Linger

First Meeting

Early in the morning, Kalea had been made dizzy because Mama kept raving about many things. Starting from what clothes he should wear to all kinds of warnings so that Kalea does not do strange things during the lunch event. Mama obviously already understands that this child is a little crazy and sometimes likes to do strange things that can make others shake his astonishment.

Once upon a time, Kalea did not go home so that made Papa and Mama confused. They had even been close to reporting to the police for thinking Kalea might have been kidnapped while on her way home from her college. But you know what happened? The girl came home at midnight with a three-colored kitten whose body was soaked and smelly. When asked where he was from, the boy replied casually that he was draining his energy to persuade the kitten to take home.

Okay. Kalea admitted that she was sometimes absurd, but Mama did not need to babble so early just to make her not act out, right? After all, why should Kalea waste energy to act in front of people she does not know. To make it illfeel and refuse this matchmaking? Oh, of course not. Although Kalea did not want this match, but she also did not want to be the rejected party. Basic Kalea, still had time to think about self-esteem!

"Later to be escorted with Mr. Amir, do not drive yourself." Tell Mama while attaching a knee-length black dress to Kalea's body. Whether it was the 'how many clothes Mama tried to match Kalea's body. He did not even know where Mama got the various kinds of dress that was too feminine. Because of course such a dress is not her style.

"I'm being driven by Karel" she said.

"Ohhhh yaudah." Mama nodded her head understandingly.

"Mom how many clothes, anyway? Feelings are not over." Kalea clucked. Her legs had been sore because Mama kept telling her to stand up from earlier.

"much. Nothing is suitable yet, though. Well, try this one." This time Mama thrust out a sea-blue dress that was slightly below the knee length. A dress made from satin, short-sleeved and plain without accent lace or waist decoration like other dresses that Mama offered before.

Kalea grabbed the dress then took it to the front of the large mirror beside the dressing table. He attached the dress to the body, then nodded his head satisfied because it felt this dress was the most suitable with his taste. But of course he had to wait for Mama's approval first. So she immediately turned to ask Mama's opinion.

As the lovable shoots arrived, Mama also nodded her head with a smile. "match it."

"OKAY. Kalea wear this. Now Mama's out." Kalea said as she pushed Mama's body out of her room.

It was only half-time now, there were still a few hours before lunch, so Kalea was intending to continue her sleep for another hour or two.

But after Mama came out of the room, Kalea did not even realize her intentions. Instead of going back to sleep, he sat on the floor with his back resting on the bed. Again feel afraid. Afraid that the simple dream really will not be realized if this matchmaking turned out to be continued.

*******

"Thank you, Rail." Kalea said to Karel who had just opened the car door for her. The young man only responded with a honey sweet smile. This type of smile will be able to make the interlocutor fascinated even faint in his sweet spot.

"What time will I pick you up?" karel asked after Kalea got out of the car and closed the door again.

"don't know. I'll call you when it's over." Kalea said as she lowered her head, tidying up the sea-blue dress below the knees she was wearing.

"Kale," call Karel slowly.

"Hm?" Kalea turned her head, only to find Karel staring at her with a kind of gaze that was hard to translate. 

"Why?" ask Kalea again when Karel never said anything. 

"If you don't like it, don't force it, will you?" 

Kalea felt her heart stop beating for a while. The problem is not what Karel just said. But the tone of Karel's speech that feels foreign in his ears. 

For information only, Karel is typical of people who talk and his voice is very noisy. If there was an award for the noisiest human category, Karel might have kept a lot of trophies in his closet. So it was not unusual for Kalea to feel unfamiliar with the soft tone of voice she had just heard.

"Rel, are you sick?" instead of replying, Kalea placed the back of her hand on the man's forehead. Then his forehead wrinkled when he found Karel's body temperature was normal. Not feverish. 

"Serious cave!" Karel clucked, brushed Kalea's hand off her forehead. His eyes glared fiercely. 

"Yes your talk is strange. Nope, no. It's not strange talk, it's the tone of his voice." Celoteh Kalea's.

"What a weirdo, anyway?" 

"Yes weird. You are usually very noisy, you like to scream. And then suddenly speaking slowly, softly, where the expression on his face is also not really anymore." Kalea's rebuked lips make Karel tickle.

"Gue's trying to be a good brother to you, dodol!"

"Aw!!!" Kalea shrieked as Karel arbitrarily poked her forehead. 

"Anyway, don't charge anything. Inget my words semalem, just aja lo here to meet you online meeting lo, if it is not suitable to stay, do not need to see you again." Karel said, this time with a normal tone of voice. Typical of Karel that Kalea knows. 

"Yes, yeah. But this is why I'm sick!" Kalea nagged back, her forehead felt hot and her head became a bit dizzy due to the careless actions of Karel. I don't know how hard this guy nicks his forehead until the effect can be this severe.

"Lebay! Red is not that too. There's a hunt coming in, don't make people wait!" 

Kalea resigned herself as her body was flipped over and her back was pushed by Karel. The man pushed her completely to the front door. If only from the inside there were no servants who stood by to open the door, Karel would have done so and the man would have dragged Kalea to sit at the table that Papa had ordered. 

"If the human you meet later macem-macem same lo, immediately unplug. Call me right then and let me pick it up." Karel said one last time before turning away. 

Kalea could only silently stare at Karel's distant back until the man finally got into the car and the car was driven away from view. Kalea was still standing at the door with the waiter holding the door shut until Karel's car was completely out of sight. 

Then Kalea stepped her foot inside the restaurant, smiling briefly at the male waiter who opened the door. Then she was greeted by another servant - this time a woman - who confirmed her name in a friendly tone of voice. After confirming that Kalea was indeed someone who had come after making the reservation, the maid immediately led Kalea to the reserved table.

From a distance, Kalea could already see a man sitting behind her. Her back is firm and looks sexy wrapped in a black suit. His black hair was neatly arranged. His posture looks good even only seen from behind. As he moved closer to the man, Kalea began to bet on herself. He said that if this man's face was as handsome as Lee Jeno NCT, he would consider accepting this matchmaking without much comment (Because he thought it was impossible). Kalea was already confident of winning in the bet she made herself, until the moment the waiter allowed her to sit down and withdraw, she said, Kalea felt half her life being pulled away and her throat feeling dry as if she had not been drinking for days. 

As their eyes met, Kalea felt her body freeze. The flow of oxygen to the lungs as if blocked to make it difficult to breathe. His head suddenly felt heavy. Crazy one! Kalea must be crazy! Maybe this is the effect of continuing to mention the name Lee Jeno in his head since the last few days. Hence Kalea so seeing this man before her as if he had a handsome face like that idol singer.

"Hello?"

Kalea flinched as she felt her face in the wind. Upon awakening from his daydreams and his sanity was restored, he found the man in front of him staring at him in astonishment.

"Ah, sorry." Kalea smiled awkwardly before sitting herself before the man. 

"I'm Gavin." The man spoke softly while reaching out to Kalea who was still struggling to regulate her crazy heartbeat.

"Calea." 

The two shook hands briefly. Then before the conversation continued everywhere, two servants came to bring food and drinks.

"Thanks to your Papa for having prepared all this well." Gavin said, smiling sweetly at Kalea after the food was served in front of them and the waiter was gone.

"I didn't know Papa had time to prepare all this." Kalea. He's not down to skyrocket. But he really didn't expect this Papa seniat to set up his meeting with this Jeno-like NCT guy.

"For the princess, I don't think anything like this is excessive." Gavin said, his gaze still did not switch from the face of Ayu Kalea. Quietly began to scan one by one the features that were on the girl's face. Starting from her thin, neat eyebrows, lentic eyelashes that frame double eyelids with light brown irises, her big little nose, and her, up to her thin lips that look suitable daubed with pink lipstick. His brown hair along the back and curls at the ends were left unraveled. There are no other accessories that enliven the appearance of the girl, just a pair of earrings embedded in the ear that now looks a little flushed because of what. 

Meanwhile, Kalea did the same. He also started scanning Gavin's face. It's just that, not too able to concentrate because at this time he actually feels that he is dealing with Jeno NCT-saking like him. Thick eyebrows, high nose, dark eyes and natural thick lips belonging to Gavin really make Kalea remembered on her favorite berlong.

"Please eat it." Gavin said, thrusting a plate of beef steak that has been cut into smaller parts in front of Kalea, replacing the plate containing steak that is still intact.

Kalea was certainly touched by Gavin's treatment. The Act of Service. Type once. Ah, it can't be like this. Who has been whining to Karel since yesterday for accepting this match? Why was she now touched just because of this man's sweet treatment? Kalea was completely inexhaustible with herself. Labile!

The following minutes were spent with the two who were still enjoying their respective meals. Occasionally throw praise for chefs who have successfully served food with a taste that fits on the tongue of both. 

After eating the food on the plate and gulping down the water to relieve the throat, the two fell silent for a while. Kalea was busy turning her eyes in all directions as she could not bear to see Gavin constantly looking at her. Kalea is wrong. Aye, right. Kalea who has never been interested in any man including several actors and models in his company was wrong because of a Mahesa Gavin Cakraditya.

"I'm not attractive, am I?" gavin asked suddenly, making Kalea reflex turn her head.

"Eh... No, not that." Kalea was floundering, but Gavin chuckled at the Kalea response. 

"Continue?" 

"Well, shall we go home, yuk?." 

Gavin practically chuckled at Kalea's sudden remark. Unexplained, he knew the girl was being misbehaved right now. Evident from the gaze of his eyes that ran there and here also split his cheeks as red as a ripe tomato. 

"You're funny if you're wrong." Gavin said after widely laughing at how cute Kalea's facial expression was.

"I'm not mistaken!" Kill Kalea, ashamed of being caught.

"You are."

"I'm not!"

"Yes." Yeah."

"No!"

Gavin. It could have continued to chimed in on Kalea's remarks and allowed this vague debate to continue until later. But he remembered there were more important things to do. So without intending to prolong their debate, Gavin rose to his feet.

"Yes, you're not wrong." Said. "Come, I'll drive you home." Continue by extending a hand.

Kalea was silent for a while looking at Gavin's hand. Didn't expect that man would give in to her. Because if it was Karel, the unimportant debate would have been going on for a whole day, nonstop. 

"Kalea?"

"I can go home by myself. My friend picked me up again." Kalea. But Gavin shook his head.

"Letting you come here by yourself is wrong, Kalea. As a man, it's been a must for me to make sure you get home safely, right?"

Telak. Kalea could say nothing more. With her hands slightly shaking due to the effects of her heart beating returning to craze, Kalea grabbed Gavin's helping hand. 

The two walked out of the cafe. Gavin quickly opened the door for Kalea, putting a hand over Kalea's head to make sure the girl's head wasn't hit. After making sure Kalea was seated safely and comfortably, Gavin walked to the other side of the car and immediately positioned himself behind the wheel. 

Along the way, since Gavin stepped on the gas pedal until the car they were riding in had mingled with other vehicles, Kalea could only fall silent. Occasionally, he would stare at Gavin, who seemed to focus on the road ahead. Luckily the road is not jammed so Kalea does not need to hear the noise of the honking horn.

Not wanting to let the silence rule, Kalea sees Gavin turning on the radio. In an instant the music began to fill the entire car that was originally silent. A song from a band Kalea doesn't know airs. The music sounds foreign, but the lyrics feel so close because they describe a little bit of the atmosphere Kalea is feeling right now. How his heart beats every time his eyes rub against Gavin when caught red-handed, stare at him, his sometimes sudden breathing stops as he is unable to handle the masculine scent of Gavin's body that bumps into his sense of smell, also how his body feels stiff with just a thin smile on the thick lips of this man.

Twenty minutes passed. When they realized, the car they were riding in had stopped in front of the gate of Kalea house. 

"Und through." 

Kalea turned her head, only to find Gavin smiling at her. Kalea's heart was about to fall on the ground as Gavin suddenly moved closer. The closer Kalea can smell the man's perfume the clearer. Even Kalea's face was hot because Gavin's breath was blowing on her face. That's their distance now.

Normally, Kalea would slap the cheek of the man before her, or even kick her crotch for being rude to her. But for some reason, Kalea could do nothing. He held his breath as Gavin's hand stretched out, then somehow he closed his eyes.

One sec.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

Until the eighth second, nothing happened. Kalea felt nothing on her face. Even the warm breath of Gavin was not felt. Out of curiosity, Kalea peeked, and at once she cussed at herself who was thinking no-no to Gavin when in fact the man was just helping her to release the seatbelt. 

"You're a dreamy hobby, aren't you?" ask Gavin suddenly.

Kalea was aware of her daydream. Trouble reassembling his sanity only to feel ashamed because again Gavin caught him daydreaming.

Gavin chuckled again. The man then got out of the car, walked to the other side to open the car door.

The door was already open, but Kalea was silent instead, looking at Gavin who was standing towered beside the body of the car, holding the door for her.

"Hello?" Gavin tilted his head suddenly, making Kalea who was about to lower one leg from the car hastily undo his intentions.

"Aren't you going down?" 

"It's coming down. You look out first try, I can't get through if you're standing there."

"Oh, I see. Sorry, yeah." Gavin shifted his body, giving space to Kalea.

"Thank ya-Gavin?" Kalea said after getting out of the car.

"My pleasure."

"Eung... Yeah, I'm in, huh?" Pamit Kalea, already turning the body was about to step towards the gate of his house where Mr. Dadang was ready to open the door.

But his movements stopped when Gavin blocked his wrist.

"Why?" Kalea was confused.

"hp number. You haven't given me your phone number."

"Ah... For?"

"Communicating. This is not our first and last, is it?" 

This is not our first and last, is it? Kalea repeated the question inside her head. Trying to digest the meaning of the sentence yourself. Not the first and last, what is the meaning of Gavin wants there to be a second, third and next meeting? 

"Hello? Kalea?" Gavin chuckled again. 

"I just..."

"just anyone?"

"Just don't know if you intend to see me again." Kalea grimaced after saying that. Doesn't he sound pathetic? It was as if he was desperate knowing he was the only one who wanted this meeting to repeat itself.

But his uneasiness instantly evaporated as Gavin's crisp laughter flew through the air. The man took his hand off. "Why don't I want to see you again? You're fun."

Oath to her entire collection of KPop albums, Kalea wants to sink into the Pacific Ocean right now. All his life, he had never received this kind of praise. What she heard from people about her was only to the extent that she was beautiful, that her brain was brilliant and the fact that she was the only daughter of a successful businessman whose assets were scattered everywhere. Kalea never heard anyone call it fun. Because to be honest, Kalea feels she is not fun at all. Since he was in junior high school, he has been known as a dirty and fierce child. Not many people want to be friends with him because he is more often angry and rarely friendly. The only one who still wants to be friends with Kalea is Karel. That was because the boy happened to be a new neighbor next to Kalea's house back then and it just so happened that his brain was a bit sane. Be them clop until now.

Hearing himself called fun apparently made the butterfly colony in his stomach wake up from a long sleep. The creature moves, flying to and fro to cause a tickling sensation that is foreign. Making him lose the ability to process words so that when Gavin thrust a cell phone in front of him, Kalea can only be dumb as the most stupid person in the world.

"May I have your number, Kalea Dimitria?"

Thats enough. Even the way the man called his full name made Kalea lose control. This Mahesa Gavin really made Kalea foggy.