The Girl Next Door's

Mysterious Men

Deril is still peeking at Doctor Stephen and Mika who are seen from the window. His brain didn't stop thinking, what was it. Even so, Deril could not just go there and barge in. He's not that close to Doctor Stephen's family.

Feeling that there was nothing he could do, Deril decided to remain silent. His eyes tried to record as clearly as possible that moment.

Stephen played the piano for at least fifteen minutes. During that time anyway, Mika did not move with a frightened face. Deril took his pencil and sketchbook. He began to spill the moments he remembered on top of the sketchbook.

Fifteen minutes later, as his sketches were almost complete, Deril began to think about what he was making of it. "Recording Mika's expression?" answer to yourself. "Haha! Since when have I been attracted to women?"

Deril put down his sketchbook and pencil. He began to take a broom, then cleaned the attic that belonged to him. When it starts to clean up, that's when Deril realizes that the place is pretty big.

Geck! Geck! Geck!

"Yes?" Deril answered quickly.

Serena appears when the door opens. "Your father is receiving your package below. You wanna see?"

Deril's face changed. "Thank you, Mom!" Deril ran straight past Serena. His feet stepped hurriedly down at once two steps. True Serena said, Alex was checking the package that just got off the delivery box car.

"Well, mine?" ask Deril.

Alex nodded. "You spent your allowance to buy these tools?" Alex asked back.

"Yes," Deril answered honestly. He did use his allowance last month to buy the painting tools he wanted. Deril is willing to hold the hunger until the afternoon for a month for the sake of coming today.

"Next time, don't forget to eat. I'll give you extra money for your hobby." Alex ruffles Deril's hair, then goes inside the house.

"Please sign here," the Package Introduction thrusts a piece of paper at Deril. After affixing his signature, the Introduction to the Package immediately passed.

"Assyc! Funny!" Deril tiptoed with excitement. "Tonight I want a new canvas!" He hugged his package. When she accidentally turned to Mika's house, it turned out that Mika was there. The girl's head poked out from the second-floor window. He was watching Deril.

Deril rubbed his head. "Do I look silly?" whispered. Deril's cheeks flushed slightly in embarrassment at his own behavior. Deril looked up, daring to say hello. She smiled awkwardly at Mika.

Mika returned her smile. Lips moving. "You paint?" ask Mika without a sound.

Deril grinned and nodded. "You too?" reply Deril, same without sound.

Mika nodded once. But his smile disappeared. He looked at Deril straight. They just stared at each other for a long time.

"I'm in, huh?" Deril decided to leave, because there was no sign that Mika would ask him to talk again. Deril put a canvas on his armpit, then both of his hands hugged the other three packs that were the size of one arm.

"Can you bring it yourself?" serena asked as she watched Deril walk through the kitchen.

"Can" replied Deril. His energy was being fully charged as he felt very excited after the package came. Moreover, Alex said that he would give extra money. Then, he also had time to argue with Mika.

"Would I try to get Mika to paint together, huh?"

***

Deril did not expect that he would be stuck at an arisan event with women his mother's age. Deril tried to recall how he ended up here.

At first, he was sitting quietly in the front yard. The afternoon sun was blocked by his house. Deril likes the afternoon air in that place. The page is not yet fully organized. Some flowers are still inside the polybag.

Then, while Deril was enjoying all that, Serena came over and asked Deril to take her somewhere. Serena's driving, of course. Deril has not yet been able to distinguish pedals. And this is where Deril ends. Five miles away from home. Sitting on the sofa of a simple house, flanked by mothers who were talking to and fro.

"If you know that Nak Deril is coming, I'll also bring my daughter."

"I think my son is better suited."

"My son is only two years younger than Deril. My son is a good fit."

"My daughter goes to school abroad. Same with him, huh?"

"Faraway, Mom! I have a daughter too."

Deril feels dizzy and nauseous when many voices are caught by his ears. He glanced at Serena who was still engrossed in talking to the other arisan participants. Feeling Serena would not pull him out of the matter, Deril immediately pounced without further ado. "I'm sorry, I want to get some wind outside." Deril escapes from the hustle and bustle of the party inside the house.

He walked quickly and went across the street, where Serena's car was parked. Deril sits on the sidewalk, enjoying the night air. Just as he was clearing his mind, Deril heard a movement from his left.

"Oh, I don't think there's anyone!"

The man who came seemed to be shocked by Deril's presence as well.

"Mmm, are you waiting for your mother Arisan?" tanyakanya.

Deril just nodded. He doesn't want to talk to anyone.

Apparently, the man did not understand the subtle 'rejection' that Deril showed. He sat next to Deril without permission. "You're the little bule who just moved to this village, huh?"

Deril didn't feel he had to answer that question. To him, it's not a question. Anyone could see that Deril was of mixed blood. Not all Indonesians have real blonde hair and green eyes. Coupled with above average height and pale white skin.

Sometimes Deril felt envious of the appearance Diana had. Diana inherited Serena's dark black hair, though their eyes were both bright green. White women are considered commonplace in Indonesia, while white men will attract too much attention. Diana gets most of the Serena genes, while Deril is more like Alex.

"Said my mother, you moved her next door to Mika's house, huh? Recognize?"

"Know."

"Don't you think something's weird?"

Deril turned his head quickly as the man said so. The man next to him was wearing an oversized t-shirt combined with dull long black pants. As if unaffected by the cold of the night wind, he was wearing only flip-flops. Her hair was wavy and a little messy. He also has a pimple on his cheek.

"What's so weird?"

"Mika is beautiful."

Deril took a long breath. He was hoping that this person would say something new. However, he only said the reality that everyone already knew.

"-kayak plastic surgery."

Deril's eyebrows are wrinkled. "Huh?"

"Really, right? Beautiful delay! Not commonplace!"

"You envious?"

"No! I'm, right, a man!"

Deril did not continue the conversation. Free for him. He would only waste his time talking to people who had no reason.

"Do you know of a missing child in this village?" suddenly the man asked.

Deril remembered about the case that the other day he read on the internet. At least he knew the story, but not for sure.

"Or tell me about Mika's mother who ran away?"

"I don't know" Deril lied, hoping to hear more about both.

***