Home For My Soul

76|Convinc You

“Good morning,” greet Theo, no longer in front of the wall, but in front of the fence. So, I jumped in surprise to see him standing right in front of me.

“Theo!” pekikku surprised.

“Good if you are surprised. Heart gymnastics in the morning.” He laughed happily.

“Weird basis.” I closed the fence and put the padlock back on. “What's the morning you came here? Not enough pain that I experienced after seeing your friendly photos with Chika?”

They had dinner together last weekend in Labuan Bajo. I don't know who took the photo, but Chika was laughing happily while holding Theo's hand. Which girlfriend wouldn't be jealous to see it?

She hugged me from behind after I put the house keys in the bag. I sighed softly as she did not move at all as I tried to escape her embrace. He just kept quiet, not saying anything for a while.

“Gue happy to see you jealous,” he said slowly. “That means you still love me.”

“To find proof I love you, then you purposely make me jealous. So?” manyu, confirm.

“Not so, dear,” he said gently. Gone was the cold and irritating attitude that I had known all along.

“I don't have time for this. I have to go to college.” I tried to get her embrace off me.

“Gue interracial, yes. Then I'll pick it up later in the afternoon. Accompany me to attend an event,” persuaded him, without letting go of his arms.

“You want to show off your love to everyone again?” I don't like it.

“Gue attended the event with my future wife. Lo is not my affair,” he said firmly. “Please, do not lure a fight just once.”

“Then you come with your obedient fiancee. You guys must never fight.” I immediately regretted my words, but I already said them.

“Do not test my patience, Amarylis,” whispered with indignation. “Lo knows I'm not patient. Deny me again, then you will regret.” Hearing the serious threat, I kept quiet.

He stopped by our favorite savory rice stall and bought me lunch. Even though I was still upset, I thanked him when he gave me the food. We were silent all the way to the campus gate.

After promising to meet in front of my house later that afternoon, I got out of the car. It just so happened that Sonata had just arrived, so we could walk together towards the lecture hall. He teases me who's getting sticky with Theo. If only he knew.

The event he was referring to was the fiftieth anniversary of Aunt Ruth. It seems like their wedding anniversary is celebrated only with the family for the sake of this event. Of course Auntie wasn't happy to see her eldest son come holding my hand.

But he still welcomed Theo's hand and I congratulated him. Theo's seat was the same as his family's, but he chose another table in order to sit with me. So, there was an empty seat on the table of the Husada Family with the Winara Family.

“You will hate me even more,” my whisper when food is served on our table.

“He will love the woman I love. You just need to give my mom time,” entertain her. He rubbed my head, not caring about the gaze people were looking at us.

They look cynically for sure because they think I'm a selfless woman who wants to be Theo's affair. I can already imagine the posts of the people who took our photos secretly. They certainly call me the destroyer of her and Chika's relationship.

If I were Katelya, they wouldn't dare to do that. Because Papa and Brother will not let anyone insult our family in public, either online or offline. Yet as Amarylis, I could only swallow all their condescending gazes at me.

At the top of the show, Theo left me to join his family on stage. The me he referred to as his future wife could only sit idly by as his official fiancee stood with him in front of everyone.

“Truly shameless girl, yes. This is the umpteenth time he has come to an event where he was not invited,” said a woman from the table behind me.

“Peletnya strong too. It's been a year and Theo is still enamored with that ugly woman,” said another. “Amit-amit, don't let my son get black magic.”

“True. Jessica was so perfect, Theo wanted to be with such an ugly chick. He definitely got pellets.” The first woman shuddered.

Their conversation stalled because the host invited us to sing a happy birthday song. Aunt Ruth blew out the lit candle on the multi-storey cake, then gave the first piece to her husband. After the family, she gives the next piece to Chika. First person outside of the family.

A declaration from him in front of all the invitations that Chika will be his son-in-law later. Some people who understood the code glanced at me while whispering with the people nearby. The attention that I usually like, I hate it so much this time.

“If I answer I'm okay, then I'm lying.” I smiled thinly.

“Smart girl. So, don't lie.” He held my hand that was above my thigh. “Do not enter into the heart. Lo that I will marry whatever Mama does in front of everyone.”

“Aren't you tired of saying the same sentence every time?” many wonder.

“No. You need to be convinced every second, then I will say that sentence every second.”

Come to think of it, Theo was not wrong with the situation we were in. He has responsibility for his family and his company. As the successor of his father, he could not possibly not have taken care of his business. Moreover, their company has been established for decades.

Business competition is increasingly tight because more people are starting similar businesses at cheaper prices and promise equal quality. Things they exaggerate. Because the quality they mean is impossible to buy at a cheap price.

I didn't feel lonely when Theo got back busy with his job so he reneged on his promise for a date on the weekend, because my proposal seminar was in sight. Sonata did not stop teasing me who wanted to finish quickly, as well as Matt.

Although Theo could not attend the seminar, I was satisfied with the presence of my former students and best friends. After the show, I bought them lunch together. Matt tried to call or make a video call, Theo did not answer.

“Dih, lunch hours also can not be disturbed. They did what, anyway?” his gerrick.

“Meeting with colleagues or business associates, dong. What else?” sonata Goda. “Papaku who only have small businesses never spare at lunchtime. Especially if you have such a big company. Your brother must have accompanied him.”

“Tuh, listen,” connect me. “You never want to follow them to the company, so you do not know their hassle there.”

“I'm not interested. Don't you guys know?” He brought his face closer to us. “I never wanted to set foot in that company so that there was nothing divisive between me and Theo. Other families fighting for office, I don't want.”

“Then why do you take this major if you do not intend to work in the same company?” asked Sonata astonished.

“Because I want to open my own business. I love playing games, so one day, I'm going to open a cafe where the kids get together. Not only a gathering place, but I will also create an event with interesting gifts so that they come diligently,” said Matt at length.

I smiled when I heard him tell me his dream. Sounds simple, but reaching for it won't be easy. My dream is simple too. Only my plans for Chika, Nisa, and Rahma are not simple. But I'm sure I will be able to repay their actions later.

The scholarship company is satisfied with my academic grades, making me relieved to still get help until graduation. I took advantage of that semester break with an internship at a company owned by the Wiryawan Family. The man who once asked me to play the violin at a celebration his family held.

“You Amaryllis Josepha?” tanyanya did not believe. He looked at me and his secretary in turn. “You're sure you're not wrong?”

“No, Sir. This is right Ms. Amarylis,” replied the beautiful woman politely.

“You changed once.” He blinked his eyes, not believing.

“Ah, because I am no longer fat, yes?” say understand.

“Iya. I got to pangling.” He's throttling. “Good. You can start working today. About the data you need, you can ask my secretary.”

“That data, Sir?” ask the woman surprised. “But Mr. Wiryawan said no, Sir.”

“It wasn't just my dad who held the key to the room. Me either. So, I have the right to decide who can and should not see it,” the man insisted.

“Ng,” I said, trying to break up.

“Pak Dirut already said firmly, no can, sir. I can be fired if I break his orders,” said the woman worried.

The data I need for my research is indeed sensitive. I was surprised that someone would give it to me. I never expected the company to belong to the Wiryawan Family. They should just answer yes. Apparently, the answer was without the approval of the main director.

Seeing them fuss like this, I'm so bad. But if I do not graduate in accordance with the specified time, my scholarship will be revoked. I have to what now?