Meet Me In Autumn

8: Waiting Game

The road looked dark, and will only be a void if not with all the streetlights covering the ground like spotlights, and the countless, different type of vehicles with front and backlights on while they come and go.

If Kat will be found in that corner where she sits oddly, she is pretty sure that she'll freak a bystander out, and they might run away or yell in fear as if they saw a brutally killed ghost.

It was... sad, and Kat feels so lonely — even more lonely than when she's in her room. But she stayed sitting near the intersection to patiently wait for Sharon, even if she's not so sure if the girl would appear anytime soon.

She supposes that it's been a few collective hours since Yuna let her out of the café. It's also been a few hours since the actual time for Sharon come so they could meet.

It's been hours, and still… there's no Sharon.

“I should have brought my earphones from the locker,” Kat whispered to herself, “what if I walk back the café to get it– no, Sharon might be here in any second, and Yuna will scold me. If Sharon finds no one here, she'll leave and think I already went home. Yes, I'll just wait for her before we go back to the café, and maybe I'll introduce her to Yuna. Yuna won't yell at me if I'm with Sharon.”

The only thing that keeps her sane during that long waiting game were the little noises from faint bickers of people passing by her front, as well as the wheel screeching noises whenever drivers pull their brakes before stopping when the stoplight turns red.

Click. She lit up her phone. It was already seven.

“Seven…” Kat looked around the place, hoping to spot Sharon anywhere, although the percentage of seeing her was in the lowest.

Still, there was no single sign of Sharon.

Kat inhaled sharply, then blew it out slowly and as calm as she can be. She tried to ease her mind and tensed muscles, as well as her nervous state — but to no avail.

Every breathe makes her heart race a beat out of anxiousness, every shake of her trembling knees throw her paranoia in, and every move of her pupils makes her think of negative possibilities.

Where is Sharon? Is she okay? Or was she sick?

Did something happen when she came home alone yesterday? Was she taken, abducted?

Does the strange man have something to do with this? If so, should she ask for help now? — no, she doesn't even know Sharon's name and address is, she can't file a case for someone missing if she can't tell them such her information about Sharon.

What the hell is happening?

Katarina closed her eyes tightly, then whispered, “I hope you're fine wherever you are right now, Sha,” before letting her head land softly above her weak knees.

It was unexplainable, but she feels so cold, she was trembling, she feels like her body was almost freezing under her thin, infamous sweater. Was the temperature that night lower than usual? She's not certain.

She can wait if it's for Sharon… she can wait even for days.

Click. She almost got blinded by the phone's brightness, and when she felt her eyes adjusting from the light, the screen said it was exactly twenty-nine minutes before eight.

She looked around once more. No Sharon, none, not even a part of her shadow appeared.

Kat soon realized that the number of people crossing the pedestrian is now eventually depleting, the night is getting too late.

Someone approached her earlier — a kind man who pushes a small cart that contains vegetables and fruits. The man briefly told her that he came from selling his goods in an open market, and on his way forth, he noticed her sitting down that corner. He was surprised when he came back, and he still saw Kat sitting there, waiting.

The man then told her to go home already because it's dangerous to be sitting there at night, but that alone wasn't enough to convince her. It would be more dangerous if ever Sharon still make it into the place even if it's late, right? At least Kat was still waiting and they can go to the station together.

For Sharon, she can wait.

Click. The time seems running too fast, and she wasn't able to keep track of it due to constant turning around to the point that her neck might already break in any second. It felt as if she only breathed for a while and then, boom, it was already eight.

Still no Sharon in sight, and the place is getting lonelier…

She can wait.

Yet another click. She didn't become very surprised when she saw that the clock has stricken past nine in the evening.

Sharon? Not even a single strand of her hair swayed in front of Kat's eyes.

Kat started trembling even more. She should already be resting by now, lying down her quilt, and wrapped inside a roll of one warm comforter. All while she stays awake for some unknown reasons that basically finds its way to be involved with Sharon.

Her thin sweater wasn't an ideal thing to wear that night in autumn, when one is badly sick, and she doesn't learn even with countless scoldings from Sharon that she must get herself a thicker one for possible emergencies, or even take a scarf or another jacket to put above her shoulders to at least keep her body warmer when times get unfortunate.

Sharon even sounded like her mom every time she would be rambling about those random observations — the thing is, Kat doesn't fear her deceased mother.

Even before their eyes meet while Katarina crosses the road using the pedestrian lane, Sharon's brows will already be furrowing in dismay upon spotting Kat in her usual sweater top that seems too thin to be a protective armor against the piercing coldness.

••••••••••••••••••••••

Kat instantly noticed the expression in the former girl when they were only steps away from each other. She gulped. Sharon is about to lose it whenever she makes that face, Kat guesses.

It didn't even take a minute of silence before Sharon's words fell down like heavy loads on her shoulder, the weight getting heavier as Sharon adds more.

“About how many times did I tell you to get a thicker top during this season, Kat? You were sick just yesterday, and you'll probably feel colder than usual. Do you want to catch a serious illness because you were stupid enough to not wear a thicker piece for cold days?” Kat closed her eyes and covered her ears, literally because Sharon was almost yelling in front of her face. She was raging, mad and also distressed. Kat understands where she is coming from, though. But although her voice still sounds soft and good while she screams madly, Kat still pretended not to listen, brushing off the girl's words out of her mind… because she nearly memorized those dialogues and this happens EVERY TIME.

“I also asked you before if you want to go shopping with me in the nearest mall, so you'll have a new set of clothes to wear, or even a coat to use as a double when needed. You rejected my offer, saying you'll be fine and will get a proper one by yourself. Are you a little kid who doesn't understand a single thing I say? Why are you so stubborn and hard-headed? What if you get sick again after hours of feeling well? Who will take care of you? Do you expect your mom to come down from heaven and remind you to drink your meds? Please, Kat, just please take care of yourself.”

“Are you done?”

“Yes, kind of. You can now remove those hands from your ears. I know that you heard me, though, so I won't repeat myself again. Just don't pretend like you didn't, hmm? Kat, listen–”

“Yes, yes, I did, I heard you. Just… stop repeating it like a mantra, please? Sha, you were rambling,” Kat complained. “Don't worry, I'll… being a thicker one next time.”

••••••••••••••••••••••

“I feel sick, I hope she comes here today, then scold me for wearing something this thin till I surrender,” Kat giggled with trembling lips.

It was her, it's her Sharon, so she can wait.

Click. It's already a few minutes after the clock struck ten, and still, there wasn't any sight of Sharon'.

“I… feel pathetic, damn,” she whispered out of the blue, then ruffled her hair in annoyance, “why did I even wait till ten? I should have just gone home, they meet her tomorrow afternoon if ever she appears to explain what happened today, or if something important actually occurred, and she has to attend to it, although I don't have the right to demand for a reason, and I couldn't meddle, either. I should have taken my desired rest to recharge. This is so dumb. Sharon won't ditch me for nothing, and I'm also certain that she came home fine. I remember I wasn't an i***t back when I dropped out of school to look for job offers so I can live by myself,” she tugged at her hair softly, brushing it till it was neat, ruffling it again, and then repeat while adding, “but… what if she– no, I should stop thinking like that. She's fine. It's okay, go home now, Kat– or maybe wait a little longer, what if you miss her? That'll be a lost–”

“Why are you still here, Kat?”