"Can't believe it. Tomorrow's finally the farewell ceremony for the seniors at my school." It's been three days since Santi stepped down, and in that time, I haven't seen the feisty yet adorable presence that was always around me. After asking one of her close friends, I found out she's out of town right now. Apparently, she's attending a family wedding in the Rainy City with her family. Hearing that gave me a bit of relief—at least she didn't vanish without a word. But still, there's this empty feeling I can't quite explain.
Even though I was the one who turned Santi down, I can't deny there's this nagging sense of regret that won't go away. Maybe if I'd known that moment would be the last time I saw her before we went our separate ways for high school, I would've said something more meaningful. Maybe I could've kept our relationship from falling apart like this. But all of that is just "what if," because now all I can do is regret what's already happened, wishing I could rewind time.
***
Today was my first rehearsal with my new "partner" for tomorrow's traditional ceremony. I still had no idea who ended up replacing Santi, but honestly, I didn't really care. I mean, it's just a fake wedding. It doesn't matter who the bride is, as long as I can play my role properly. Besides, nothing's going to replace the feeling of loss I'm dealing with right now.
But since I figured it was important to at least get to know my new "partner," I decided to ask the head of the committee. I wanted to make sure we had some kind of chemistry so tomorrow's event wouldn't feel too stiff. "Her name's Febi," the head said while busy organizing the props. Febi? That name didn't ring any bells. I don't think I've ever talked to or even seen her before.
"Hey, when's Febi showing up?" I casually asked one of the ceremony crew members walking by. While waiting for a response, I scanned the rehearsal area, trying to spot this "Febi" who was supposedly going to be my partner for tomorrow's big event.
"Probably in a bit," he replied, still busy tidying up some props for the event. A few seconds later, he glanced toward the auditorium door and pointed. "There she is, just walked in."
Instinctively, I turned my head to look. A girl strolled in with a laid-back vibe, wearing a simple T-shirt and training pants. Her hair was neatly tied back—not flashy or anything, but her confident aura was impossible to ignore. That self-assurance made her stand out. She wasn't trying too hard, but she definitely had a presence. If I had to sum it up, Febi gave off major Girl Crush energy.
Straightening my posture a bit, as if to match her confident vibe, I decided to make the first move. "Hey, you're Febi, right?" I asked with a big smile, trying to seem approachable and start a conversation.
"Yeah," she answered briefly, but her tone was friendly.
"I'm—" I started introducing myself, but she cut me off before I could finish.
"Reka, right? Pretty much everyone at school knows who you are," she said casually while shaking my outstretched hand. Her small smile softened the initial awkwardness, making things feel a lot more relaxed.
"Hehe... never thought I'd be that famous," I replied with a small laugh, trying to keep the mood light. "You're Santi's replacement, right? Cool, let's start practicing now. We don't have much time left."
"Sounds good," she said, glancing at her watch. "Oh, by the way, after practice, you need to come with me to fit the costumes. We can't risk any wardrobe malfunctions tomorrow."
"Roger that, Commander!" I answered playfully, giving her an exaggerated salute.
She chuckled, clearly amused. "You're pretty funny," she said, shaking her head but with an even bigger smile on her face.
"Ah, just being myself," I replied with a grin. Internally, I felt relieved. Our first interaction wasn't awkward at all. Practice today seemed like it would go smoothly—and maybe even be fun.
Practicing with Febi didn't take long because, honestly, she was really good. Right from the start, she had all the steps and movements down without needing much explanation. I was impressed. I hadn't expected us to click so quickly, but it was clear the committee knew exactly what they were doing when they chose her as Santi's replacement. Febi made everything feel easy.
And somehow, her presence helped ease some of the uneasiness I'd been carrying over the past few days. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all.
After practice, Febi and I headed straight to the fitting spot. The place was a bridal salon, and I figured the fitting would be chill—just trying on some outfits, nothing complicated. But nope. Instead, we got caught in this whole "negotiation drama" that was more like "giving in while pretending to bargain." Neither of us was any good at negotiating, so we ended up going with the full package: wedding outfits, accessories, and makeup included. "Well, as long as everything goes smoothly tomorrow," I thought, trying to console myself. Thankfully, the school covered all the costs, so it wasn't too painful.
Finally, the farewell day arrived, and the event ran as smoothly as a highway on a weekday morning. Besides playing the role of the traditional groom, I also performed in the musical drama, one of the main highlights of the event. My buddy Angga rocked the stage with his band, playing songs that got everyone hyped up. And to top it off, we had a guest star from The Flower City, which made the event feel even more upscale.
But for me, the real highlight was Echa and her crew's modern dance performance. Their choreography was on point, so good it had every guy in the hall grinning ear to ear—including me.
Amid all the buzz and excitement, there was this mix of emotions I couldn't shake off. I was happy everything went well, but there was this creeping sense of loss, like a shadow in the background. The regret about Santi still lingered somewhere in my heart. But for now, I tried to focus on the moment. At least today, I could laugh and let it all go, even if just for a little while.
After the farewell event wrapped up, I felt like I had no reason to deal with school anymore. All my "debts" were paid, including playing the fake groom for the farewell ceremony. Now, my focus was clear: getting into high school and starting a new chapter. The only thing that would drag me back to school was picking up my diploma.
But ever since that warehouse incident (IYKYK), I realized my relationship with my girlfriend had grown distant. Honestly, I couldn't even remember the last time we went out together. So today, I decided to ask her out, hoping to patch things up before it got any colder.
But my sweet little plan completely fell apart because of Item, my beloved motorbike, suddenly breaking down.
Now, normally, Item is a super healthy bike. I always take it for regular "checkups" at the shop, even got it "vaccinated" for good measure. Sure, both Item and I share one fatal flaw—neither of us bathe often—but hey, I still think we're cool. Just, you know... smelly.
As I was sitting there, contemplating the sad fate of my lifeless bike, my phone buzzed. A text message. Short, clear, and it hit me right in the gut.
Rani: Hey, I think we should break up.
I froze. Wait, is she serious? Does she really mean break up? Or am I just misreading this because I'm too busy worrying about Item, my beloved motorbike that's currently in a coma—aka broken down? I read the text again slowly, trying to process the words that felt like a hammer to my head. And yeah, no mistake—it's Rani, my girlfriend, suddenly asking to break up.
'Why would she suddenly want to break up?' My mind started spinning like Item's wheels when it was still running smoothly. What did I do wrong, huh? Okay, maybe I'm not as handsome as those guys in rom-coms (although my mom used to say I look like a celebrity when photographed from three kilometers away). But I'm a loyal boyfriend, right?
Fine, I admit I have my flaws. Sometimes, I "appreciate art" a bit too honestly—like when I accidentally glanced at Echa's, uh, shapely figure during her modern dance performance, or my collection of Japanese Animal Videos on my laptop for… personal research. But none of that has anything to do with my relationship with Rani. I never cheated. Heck, the very idea of cheating makes me feel sick.
But instead of thinking things through or asking why, I ended up typing a reply that, in hindsight, is concrete proof of my monumental stupidity:
Me: Fine. Whatever you want.
And after I hit the send button, I immediately felt like someone who just sold themselves for half price. Why did I give up so easily? But oh well, the damage was done. The rice had already turned into porridge. Now, all I could do was wait. Would this porridge turn into delicious chicken porridge, or just stale mush that would make me nauseous?
Turns out, there were no replies from her. I thought she might text back—maybe to say it was a mistake or just a joke. But no, she didn't. She really meant to break up. Ah, young love. I didn't dwell on it much at the time. All that was on my mind now was one thing: I had to get accepted into the top high school in my city.
Just as I was about to sleep, my phone buzzed again. There was an incoming call from an unknown number.
"Hello, assala..." Before I could finish my greeting, a girl's voice abruptly interrupted me, sharp and angry.
"Hey motherf*cker, why are you such an insensitive guy?!" she snapped, harsh and blunt.
Damn, this girl has no manners. I was halfway to losing my patience, but I tried to keep my cool.
"Who is this?" I asked diplomatically, keeping my tone steady.
"I'm Rani's friend. Why did you break up with her? You cheated on her, then dumped her. What a manwh*re!!" she said, aggressively.
"I didn't cheat. Rani asked to break up. And when did I cheat? Plus, you're a girl, but your words sound like a sailor drunk ton of rums!" I retorted, starting to lose my temper.
"But she wasn't serious!" she shot back angrily. Breaking up isn't a joke! Are you testing me? Sorry, but I'm not the type to beg not to be dumped.
"Yeah, well, you kissed your classmate, Rani saw it!" she continued, still fiery.
It turns out she didn't actually leave. Rani must have gotten suspicious about the weird vibe and hid behind a wall where we couldn't see her.
"Whatever, it's up to you." I replied, too tired to argue with this rabid animal. Responding would only make the craziness contagious. "But it was Rani who asked to break up, not me."
"You're such a coward!!!" Okay, I recognize that voice.
Without thinking, I hung up the phone. She accused me of things I didn't do and insulted me. I never intended to cheat. What happened back then was just... luck. But the last voice? I swear I know that voice. It sounded like my girlfriend's (well, ex-girlfriend now). Ugh, why am I even dealing with immature people like them? I might as well just go to sleep.