7 Days With Althara

Flashbacks

“Tar guest so dateng?” Ask Rey with a focus on driving.

“Dateng” briefly.

“Oh data? What time is it ? I'm ga see”

“Lo see, just lo gasadar aja” said Althara back there.

Me?

I glanced at the rearview mirror above and saw Althara still staring at me. I opened my eyes when our eyes met.

“Important guest lo Mas Affandi who is a famous painter from Jogja is not it?”

“Bukan”

Althara was still staring at me.

“She's a star”

I'm more sure what they're talking about is me. Althara must have made a big puzzle to Rey so she was confused and guessed for herself.

“Star? Artist mean lo?”

“Euh Rey, where are we going to eat?” I had to end their conversation by diverting Rey's questions.

“We want to eat sushi, do you like it ?”

“Our favorite place?” I deliberately discussed my closeness and Rey in front of Althara so that she would know how far Rey and I knew each other.

“Iya the usual place we eat”

“OK”

Now Althara who delicates her eyes and the look of her face looks once she is upset. I'm happy if she feels that way, so she knows that I can be fine without her.

We all sat at a long table, and althara chose to sit in front of me and Rey to my left. I'm really uncomfortable.

“We cheers dong” Rey first raised his drink containing soda in a wine glass.

Everyone picked up their drinks.

“For the success of Althara” painting exhibition event, Rey congratulated him.

I glanced at Althara who was still putting on her cold face.

“Thank guys” says her smile a little.

Then we all beat our wine glasses and drank them.

“Ya although the event is very sudden” said Fadil.

“Oh this impromptu event?” Ask a woman beside Fadil who is her lover.

“Iya dear, this event is very impromptu. The origin of the exhibition event he was scheduled next month, but just yesterday he just came home from Germany he instead asked for his event in forwardin today”

I just listen to them tell stories without me understanding.

“Emang crazy he tuh” added Sam.

“Gue has said, there are important people that I must definitelyin” again Althara glanced at me.

I'm more worried that someone is watching him.

“Well I guess girl lo dateng tar, turns out there is also kan”

I choked on hearing Sam say. Rey gave me a drink immediately. I drank it straight away. Yeah, and thank God no one realized that I was surprised by what Sam said.

“Cewe I came by kok”

He made all his friends curious to throw one another a glance.

“Serius lo? Why don't you bring it here to know us”

Althara pulled something out from behind her shirt. And again I was surprised to see a half-star necklace that turned out to be still in use.

“He's here” all laughing out loud.

Althara smiled with her friends. He laughed at his own silliness.

“Udah I said right,cewe he was invisible, from the first he often told stories about his girl but never showed her picture, weird right?” Yeah, what Fadil said was weird.

“Kalo I show you his photos now, you will surely be shocked”

I was panicking about their conversation. I knew what they were talking about was me, I was that invisible woman and I was the woman Althara meant. And unfortunately no one realized that.

“But I feel like a stranger yes the same star shape, I've seen it too but where is it?” Rey is trying to remember something with a star hanging around Althara's neck.

I lowered my hand, and immediately removed the bracelet but it was too difficult because I tied it too tight. Rey looked at me and saw my empty neck there was no jewelry hanging from my neck.

“Where to?” I tried to calm down, and kept my hands hidden under the table.

“I forgot, the tree never saw aja” then Rey back to eat his food. And I managed to remove the bracelet, I put it in my bag with a hide.

Althara laughed at me who was already panicking because of her actions while chewing food in her mouth.

Fadil raised his hand to a servant who was walking.

“Mas!” Her yelling.

The waiter approached politely.

“There can I help?”

“Mas, I'll have another birthday of my friend who wants to give a performance to play the piano in front of”

Rey and Sam held back their laughter, and I couldn't understand why they were so happy.

“Sini dehing mas nya” Fadil immediately whisper something in the ear of the waiter. And the waiter just nodded and left immediately.

Then all his friends let go of their laughter with his pleasure. I just frowned I didn't understand their friendship was too much code.

“Damn lo” said Sam while continuing to smile.

Althara just shook her head at the behavior of all her friends, like she already knew what her friend had whispered to the waiter earlier.

The waiter seemed to approach the small stage in front and whispered to a singer who had filled our dinner with his acoustic singing.

“Oh turns out there's a birthday tonight. Happy birthday to Mas Fadil who is sitting there”, the singer told Fadil who had raised his hand.

“We applaud Mas Fadil's growing age at night” all the guests there clapped for Fadil. And Fadil stood up and bowed his back to thank him for the applause he gave him.

Sam and Rey kept laughing at his friend's behavior. They couldn't help but laugh so they kept laughing uncontrollably.

“And Mas Fadil asked for his friend to take the stage to give the most beautiful gift for him. We call Mas Althara, yes we give him another applause”

I was shocked to hear Althara's name being called to ride the grill.

Althara breathed heavily and shook her head as if saying ‘lo there is no aja’

“Look brother Althara not what is the best offering love for his good friend”

“Hubility lo!” upset Althara while throwing napkins at Fadil who was still laughing. But even so Althara still stood and obeyed the game of his friends.

He was seen talking to all the band players in front of him, what he was talking about.

“Why Rey?” I finally asked, curious.

“You wink right, we once ate in Caffe that time”

“Inget, keep why?”

“We were in Fadil's contract because he was Al”'s birthday Rey said making me remember last month's incident.

Only then do I understand. These friends just insult Althara by claiming Fadil is having a birthday today when he is not. It was only fitting that they laughed in satisfaction and Althara looked annoyed.

The band players on stage all look disbanded and descended from the small stage leaving Althara alone and sitting behind the piano.

“He is a great piano player Al” said Rey.

I remember the 7 days I spent with Althara. The day I got to know him more deeply. And 7 days that made me fall in love with him.