Linger

There's Always

For quite a long time, Kalea took a deep breath. His gaze fell on the plates of food that had just been touched a little, as well as the wine glass that did not decrease in volume at all because the owner just left. There are so many questions surrounding Kalea coconuts today. About what kind of message Gavin received until the man could leave him alone here.

Half an hour Kalea sat pensively in her place, still busy asking herself until finally a servant came over with an unpleasant look on her face. The female servant seemed hesitant when she was about to speak, so Kalea was forced to display a fake smile to convince the maid to speak as comfortably as she could.

"In front there are online taxi drivers who want to pick up." Said the cafe waiter.

"I didn't order." Kalea said honestly. I don't think he ordered a taxi online. Never mind ordering a taxi online, to digest the situation that is happening now Kalea is still not able to.

"On behalf of Gavin, Ma'am. Maybe that was the one who ordered it?"

Kalea was silent for quite a while. His mind floated back in the air. On the one hand, he felt annoyed at Gavin because the man was willing to leave himself alone here, but on the other hand he felt Gavin did not fully intend to be bad because in fact the man still remembered to order him a taxi online. Kalea was confused by her own feelings, she did not know how to behave at this moment.

"Mr?"

"Yes, thanks. Ask the driver to wait a minute."

The servant nodded then left Kalea. After remaining silent for a long time, Kalea finally rose. He walked straight to the front of the cafe where there was already an online taxi waiting for him. Next to the body of the car, a middle-aged man appeared to be standing while pinning a mobile phone in hand.

When aware of Kalea's presence, the man straightened up and put the phone in his shirt pocket after looking at her for the last time.

"Bak Kalea, huh?" ask the driver.

Kalea nodded and the driver smiled kindly.

"I was asked by Mas Gavin to take Mbak Kalea home. Come on, Ma'am." Said the driver while opening the door on the passenger side, but Kalea shook her head, causing the driver to frown in confusion.

"I called my friend to pick me up. Just finish the order, yeah." Kalea said, forcing a smile.

"Well, can't do that, ma'am. If there's anything wrong, I'll make a mistake." Said the driver who looked frightened.

"I want to go first with my friend, sir."

"But, Ma'am..."

"I told Mas Gavin. Don't worry."

The driver looked cramped. He was hesitant whether to obey the will of the woman before him or stay determined to bring him home according to the order of the order. The problem is, if something happens to this woman, the driver will definitely be held accountable. On the other hand he could not have forced Kalea to come with him, fearing a bigger problem.

So with a long breath and a roaring heart, the driver chose to carry out Kalea's request.

"Thank you, sir." Kalea smiled for the last time before walking away from the cafe area.

Kalea continued to walk down the seemingly deserted streets. He lied about a friend who was going to pick him up. Kalea did not contact Karel at all, she was too unpleasant to have ignored him just for the sake of being able to go with Gavin tonight. In fact, Karel had voluntarily come to his house to bring souvenirs when the man had just arrived from a long trip.

Kalea's heart hurts. He doesn't know what to do after this. Gavin did not even send him a message to ask if the online taxi the man had ordered for Kalea had arrived or not. Kalea thought the man didn't really care about her.

Near the intersection, Kalea stopped her steps. He was no longer able to carry his legs forward as his body began to tremble withstanding the cries. So he sat down on the sidewalk, ignoring the strange gazes that some riders lay upon him as they passed through Kalea.

Kalea sat on the sidewalk for quite a long time. Surprisingly, he did not cry even though his chest felt increasingly tight. He could still understand if Gavin did have more important business, only, Kalea felt the way should not be this way. As a man, Gavin shouldn't have left him alone, not as important as his business, right?

"Hello, sweetie. How alone, anyway? You want to accompany me, don't you?" said one of the shorter-bodied men with tattoos all over his left arm.

"Women can't run wild on their own like these nights. Went where? Anterin's brother, will you?" said one more person who was taller with three piercings in the right ear.

Kalea is not good at judging people's character, and she instead wants to judge tattooed and pierced people as bad people. Only, his instincts said that these two men before him were not good people. Kalea stood up. He was already preparing to escape as his hands were more quickly blocked by the tattooed man.

"Please!" Kalea tried to rebel, but her strength was nothing compared to that man.

"Where are you going, anyway? Here fun used to be with us" said the man piercing while laughing giggling.

Kalea looked at the two with a stern look. To be honest Kalea was afraid, but if she looked weak, these two men would look down on her and think they could do anything.

Kalea glanced at the situation around which the unlucky one was getting quieter. If there are still some vehicles passing, this time the road is completely empty. Not a single rider passed by, while the two men before him started laughing even louder.

"Don't fuck around!" threaten Kalea's. He glared at the man who was blocking his arm, but the man laughed out loud and Kalea could feel the choking in her hand getting stronger.

"Don't be fierce, dear. It will be beautiful." Said the pierced man, his hands moving impudently touching Kalea's chin which was immediately pushed aside by the girl.

"Don't touch me!" Kalea was getting angry and scared. He had never been in a situation like this before. And even though Papa had taught him how to escape from the person who was bothering him, Kalea still could not do anything when a situation like this really hit him. She's terrified.

"If we don't want to, why? Come on, we can have fun" said the tattooed man.

The two men were still trying to touch Kalea even though the girl had already been in revolt and had always brushed their hands away.

Kalea has resigned when both hands have now been successfully controlled by two men. He thought his life would end then and there when one of the two men (Kalea didn't know which one because she was too scared) touched her chin, pulling her closer.

"Just fight, no one will help you. Even if someone passes by, they won't dare to fight us, because we're the ones holding the area."

Kalea closed her eyes as the man holding her chin moved closer and closer. He is still trying to struggle and the unrelenting prayers he says in his heart. Right now, Kalea can only hope that there is a miracle that can save her from these two evil men.

Then, when Kalea felt her body being pulled to the other side, she had already fully resigned. Whatever happened after this, he was reluctant to imagine it.

But instead of finding himself being treated maliciously, Kalea felt his body being hugged very tightly. It was so close that he did not have the opportunity to open his eyes to see what was happening when the incision was heard the sound of people complaining of pain in the aftermath of a crowded voice that came from several people. It seemed, there was a fistfight going on and Kalea was still unable to digest the situation. Did he just get saved? But by whom? The one who was hugging him right now, who?

Kalea was about to break away, but the person who was hugging her at this moment would not allow it. His body was hugged more tightly, his head was rubbed slowly so that all Kalea could do was remain silent and resigned.

Until finally the noise died down. Leaving a small moaning sound that Kalea sure came from the two men who had been busted in a lot of people who knew who.

But Kalea still did not dare to open her eyes, until someone who hugged her started to open her voice.

"It's me, it's okay. You're safe now."

That's the voice Kalea is familiar with. Kalea thought she was hallucinating so scared. But when he opened his eyes, his cry broke instantly. Apparently, he was not hallucinating, the man was actually here, hugging him tightly while the two foreign men who had evil intentions towards him had already fallen down, grimacing with battered faces. Some other people who were there moved to drag the two men away from there.

"It's ok. You can cry." Said that someone again which made Kalea's cry even more broken. Kalea hugged the person tightly, squeezing the shirt worn until it was formless tangled.

"There's nothing you need to worry about, cuz I'm here. And will always be here, by your side."