Not long after, my cell phone rang a dial tone. Apparently from Kacey.
"Hey where are you, handsome?" Kacey asked.
"I was around Goobank," I replied.
"I wanted to meet you," Kacey said.
"Okay, where are you?" I asked.
"On campus," Kacey replied.
"I'm on my way," I said.
Here, at the Clofus campus, almost all majors were available, even the rarest in Indonesia, such as Nuclear Engineering and Javanese Literature. A row of notable people listed as Clofus graduates, such as World Bank’s Managing Director Mrs. Shri Lakhsmi. She also ranked as the 38th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes last year. Then, Mr. Ali Purwacaraka was an Indonesian ambassador in the United Nations. And also, Hendryx, The Boumerank rock superstar.
I studied at the Department of English Literature, Faculty of Letters, alongside Aisha, Julia, Mr. P, and Matt. The last three names received scholarships for the indigents students around the campus
"Of course I'd be willing to be your sidekick," Kacey said."I believe so," I said."Tell me something else," Kacey asked."About what?" I asked."Your ideology?" Kacey said.I exhaled and started talking about youngsters.Indeed, young people are often identified with their strong ideals. Even so, these cadets are often seen as lacking in salt, not cognitively complete, and emotionally unstable.What is sadder is that the older generation seems to have put aside the role of the youth. You see, they see this young group as a collection of idealistic people who make unrealistic decisions.However, the seniors' justification is not entirely wrong and not entirely correct. As we all know, the first President of the Republic of Indonesia Soekarno once revealed a popular quote, "Give me a thousand parents, I will surely uproot (Mount) Semeru from its roots. Give me ten youths, I will surely shake the world."If ten youths cou
Kacey and I spent the day together. Until finally night fell, I took Kacey home. After that, my cell phone rang. Apparently from Brother Eric. He told me that Gabriella was already at the hotel and ready to be picked up.I immediately drove to the Wahid Hotel where Gabriella was staying. And yes, I saw a tall, beautiful woman talking with Brother Eric."Langley!" said Eric introducing, "This is Gabriella. Gabriella. This is Langley.""Nice to meet you," we greeted each other."Are you ready to leave here?" I asked Gabriella."Of course. Where are you taking me?" Gabriella asked back."Bacchanalia," I replied."That's a great place," said Eric."Then what are you waiting for," said Gabriella.I accelerated my speed until we arrived at Embong Malang Street. This Surabaya culinary center was lined with international-class star hotels. I looked at the digital clock on my motorbike dashboard. It was 11.30 P.M. Just in time, I
THE sound of the music then slowly became silent. The hustle and bustle of the humans on the dance floor began to calm down. The visitors who throng the Bacchanalia distract themselves by drinking again.It was already midnight. Maybe it was the time for the Bacchanalia staff to rest. Usually, after the host DJ performance - at zero hours - it would be changed to a guest DJ. But, I did not know who the guest DJ would be.However, the absence of music had not made the atmosphere filled with adult men and women wither. It was like the atmosphere of an annual festival. Even though the long-awaited one had not yet appeared, the visitors were still waiting faithfully.I then got rid of my previous worry - a strange feeling amidst the excitement of a nightclub. Unlike usual, someone was watching me from somewhere. But I d not know for sure."Here, drink again!" asked Gabriella, then gave me a glass.Since there was no music playing, we did not have to sh
When I walk, I take the time to look at the stage. Apparently, there were several pairs of women and men dancing. The women danced sensually to seduce their respective partners and vice versa. DJ Butterfly, the host, and the dancers were cheering.Apparently, Skin for Win had started. The couple who danced the wildest won. The prize, IDR 10 million in cash or USD 1,000, and a free drink the following weekend. I thought the participants did not pursue the reward but the fun."Lang!" called Tiffany, "come here quickly!"Tiffany's voice was so loud that I could hear her in the middle of the sound of the music. I then waved and hurried to our table. Gabriella seemed to be laughing out loud with the LGBT Gang. What were they talking about?"What happened?" I shouted into Tiffany's ear.Gabriella looked at me."Gabriella's following Skin for Win!"What?! This is great, Gabriella could not be in that game."Yes!" I replied in the same
"You have a quite good voice. Why don’t you just go solo?" I asked while sipping the orange juice, trying to create a relaxed atmosphere to come back again.Gabriella then looked back at the mango swimming pool. She lifted her head, then looked in the sky for a moment before turning back to face me. She sighed, then shook her head."Thank you," Gabriella said softly. "But, I actually don't really like to be a celebrity.""It was my mother who wants me to be a singer, model or actress, or whatever," Gabriella admitted then leaned back.What! I was surprised to listen to Gabriella's confession. She just like Kacey. I then more opened my ears to pay attention to what else would she reveal? I did not know why, but I felt that Gabriella had just trusted me, so she dared to tell me sensitive things.Gabriella then admitted that singing or modeling was not her passion, moreover acting. She believed that it was her mother's wish to make her famous. I
Tommorow, I introduce Gabriella to Titus.I then turned the car into an extraordinary school. Gabriella looked surprised as I parked the car. I then invited Gabriella down."Junior High School A Foundation for Blind Children's Education," reads Gabriella. "Why did you invite me here?""You say you like exotic things?" I said."Yeah, that's true," Gabriella replied."I'll introduce you to someone," I said.I then took Gabriella and took her to a room. While walking, I told a story about this one friend of mine.In a corner of the hamlet, a group of elementary school students seemed to be playing happily while waiting to enter class. Like schools in general, the courtyard is filled with cheerful laughter, the typical joy of children before the bell rings.There, the most agile 2nd-grade elementary schoolboy. His oval face, framed by thin straight hair on the side. His skinny body was wrapped in tan skin. As an eight-year-old boy,
The next day, I took Gabriella to the airport to return to Jakarta. Gabriella kept saying that I was the most different client of all. According to Gabriella, I am a sensitive person and care about women. Not like other clients, she would be thrown away."You're different from the others," Gabriella said."How did it happen?" I asked.“You care about me,” Gabi replied."Shouldn't men be like that with women," I said.“No,” Gabi, “Based on my experience, after a one-night stand, I was immediately sent home. There's no romance at all.""Shouldn't it be like that? Avoid any emotional attraction,” I said.“Yes, I agree with that. But at least women want to be respected, right?” Gabi said."You're right," I said."If you go to Jakarta, call me," said Gabi."I'm afraid I won't have enough money to pay you when I'm in Jakarta," I said."You don't have to worry about
After letting Gabriella leave at the airport, I returned to my car in the parking lot. While in the cabin, I suddenly felt restless. It was as if someone was watching me from a distance.I drove the car out of the Juanda airport area in Surabaya. Every now and then, I looked in the rearview mirror to see if someone was really following me. As far as I drive, there's nothing out of the ordinary in the back of my car. However, I still feel uneasy.The traffic light shows a red color which means stop. I hit the brake pedal to stop my car right in the front row. I took a deep breath to get my heart rate back to normal.I feel that my anxiety is maybe just my mixed feelings. In the midst of many thoughts about Saltyville, the Rasheed family, the Scielhort family, Hendryx, the Limantoro family, Troy, Brody, the attack on my house, two bodies burned on the beach, and the last one is the case of the acid attack against the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Committee (IC