Chapter 10 - Heading Home Together
1638 Words
"I'm confused about why you're so busy when you said yourself that being a content creator is supposed to be flexible," said Eva with frustration to Daniel, her boyfriend on the other end of the phone. "Seriously, Dan, I can't understand this. What exactly are you busy with?"
"Listen, Eva, you know I don't have a team yet, so I do everything myself. Plus, my account is still trying to grow. It's not very famous yet. I have to upload regularly so that my content gets on the FYP (For You Page) and goes viral."
Daniel continued, "I also don't understand why you're complaining because I haven't come to your place just to install a light."
"Just to install a light, you say? It's true that I asked you to help install the light four days ago, and you kept saying later, later, later. Have I been talking about the light every day? No, I haven't, right? I only brought it up again today just to remind you in case you forgot. But it turns out you think I'm complaining just to meet up and ask for help with the light," said Eva, increasingly frustrated.
Eva spoke again, "Listen, Daniel Argantara, if the ceiling wasn't so high, maybe I could install it myself. The problem is…"
"Why don't you ask your brother-in-law for help?"
"What did you say?"
"Aren't you still meeting up with that Dika guy?"
Eva sighed. "Why is this connected to Dika? This has nothing to do with it. I'm talking about you being so busy that you don't have time to stop by my place."
"Just a light issue becomes a long story. Seriously," complained Daniel.
"Really, do you understand what I'm talking about or not? This isn't about the light. Can't I ask to meet my own boyfriend? Do you realize that you've changed a bit?"
"Changed? I wasn't like this before?" replied Daniel. "That's what you want to say, right?"
Why is it so tiring to talk to Daniel? Honestly, Eva isn't complaining because she needs help installing a light. She is just questioning why Daniel is so busy.
"Fine, whatever." Eva was really tired of this argument.
"Alright then, I'm going to get back to editing."
"Alright," replied Eva.
Daniel didn't respond because he had already hung up.
Eva is sitting in the gazebo beside the office, a spot usually used by the male staff to smoke. However, since the lunch break just started, everyone is probably having lunch—including the male staff—so there's no one here besides Eva.
Eva was actually invited by other staff to have lunch at the canteen across the street, but she needed to make a quick call to her boyfriend. Now that she's finished the call, she hurries to catch up with her coworkers.
Eva is unaware that Ardi has been watching her from the second floor since she was on the phone until she exited the gate, heading to the canteen across the street.
Ardi keeps watching Eva with an unreadable expression.
***
"Finished with the call?" Dinda asked as Eva sat down on the floor beside her.
"Yes," Eva replied.
When they ate together like this, they preferred sitting on the floor so that it could accommodate many people and feel more spacious. This was their favorite spot during lunchtime. The place was simple but very clean and comfortable. The prices were very affordable for staff like them.
"I've ordered your food," said Dinda as she slid a tray containing rice and chicken soup—Eva's usual order—toward her. A bottle of cold mineral water was also included.
"Thanks, Dinda. You're so kind," Eva replied with a smile.
Eva wasn't actually hungry. Her appetite had vanished after the phone call with Daniel. But she still had to eat, even if just a little. It was better than having her stomach growling while working later.
Eva then started eating with the others. They ate and occasionally chatted lightly. The hot topic at the moment was, of course, Ardi. Their new boss had managed to attract the attention of everyone in the office. Eva wasn't surprised, as Ardi was indeed handsome— even more handsome than when he was still her husband.
"They say there's going to be a dinner tonight," one of Eva's coworkers said.
"Dinner?" Eva was clearly hearing about this for the first time.
"Yes, dinner. We were initially planning to have one to welcome the new boss. But apparently, he beat us to it. Our new boss invited us first. He said we're going to be treated."
"Wow, sounds fun. By the way, where are we eating? If we're being treated, can we choose a slightly upscale restaurant?" joked another.
"Don't know yet. We'll ask Mr. Ardi again where he wants to have dinner. But wherever it is, we should accept it. Don't be presumptuous and demanding—Mr. Ardi has kindly arranged his own welcome dinner."
"Do we have to go?" While everyone else was excited about dinner with the new boss, Eva seemed to be the only one not keen on going.
"Why? Don't tell me it's because of the twins again," complained another. "Come on, Ev. You missed the first meeting, and now you're skipping the dinner too?"
"Please come, Eva. I'm going too," pleaded Dinda, looking at Eva with hopeful eyes.
***
Actually, it couldn't really be called a dinner party since it was still too early to be considered evening. However, the gathering to celebrate Ardi's arrival went smoothly. As for Eva, she attended but mostly kept to herself.
Besides trying to keep her distance from Ardi, Eva was still upset because her boyfriend hadn't replied to her message asking whether he would visit her place tonight or not.
It wasn't that Eva expected more, especially since their phone conversation earlier had made it clear that Daniel had no intention of meeting. Yet, foolishly, Eva still held onto the hope that Daniel cared for her.
Wouldn't it be nice if Daniel at least picked Eva up from the restaurant and took her home? That way, she could forget about their earlier conversation, and their relationship would be back to normal.
The dinner was lively and full of energy. All the staff agreed that Ardi wasn't the annoying boss type. He was warm and didn’t set himself apart despite being the branch manager.
Finally, everyone prepared to leave. The staff didn’t worry about how to get home since they had come in their own vehicles. But Eva, who hadn’t had time to get her motorcycle from home, had come to the restaurant—which was quite far from the office—by hitching a ride with a female colleague. However, she couldn't get a ride home with her because they were going in opposite directions.
A male colleague was headed in the same direction as Eva, but she chose not to ride with him because he was married. Not that anything would happen, but his wife probably wouldn't appreciate it. Eva understood the feelings of fellow women and preferred to take an online motorcycle taxi rather than hitch a ride with a married male colleague. Better to avoid misunderstandings, right?
After all, Eva had already sent a message to Daniel asking him to pick her up. She decided to sit in front of the restaurant, even as one by one, the staff left.
“Eva, are you okay by yourself? Should I wait with you?” asked Dinda.
Eva shook her head. “You go ahead. I’m waiting for Daniel. He should be here soon,” she lied. In fact, the message she sent was still unread. Even her previous one, asking if Daniel would come to her place, hadn’t been read. Frustrating, isn’t it?
“Oh, okay, Ev. Take care then.”
“You too, Dinda. Take care,” replied Eva.
Eva decided that if Daniel didn’t read and reply to her message within fifteen minutes, she’d delete it and order an online ride.
Fifteen minutes? It had already been almost half an hour, and Eva was still faithfully waiting for Daniel’s response.
"Am I being stupid or what?" muttered Eva as she opened her go-to app to order an online ride.
It didn’t take long for the app to start searching for a driver to pick her up. However, a deep voice suddenly startled Eva.
"Why are you still here?" asked Ardi.
Eva was sure Ardi had left; she had even seen his car drive away earlier. Strangely, why was he here? Where was his car?
She hadn't realized that Ardi’s car had left but hadn’t actually gone home. Ardi had intentionally turned back to see who Eva was going home with. However, he found her sitting in front of the restaurant, not leaving.
Ardi waited in his car, watching Eva, hoping to see who she was waiting for. Unfortunately, after half an hour passed, he didn’t see anyone picking up his ex-wife. So, Ardi decided to get out of his car and approach her.
Ardi was annoyed; he should have been home by now, but Eva had delayed him.
"I-I’m waiting to be picked up," Eva replied spontaneously, stammering slightly.
"You mean by an online ride?" Ardi asked as he took Eva’s phone from her hand, canceling the ride she was booking.
"Why did you cancel it?" Eva demanded.
"You’ve been waiting here this long for a ride?" Ardi couldn’t believe it.
"Give me my phone!"
"I’ll give your phone back over there…" Ardi said, pointing to his car.
"That’s your car, right?"
"Yeah. Come on, get in. I’ll take you home and give your phone back," Ardi said, heading toward his car.
Eva reluctantly followed Ardi to his car.
How could she refuse when he had her phone?
- Writer
