Dollar Girl

Chapter 30 The thief

"The thing I feared was something that made me forget hope, and then drift in the ocean without a paddle. It felt good at first, but my heart felt alienated at the same time. As if the climber lost the map, I know my destination but I don't know where it's headed."

Excerpted from Ratna Mangalih's personal archive.

* * *

Since the morning they open the store has been crowded even though it is Wednesday, maybe because the school has been off so many people travel. Instead of fresh fruit juice they sell more saleable to make them quite overwhelmed.

"Uncle please bring ripe avocado!" ratna shouted while cutting the apple.

"It!" hamdani said while putting a basket of avocados right under Ratna's feet.

"Thank you, I'm sorry I told my uncle when my uncle was my boss" Ratna said.

"Aish.it is not the time to think about it, look at our thirsty customers" Hamdani replied pointing at the queue in front of them.

Ratna smiled happily because Hamdani did not mind it, eagerly continuing the work.

In the shop he and Ardi took turns to make juice and receive payment, while Hamdani took the fruits he needed.

Brucks

Aw...

"I'm in a hurry" said Ardi who accidentally hit Ratna so busy.

"It's okay, just continue your work" replied Ratna as she was not hurt.

So busy without feeling the day is getting dark when visitors start to decrease, finally they can rest and relax.

"I'm really tired" said Ardi lapping his shoulder.

"Just this time we were really busy, almost all the visitors ordered the juice" Ratna said in response.

"Perhaps because the sun was quite hot, for those who travel or just walk will indeed be refreshing if drinking juice" Hamdani replied.

"Uncle is right, I hit Ratna because too many customers even had to give her juice wrong"

"It looks like we have to change the way we work" Ratna said.

"You mean?" ask Ardi.

"We do the division of duties, because I easily remember the order then my job is to accept the order and payment while you are in charge of making the juice"

"I think that's a pretty good idea, so I don't have to remember every customer's order and we won't be too tired to keep going back and forth" Ardi said.

"And uncle will still take care of the supplies of fruits that will be needed later" Hamdani said.

"Yes uncle is right" replied Ardi.

"Well then we close now!"

"Why? it's only seven o'clock at night" asked Ratna.

"Hey.we've been working hard today, uncle doesn't want you to be sick from exhaustion"

"But what if there are more visitors?"

"No problem, we've got a lot of customers today"

"But if we open till night we can make a bigger profit!"

"Hey dollar girl! until when do you want to calculate the profit and loss? if uncle says close then that's what we have to do" Ardi said patting him on the shoulder.

"Well, "Reported Ratna up from her seat.

They began to clean up the place by stacking all the chairs and putting them into the store, mopping the floor and finally closing the store.

"All right uncle first!" Hamdani.

"Until tomorrow uncle" replied Ardi.

"Be careful on the road" Ratna added.

"Come on! we go home too" Ratna began to step foot, but suddenly.

Ah...

Brucks

His shocked eyes clashed with Ardi who fell on him, there was no pain because Ardi's hand was right under his head to protect but his heart was pounding quite hard.

Again Ardi stared with a look that made a strange sensation in his heart, making him uncomfortable because his heart beat faster.

"Pardon me" said Ardi, rising up.

"Are you hurt?" tanyakanya.

"No, I'm fine" replied Ratna slowly.

"My feet stepped on my own shoelaces, so I fell down" he said, showing the shoelaces that were not tied.

"Ah... Then why don't you tie it from earlier?"

"I can't tie it" replied Ardi slightly embarrassed.

"What?"

"I can't do it, I don't know how to tie it" Ardi said in a firmer tone.

"Then how did you tie him up all this time?"

"That's my mother who always tied it up for me"

"Hah.. hahaha you're very good at tying a girl up but can't tie a shoelace by yourself, is this a trick to get a girl to kneel under your feet?" olok Ratna's.

"Just say it's true" Ardi replied slightly exasperated.

It was only the first time that he saw an embarrassed expression mixed with annoyance on Ardi's face, and it was quite sweet for him. Ratna leaned over and tied the shoelaces.

"I acknowledge the greatness of the white rabbit, you can make me bow down to you without feeling inferior" Ratna finished tying her up.

"Let's go home, you say you're tired" she walked back.

Gep

Suddenly Ardi pulled his hand into his arms, confidently looking at his eyes plus a smile that could make any girl melt.

"I didn't tell you to bow down to me, without you realizing your heart has moved your body to do just that. All girls do the same thing, the difference is when they're submissive they blame my charms. No problem, I recognize my charm as one of my greatness" he said.

"You are very confident, I acknowledge your greatness for the reason that I bowed down unlike them and you have misinterpreted it" replied Ratna who did not want to lose while smiling.

"really? with my experience I don't think I misinterpreted"

"Sir, when you think you've managed to subdue a woman honestly you yourself who have fallen into a trap, that's why I'm humble as well as exalted"

"Ou.. So it's a pretty complicated game, who actually falls into the trap we don't know unless can read the contents of the heart. Now I understand why Jaya can send love letters only once met"

"From reading your heart you should start to be careful, because when you look into a girl's eyes without you knowing you've lost everything. There is no greater thief than the sight of a woman" Ratna said as she slowly let go of Ardi's embrace.

Even when he got home the only thing he could do was just daydream in the room, recalling Ratna's beautiful eyes. Then the words of Ratna that he admitted, unconsciously the gaze had indeed stolen everything he had including a breath.

There was secretly a yearning that urged his adrenaline, further thrashing again as his thumb again felt the tenderness of Ratna's full lips.

"I think Jaya is a jerk, it is difficult to be near him without a traveling mind. Damnit damnit! though she rarely acted like a girl in general" she muttered fighting with instinct.

* * *

"Ah.. morn Amus" said Ratna who deliberately woke up early.

"Where are you going?" tanyanya stared at the shopping cart.

"I'm going to the market, today I'd love to eat a baby squid. Where are you going yourself? tumben once woke up early"

"I want sport"

"What a crafter, are you on a diet?"

"Do I look fat?" reply Amus with a high note.

"I'll just ask" murmured Ratna.

"Let's go" asked Amus slowly.

"Where?" ratna asked confusedly.

"We're one-way, don't you want to walk with me?" ask Amus annoyed.

"Oh, alright, there's no need to get angry once you know I have a hard time understanding something" Ratna replied as she walked right beside Amus.

"Your statement confuses me of why you got accepted for work"

"That's because I'm hardworking, smart at counting money and easy to remember orders"

"It's very detailed" said Amus who could not help but smile.

Ratna smiled at Amus's happy expression, the moments she wanted the most when they were together. Arriving at the market Amus helped Ratna shop, although the help he gave only brought groceries.

For an hour his heart was satisfied to see how Ratna shop like mothers, he was good at sorting out good food and also bargaining prices.

As he said earlier, Ratna showed her skills in remembering orders and counting money, she did not forget what items she had to buy and manage expenses. Seeing him walk through the market, stopping by at every store making a hardworking statement is not a figment.

"Everything?" ask Amus after they get out of the market.

"Yes, it's everything" Ratna replied after looking back at her groceries.

"Let me take it, save your energy for later work" said Amus carrying the basket.

For Amus, his actions were only small compared to Ratna, but for Ratna herself, it was a very important concern for him.

The little thing that could steal his heart, the little thing that never let him sleep well because of the disturbing expectations.

If there was a little courage to hear the truth, he could hold on to the mountain to ensure his peerless love. But whatever the power, she was just a girl whose secret heart had been stolen.

* * *

The strategy created by Ratna is quite powerful, even today even with many customers they are not too overwhelmed. Unfortunately, some of the fruits ordered have been exhausted so they have to lose customers who do not want other types of fruit.

"It looks like we have to order avocado fruit that has been cooked, other fruits just need to increase the amount and we have to add variety of juice again. Some customers ask for kiwi fruit, can uncle look for it?" ratna said when customers were reduced.

"Okay, uncle understands. Please just record what fruit you need so that uncle does not forget" replied Hamdani.

"Some customers also complain the juice is less sweet"

"I use sugar and milk according to the usual dose" said Ardi quite surprised.

Ratna immediately checks for sugar and milk because she knows Ardi is unlikely to lie.

"The problem is in sugar, this is not the sugar we used yesterday" he said

"really? don't we use the same sugar every day?" asked Ardi quite surprised.

"No! yesterday the texture of the sugar was harder, the grains were bigger and the color was a bit yellowish. I don't know the types of sugar but I know the sugar we're using right now isn't good enough for juice"

"really? then uncle will replace it"

"If uncle lets me also want to add fruit soup to the menu list, how to make it easy is even more beneficial than juice"

"Ratna! have you worked before?" hamdani asked while frowning.

"No, this is my first experience. Wh why? did I make a mistake?" answer's worried.

"Mistakenly said? you're even better at managing this business than uncle, you're coming up with new ideas and it always works to make the tavern a success. Arh. I'm starting to worry you're gonna steal my shop"

"Uncle could have, there's no way I stole this tavern" said Ratna, who was happy to hear the compliment.

"I have to be careful to have employees as smart as you" Hamdani said, raising both hands.

Ratna could only laugh as she stared at Hamdani's departure, unaware of the sight of someone who would not let go.

Brucks

Aw....

"What are you doing?" ratna asked in shock to see Ardi who fell down.

Soon Ratna helps him up, they sit on the floor and soon find out the cause is Ardi's loose shoelaces.

"Ah...why don't you wear shoes that don't use straps? if you fall again like that, it'll be dangerous, won't it?" namel Ratna while tying the rope.

With pleasure Ardi noticed the seriousness of Ratna's face, he looked sweeter than usual if he was worried.

"I've tied it firmly, this way he won't be released again" he said finished tying.

"really?" tanya Ardi tried to untie the bond.

"Ups!" he muttered as he managed to untie the bond.

Dangan was afraid he looked at Ratna's face that held back anger, to avoid scolding he could only smile like a baby.

"You're weird, you can untie but you can't tie back. If it's like this you should never untie anything" said Ratna to tie back the shoelaces.

"Including friendships?" ask Ardi suddenly.

"What?" ratna asked confusedly.

"I wanted to break the friendship and turn it into another bond, but after doing that I couldn't turn it back into a friendship."

Immediately Ratna was silent, for some reason Ardi's question seemed to refer to a relationship that he had never imagined until for the first time he felt a strange sensation from Ardi.

"Don't shut up baby, it makes me feel easy to drop your majesty" Ardi said with a teasing smile.

"If my silence makes your confidence fly why not?" ratna returned to normal breathing.

"Stop your game! we have a lot of work" he continued, rising to his feet.

But Ardi was still sitting, only to gulp after trying to express the uneasiness of his heart. As well as calming the heart that was racing because it looked at the dim eyes on Ratna's sweet face, seeing that confused expression he knew everything was too fast to express.