Remember That Day

Chapter 26

Damek got inside his car with a bottled water on his hand he bought at the convenient store. In the passenger seat was Jayda, head on the window, and staring at nowhere.

“Jayda?” Damek said softly. “I got you a bottled water.”

Jayda turned to him slowly. Her face were bloated and her eyes were quite red because of crying.

“Thank you.”

A minute later, the car was cloaked in silence. Damek didn’t know what to do as Jayda remained in silence after she drank the water. As much as he wanted to ask her about what happened, he ended up not.

“Are you okay? Do you feel sick? Do you want anything?” he asked, but Jayda didn’t response.

Her eyes were closed. Damek noticed her heavy breathing as well and all he could do was to stare at her.

I’m worried, Jayda, he thought to himself as flashback from what happened earlier played in his head.

When Damek was about to enter the store, a woman who came running from the sidewalks bumped to him. The woman was just lucky that Damek held her before she could fall off to the ground.

“Miss, are you okay?” he asked.

The woman was sobbing, and when she tilted her head to look at him, Damek froze. There were so much inside his head, but he only got to say was her name.

“Jayda?” he whispered. “Jayda, what happened? Why did you run? Why are you crying? Tell me why—”

“I’m afraid. I’m really afraid,” Jayda said in between her sobs as she hugged him so tight.

It was the second time that Jayda hugged her unexpectedly, but his reaction, especially his heart’s reflex was still the same. He froze, eyes widened. He could feel his heart pounding very hard as if it would burst anytime.

“Jayda...”

“What should I do?” Jayda mumbled as she buried her face on Damek’s chest.

“Stop crying... I’m here.”

Damek glanced at the busy road beside him and he could tell that the night had finally begun. The city lights—lamp posts, vehicle lights, and lights from the tall buildings brought so much color around. And Jayda on his side already fall asleep.

Quater to six when Damek decided to call Gon. He was the only person he could count on.

“Yes, little brother?” Gon greeted when the phone call was put through.

“Little? I’m 26. I’m no longer your little brother,” Damek opposed as he glanced at Jayda then back to the road.

Gon chuckled on the other line. He said, “And I’m turning 31, you asshole. I’m still older than you.”

“Fine, old man,” Damek said teasingly. “I called you because I need you.”

“Oh, I’m confused, right now,” Gon announced. “Should I give you a punch because you called me old man or should I let it slide because it’s sweet that you need me?”

Damek giggled, not so loud because he was afraid Jayda might wake up because of it.

“Anyway, I’m with her.”

“Jayda.”

“Got it right.”

“Well, she’s the only girl you introduced to me. Who else would I think is with you right now?”

Damek could sense that Gon was already grinning, too happy teasing him.

“Whatever.”

“So?” Gon asked, wanting to know more about why they were together.

“She’s beside me. In my car, asleep.”

“Really? After what happened last night?”

Damek sighed, glancing at Jayda again. He said, “Well, she’s distracted. I bumped into her earlier at the convenient store. She was running and crying. She’s afraid and I still don’t know why. She didn’t talk much until she fell asleep.”

“Why don’t you bring her to the hotel already?”

“Not yet. I’m planning to bring here somewhere else. Somewhere where she can relax even a bit.”

“Are you planning to be a hero as well?”

“Hero?” His forehead creased.

“Don’t get too attached to her, Damek.”

“Ah,” he whispered. Damek knew what he meant. They both knew that Jayda was already in a relationship, but here he was, being a hero and risking his heart.

“I’m fine,” he said anyway.

“Fine. I’ll be here for you no matter what, but don’t blame me if you get hurt.”

Damek made up his mind. He will be with Jayda no matter what happen. After the call ended, he rested his back on his seat, but he kept awake, still in front of the convenient store, looking after her.

“Um...”

Damek quickly turned to Jayda when she started to move. She was rubbing her eyes and tucking her hair at the back of her ear when she looked back at him.

Jayda’s eyes grew bigger. She said, stuttering, “What happened?”

Damek thought that Jayda would be mad at her and would swear at him for bringing him inside his car, but it was opposite. She was more calmed although she wondered what happened.

Damek slowly spoke, eyes on her. He said, “You bumped—”

“Ah, I remember,” Jayda cut in as she massaged her temples. She licked her lip as she felt its dryness in which didn’t get away from Damek’s eyes.

“But how come I’m here inside your car?” Jayda added as she roamed her eyes inside.

Damek smiled. He somehow felt relieve as he could sense Jayda were back to normal.

“You were hugging me when you told me you’re afraid. You were shaking earlier. I brought you here, you didn’t talk much until I noticed you fell asleep. Do you feel okay now?” Damek said without pause. Jayda kept nodding.

“Really? Well, I’m okay. Sorry if I disturbed you,” Jayda mentioned. “Lucky that it’s you who saw me.”

Damek blinked few times. He seemed become deaf after what he heard. He suddenly clutched his chest as he could feel his heartbeat was speeding up.

“Lucky...” he whispered. “Well, you didn’t disturb me at all. I’m glad I could help you again.”

“Thanks. I’ll be off now—”

“Wait!”

When Jayda was about to open the door, Damek stopped her. He was nervous, but he still managed to say his plan.

“I will not ask you to tell me what happened, but can I at least treat you something somewhere? I mean, I want to make it all up to you. The last time—”

Damek wasn’t able to finish his words when Jayda put on her seatbelt.

“Drive before I change my mind.”

It was firm and threatening, but Damek was too happy that he immediately turn on the engine and drove away.

He brought her to a place he knew for quite long time. It was the place he usually go to when he needed to rewind.

Damek left the headlights on before he stepped out from his car.

“Nice,” Jayda commented. “You’re forgiven.”

Damek scratched his head and just gave her a smile.

She meant it although she missed updating her novel because of him. Damek had nothing to do with that as she, herself volunteered to help him that night. However, it was still painful for her, but she could still try it again.

“I usually go up here everytime I’m feeling troubled and tired,” Damek mentioned as he sat on a bench beside Jayda.

It was cold up in that hill where they could witness the beauty of city lights. There were trees around, tall grasses, and different sound of insects which usually the music in the evening.

“So you feel troubled and tired right now?” Jayda asked.

His lips curved. Opening a can of soda, he answered, “A little. You want some?” Damek handed her a chocolate drink instead of soda.

“Thanks.”

Little did Jayda know, Damek was not feeling too well lately because he was worrying about her.

The two spent an hour on that hill with each other’s company, nothing much to talk about, just watching the night.

“I’m feeling better. It’s good to be in this place,” Jayda uttered, smiling. It was the first that Damek saw her genuine smile.

“I’m glad...”

On their way home, Damek couldn’t deny that he was happy although they didn’t talk much. To think that Jayda didn’t raise her voice over him for the whole time that he was with her was an achievement for him.

“If I could just run away with you, I wouldn’t be driving you back to that hotel ever again...”

“Saying something?”

Damek bit his lip as he glanced at Jayda. He was almost caught.

“I mean, how’s going on with you and... Faris?” he asked as his grip to the steering wheel tightened.