I hesitated for a moment, but in the end, I decided to approach her. It felt kind of sad seeing a girl stand alone on the side of the road, especially as it was getting a bit late. "Feb, why don't you come with me?" I offered, half hoping she wouldn't turn me down.
"Eh, you, Reka." Febi gave a small smile and glanced my way. "Yeah, I've been waiting for the angkot for ages, and none have passed."
"Why not go with the others?" I leaned against my motorbike, curious why she was waiting alone.
"Oh, I had something to handle with my uncle. He's a teacher here," she explained, pointing toward the school.
"That explains why you're behind the others," I said, nodding thoughtfully. "Alright, just come with me then. Better than standing here, waiting forever for an angkot."
"But isn't your house in a different direction from mine?" She furrowed her brows a little, still unsure.
"Doesn't matter. I've got stuff to do with the middle school crew anyway," I replied casually, trying to reassure her.
"Are you sure it's okay? I'll just end up making things difficult," she said, glancing at my motor, as if afraid she'd be a burden.
"Relax, I wouldn't offer if it was a hassle. Come on, get on quick." I chuckled lightly, tapping the seat of the motorbike to reassure her. Finally, after a bit of hesitation, Febi climbed onto the back of my motorbike.
After ensuring Febi was comfortably seated, I started the engine and rode at a pace I considered standard. The streets were fairly crowded, but I confidently weaved through tight spaces.
"Don't go too fast, I'm scared," Febi's voice came softly from behind.
"Huh? What? I can't hear you," I replied, glancing back at her.
"DON'T SPEED!" she shouted, this time louder.
"No need to yell! Fine, hold on tight if you're scared," I said, giving the throttle a bit more, staying relaxed but not too slow.
At first, I thought she'd just hold onto the edge of my jacket or the sides of the seat. But instead, she wrapped her arms tightly around me from behind. Seriously, it wasn't just a regular hug. It felt like I was a teddy bear being hugged tightly by a child before bedtime.
"Hey, take it easy with the hugging," I said half-jokingly, though I was starting to feel distracted. My chest tightened a bit, not because of Febi's hug, but because my focus on the road was slipping.
"Where is your hangout spot, though?" Febi asked, leaning a bit from behind me.
"At
"Oh, near my place," she responded casually.
"I was planning to meet up with my middle school classmates there. Wanna join? It'll be fun," I offered, half hoping she'd say yes to make things livelier. Febi is really sociable, so she'd probably get along well with my classmates.
"Not this time. I still have something else to do. Maybe next time," she said with a hint of regret in her voice.
"Alright, next time, don't turn me down," I replied with a grin, though a little disappointed she couldn't join. But I understood. Maybe she had something more important to handle.
***
Since the first day of MOS, my new routine began: frequently driving Febi home. At first, my reason was simple—I genuinely wanted to stop by the hangout spot with the gang. But over time, my intentions started to shift. Now, the real reason was obvious: getting closer to her.
"Hey, Feb, wanna join us at the hangout today?" I asked casually while riding my beloved 'Item'. This motorbike had become the witness to my new journey, especially when it came to Febi.
Febi, seated behind me, not only held on tightly but had started to relax a lot. Sometimes, she leaned her chin on my shoulder to make talking easier, making our distance feel even closer.
"That sounds fun," Febi replied cheerfully. "Besides, I don't have anything to do at home."
"Alright, let's head to the hangout then," I said, hoping she'd agree.
"Hey, wait!" she interrupted quickly. "Let's go back to my house first. I need to change clothes."
"Okay, ready. Let's go to your house first," I responded with a grin. How could I not? It felt like I was making progress in getting closer to her.
I sat on the porch of Febi's house, waiting for her to change. My gaze was fixed on the garden in front of her house. It felt like something out of a movie—large, grand, and the garden was impeccably maintained. Small trees were neatly arranged, and vibrant flowers made my eyes feel refreshed every time I looked at them. Just from the atmosphere, it was clear that Febi's family belonged to a well-off class.
As I waited, my mind drifted. I imagined how the hangout would be, especially if I brought Febi along. But suddenly, the sound I had been waiting for snapped me out of my thoughts.
"Sorry it took so long to change," Febi's voice echoed from inside the house, prompting me to turn toward the door.
In that moment, I was silent. Febi emerged wearing a tight white tee that hugged her figure perfectly, highlighting her proportional curves without being excessive. Over it, she wore a slightly oversized blue denim jacket that gave off a casual yet stylish vibe. Her tight jeans made her look even more polished, showcasing how effortlessly stylish her outfit was. Her flowing hair moved gently with the breeze, reaching past her shoulders. Her simple white sneakers completed her look, drawing attention while still keeping it minimal. In that moment, Febi looked incredibly natural, effortless, but stunningly beautiful. I couldn't help but be mesmerized by her.
I couldn't think of anything else except, Am I dreaming of meeting a fairy?. Her appearance was nothing like I had imagined. I thought she was just a confident and fun-to-talk-to type of girl, but seeing her dressed up, she transformed completely. Damn, how can she be this beautiful?
My mind started drifting to how the hangout would go later. If I brought Febi along, everyone at the hangout would definitely be envious. But then, a thought crossed my mind that slightly dampened my mood. What if she gets embarrassed walking with me?
"Reka? Why are you zoning out?" Febi waved her hand in front of my face, snapping me out of my strange thoughts.
"Ah, no worries," I replied with a grin, trying to hide my nervousness. "I was just... waiting for you."
Febi gave a slight smile while adjusting the small bag she carried. I took a deep breath, trying not to look too mesmerized again. "Alright, let's go," I said, quickly stepping forward so my flushed face wouldn't be so obvious.
"You look really beautiful, Feb." Suddenly, those words slipped out of my mouth.
A few moments passed before I realized what I had just said. The atmosphere fell into an awkward silence. We both stayed quiet, neither of us saying a word. My mind raced, trying to come up with a way to salvage the situation, but nothing came to mind. Damn, how did I mess up so badly?
Finally, Febi broke the silence. "U-uh… it's getting late, let's go," she said hesitantly, her smile faint but sweet. Her smile added to her charm, and the faint blush on her cheeks showed she was embarrassed by my spontaneous words.
On the way to the hangout spot, the atmosphere was quiet. I didn't dare start a conversation, afraid of making things even more awkward.
"Thanks, yeah…" I heard a soft voice from behind me.
"For what?" I asked, a bit puzzled.
"For saying I look nice," she responded softly.
"Nothing special. You're really beautiful, though… he he," I replied casually, trying to hide my lingering nervousness.
Continuing to ride my trusty motorbike, I tried to break the silence with humor. Though sometimes a bit dry, it helped lighten the mood. I shared stories about my embarrassing moments from middle school, which made Febi laugh wholeheartedly. Her laughter was genuine and refreshing, and it made me happy too. For some reason, it sounded so sweet to my ears.
"So about earlier…" Febi said softly, her voice trailing off as if hesitant to continue.
"About what? The national exam? Or the entrance test for SMA?" I replied playfully, still keeping the banter going.
"You were the first person who told me I'm beautiful, besides my family," she said with a small smile.
"Hah, seriously? You're joking. There must be someone else who's told you that," I said, genuinely surprised.
Of course, I didn't believe her. Who could say she's not beautiful?
"Seriously… thank you so much," she added with a heartfelt tone.
"I used to be really chubby, you know, and super insecure," Febi suddenly opened up about her past. "I was often teased—fat, elephant-like."
I almost wanted to respond with a story of my own similar experience. But I could sense that Febi was deeply affected by her past experiences, especially since girls often place a lot of importance on their appearance. Those harsh comments hurt more for her than they did for me back then.
For a while, Febi spoke about her experiences from elementary school through the middle of junior high, where she was relentlessly teased. Her voice shook slightly as she shared everything. Eventually, she paused, and her arms around my waist tightened a little more. I remained silent, the only sound being the gentle hum of the motorbike as I rode at a slower pace. I wished this moment could last longer, even though I knew it wouldn't.