A week after the library incident, the atmosphere between me and Akmal felt like an egg balanced on the tip of a knife. Whenever we met on campus, our conversations were limited to assignments or orientation matters. Very shallow. He stuck close to Cantika's group more often during orientation, sometimes deliberately poking Cantika's shoulder or cracking jokes loudly just to get her attention. Me? I became an expert in stealth mode. I only talked to Cantika when orientation duties really required it, and even then it was brief and formal. But my eyes could not lie. They always searched for her in the crowd. Until finally, orientation ended successfully.
The pressure from Pak Dani's major assignment went completely insane. The planning consultant I targeted, PT. Bumi Cipta Arsitek, refused to give actual data to students, they said. "Company policy, Sir," the receptionist said coldly. Even though I had brought Pak Dani's official letter. The proposal deadline was next week. My head felt like it was about to explode.
Friday afternoon, a light drizzle made the roads slippery. My stomach was growling, my head was spinning. I decided to look for comfort at my regular meatball stall near Belimbing station. The place was simple. A plastic tent, long wooden benches, but the meatballs were top tier. As soon as I arrived, my eyes reflexively drifted to the row of boarding houses across the street. Which one was Cantika's boarding house, I wondered. A random thought.
I ordered a special meatball bowl plus iced tea. Just as I was about to sip the hot broth, suddenly…
"Randi?"
I choked. That voice. Soft. Familiar.
I turned my head. At the edge of the tent, having just gotten off an online motorbike taxi, stood someone wearing a transparent raincoat, completely soaked, with a blue backpack. Cantika. She looked just as shocked to see me as I was to see her.
"Tik? Wow, you're out in this rain?" I greeted her, trying to sound casual even though my heart immediately went thump thump thump.
"I just came from the library, Ran," she replied, taking off her raincoat. Her hair was slightly wet, her face a little pale from the cold. She looked at the empty bench in front of me. "Is it okay if I sit here? This place is really quiet." Her smile looked tired but sincere.
"O-of course! Sit, sit!" I hurriedly moved my bag. Calm down, heart. "From the library? Looking for materials again?"
"Yeah," she sat down and ordered a regular meatball bowl from the stall owner. "Road engineering assignment. The lecturer is a killer too, asking for actual traffic analysis. And it's raining like this." She complained, but she looked cute. "You?"
"Running away from Pak Dani's major assignment," I complained while sipping the broth. "The consultant refused to give data. I don't know what to do."
"Oh wow, same here," she chimed in, her eyes sparkling under the neon lights of the stall. "PT. Bumi Cipta Arsitek too?" Cantika asked.
I nodded, surprised. "Yeah! You too?"
She nodded back. "My group got rejected as well. They said they only accept cooperation with third-year students and above." She let out a long breath. "So stressful!"
The conversation connected instantly, like a cable finding its socket. We complained together about killer lecturers, piled-up assignments, the difficulty of getting data. I told her a bit about trying to find other consultants with no clear results. She told me about her group being rather passive. It felt… comfortable. No senior-junior masks. No Akmal watching. Just Randi and Cantika, two engineering students struggling and venting at a meatball stall in the rain.
The meatballs arrived. We ate while talking. I noticed she ate slowly, little by little. Cute. When she sipped the broth, a drop landed on her chin. Damn. I reflexively grabbed a tissue from the table and handed it to her. "Here, there's broth stuck there."
She was startled, then smiled shyly. "Oh my, thank you." She wiped her chin. Her smile felt warm. Warmer than the meatball broth.
"Didn't expect to run into you here, Tik," I said, trying to probe. "Your boarding house is near here, right? You said so before."
"Yeah, behind that mosque," she pointed casually. "This stall is my favorite at night. Tasty and cheap." She smiled. "You come here often too?"
"I'm a regular!" I said proudly. "The owner already knows me." I called out to him. "Bang, the special meatballs are great today!" He just grinned and nodded. Cantika laughed softly. Her voice sounded like music to my ears.
The conversation started to widen. She told me she was originally from Jakarta but lived in Tangerang. I told her how chaotic the life of engineering students was, rarely showering because of too many assignments. She giggled. I was happy seeing her like that.
"So, did you watch the latest episode of My Sassy Girl yesterday?" I asked casually, glancing at her.
Her eyes immediately lit up. "I did! Chun Yang makes me mad but she's so funny, right? I can't wait for tomorrow's episode!" She talked at length about the plot, her expressions very lively. I could only smile and listen, responding now and then. When she talked enthusiastically, she became even sweeter, my stupid inner voice said.
Time passed so fast. The rain had eased into a drizzle. The cold air of the meatball stall felt warm because of our conversation. I even forgot this was a meatball stall and that we were not on a date. Until finally…
BRRRT! BRRRT!
The loud sound of a motorcycle braking hard in front of the stall. I looked up.
Akmal.
He got off his bike, helmet still on. But I could see through the visor, his eyes were burning. Like a time bomb that had just found its fuse. He glared at me, then at Cantika, then back at me. His hands still gripped the handlebars very tightly.
Cantika froze immediately. Her smile disappeared. "Kak M-Mal?" she greeted him, her voice small.
Akmal slowly took off his helmet. His face was cold. A fake smile that sent chills down my spine. "Wow, Tik. Randi. Such a coincidence meeting you here." The word "coincidence" was pure sarcasm. He walked closer. "What are you doing? Discussing assignments?" His tone was mocking.
I tried to stay calm, even though my stomach twisted. "Yeah, Mal. Talking about assignments. We're looking for solutions about that consultant who rejected us." I tried to add a logical angle.
"At a meatball stall? At this hour?" Akmal smirked, his eyes still stabbing. "Pretty romantic." He pulled a bench next to Cantika and sat very close. "Coincidentally, I'm looking for food too. One special meatball bowl." He called to the stall owner, ordering loudly. The atmosphere froze instantly.
Cantika lowered her head, playing with her spoon. Akmal pretended to look at the menu, but his gaze was like an eagle's. I drank my iced tea that had turned warm. It tasted bland.
"So what's the solution?" Akmal suddenly asked, jumping into our conversation. "About the consultant?" He looked at me, challenging.
"Not found yet," Cantika answered quickly, still looking down. "Still confused."
"I have a contact," Akmal said suddenly, proudly. "My uncle works at PT. Mitra Bangun Cipta. They're also a big planning consultant. Maybe I can help ask for data for the assignment." He smiled sweetly at Cantika. "For you, Tik. I'll really try."
I felt slapped. He was using this weapon now?
Cantika looked up, surprised. "Really, Kak Mal? But… my group…"
"Easy! I can talk to my uncle. Later your group can contact the PIC and," he shot a sharp glance at me, "who knows, maybe the PIC contact can be shared with others who need it. Maybe, if the PIC is kind."
That was a trap. Cantika looked confused. She knew I needed that data too. "Oh… um… wow, thank you so much, Mal. But you don't need to go through all that trouble…" I said.
"No trouble at all!" Akmal cut in quickly. "I'll call my uncle tomorrow morning. Don't worry." He smiled widely, feeling victorious. His meatballs arrived. He ate eagerly, like someone who had just won a war. "These meatballs are good! Smart choice finding a nice place like this, Tik. What a coincidence Randi is here too." Again, sarcasm.
The meal turned quiet. Only the clinking sound of Akmal's spoon was loud. Cantika only ate a little. I lost my appetite too. Akmal deliberately talked about trivial things, trying to joke, but his jokes fell flat. Cantika only gave stiff smiles. I chose to stay silent.
After paying, Akmal stood up immediately. "Let's go, Tik. I'll take you to your boarding house. It's close by, right? Safer at night like this." He offered, at the same time claiming Cantika.
Cantika glanced at me, her face apologetic. "Yeah… thank you, Kak Mal." She stood up. "Thank you too, Randi. For… the assignment discussion." Her eyes said more than her words.
I could only nod. "You're welcome, Tik. Take care."
Akmal handed his spare helmet to Cantika. "Come on, Tik. I'll take you." He smirked at me. "Get home safely too, Rand. Don't forget the assignment!" He emphasized it.
I watched them leave. Akmal sped up his motorcycle slightly, like he wanted to get away from me as fast as possible. Cantika sat behind him, very upright, keeping her distance.