DIORAMAS
25. Go home
Jogjakarta, December 2016
Jogjakarta, end of year, and train station
Actually I had imagined all three things long before the date of my return was determined. Imagine how much fun it would be to miss my hometown after all this time and imagine the hugs and smiles of the people who welcomed me.
Well, that sounds like an exaggeration because I just left Jogja five months ago and I'm acting like I've been out of town for years. But really, I even told about my return to Jogja on Mita and Kamila's since a week ago even though their response was not as pleasant as him.
"Cock come home? Can't go forward for a few days?" mita asked when I told her I was coming home. At first I thought that Mita wanted my return to be quickened because she missed me, only that my melancholic thoughts were too excessive to feel the special intent of my older sister.
" Can't, ma'am. Why should my return be brought forward?"
"It's okay, only if you go home forward can you help mbak nyiapin wedding event."
Is it true that Mita still has no change at all even though I have been dead for months?
While Kamila, either the girl really does not miss me or is too busy with work to just respond to the news of my return with a sentence that is really not important.
"Then you can invite me to eat seblak or chicken noodles if you go home later. Count on celebrating your first return."
"You don't want to hear my story in Bandung?"
"Can too. It sounds good to hear your story while eating seblak and chicken noodles."
Truly Kamila who is so extraordinary with his huge appetite.
And yes, of course the one who was most excited about my return to Jogja was Evan. The man even volunteered to take time off work and would wait for me at the train station.
“The train ticket is up, the time has to take the bus? Later if I get drunk vehicle who wants to take care of?”
It's just that, the euphoria of my first return to Jogja suddenly disappeared without sobbing when the train ticket I was going to use to return to Jogja was exhausted and only left for early morning departure. I even cried when I called Evan and told him I was running out of train tickets. Not running out actually, it's just that I don't plan to take the train with early morning departure considering the distance between the station and my boarding house is quite far. But really, I didn't know that a lot of people would take the train at the end of the year to travel.
“All time is up? Or just want to get on a plane?” bargain Evan at that time which actually makes me cry even louder without shame. “Sshh, don't cry dong. If all the schedules are sold out, just get on the plane. Don't take the bus.”
Riding plane? Just be right. I only worked for five months and only got my full salary two months ago, and Evan easily advised me to get on a plane with my meager salary? Really, compared to following his advice to get on a plane I prefer to take the train even though I have to take an early morning departure.
“Later check again. Maybe for night departure still there.” I said in the end while wiping my snot without caring if across there Evan might feel uncomfortable with my actions.
“Don't that night departure, Alia.”
“Why?”
“Not safe.”
“Then?”
“Flight only, yes.”
“With the price of a plane ticket for four train tickets? No, mas. Really, I'm fine on the night train. After all many train crews are accompanying me, so it's safe.”
“I bought you a plane ticket, okay? Don't ride that early in the morning.” This time I frowned at Evan's offer which sounded like an absolute command to me.
“No.”
“Alia.!”
“No want, mas.”
“Say,”
“I will not go home if you want to buy a plane ticket for me. Ck..”
at that time I even disconnected the phone and ended my conversation with Evan unilaterally. Ignoring the man's phone for the next hour and letting Evan send me a message without me even retaliating. No, I'm not sulking at Evan because I know I don't have the right to anything like that. I was just being annoyed at the man and taking practical steps so that I wouldn't run amok on Evan. Yeah, I'm upset that Evan was so easy to do for me even though at the same time the guy seemed so hard to give me clarity about our relationship.
But even though I sulked and let Evan run over because I didn't answer his phone and ignored his message, I still couldn't keep that guy quiet for too long. I even shamelessly asked Evan to pick me up at the station this morning because you couldn't do it and Mita must be busy preparing for her wedding which will take place in three days.
“Halo,” and I had a faint smile when I heard Evan's hoarse voice across the street as my phone was picked up to ring five. It was 04:57 when I glanced at the watch on my left wrist and imagined Evan was fast asleep and had not yet shown any signs of waking up.
“What's the offer to pick up at the train station still valid?”
“Hemm?”
“My train will be in Jogja in about an hour. And I think it's going to be hard to get an online motorcycle busier when everyone's leaving for work and school.” the sky was still dark with a hint of white light at the east end as I looked out the car window and found dew on the glass surface.
“It's done getting angry?” asked Evan across the street who was accompanied by a small laugh and made me hate it.
“Don't have to be picked up then. I can take angkot.”
This time not only a little laugh, Evan even chuckled across there without caring if it was still dark and maybe his laughter could disturb the entire house itself.
“Ngambek continues from yesterday. Kangen yes?” it was Ledek Evan who made me feel my face heating up from embarrassment.
“Iya. But what is considered even so.”
“See you there, baby. Not taking a shower, yeah. Oh yes, today I take a special leave of absence for you.”
And I was just about to ask if Evan would bother to take time off work before the man cut off our phone without saying hello. Makes me frown again and stare at my phone screen until it turns off by itself. But a smile unconsciously developed at both ends of my lips. Not because of the ‘sayang’ call Evan gave me, but because something else that did not fail to warm my heart.
“What is a meeting because longing can indeed be this fun?”
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