Aldebaran Looking for Love
Chapter 22
Pacific Place, SCBD, it's getting pretty crowded tonight. Al walked into the mall awkwardly. He rarely goes to the mall alone. Only if you have to. To meet business partners, for example.
But today is an exception. He walked alone to Odysseia, a restaurant in Pacific Place, where he had an appointment with a woman. Again, a woman! What a miracle!
Al continued walking until he arrived near Odysseia. He immediately sent a message to the woman.
Al :
Wening, I'm in front of Odysseia. Are you in dalem?
Replied with...
Wening :
No, Al. Very sad, I haven't finished the meeting. It will be late. Go in first.
Al took a breath. Really ordeal! The first time trying a blind date, the couple even arrived late. Not informed from the beginning. He could at least be in a public dining area by himself!
He had no choice, he tried to contact his brother. At the very least, his sister was the only unemployed one who liked to be invited to eat for free.
He could not contact his friends who were currently definitely being excited because Al finally wanted to open up. Do not ask how many times they tried to fight Al, but always got a firm rejection from him. Hence, when the idea came from Al alone, they would not want to be the cause of the blind date's cancellation. They would definitely not want to come to this place, no matter what!
So, in the end, Al decided to call his sister instead.
"Dek, where are you?" ask Al, as soon as Shaletta answers the phone.
"Still on campus, the class just broke up. Why, Bang?" Shaletta asked back.
"My mother is in PP. Me himin dong? The please? For a moment."
The Shaletta campus, Atma Jaya University, is not too far from Pacific Place. If lucky, not hit by traffic jams, actually the distance is only a few minutes.
"What is alone in PP?" Shaletta's tone sounded suspicious.
Al hates lying, he better switch the conversation, "Lo want to be given free food. Uda, hunt here!"
"Hehehe. Yes, I went there. Where are you, Bang?"
"Odyssey."
"OK deh. Go in first. Not too jammed should."
"Yeah, Ta, I don't want to die of style."
"Iyeeeee, iyeeeeee."
They also cut off the phone. He also walked into the restaurant. Then, choose to sit in the corner of the room. He wanted to have the right place to have a personal chat with Wening later.
“You direct order, Mas?” ask the waiter after giving the menu book.
“Live a message, Ma'am. A minute yes.”
Al watched for a moment the drink menu. So I decided to order a tequila. He needed something that kept him from thinking long.
He waited while watching everything on his smart phone. Sometimes, technology helps. Makes us so not dead style. However, so the same fruit if we are too focused on it.
A few minutes later…
“Abaaaaaaang..” call Shaletta.
“Lo old ba–“ Omegle Al stalled when realize the presence of someone next to Shaletta.
“Gue bring temen, it's okay right?!” Shaletta smiled broadly.
It feels like he wants to throw Shaletta into a continent in the middle of nowhere so that he is eaten by any wild primate there!
Why should Ai? When he almost met another woman at this restaurant?
While Ai, who was standing next to Shaletta, looked shocked and still in disbelief.
His eyes were round and his jaw was wide open. And Al's focus was instantly absorbed perfectly into him. It seems that her brother's decision to bring Ai to this place is no longer a bad decision.
Then Al focused on one more person next to Ai. He could not stop wondering, who was the man standing next to Ai at the moment...
***
Upon entering Odysseia, Ai had no suspicion of Shaletta at all. Instead, he focused on guessing how expensive food or drinks would be listed in the menu book. Can he pay it?
Will the price of water renamed sparkling water exceed the food budget for tomorrow? Ah, Ai hates coming to expensive restaurants like this. Just wasting money.
But, what can he do? He cannot go to the hospital right now. He wanted to avoid the risk of meeting his grandmother.
“Abaaaang..”.
‘Oh, no, nooooooo!’ Ai.
And meet again Ai with a figure that has been bothering her mind since noon. Twice? The universe is cruel sometimes!
Of the many times he has lived his life, why did he have to meet twice with the handsome man one day where he did not shower at all? With limp hair and pigtied carelessly.
Ai briefly glanced at the blurry reflection of herself on the glass behind Al. Just look! His checkered shirt that he was wearing at the moment looked unattractive at all!
“Sorry, Brother, we don't know Etta wants to eat with family.” Sammy pretended to be sorry.
“Oh, it's okay.” Al nodded with a small smile.
"Sammy, Brother." Sammy reached out.
"Al."
"That's nothing to know, right?" Shaletta pointed at Ai.
"Yes, you have," replied Al, with a small smile.
Shaletta immediately took a seat next to Al. Sammy sat in front of him. Stay Ai, standing alone, with the bench left is just a bench in front of Al.
He sat down awkwardly, trying to avoid Al's gaze from earlier.
“Tracted right?” shaletta asked, insolent.
“Iya,” reply Al, brief. Trying to hide his annoyance behind the usual tone of voice. He did not want his sister's friends to feel sad.
“Gue ice tea aja.” Ai chose quickly.
“Neating?” ask Sammy and Al, together. Makes them awkward.
Shaletta laughed.
“If I just messen drinks too, will be careful so no?” ledek.
Sammy laughed.
"If you, it's not possible just mesen drink," ledek Al.
Shaletta sneers.
After that, they mentioned their order to the waitress. After the waitress leaves, when they all wish Shaletta would break the awkwardness. But hope remains hope.
Shaletta suddenly stood up.
"Oh, I went to the toilet. Kebelt."
And he just left...
They have not recovered from the shock, Sammy's smartphone reads.
"I answered the phone."
And again, Sammy just left...
Al and Ai can only stare stupidly. The awkwardness really increased.
'Gue has to say what, ' thought Al.
While Al is trying to find a topic of conversation, Ai instead thinks of something else.
'Am I pretending to go to the toilet too huh.'
This is Ai's mind.
Then, a waitress came and placed a glass of tequila in front of Al. Looking at the alcoholic drink, Ai could only be stunned, her world with Al was completely different.
Al seemed to be aware as well with Ai's gaze.
It is undeniable that there is something strange when they meet, but they cannot deny that their world is really different.
Al relaxed his tense shoulders since then. He is now able to think clearly. He also sat down. A moment later, he asked casually.
"Ai, Sammy's your boyfriend, huh?"
***
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