I sighed for the umpteenth time that night. I raised my head and looked at the cloudy sky. The swing with the reclining chair I was sitting on seemed to sway slightly as I justified my sitting position.
I was in Koba City Park… the name on it was displayed, but Gran said, people prefer to call it the square. Whatever the reason, I am not in the mood to care about that.
The song titled “Jangan Menyerah” (Don't Give Up) sung by D'Masiv thumped in my ears. However, that's all. I can only listen to that music without being able to watch them properly.
“Ape-ape ikak ne!”
I turned my head. A few meters from me, Gran was joking in Bangka language that I did not understand with some of his friends. One of them was someone who had shouted frivolously in front of the house this afternoon.
He is so annoying. I thought there really were thugs or something. It turned out that only my grandfather's friends thought Gran had brought a female vocation or something like that. Then, Gran's friend ended up feeling uncomfortable when I pouted and then entered the room with a jerking foot.
“Bara!”
I just glanced lazily in reply to my grandfather, who was carrying a bottle of alcohol and trying to hide it from me.
“Don't stay away. You just stay there! Get lost later!”
What language is that?
Again, I sigh. Apparently, Gran is the same as Dad and Mom. They think I will continue… always have to be beside them? Can only interact with others through online communication?
I am tired. What am I? Who am I? Why they do this to me?
When Gran's attention was fully devoted to the conversation with his friends, I stood up and began to sneak like a thief.
I walked slowly away from the special area of the children with extreme caution. Once I was sure that Gran was calm there, I ran without actually making a sound. Praise to any god, Rian D'Masiv's voice disguised my steps. Because the kindergarten was behind the stage, I continued to run around until I reached a small pavement that was still in the square area. Hundreds of people had crowded into the audience area and I complained loudly.
There is no way I would cram myself in there! I am too strange here.
Therefore, as a form of entertaining myself, I came out of the concert area. The first thing I did after that was to start exploring all the food and beverage booths with a feeling of hope.
First, I stopped by a booth that specialized in selling ice blend milkshakes. I bought one with chocolate flavor using my allowance at the ATM—this afternoon Gran got it for me. The plan is I can only buy this and that if Gran accompanies her granddaughter. Good thing I have a rebellious plan. Then secondly, I stopped at the booth with the Sausage & Sempol (egg wrapping meatballs) banner. With enthusiasm, I bought ten sausages at once in large.
This is happiness!
To be honest, I am actually a bit nervous. This was the first time I had gone to the crowd by myself—very alone!—after all this time.
It feels so relieving.
After that, I just passed other booths while enjoying a sausage egg with hot sauce with a relaxed feeling. There is a child toys’ stand, meatball and chicken noodles impromptu stalls, boiled peanuts booth, D'Masiv merchandise booth, cotton candy booth and other stands, which made the streets outside the square very crowded with people crammed together.
A few minutes passed, so I decided to return; not even once did I want Gran to lecture me.
—·—·—
“Ikak ni diem-diem nek nyari' tunang ka yang selingkuh, ok?”I was surprised and turned to the brash person who made my heart almost over. After making sure Gran was still chatting with his friends—now sitting cross-legged on the ground—I looked back to the side and glared.“I don't speak Bangka!” I said curtly.I tried to ignore the word “selingkuh” which sounded the same as “cheating” if interpreted in Indonesian.The brash boy's eyes rounded. He nodded as if he understood quickly.“Oh, you just moved here, huh?” the boy said curiously with a rather loud voice, acting out the voice of the artist singing beside us. His brow furrowed. “Where do you come from?”This time my brow was creased. I review his appearance. He wears a blue denim jacket with a white shirt, black jeans and casual shoes. His short-cut hair is as black as his irises. The boy's face was qu
Trying to relax the body from the sudden freezing, I lowered my hand and turned around like a robot. Something is wrong with my joints.“Hello, Gran.”Rian D'Masiv's melodious voice drowned my screams. My neck and back are hot; the signs of worldly calamity were about to explode.“Where are you going?” Gran snapped, but his eyes glared at Saga.“Uh, not going anywhere, really,” I replied quickly. “I just walked around here and accidentally met him.”I smiled nervously. I wanted to give the code through the gaze so that Saga can match my lies, but failed to remember how his mind goes.“Don't lie!”I was shocked. Geez, it turns out to be Lie Detection from this old man to Dad. I decided to stay quiet while waiting for Gran to take me home.WHERE IS MY GREAT COURAGE?“And you!” Gran's index finger surprisingly pierced Saga's chest with furious. “S
When I say, “It’s up to you,” Mom and Dad will really do whatever they want to do. They never understood that behind the words “up to you” what was said, hidden the meaning of “I want to be heard”.However, I did not expect Gran would act the same as Dad and Mom.I often confided in Gran by phone before coming here and he sounded annoyed and always entertained me, I seemed to have thought that Gran would not have the heart to limit my space. In fact, I was wrong.The next day after that night, Gran warned me not to leave the house in the slightest. He left at seven in the morning to go to school as an Indonesian Language teacher in one of the middle school at the city.Before leaving, he very clearly stated, “I will take care of all your homeschooling needs later. Just stay at home. If you need anything, just buy it online. Or you can let me.”Because I was in a phase of frustration at the level
Saga sped like an arrow apart from its bow. I mean, he really looks like that! There is nothing that I exaggerate. My nose almost broke because I followed Saga’s movement.I shook my head as if I wanted to drive away flies around my head. I slapped myself without using excess energy. I sat back down like a fool.I must have been hallucinating, I decided in my heart. There was no way the friend of Salvatore Brothers came to Indonesia to look for Katherine who was attractive.I must be hungry.Before I could go to the kitchen, Saga returned with the express movement once more. I stared at him with horror.Something is wrong with my brain.Saga brandished a wire, and then he shot again—for God's sake, streaking! He did not run, but shot!—towards the front door. I took a few steps back. Suddenly alert, lest he will break it!Click.The door opens as if Saga has the key. My face was pale as Saga grinned in the door
I sat, but on another sofa. I do not want to get close to anyone wrong.“How strange your family is,” Saga started. “Why do they have to hide who you are?”My eyes twitch. Sitting on the edge of the sofa seat, I noted carefully in my mind to run away immediately if something suspicious happens. However, the idea then immediately erased considering what Saga did a few minutes ago.“Listen to me, Bara,” Saga said, advancing his body seriously. “I don't really know what you are. As I said before, your body's scent is a bit chaotic. Therefore, I cannot be sure. Either you are a vampire, or a wolf-cha—”I stopped him by raising my hand in front of his face. “You are crazy. Thank you for helping me open the door, but please leave,” I kicked him out.Suddenly, he pulled his lips and hissed. A pair of fangs appeared from between his teeth. The boy's eyeball turned white like the singer who a
Cafes in this small town are very different from cafes in Jakarta. Even so, still the aesthetic appearance did not disappoint me. Especially the Ananda Cafe that I—we—stopped by.I sip a cappuccino ice drink with brownish granola topped with pleasure. A boy and a part-time vampire in front of me were staring at a group of girls in shorts across the place where we sat. The girls who were mostly wearing minimal tops were giggling when they realized Saga was watching them.“Seriously,” Saga grunted on the green ice-colored basil drink under her nose. “The girls think I'm admiring them or something. Their clothes lack material.”I laughed. “You're so old-fashioned, Saga. How old are you?”Saga pouted. “I'm only one year old!”I almost sprayed the espresso milk liquid into his face.“Don't say it's true!” I shrieked under my breath.Saga rolls his eyes with bored. &ldq
I gape to hear the explanation. If he is joking, the composition is very good. If he is serious, that sounds weird.“Why don't you publish yourself in this world?” I said curiously. “And… gosh, do vampires really exist? How could I be so far behind?”Saga grinned. “Bara, humans will hate us when they see us truly in this world! Again, the law really exists. It's just that only vampires know.”I leaned with an unsatisfied attitude.“But, you see? We love movies and stories about vampires because they look cool, handsome and pretty too! So why not?” I tried to argue based on impromptu market research in my head.Saga laughter bursts out. The waitress girl who was passing by turned to be curious.“Try to imagine,” Saga whispered, leaning toward me. “Just imagine first. You beautiful girls are gossiping somewhere about Damon Salvatore's good looks, then a similar creature s
The boy continued as if I had never interrupted him. “One day she couldn't take it anymore. She is often ridiculed, harassed and humiliated. Therefore, she came to a remote cave to meditate. There she begged the devil to help her avenge her pain.“On the seventh night, a terrifying-faced devil finally appeared. The devil asked the girl's wishes and the girl said she wanted to kill without hurting the victim much. First, the devil told him to do gulf or witchcraft, but the girl refused. She wants to spend the blood of her victims without grievances or significant injuries.“So, the devil says he can make it happen. However, the girl must swear that she will still devote her soul to him: life or death. That will also apply to her grandchildren. The girl agreed and that was the beginning of the birth of vampires now.“Even so, the girl never married nor had children. However, she created new vampires of her own free will. Her revenge was gon