Linger

Good Friend

Kalea has a good friend, her name is Karel. His father was a top surgeon and his mother was a former sports presenter. He was only a year older, but the boy was able to behave like an older brother to Kalea. Although sometimes they will spend time arguing about unimportant things, but the two still love each other like their own brothers. Karel's brain is sometimes not sane in fact is not a problem for Kalea, because if to be honest, Kalea's brain is also sometimes just as crazy. Tiny Karel and emotionally charged Kalea are a fitting blend of pas— although people more often complain of earache when the two are together. 

Usually, if his mood was bad and there were many worries that could not be expressed to anyone, Kalea would come to Karel. To that man Kalea would tell him everything. There are hardly any secrets that Kalea kept from Karel. The rancid boy even became the first to know when Kalea first came to the moon in the second grade of Junior High School. That time, after school, Karel and Kalea spent time playing video games together at Karel's house. Ibun and Mama were away while Dad and Papa were of course busy working so the two boys were alone at home. There was a housekeeper anyway, but the middle-aged woman was going to the supermarket to buy some exhausted household necessities. 

After spending some time playing some games, Kalea intends to take a short break. He got up from his seat and was about to go to the kitchen to get some drinking water. But as she got up, Kalea was taken aback by Karel's echoing screams filling the living room. The boy shouted hysterically while pointing at Kalea's butt. He said, "Kale, what's wrong with you? Your ass is bleeding!" what makes Kalea panic is not playing. He thought his butt was hurt by accidentally hitting something. But strangely Kalea did not feel any pain in her ass at all.

"Ih, Karel...How is this? I why?" Kalea teenagers who are still innocent seem to hold back tears. Peeping on her uniform skirt that has been exposed to blood stains quite a lot.

"Karel doesn't know either. Hix... Kalea why?" instead of calming, teen Karel cried first. The boy sobbed like he was the one who had just been injured. 

Because they were both still innocent and did not know what it was coming the moon, they ended up crying both in the living room. Wailing like two children abandoned by their parents. They hugged. Crying as much as he could until finally Ibun came with a look of shock to find his neighbor's children and children crying together. 

That afternoon was a mess. Mama had to explain to Kalea many times to make the boy understand what it was coming the moon and what to do when it came over. Ibun also no less hassle. The woman had to go the extra mile to calm Karel who was still crying. The boy kept saying that he was afraid that Kalea would be seriously injured and could die. Karel did not want to lose a friend, he said. How dramatic. 

Kalea chuckled as those ridiculous memories popped into her head. Making Karel who was busy with espresso maker suddenly turned his head with a look of wonder.

"Did, laugh at yourself. Lo kesambet?" Karel walked over to Kalea who was sitting at one of the tables near the counter while carrying an es americano in hand. This afternoon the cafe looks empty, there are only a few visitors who prefer a table in the corner to enjoy the coffee and dessert ordered.

Once, satisfied to reflect in his studio without doing anything on the blank canvas that was planned to be painted, Kalea ran towards the house of Karel. It's Friday, so Kalea thinks Karel is playing a game in his room because usually the guy will only come to the cafe on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But once there, Kalea met only Mpok Nuriah, the housekeeper who was eleven and twelve with Karel. Mpok Nuriah said, Karel went to the cafe to replace one of the employees who got sick. Without thinking long Kalea just drove her car to the cafe this—ignore the screams of Mama who repeatedly told her to eat lunch (remember Kalea did not touch her breakfast at all).

"Lo why? Mama maksa you make it to the gym again?" asked Karel who was now sitting across from Kalea, sucked his artificial americano ice then smiled with laughter after the concentrated liquid managed to escape from his throat. I feel proud of my own work.

"So much worse than that." 

"What do you mean? Worse than going to the gym? Is there anything worse than the meaning of someone with the spirit of a mager kayak you make sports?"

"There!" Kalea kicked the table, making Karel almost spout the new americano ice he sucked. 

"Can it be ordinary? I'm surprised anjir." Karel. Fortunately, he did not choke. It's not funny to choke on his own americano ice.

"What, anyway? Wh why? Mama told you what?" Karel put his American ice on the table. His back was held up with his arms crossed in front of his chest, ready to listen to Kalea's complaints. 

"I want to be fooled."

"Oh. Just —eh anjir!!! Stupid?!"

"Have a habit of talking about it! You want customers on the run because the owner's cafe is noisy like you?" Kalea. Some customers at the cafe looked to turn to them because the noise of Karel screaming was not playing.

Karel smiled clumsyly at some customers who were staring at them annoyed, feeling piqued by her blaring screams. After the attention of the men was no longer centered on them, Karel advanced his chair. He leaned towards Kalea, then whispered, "Seriously you want to be betrothed?" tanyakanya. Try to make sure that his ears are still functioning properly.

"Yes." Yeah."

"Who's same? How come all of a sudden?"

"I don't know." Kalea sniffed her shoulders.

"No idea how, anyway?"

"Yes, don't know! Mama didn't tell me who it was. Anyway I'm told to meet him tomorrow at Ballada Cafe."

Karel remained silent. Not knowing what to respond to. This matchmaking news was too shocking to be accepted. Though all this time Mama and Papa seemed to relax just let the girls just puppet them do what they want. Papa never even forced Kalea to take part in corporate affairs. Why is there suddenly a match?

"Rellll...What do I do?" Kalea whining.

"How did we escape? To Korea? Who knew you'd meet Jono, right?" Karel spoke lightly, only to make Kalea swerve and a punch landed on her head.

"It hurts!" Karel was clearly grimacing. He rubbed his head that was painful due to the actions of Kalea.

"That's a real solution! Her name is Jeno, not Jono!" Kalea pecked, did not accept the name of her idol was replaced with as good as her eel by Karel.

"One letter is a doang!"

"Different letters mean different things!"

"Emang means what, anyway?"

"Well, yeah." Karel chuckles.

Then silence. Karel could only sigh deeply as Kalea's head drooped weakly on the table.

"I don't want to get married, Rel. I still have something to do." The recess of Kalea before the silence lasted much longer. The hustle and bustle around them seemed insignificant because now, the commotion in Karel and Kalea's head was much noisier.

******

Half-time at seven. Karel walked out of the cafe after waving to Ardi, one of the employees who still had to work until 9.

Outside the cafe, Kalea was waiting near the car. The small body rests on the body of the car. Kalea lowered her head, looking at her pair of shoes that occasionally knocked on the asphalt.

"The beautiful one."

Kalea looked up, only able to nod weakly as Karel turned his hand to ask for the car keys. After handing over the car keys to Karel, Kalea complied when her head was pressed by Karel to get into the car whose door had been opened.

After the two sat in the car and the seatbelt was properly installed, Karel immediately drove forward. Karel turned on the radio with the intention that silence would not rule them both too much. But at once he regretted his decision because the song that revolved there was precisely the type of song that should not be played when the mood was bad. Karel wanted to turn off the radio, but was distracted by Kalea who suddenly leaned her head on her shoulder.

"I've already agreed to meet him, Rel. Can't back down anymore." His sister. Her voice was very smooth, inversely proportional to the tone of voice that the girl used to wear. Which tends to be crisp and noisy.

"Just see you, right?" Karel tried to stay calm and focused towards the crowded streets.

"Yes, anyway."

"Yaudah, it's okay. Let's meet a new friend."

"But, Rail..." Kalea lifted her head from Karel's shoulder, looking at the man who was focusing on driving. "I'm afraid Mama's expecting a lot."

Just as the car stopped as the traffic light turned red, Karel turned his head, only to find Kalea's pair of round eyes staring at him softly.

"Mama likes that guy. Papa is the same. It's even so exciting to talk about him."

"That means he's a good man."

"Relllll...."

"Listen to me, you know the most how unfortunately Mama is with Papa to lo, so I guess they just want to help you to meet more people." There was a pain when Karel said it. Imagining Kalea meeting someone other than herself makes some of her feel sad. There is a selfish side of him who does not want Kalea close to anyone other than himself because it has been so ordinary they for a dozen years. Karel was even willing to be single at the age of 26 years in order to stay close to Kalea because whenever he had a lover, his lover would only whine at him to stay away from Kalea. Karel certainly can't. He would not let go of Kalea just for the sake of maintaining his courtship status with any girl.

"Why do I meet so many people if I feel enough?"

I thought so too, Kal. Why do we meet other people, if with us together gini already make us comfortable and happy? But Karel didn't have the guts to say it. So when the traffic light turned green, he immediately stepped on the gas pedal and let Kalea's question hang in the air, unanswered for quite a long time.

It was only when the car they were riding in got into the housing complex that Karel said, "Everything's gonna be alright. You got me, so there's nothing you need to worry about." Karel said after pulling over his car, waiting for Mr. Dadang (satpam at Kalea's house) to open the gate.

"Gue won't tell you why. Consider it tomorrow it's just an ordinary meeting with a new friend you know online. The goal is just to add relationships, nothing more." Karel had greeted Mr. Dadang briefly before driving the car to the garage.

The car is parked in the garage, but Karel and Kalea are still reluctant to get out. Both are still ants in their respective positions, with seatbelt also still installed.

"Rel," called Kalea suddenly, making Karel who was about to release the seatbelt undo his intentions.

"Tomorrow can I make you meet that person?"

"Sure." Karel nodded steadily. "Tompeak me anterin lo." then the seatbelt removed. Not to forget Karel also released a seatbelt wrapped around Kalea's body before finally getting out of the car first and then opened the door for Kalea.

The two then walked towards the front door. Had a short conversation before Karel pushed the small body of Kalea to immediately enter the house. Kalea nodded, waving her hands before the big door closed again.

After Kalea entered the house, Karel left the girl's house to return to her house, which was located right next to Kalea's house.

"No coffee, Mom?" tawar Pak Dadang's.

"So I've had coffee, sir. Three glasses instead. That's why it's bloated now." Canda Karel while patting his stomach softly.

Mr. Dadang chuckled at Karel's behavior. Then the talk ends there. Karel again continued his steps in silence that was inversely proportional to the contents of his head that was noisy.