"Hey, Cle."
Clemira's body refused to move, her eyes unblinking as she stared at Galang, who had suddenly appeared in front of her house. And that wasn't all—Galang hadn't come alone. He'd brought his two kids with him.
Was he really a divorced man now?
Clemira didn't need an answer. Anything connected to that man was something she ought to throw away.
"My kids want to meet you. Say hi!" Galang gave her a faint smile, but somehow that smile looked terrifying enough to make Clemira shudder.
"Rafa, Virgo. Come on, shake Auntie Cle's hand."
Rafa stayed quiet, but Virgo moved first, flashing an adorable smile. "Hello, Auntie."
Wait. Virgo?
Clemira swallowed. Why did it have to be Virgo?
'If I ever have a daughter, I want to name her Virgo.'
'Why Virgo?' Galang had asked.
'Virgo is my zodiac sign, Lang. And besides being a zodiac sign, Virgos are known for being perfectionists.'
'Hard to win over, right? They won't go all lovesick unless they like someone first. But once they do, they're hard to get over.'
And Galang's guess had turned out to be dead-on. She still hadn't completely moved on. But seeing the way Galang was acting now, Clemira didn't even want to look at him, let alone admit she hadn't moved on.
Even after all these years, when that man had already moved on with his life. And her? She was still confused about her feelings.
But with Galang suddenly back to disrupt her life, Clemira had a whole lot of questions in her head. And she was worried—worried she might fall under that man's spell again.
"Oh, uh, hi, Virgo."
"Auntie, you're so pretty," Virgo complimented her, nearly making Clemira roll her eyes. Oh. So the kid was good at flattery, just like her dad.
"Um—" Clemira swallowed, then quickly changed her expression into a faint smile. "You're pretty too!"
Virgo looked pleased, but wait...
What were they all ganging up on her for?
Clemira was deeply uncomfortable, especially with Rafa staring so intently at her. "Where are you going, Auntie?"
"I'm—well, um..."
"Dad, Auntie Cle has somewhere to be. Let's just go home."
Galang nodded, okay, he'd try again another time.
Meanwhile, Clemira breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at Rafa gratefully.
"She has a date with her boyfriend—" Clemira felt a gust of fresh air blow her way when Arion suddenly stopped his motorcycle in front of the house. She had no idea what Arion was about to do, but from this second on, that man was her lifesaver.
"Baaabe!" Galang and his kids weren't the only ones who were shocked. Arion was just as surprised.
"I've been waiting for you forever, babe. You said you wanted to buy rolled eggs!" Arion's voice went sugary, his lips puckered into a pout. Clemira was sure Arion would laugh at her after this.
"What's a boyfriend, Dad?" Virgo suddenly asked.
"Come on, kid. Let's go home." He diverted her attention, then took Rafa and Virgo back to the house across the street.
Once she was sure Galang and his kids had disappeared, Clemira shut and locked the door, then climbed onto the back of Arion's motorcycle.
Waaaaah...
Like a tantrum-throwing toddler, Clemira used Arion's shoulder as a punching bag after they found a secluded spot: the rice fields, with a view of the mountains and stretches of green paddies.
"Okay, okay. This is embarrassing, Cle."
Waaaaah...
"Hey, hey, people are gonna think I'm doing something to you."
"I wanted to buy rolled eggs, Arion. Not go to the rice fields. Why did you bring me to the rice fields?"
Arion sighed. "Hang on." He started riding again, and they reached an area by the rice fields where the road was smooth, like it had just been paved. Unusually, vendors and customers crowded both sides, most of them high schoolers hanging out.
"Who told you about a place like this? Seriously, I had no idea there was a snack spot on the edge of the rice fields, and there are so many—Arion, look at that guy on the blue motorcycle. Damn, he's cool. And hot!"
Arion affectionately pinched Clemira's lips as she kept chattering. He was terrified that guy might hear her rambling. He didn't need another rival.
"I'm way more handsome."
"Ugh! Yeah, you're handsome."
Arion grinned at Clemira's compliment, but his smile vanished in an instant.
"What a pain in my ears!"
"Can't you make me happy once in a while, Cle?"
Clemira should have been able to relax after Arion successfully whisked her away that afternoon. But she knew Galang's personality all too well.
As soon as she entered the house, Clemira locked the door and turned off nearly all the lights.
"Ar, are you asleep yet?"
Because she was scared, Clemira chose to sleep in her parents' bedroom while they were still at her grandmother's house. Since her mother's bedroom was in the middle of the house, Clemira was afraid Galang might suddenly knock on the window of her own room, which was at the front.
Especially since there was no one in the house but her.
"Not yet, baby. What's wrong?"
Suddenly, Arion's video call came through. Clemira sighed in relief. She had no idea why, but she'd had a bad feeling all evening.
"You're not in your room, Cle?" Arion asked, because he knew that girl's room was always filled with bright, cheerful colors.
"I'm in Mom's room. Ar, I'm really scared. I don't know why, but I keep thinking..."
Arion stared grimly at his phone. He knew—he knew very well—that Clemira wasn't okay right now.
"Do you need anything? Or should I come pick you up so you won't be alone in the house? Your ex sounds totally nuts!"
"..." There was a brief silence before the sound of the front door being forced open interrupted their conversation.
Arion tensed, and Clemira went deathly pale.
"Cle!"
"Ar, I'm scared."
Click... click... click...
The sound outside grew clearer. Clemira's skin prickled.
"Ar, I'm serious. That's not a guest out there. It sounds like someone's trying to sneak in."
"I'm coming," Arion said decisively before ending the call.
Of course she was scared. Before this, even when she was home alone, Clemira had never felt unsafe.
Clemira sighed. She locked her parents' bedroom from the inside, then wedged a small wooden chair against the door. If a strong man pushed from outside, it would slide aside easily. She couldn't help suspecting her ex, who now lived directly across from her parents' house.
The next second, silence settled in before the roar of a motorcycle Clemira recognized reached her ears.
Yes. It was Arion.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Cle, it's me!" Arion called.
With some difficulty, Clemira moved the chair aside and opened the bedroom door. Then she quickly opened the front door.
"Ar!" Clemira immediately threw herself at Arion, hiding her fear against him.
"Okay, you're safe now. I'm here, Cle." Arion returned Clemira's hug, but his eyes scanned the surroundings. When he glanced behind a tree, he caught a faint glimpse of the tip of a shoe.
Careless.
That was what Arion thought, and he recognized the shoe.
It looked like the one Galang had worn the first time he came to Pak Basuki's house to pay for it.
Arion nodded, certain that the person trying to bother Clemira was Galang, not a burglar.
"Lock the door," Arion muttered. "I'm taking you somewhere safe."
Clemira obeyed, tugging Arion close so he wouldn't get far from her as she locked the door. Carrying only her phone, she followed Arion onto the motorcycle.
Meanwhile, behind the tree, Galang clenched his fists tight.
Tonight had been such a perfect opportunity to see Clemira.