One Day in California

I'm currently in Indonesia staying in my old house. Cindy was married 2 years ago, Clara has a baby girl name Bianca, she looks like Clara a lot.

"So.....Steffi.. how about your love life ? tell me about Rony. We are looking for you since 2 years ago, Rony knows sh*t. I didn't know you two broke up" said Cindy, the most talkative one, has never out of question. Different with Clara, a quiet, a listener not a talker. Clara is cooking our breakfast, guess she cooks something so special with Spaghetti and Sambal Matah. It smells good.

I take a sip of the hot coffee "yes we broke up", "I mean, it's because the fortune telling stuffs too" I added, rolling my eyes. I'm traumatized.

Cindy moaned "FOR GOD'S SAKE".

"Yes, his fortune teller said if we got married, nothings good will happen" I shrugged.

Another moaned from Cindy, "Look Steffi" she clears her throat, slapping her forehead once. She's very sensitive when it comes to fortune telling stuffs.

"Aduhhhhh" she moaned again. "We can trust them, but you know, sometimes we have to trust ourselves more. Don't depend on the fortune telling stuffs" she implied, seemed really pissed.

"I don't know sist, his mom is an old –school –Chinese. It's okay I am fine right now. I can't blame her either. She is very religious too"

"Clara is also religious" Cindy pointed at Clara, she was just tilting her head glancing at us for a second, then she continues her cooking.

"the point is.. okay let me tell you... this is just an example .. I am actually pissed off... how could Rony's family do that do you.. I mean you guys have been dating for years" Cindy still talking.

"before I date Louis...I mean we were just friends that time, but we fell in love with each others." Cindy takes a deep breath. "I told no one about this, including dad... you know.. except Clara.."

"so.. before I date Louis. I and Clara went to a fortune teller. You know what did she tell me?"

I widened my eyes, demanding answers

"she told me, I and Louis are not meant to be together. There will be a third person who barged in, well I ever once almost cheated on him because that guy is so f**kin handsome, but I ended up rejected that guy.. see ? we got married.. I am not going to explain the rest of it. but she told me, I don't have to believe it too much.. sometimes our destiny change if we change our mind and our decisions, it happens.....the point is... you have to trust yourselves more. When I got married, I went to the temple to bound our marriage... to make us lasts long.. You know it depends on us, not the fortune telling stuffs"

"if you get my point" she added. Cindy couldn't make a proper sentence sometimes when she is nervous or in anger, but I can somehow understand her words very well. I nodded my head, Cindy continues speaking.. "And see? We are married.. along this 2 years our marriage were just fine. Everything is just fine Steffi" showing her ring to me. She sighs.

"So the reason you left because he broke your heart? Means I have to kill him" she slammed her palm on the table.

"No sist. I am not. I leave because I have nobody to talk too. And I leave because Rony simply date the other woman a month after we broke up"

Both Cindy and Clara startled, Cindy almost swallowed a baby tomato. "WHAT?" Cindy gasped

"Maybe they are just friends?" Clara added, with an eyebrow lifted.

"No sist, I saw them holding hands and kissed"

"means they didn't make it. Rony is single right now" Cindy added.

"Yeah.. but he told us, he wants to meet you so bad" Clara added.

I almost choked. "DON'T BE SILLY SIST DON'T" I moaned. I coughed, my eyes are tearing itself.

"We are not going to do it if you disagree" Clara added, dividing the spaghetti on 3 empty plates.

Cindy rests her chin on her palm, looking at me suspiciously "So my little sister.. do you have a boyfriend back there?"

"Nope" I sip another coffee. It's the truth, I don't have a boyfriend.

"A crush?" still in suspicious looking of Cindy. My heart beats faster, Noah's face bubbling inside my head.

"Nope"

So we spent the weekends together. I stay in my old pinky room.

I lay on the bed facing the ceiling, turn my head to see an empty space beside me. I remember that time when Noah held my hands and makes me fluttered. How I miss him so much.. I watch his movies, photoshoots, and interviews. He is doing fine, as long as he is doing fine. I am happy too. I touch my pounding heart, Noah's cute face bubbling inside my head. There's always a smile across my lips when I think of him. I pull out the cute skeleton necklace he gave it to me before I leave the town. I hold it tight, imagining my life back there with Noah by my side. Every laughter, every silly things he did to me, those special nights when we watch the beautiful night view together. I remember the time when he leaned by my shoulder, holding my hands tight, I still remember how it feels. Warm and safe. His palm is giving me the best feeling I have ever had.

The last interview I watched is taken about 2 days ago.

Noah's just fine there, there's a smile from him I always wanted to see, but in public he never showed his silly smiles or snorts. He simply smile in a normal way. Somehow there's a question that trembling me when the interviewer asked "Noah Hoskins, do you have a crush on someone? Is it an actress? or a model? People are dying to know your personal life"

Noah mumbles. "Hmm.. there's one. Still a secret, nobody for everyone, but she's everything to me"

My heart throbs when I heard that words from his mouth. I haven't got the chance to ask him. I have no idea who is he talking about.

My phone's ringing, I turn my head looking at my bedside table as Lily's face popped up with Line –call.

"HEY YO STEFFI ! WANNA VACATION TO BALI TOGETHER ?? JUST TWO OF US BEFORE I GOT MARRIEDD !!" she exclaimed. But what? Lily is planning to get married?!

"Yes Lily. When?" I asked.

"Give me a while. I have to discuss it first" then she hung up.

A texted popped up "Give me a while. Will explain everything"

I lean on the bed, with laptop on my laps. I continue watching The Male Leads which Noah played as the lead –character and somehow when I watch him kissing the actress in the movie, funny.. I didn't feel anything.. I just felt weird and imagining things...?..at least we never kissed..

STOP STEFFI !! DON'T BE SUCH A PERVERT !

"STEFFI~" Cindy barged in with a bowl of French fries. "TADA" she added.

"Thanks sist" I said as I took the bowl, put them on the bedside table.

"Eh waow. You are watching this movie right now?" she asked.

"This man, NOAH HOSKINS IS SO HOT" she added, pointed at Noah.

So Cindy knows him, well he is famous, people are dying to meet him. I don't know why my face is flaming itself and my heart's pounding faster, the movie isn't related to me, but it reminds me of Noah.

"Is the French Fries too spicy? Sorry sist I thought you still love spicy food" Cindy apologies.

I shook my head,

"it's okay"

"Did you meet him there?" she asked, which turned me speechless.

"I...I don't.." have no choice, I can't let her know.

"Steffi !!" yelled Clara from the 1st floor.

"YES?"

"Come down ! your f**king ex –boyfriend is calling me"

"Urgh" I moaned.

I tilted my head looking at Cindy grinning, "You know.. just go and meet him and tell him.. or kill him.. up to you... make it clear with him so he will stop chasing your ass"

I rolled my eyes, slid my legs down stepping on the ceramic floors.

Clara hands over the phone. "Hello?" there's a voice of a man I used to know, It's Rony, talking in a very odd way "How.... Are you..?" it's awkward, we used to be so close.

"I'm okay. My life's great!" I replied.

"Umm... should we go for a dinner? to celebrate it?" I turned my head looking at both Cindy and Clara, they are nodding their heads together.

"Well then, what time would you like to meet?"

"7 evening?" asked Rony, "pick you up at.."

"No, it's fine, I can drive" I cut him off. Sure it's going to be awkward, I prefer to drive myself, better that way.

Then I hung up.

"You can just say no to him.. if you don't like him Steffi" Clara added.

I shrug my shoulders, "Let's see"

***

Rony wants to meet me at Rocky Restaurant, the fancy restaurant where he proposed me about 5 years ago. I arrived in front of the restaurant. I didn't wear something special, I didn't expect anything from him. I just want to meet him, to appreciate him, or I could just ask him about some questions, but surely will reject him.

I walk into the restaurant as the waitress come approaches me with smile and so I saw there's a man with olive –green –shirt sat by the corner, facing the wall, sipping his wine. I walk towards him.

"Steff..fi?" his eyes wide open gazing at me. He stood up, gave me a tight hug, I gave him a gentle tap on the back. "I'm looking for you for a long time.." he added.

"What for?" I asked. I sit down in an empty seat in front of him, we are now facing each other. I take a sip of the red wine tasting its refreshing acidity.

"I just want to say sorry. I want to find a way for us to get back together"

"I just..can never forget you.." he added.

That's the most sh*tty words I have ever heard. I might forgive him if I never saw him flirting with another woman, unless I am just a woman who fooled by that stupid words.

"How about your mom?" I simply asked, not replying his b*llsh*ts.

"she is very religious, but I think we can talk to her. I don't care as long as I am with you..."

I lift my palm, making him stop.

"can we just talk about anything else?"

"s..sure.." he stuttered, cutting his beef –steak.

We talked about many things, about his work –stuffs and mine, even though I just worked part time or full time as a waitress or a librarian.. far from his successful career, he is doing well here. I am happy for him.

We've finished our dinner, standing under the streetlights like it is just the two of us. Rony held my shoulders, we are facing each other.

"So.. do you accept me? I can talk to my mom" he added.

I don't want to ask him about the girl, I don't want to know anything about him anymore, that afternoon is everything to me, it's the answer. I want to talk no more about it. I threw my gaze away, he is still holding my shoulders, begging "Please?"

"No Rony.. I just can't"

"why?" he demands more answer.

"Rony... " I ward his hands off my shoulders.

"I want to travel around the world, I will not stay in a place. Yes I forgive you, but we can't go back normal like we used to...."

"But.." he cut.

"I have no feeling love inside here, Rony" I make another cut.

"Well....then... okay.." Rony nodded his head, then looked down, hiding his disappointment behind that fake smile.

"Bye Rony" I waved my hand and turned my body as I left him froze and speechless. Nothing could change my mind, nothing could change the time. I've made my choice..