The Time I Loved You

"I'm busy, Kal. I'll call you again tonight."

"Galang-"

Tuuut!

Before Kalila could finish her sentence, Galang had already hung up the phone.

Again. For the umpteenth time. Kalila feels herself being ignored by her own lover.

Does Kalila get angry? Or is she upset with his boyfriend's attitude? Of course, yes. Any woman who's in Kalila's position will feel the same way.

"I have some business in the club. I can't left it behind."

"You can have your lunch first. Don't mind me. I can eat with my friends later."

"I can't pick you up today. One of my friend's at the hospital. So, me and the others're gonna visit him."

"We're just dating, Kal. Not even a married couple. Don't give me too much burden like this, please!"

"Before we both started dating, you said that you were ready to accept all of my conditions, right? Why are you changing now?"

"Don't being too much, Kal. I also have another things to do besides only taking care of you!"

Does Kalila's attitude seem so excessive? She just wanted to know how Galang was while he had been missing for the entire week. Instead of gets a pleasant answer from her lover, Kalila just gets those Galang's cold attitude and being scolded by him.

This story is about Kalila Maharani. A girl who is known for her politeness, friendliness, and her seriousness about her study. Kalila's classmates always think that way. There is no one who dislike her. Cause of what? Yeah, because of her kindness.

That doesn't mean she has no enemies either, but mostly, Kalila's friends always show how they literally like Kalila.

Since the second year of high school, Kalila has known a guy named Galang. Galang Raditya's his full name. The two of them were good friends, until then they ended up entered the same college.

Kalila, who was ordered by her parents to continue her study in teaching education major, she could only obey them. It's forbidden for Kalila to disobey her parents' orders.

As with Kalila, meanwhile, Galang majored in mechanical engineering. The building where they study is not close. So that, Kalila cannot have a change to monitor Galang every day.

"Kalila is way too good for Galang."

"Yes, right. I can't bear to see Kalila often being yelled by Galang."

"If I were Kalila, it's better to just break up. You know, how many guys want Kalila?"

Kalila has often heard comments like these from her friends. Including one of Kalila's close friends who is currently unable to accompany her doing her assignments. She said that she had an important thing at home.

If only Kalila's close friend was now beside her, she would be pretty furious to hear the news about Galang. You know, since the day they started dating, she did not give any support for her relationship at all.

"Kalila," called one of Kalila's friends, who this time was in the same group as her.

"The summary is complete. Who wants to make the PPT?" asked Kalila's friend.

"Let me do it," said Kalila.

"Oh no way, Kal. I'll do it! How about tomorrow you'll do the presentation. You don't need to be worry. You're not gonna be alone in the presentation, anyway. We'll help you too," said another friend who was wearing a pink hoodie.

"Okay."

Not long after that, the two of Kalila's friends then said a goodbye to her to get going home. Meanwhile, Kalila still stayed in the cafe for a while.

In the same café, there are other visitors who come in pairs, maybe they are mostly couples. It seems they are still the same ages as Kalila. Considering that this cafe is not that far from the campus, so the majority of the visitors are mostly the students from the same campus as Kalila.

"That's enough! The longer I've been here, the more getting jealous I am. I'll just go home so I can rest," Kalila said to herself.

She closed her laptop and put it in her bag. After paying for the food she ordered, Kalila walked out of the cafe. Maybe because Kalila's mind was in a state of chaos, she accidentally bumped into someone walking in front of her.

"Sorry," Kalila bowed politely. Realized that she was the one who is wrong.

After confirming that the person she hit was in a good condition, Kalila continued on her way. She exited the cafe to go back to her flat.

***

"VEER! WHY'RE YOU JUST GOING HOME NOW?! I TOLD YOU TO GET HOME BEFORE AT ONE!"

Veer covers his ears with his palms. Selvi's shrill voice really disturbs Veer's ears.

"Where have you been? I was asking my friend and he said that you already left your class at eleven. Why don't you go home right away? Imagine, I'm the one who got scolded by Mom! Huffft! You're so annoying!" Selvi put her hands on her hips in front of Veer.

"Buying.. food," replied Veer casually.

Then Veer puts a pack of toast he bought on the table. Don't forget he also bought his sister's favorite chocolate drink.

"When did you get a girlfriend? Did you already have it but don't wanna tell Mom and me? No! that's impossible, right? No one could like you. Yeah, that's right, even though you don't have any smile on your face at all, but at least.. I hope I didn't say it, but not gonna lie you're HANDSOME!"

"Oh, Bro, come on don't just shut your freaking mouth! Selvi asked seriously. Please give me a wor--emmpp," Selvi stopped saying anything when Veer put a piece of toast in her mouth.

"Chewed it first, then swallowed. Speak slowly. Don't just run like a broken brake," Veer said with his poker face.

Selvi hastily swallowed the toast in her mouth and then gulped down the iced chocolate that Veer bought for her.

"I'd been swallowed it all. There's nothing left. Look!" said Selvi, opening her mouth widely showing it to Veer.

"GOD! Veer is literally so annoying. Just because I's willing to be the mediator between mom and him, I's willing to refuse my friend's invitation to do an assignment. I didn't know that he would be so late."

"Sorry," one word that Veer said to her. Instead of making Selvi calm, that would only made her more annoyed.

Selvi walked to Veer and sat beside him. Selvi's eyes was staring at Veer. Staring at that handsome face of his older brother.

"Hey, Bro!" call Selvi. "You really don't have a girlfriend? Or just a girl friend? There really isn't one?"

"There is," replied Veer.

"Who?"

"Ellen."

Selvi hits Veer's arm lightly. "Excluding Ellen. If it's just Ellen, I've already known her."

"Know what?" Veer asked.

"You and Ellen are just friends. No feelings, right? I often heard you're saying like that when you're asked by Mom," said Selvi explaining.

Veer gives Selvi a thumbs up in front of her face.

"Good then if you've known," said Veer. He take a piece of toast and put it in his mouth.

"I don't wanna think about girls yet, Sel. So don't talk about girls again in front of me. Got it?"

Selvi shook her head quickly. "No! I can't do that. You know… HAHH! Your life is way too flat. Ain't colorful at all. Cause what? Because you don't wanna open your heart to any girl who likes you."

"Not that I don't want to. I'm just not willing to," Veer corrected Selvi's words.

"Then when? Do you wanna wait 'til you're thirty years old? Are you not tired of being asked by Mom every day just to get married? You're pretty tired to hear it, right? Even me, the one who's not being asked by also get fucking tired of it. How about you, then," said Selvi emotionally.

Veer no longer replied to Selvi's words. Whatever Veer says, it would be the same. Veer has no desire to have a family yet. Even just for being close to women, Veer still ain't willing to.

***