Irham
What
kind of people watching a girl from a secret hole in his room. Peeping tom?
I’m? NOT. I’m just curious about that girl but I cannot say anything to her. When
I tried last two days, I think I just failed, because she didn’t like choose of
my words.
For
the first time I see her in this café of mine, I see the sparkling eyes she is
wearing of. Beautiful. With her plain color shirt and straight cut jeans, she
gives off some cool and weird from her. Just looking at her as days pass by, I
know, this girl is more worthy than diamonds.
The
files on my desk just cannot let me off before I take care of them. Sighs. Who
says being a manager is not hard? I can’t even date. I choose not to.
A
grown up man crashing into my room and I know him very well. Too well to be
truth.
“Seriously
early in the morning, no practice?” I cornered him with a question that is too
typical for an athlete.
“No
bro. I got some holidays from coach since I did well yesterday.”
“You
did? You deserved some free cups of tea from me.”
“Love
you bro but I want your couch so I can sleep.”
“Imran.”
That little brother of mine lying down on my favorite couch, using both hands to
cover his eyes.
“Why
don’t you go home and sleep?” he did not answer my question. Kids reaching
puberty cannot be underestimated. Must be some problems at home I guess.
“Can
I stay at your home?” My home. No, I love to be alone.
“Nope.
Mom and dad will kill me.”
“No,
they don’t. They love you.” They love you to kiddo, I want to say that, but I
hold back, I do not want to crash his ego. You will learn it later; I learned
it way too late too.
Calling
mom. “Mom, Imran going to stays at my house for few days. I hope you don’t
mind.”
“Okay
mom, take care.” I take a look at the 17
years old boy that occupied my black couch; he’s actually having some mental
breakdown issue because that refuses to buy him a motorbike. I knew that
feeling, I rebel too before. For the same reason. The different is, I have no
big brother’s house to crash into when I got problems. You lucky kiddo got to
be grateful!
She
comes again. Buying one mocha and one latte, the same thing again, I become
more curious to know which is her favorite and to whom she get the another
cup. I love Harris idea of putting this
kind of mirror in my room, a very practical one, to watch the shop without
people watching me. The mirror you see in those criminal dramas, where you can
see the criminals but they don’t see you. It costs a lot, so I buy only a
little of it and make it some part of my wall. Through that I can see that girl
coming every day. Not every day, sometimes other guys who hold the same order
come. A handsome guy I can say. I become more curious than a cat can be.
“So,
that’s the reason you’re putting that on your wall bro.” Imran voices echo into
my ear as I try to keep my face straight when I’m facing him.
“Who’s
that unlucky girl?”
“I’m
just trying to…..”
“Trying
to be a creepy stalker. I need to talk to dad about this.” Dad? What the hell
Imran. I knocked his head lightly and he screams. Thanks God my room is
soundproof or my customers will be running away thinking that some violence is
going on in this room.
“I
just happen to watch her. She comes often. You can’t skip a regular of your
shop.” Explaining may works on this boy, please let it works.
“You’re
not watching people bro. I can see you’re staring. It’s difference things.” I
shrugged at him.
“Same
for me.” I told him to get out of this room and get something to eat, its
already 6 pm. Time to gets off work.
“Hurry.
Asar not going to wait for us, we got one hour.”
When
we reach home, it’s already 6.35 pm. We rushed to washroom, and I as brother
tell him to be an imam for our solar and he agreed. Then, I know he’s grows up
so much until now.
“Don’t
grow up too much Im.”
I
tell him that because I feel like losing my little cutie pie when he tries to
acts like adult, or maybe he’s already and adult at his mind. I miss our old
times together, playing hockey and get some iced soda from stall at school. At
that time he was in primary school and I was in high school. We fought a lot,
over gundam figures that dad bought for us. I used to be so selfish. I want all
those figures to myself, and I made him cried every time we fought. I thought
to myself, what make me an adult myself if my brother. When I try to comfort
him when he broke his leg falling from bicycle, I tried to say it’s okay. When
mom get mad at him because of his grads are falling down, I still said its
okay. Because I know it’s going to be hard on him if I said the something other
people said to him. I know how it feels, so I don’t want him to feels the same
way I do.
“Let’s
some play hockey this weekend.”
“Two
of us? I thought you quit.” I shake my head. Not at all, I’m not quitting, I’m
just trying to find the pieces of puzzle of my life.
“We
can ask Harris too.” Harris? He taught me a lot too, lesson on life. Lessons
you would not get at school even if you pay thousands for it, I got it free from
watching this young man’s struggles.
I
watch him walking into the shop with a smile. He wears no worries on his face.
That’s what I like the most from my best worker. He started working here since
he finished high school, the same year I take over this café business from mom.
Mom idea is crazy, I just twenty years old that want to be free but she
handling me those business shit. To be
honest, I really hate it the first place but I barely survived the first few
years. Now, it has been five years. Also five years relationship as boss-worker
with Harris too. I’m not the one who hires him in the first place; it was mom’s
idea too. Hah mom is too brilliant in my eyes and I can’t help it but to adore
her.
“No
classes?” I ask as he goes through the counter. It’s 7.05 am in the morning. I
don’t know why I am being too diligent today to show up this early. Maybe
because the possibility to meet that girl is higher in the morning.
“No,
it’s Friday okay.” he mutters. I can hear his breathing from far, sound like
someone that running for a marathon. Oh how can I forgot that he take classes on
weekend. My bad.
“Did
you run a marathon to here?” we lived few blocks from here but it can be tiring
to walk all the way. That’s why I decide to drove my car.
“The
bus left. I was busy preparing breakfast for the kids and didn’t even notice it
came.” He went to the workers room without giving me a chance to talk back to
him. May Allah bless you boy.
He
already change his clothe to our shop uniform. I look around to greet few
customers I know. They are all regulars who get their breakfast in the café, there
a man waving his man at me.
“Long
time no see bro.” We shook hands and I sit in front of him.
“Breakfast?”
I say yes and called Harris to order.
“On
me,” I said as the man in front of me laugh along with Harris.
“Hot
coffee and sandwich.”
“As
usual,” I said then Harris leaves with the order.
“How’s
life bro?” as the answer to my question he hands me a gold envelope. I open it
and found a gold card called wedding invitation. I smile upon the words. “
Kamal & Amira.”
“
You two make a good match. I hope I don’t see you coming to me to rants about your marriage life.” I
laughed, and Kamil laugh too.
“Congrats
bro.” Kamala is my junior in high school
, we practically grew together. He is one year part, so I become closer to him
better than to Imran. We played hockey together. Those old golden times.
“
You? Still searching for an angel?” I laugh at his claims. Angel? I always said
that the woman I love would be an angel. A fairy. Ah Irham too much fairytale.
Did you watch too much Disney cartoons?
“ Still.”
Yeah, maybe I just found maybe I’m wrong. And there goes the angel we talk
about, walking into my shop. She looks a little bit different today. Alisa
greets her like she always does. I personally envy Alisa in this matter. That girl wears blue blouse. Oh god, she
wears blouse.
“
Hey. Looks like you found your angel.”
“
Gosh nope.” I shrug and we continue our little breakfast talks.
