just… evaporated because of us."
Dewi pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling a cloud of frustration. "Whatever. Let's just go before the Sunday market packs up."
They scrambled onto the bus, its engine sputtering to life as dawn bled pink over the horizon. Dewi slumped into a seat, arms crossed, while Austina and Emeka exchanged guilty glances. The aisle reeked of diesel and regret.