Bali Omen

A Night to Remember

“This is delicious. What’s it called again?” Britney asked with a mouth full of rice.

“Nasi Campur Bali,” Asher answered with accurate pronunciation.

“Wow, it’s only been like what, six years and you are now a foreign language and culture expert. I’m seriously impressed, Lee. That journalist life must be doing you good,” she commented good-heartedly.

“I guess so,” Asher said while gnawing his satay. They are having dinner at a small local restaurant near their resort. It’s been two days since their fateful meeting on the hill. Ever since then Britney hasn’t stopped following him everywhere, even to the long morning meditation sessions. As if there were never a break up and painful memories between them. He likes and hates it at the same time. She wasn’t just an ex, but also someone he loved spending time with, someone whom he didn’t mind sharing his thoughts with back then— someone he trusted tremendously before things fell apart.

“By the way, I forgot to ask. How are your parents doing? Are they in still the honeymoon phase after all these years?” Britney asked before gulping a big glass of Es Cendol and raising both her eyebrows immediately afterward, impressed by the delicious, sweet and fresh sensation.

“That’s Es Cendol, you’re welcome. Well, Dad is now taking a year break from work. He is considering if he should keep flying commercially after this. While Claire still works, but only like one day a week. She’s so high up that she doesn’t really need to be in the office anymore. She has a team of directors reporting to her. In short, my parents are enjoying life in Hawaii now,” Asher said matter-of-factly.

“Wow. What a dream! I can’t never picture Jonathan not flying though. He has always been a pilot for all I can remember. Do you still remember us hiding his uniform once just so he missed the flight and became our babysitter? He was so angry, but I still find it funny to this day,” Britney giggled.

Asher smirks, “I can’t believe we did that. We were lucky we were only sixteen, you know. Minors.”

Britney laughs, “He is a good man though. I doubt he would beat us up or anything like that.”

“Oh, you don’t know the man well enough.” Asher said, twinkling at her.

Britney’s laughter stops. She scrutinises every part of his face until Asher raises an eyebrow at her.

“You okay?” he asked.

 Britney looks away from him as if getting caught red-handedly, “I’m tired now. Can we return to the resort if that’s okay?” 

Asher nods. “Sure. Let me grab the bill first.”

“Thank you,” she said to him.

It is only a fifteen-minutes ride back home. Asher has mastered the art of motorbike in Bali since he first arrived and has ridden it everywhere on the island. Almost all touristy places or non-alike have been visited by him, with the last two days accompanied by Britney.

 “Here you go,” Asher passes her the helmet.

 Britney grabs it from him and wears it on her head, “Never thought I would put on a hat this big, but one can get used to everything, I guess.”

“Yeah, they make you look much better,” Asher commented.

Rolling her eyes, Britney says, “Well no thanks to that, Lee. You better ride carefully cause I’m seriously having a headache.”

“Do you want to grab an Uber? We can leave the motorbike here for today and stop by the pharmacy to get some Advil on the way home. I don’t want someone who can pass out anytime on the back of my motorbike,” Asher frowned.

 “You’re being over now, Lee. I’m fine. Don’t worry. And I do have some painkillers back at my room,” Britney tried to convince him. “Come on, drive us back now.”

 Asher takes a moment to pause before getting on the motorbike and starting the engine. Once Britney is settled on her seat, Asher grabs her right hand and puts it around his stomach.

 “You can lean on me. I don’t want you losing balance or something like that,” Asher said without turning his head back to her.

“Okay,” Britney says and brings another arm of hers to his stomach, effectively back hugging Asher now. “I will try to not fall in love with you again from this hug,” Britney attempted to joke and giggled. 

Asher freezes slightly for one second after her words and steps on the speed pedal. The sudden movement causes Britney to tighten her arms around him. The both of them ride in silence. The strong cool wind of Bali blows past them without mercy. Asher can feel Britney’s helmet resting on his back. She is leaning on his lower shoulder. Others who ride pass them may think that they are tourists who are deeply in love with each other. Unfortunately, the ride came to an end way too soon. 

“Welcome back Mr. Lee and Ms. Owen. Let me help with the parking,” a young bellboy offered to park Asher’s motorbike.

“Thanks man.” Asher said before tipping him with 20,000 rupiahs note.

“Thank you, sir.” The bellboy said before disappearing with the motorbike. 

They head inside the resort and press the lift to the 8th floor. The two of them found out two days ago that they stay at the same floor, a few rooms opposite each other. Britney reaches her room first. Her fair complexion seems paler in the yellow dim hallway. They walk in silence before finally stopping in front of her room.

“Thanks for tonight. I enjoyed dinner,” Britney told him.

“You’re welcome. It’s rather good food. I will see you tomorrow?” Asher frowns. “Or if you are not well, perhaps you should stay in tomorrow. Good night, Britney” Asher sends her a small smile. 

Britney releases a breath she didn’t realise she has been holding, “Um, Asher, you know what? You want to come in for a cup of tea, perhaps?”

“Tea? At this hour?” Asher asked casually while tilting his head.

It takes three seconds before realisation dawns. “Oh,” he said and they stare at each other briefly before Britney closes the gap between them, tiptoeing to Asher and pulling him to a soft kiss. The kiss caught him off guard, like a source of oasis that he didn’t know he had been craving. 

He kisses her back with equal passion, tasting her lips and everything within it. They only pull away from each other to catch a breath. Asher stares intensely at her. Before he could say anything, Britney kisses him again. After a while, she pulls back slightly to ask him the question that Asher has never imagined that he would hear in his solo trip.

“Can we please just not think for tonight and live to what our hearts want? Just for tonight, Asher, please?” Britney asks breathlessly.

Without speaking a word, Asher gives the answer by lifting Britney up and enters her room, all the while kissing her all over and never once during the process, breaking their kiss. The door shuts tightly. The night feels like a dream to both of them. It is the longest, sweetest and the most passionate night that both Asher and Britney could ever remember.