Chapter 11: Turn My Radio On

Sun that is shining in the sky keeps getting disturbed by the clouds that fly and engulf the earth surfaces. The wind that blows at the outside the building getting fiercer by day, signaling the winter is coming soon. The animal, plant and nature alike started to go, some starting to prepare the long hibernation, some died and withering away, waiting for their rebirth.

The class is full of students yet it is quiet, only a voice from a man standing on the podium that can be heard. Some of the students just straight up muting him, ignoring him inside their heads, some even go as far as sleeping during his lecture. Some pretending to listen and understand his material, goes as far as nodding their heads when the lecture makes a sudden raised voice.

Alas, students are just going to be immature, and the lecturer should be professional. But there is one student who listens carefully, even though he doesn’t look all that impressive with the current lecture. The man beside him, with a dark blue hoodie covering his head, sleeping soundlessly.

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“So, in case you are trying to use Python, nowadays they have their own tray, you don’t have to use Netbean like you using JAVA”

I sat down silently, trying to absorb as much as I could during this lecture, this lecture known for never giving a break when he explained things. Whether he actually just forgot to give pause, or he just did that to torment the student, I can’t argue for both. But his subject is not really all that difficult, he is just covering basic knowledge and introduction mostly, that is why I’m not surprised many students just ignore him.

But I never saw the lecturer complain, maybe that is what he wanted, less trouble for him maybe, less question means less time to explain. I bet most of the students really appreciated that too, including Daniel that right now sleeping beside me.

When I got into this class, not long after Daniel came and sat down beside me, without a word, covering his head with his hoodie, and going straight to sleep. If only I could fall asleep that easily, life would be so much easier.

Maybe not because it’s hard to fall asleep.

It’s because the image after I close my eyes.

The reality over there sometimes can be…

Unpredictable.

Regardless, I still love to let my body rest. It’s better to have that film keep repeating than facing the real reality that like it or not, definitely will occur. Time goes on like wind and season, winter and New Year just around the corner, and with that I only have roughly one year left.

I’m not sure if I’m ready, I’m not sure whether I’m stalling myself. The latter sound very pathetic though, I know myself more than anyone, I’m scared of course. But at this point I’m just being ridiculous, I’m choosing this path, so it’s up to me to finish it.

So she can be free.

He can stop hiding.

And I’ll put the curse to end.

“Okay! That’s all for today, any question?”

The professor looked around the class, trying to catch a glimpse of any student that might still be confused with the lecture for today.

“Okay, if there is no question, we end the class for today”

Actually before he can finish the class properly, most of the students are already standing and make a few steps toward the exit.

I nudged the man that was sleeping beside me, trying to wake him up from his sleep.

“Daniel… Daniel… the lecture already done, wake up”

He keeps sleeping with his hair and hoodie covering his face. I shook my head and hit him with my book, and with that he woke up with a grumpy aura omitted from his body.

“Don’t blame me, blame yourself for not waking up when I nudge you”

He stood up immediately and proceeded to stretch his body, he let out a sleepy moan while at it.

“I know-I know, god damn his lecture always bore me to dead”

I raised my eyebrow while my eyes stayed focused to gather my stuff.

“Is it? I mean, don’t you think it’s because this is kind of general material, so you feel bored about it?”

He rubs the top of my head and lets out a low growl.

“Same stuff nonetheless smart ass!”

I let out a sly smile, just to ignite him more.

But instead we both let out small laughs at each other.

Daniel and I somehow have the same schedule in a week somehow, his just less packed unlike mine. Turns out we have been in many classes together, but we never actually share or exchange words. To be fair, neither Daniel nor I are the type of person that likes to mingle with new people anyway.

So, for a couple of weeks when we found ourselves bumping into each other in some class in a week, that made us realize that we actually were classmates in many classes. It does make sense, we belong to the same major, we pursue the same focus, and it’s bound to happen.

I haven’t seen Kristin for the past couple of weeks, she has been absent for the class that we share together. I heard she is doing some big project so she chooses to take some few weeks leave from school and do some projects.

But before she was gone, she was on my heels trying to talk about the day we visited the mall and the whole incident. I must admit that it was my stupidity that caused the awkwardness between me and her. But honestly, not having to face her is actually a blessing, I do not want to have anything to do with her, whatever happens, it just gives me more migraine.

But another migraine is just growing from the other side. The day Albern has my personal number it’s clear that he is bound to annoy me. He keeps sending me text messages that mostly just tease me and complaining about his day, and I’m forced to reply to him. If he isn't satisfied with my reply or I purposely ignore him for quite some time, he proceeds to call me.

I want to punch his smug face so bad.

He is that type of person who dances on someone else's pain, I’m positive about that, if not he will not keep pushing me like this. I know I spoil one of your expensive suits, but this is not the way I have to pay for it.

Why do people like him so unreasonable?

“Are you having a bad day or something?”

Daniel's voice woke me up from my train of thought.

“No, why do you ask?”

“Give me a break, you’ve been acting weird, I don’t know, since a few days ago?”

Yeah, due to that man.

“I’m fine, just bump on the road that’s all, and don’t worry about me”

“… In fact, worry about our assignment more”

He laughed and rubbed my hair.

“As long as your partner is me, we are going to pass with flying color!”

“We’ll see”

Again, I throw him my sly smile while removing his hand from my head. Unless we actually passed, there is no way I’m going to let this assignment slip away.

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Maya been noisy this past two days, she keep freaking out about her assignment and her project for festival. Well, if you think workload wise, anyone might stress out if they have to deal with multiple tasks in a short amount of time. But Maya personality always kind of drama queen, it’s hard to distinguish her actual feeling, weather she is actually freaking out or just make a big deal about it.

Chad is always healthy as usual, devouring his meal inside his lunch box happily, at least he is the only person that unlikely gives off any negative vibe, which is a good thing.

“What your stomach made of…”

Daniel jokingly mocks the way Chad eats his meal, which does not affect the said person. He just keeps on munching his food, and gives Daniel his smile that is covered with food.

“I like food!”

Chad replied nonchalantly.

I bet you are Chad, I just throw him some sympathetic looks, in a way, and people definitely can’t ignore or reject a means to survive.

“You made it yourself? I mean, that lunch box, every day?”

“No, my younger sister made it for me”

Right, he said that cake was made by his sister too.

“The same sister that made the cinnamon roll?”

I do have interest in it, it tastes good indeed.

“No, the other one”

Oh, so he has multiple sisters? How big is his family, I wonder?

“How many sisters do you have?”

He paused and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. His head hanging up, thinking for a moment.

“Hmm… four”

His family is quite big, and four of them are all girls.

“So, five sibling in total?”

Daniel seems interested and chime in.

“No, we are 12 sibling in total”

Chad shook his head in disapproval, only to smile wide at us.

“12!”

Daniel and I, can't even hide our surprise, not even Maya that was in distress a moment ago. I did say that I want to know how it feels to have siblings, but even so, 12 it’s not a number that you can scoff at if we are talking about children.

How big actually is his family? Have his parents even heard contraception?!

“And I’m the oldest!”

Chad does not even faze with our surprised face, as if he is going through this every day basis.

And suddenly Maya phone vibrating, a weird song playing loud, the sound almost alien like, but it has a pop melody. She was forced to pick the call and immediately excuse herself, but before long, she came back screaming and hit the wooden surface hard with both of her palm.

All the people that sat down in this table jumped, not only us, the other table too. Her face is a mixture of furious, sad, disappointment, and everything that is associated with agony.

“Oh no! What should I do?!”

My whole body squirming when I listen to her shriek, her voice always above normal human octaves.

“Settle down! You hurt my ear!”

Daniel's irritated voice soon follows after Maya distress call.

Maya's eyes and her face still on her phone, looking at something that makes her anxiety jump from 0 to 100.

“They want me to submit the project for the festival sooner!”

“I’m not even started yet!”

“What should I do Joshua?!”

My body unconsciously moving back from her, immediately drew distance from danger of burdening myself because of someone else's problem.

“Don’t ask me?!”

And Maya proceeds to sulking, trying to get attention from any of us, Chad just being oblivious and smiling while Maya keeps shaking his body, though I can’t see any movement from Chad. Mostly just Maya clinging on her arm and shaking herself.

“This table looks lively, may I sit down here”

And suddenly the familiar voice fills up my ears and a familiar odor hits my nose. It’s way too familiar despite our few encounters.

My eyes immediately wipe to the source, a man standing tall with his casual suit attire, a black unbuttoned casual style blazer covering his white shirt that warped around his body. His expensive bag was hanging on one of his shoulders.

His hand holding onto a tray with a food placed on it, while his other hand casually put into his dark jeans. His eyes glittering and somehow locking me in my place, his teasing smile did not change from the last time I saw him.

With his presence alone not only this table suddenly turned quiet, the entire cafeteria held their breath, and locked their eyes in the direction where the man was standing. They keep observing him like he is some kind of rare animal.

Chad that about to shove his food freeze on his place, let the spoon hang in the air.

Maya just closed her mouth with both of her hands with her rainbow nail polish exposed.

And Daniel's eyes turned cold and hard the moment his eyes landed on the man that just appeared in the middle of the cafeteria.

I can’t blame any of them, I heard this man never spend his time in any campus cafeteria. Yes, Albern never actually mingled with anyone. But today is a bizarre day for others, but disaster for me.

Albern is here.

Standing, waiting for an answer.

“Ah… AH! Sure-sure! Please!”

Maya, after being stunned almost a minute or so, immediately scrambled to answer the man. She even goes her way out to clean the table and the seat beside her with her wet tissue. But there is no answer that can be heard from the man that is still standing, with his eyes drilled in my face.

But Albern suddenly put his tray on the table just beside me, and dragged the chair that had been cleaned by Maya to beside my chair. Maya that at first showed her happy face when she saw Albern hand grab that chair only to drag it here, her face fell immediately.

The moment this man sat beside me, I could feel the overwhelming aura that was suffocating me, he didn't have to talk, and I know why I felt this pressure. I’ve been ignoring him for a couple of days, he came to seek me, to punish me in some way.

I keep my eyes on my place, eating the remaining meal, trying to ignore his eyes that are clearly still looking at me.

Go away you!

Go!

And suddenly a fake coughing voice can be heard from Maya throat, her smile come back as if she didn’t experienced a rejection few minutes ago

“So anyways~~ I’m Maya, nice to meet you~”

Maya flipping her hair while introducing herself.

“This is Chad~”

She Introduced Chad sitting beside her, while the said person just ate and waved his hand.

“This is Daniel~”

Why does she sound so seductive so suddenly, what is wrong with her? And Daniel does not even care about anything but focusing on whatever he is doing.

“And this…”

“Joshua… I know him”

Albern immediately cut Maya, shortly all eyes fell to my direction, and Maya mouth hanging open. Daniel typing sound stop, and Chad stopping mid-way once again.

“Uhhh. Uhum! So what makes someone like you come to sit here?”

Maya for some reason tried to act cute, even did some emergency make up. She tries to look at her mirror and nudges Chad to ask for opinion, only to get an Ok sign from his hand while his eyes locked on with his meal.

“Is it so rare for me to have a meal here? I thought I’ll be welcome here”

Albern tilted his head and laughed at Maya's question, but he did it in a way that made the poor girl blush and had to cover her face for embarrassment.

“No! You are definitely welcomed!”

Her face immediately shocked, and have her hands in the Albern direction. But she proceeded to look around the cafeteria.

“I mean… that is not the problem, but you do know about your fans right”

Maya's voice is so low that it’s almost whispering.

“Fans? What fans?”

Albern blinking, as if he is also in oblivion.

“Uhm, Your fans club, it’s pretty massive in this university, you know?”

Maya's body turned slightly, with her eyes squinting. Trying to convince the man that she is talking to, that her words are nothing but the truth.

And all that man does is just give a small smile and shrug as if he does not care for any of it.

“I’m flattered”

The cafeteria is still somewhat quieter than any other days with the sudden appearance of Albern, no one expecting him, neither anyone dares to speak with him, even if they really want to.

I can see a bunch of girls that cramped in one table across and started whispering to one another, some even took out their phone and took a picture silently, unfortunately one of them forgot to turn off the flash and immediately got schooled by everyone on that table.

“I see… So! What makes you come here? I mean don’t get me wrong! We are happy to have you, but you know… just curious…”

Maya still presses this matter without giving up, at this point she acts more like a giddy than nervous.

And suddenly, I feel a rough and big finger warping around my nape, which warm surfaces warped firmly as if it's a cage. I didn’t move my head, but his eyes felt hot, his vision burning me.

“Well, you see… someone have some nerve to ignore me… despite I told that person otherwise”

And a loud gasp can be heard in the instant that words come from Albern lips, entire people inside this cafeteria start talking with one another loudly, some even pointing their finger to this table.

Maya eyes glittering with star while her wide open mouth gets covered by her own slim finger.

Chad spoon immediately fell from his hand to his food.

In that instant Albern managed to make me the target of all these eyes for the second time.

“I! I…!”

I frantically try to find better words so I can be free from these judgmental eyes.

Suddenly a loud smack can be heard from the back of my nape, Daniel hands smack Albern’s away, Daniel eyes cold and his face features that are usually not friendly even worse. Daniel, not like he usually is, and with his act that nobody else dares to lay hands on Albern, successfully make people stop and anticipate what will happen.

“Get your hands off from him, clean your tray and get the fuck out from here”

I see Albern's eyes turn cold just like Daniel, both of them suddenly let out cold pressure that is noticeable by everyone here. It’s almost suffocating, almost makes me hard to breath. And both of them stand up still locking eyes.

“Why? Is he yours?”

Albern's raspy voice becomes rough and the words he let out, purposely taunting Daniel.

“It’s none your business”

Daniel, as with his characteristic, easily to be taunted, took the bait.

And they both feel silent for a moment, no one dares to move, no one dares to speak nor to breathe. The store employee even filled up someone cup and let it overflow, and the cashier added 0 without stopping on the meal price machine.

Until suddenly both of them swing hands to one another throat, grabbing one another collar tightly. I quickly stand up and push and hold on to Albern's chest trying to make some distance from him and Daniel, Maya jumps in to hold Daniel.

“Wait! What…! What is going on with both of you?!”

I’m bewildered by the sudden change of Daniel's behavior, and Albern supposedly not someone that jumps to fist fight, or so I heard from the people gossiping about him.

This is awful, everything is awful.

I quickly touch Daniel with my other hand, trying to prevent him from jumping on Albern, even with the help of Chad and Maya, Daniel still keeps on advancing. I’m trapped between these two men that can maul anyone on their path, blood is guaranteed with both of them.

“Daniel, calm down! We can’t get in trouble!”

Daniel shifted his focus on me now, he was able to read my face, this is not a good idea to have any kind of confrontation with people like Albern. Daniel's facial becomes much calmer as soon as we exchange looks, I can feel his tensed muscle relaxed.

Daniel scoffed and sat silently continuing working on his assignment. Totally ignoring Albern, but I know he must still hold that anger. I sigh slowly, at least one beast subdued, I turn back and face Albern, only meeting with his gaze to me.

This one much scarier, his look, as one can describe, accused me for something sinful, as if I’m in the eyes of the judge who wants to befall punishment for the heretic.

“Al… Albern… are you okay?”

His hand traveled to my hand that was still pressing on his chest, he grabbed it harshly but not let go. His eyes came back and forth from me to Daniel, he sat down silently while still holding on to my hands, he locked my hand behind everyone's view, in the back of the table.

Everything came back to what it was, nobody questioned the sudden outbreak, the sudden appearance, nothing, it’s seem everyone tried to forget anything ever happened. I guess all of them are plainly scared with the possible causality that can occur.

I try to snatched back my hand, but he just holds it harder, it’s so hard it really hurts me, I'm squirming. I grimaced at him, trying to mouth him to let me go silently.

He came closer to me, his lips just a few inches away from me. His words were really cold, not like we were in the locker room, this one is much more heavy and no emotion.

“Stop being difficult… take it as your punishment…”

He draws back and I can see his cold eyes with a sly smile drawn on his face. I throw a scowling face right at him.

“You better behave or else, they are going to see our hand…”

His cold voice whispering to me again, but this time his finger pointed around the cafeteria.

I gritted my teeth together.

This bastard!

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“Because I have to work and my schedule for class not that overload, I rarely have time to visit any campus facility”

“I see, so that is why you rarely see it at campus cafeteria…”

Maya claps her hand together, finally understanding Albern reasoning.

“How does it feel to be in master degree class?”

Maya keeps adding question upon question, but Albern keeps entertaining her, while Albern fans burn a hole in the back of Maya's head.

“It’s the same, I guess nothing different really…”

He smiles politely, even appears to be angel-like. No wonder people fall for him, his composure really calm on the surface.

But he is the devil inside!

“You said, you don’t really have time to visit campus facilities, how about campus events?”

Maya put her chin on her both open hands smiling gleefully, let it rest and enjoying her times tormenting people behind her. She definitely knows what is going on right now.

“Well during my bachelor time, yeah. I’m pretty active at that time, and joined a few clubs. But that is because I’m pretty free at the time”

“But nowadays, I only visit the gym to save some time, and the library for my thesis, right? Joshua?”

He threw that question directly toward me, hoping for me to confirm that for everyone.

“Oh you guys meet at the library?! How do you guys meet? You know what, that would be cute if you were to bump into each other’s!”

Maya…

That is scary wild guess, are you some kind of sheer? Albern just smiles but not answering the obvious answer that Maya desires. Only tighten his hold of my hand.

Every time I feel his hold loosen up, and I try to slip up, he grabs my hand again, twice harder than before, making me flinch every single time.

“Joshua… are you okay? You look like you're holding a pain?”

Daniel's voice can be heard, his face showing some concern toward me.

“Yeah! Joshua, is there something wrong?”

Maya quickly scrambled and focused on me.

“Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something?”

Chad only thinks about food huh?

And soon follow a sweet raspy voice come exactly from beside me.

“Yes Joshua, don’t make others worried, are you hurt somewhere?”

This man can lie through his teeth like a talent. I can’t wipe away his smile from my eyes, while everyone sees kindness from that angelic smile, I can’t help but see the devil instead.

“I… no, don’t worry, I’m okay”

When it comes to lying you are not the only one that mastered that art.

I throw a smile to the other, and act as if nothing is happening under the table.

And suddenly a low alarm came from Albern's phone, he took out that phone from his chest pocket with his other free hand.

“That’s my cue to leave, I need to attend my last class for today”

“Really~~~? That is too bad!”

Maya, pouting hard, disappointed her rare meeting with Albern cut short. As for me, I thank god for freed me from this devil.

Albern hand pushed his plate toward me, with that, a chocolate cake that was still the same just as they were bought a moment ago.

His hand ruffled my hair.

“Finish it… oh… last warning, be obedient lackey”

His teasing voice lingering around my ears. Smile definitely coloring his face, again, you win this round.

“Aww, that is so sweet, did he just buy you a cake?!”

I rolled my eyes with Maya's overly excited voice.

“Give me a break, this is his left over”

I proceed to grab the small fork beside the small plate, and feed myself with the chocolate cake.

“I see… a left over?”

“What! This is left over”

Maya throws her both hands in the air, surrender.

“Okay… I’m not arguing”

But what irritated me is her smile, that smile always comes time and time again, and for some reason my whole instinct keeps telling me she is up to no good.

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Me and Maya walked together behind Daniel, preparing to leave, he told us his brother asked him to fetch him from his school. Daniel quickly warped his both hands with a leather biker glove.

“So you really have to go”

Maya keeps tugging Daniel's arm from the cafeteria to here nonstop, like a baby monkey.

“Of course! Now let go of me”

“How mean!”

My foot stomped her foot a couple of times jokingly, and proceeded to laugh.

“Alright be careful there, it's a shame you can’t go together with us, but make sure next time you can go!”

Her finger goes straight directly to the front of Daniel's face, warning him.

“Okay-okay! God damn woman!”

And before he goes, he turns back and goes toward me, his hand resting on my shoulder to give a firm squeeze.

“Joshua, if that man ever bothering you, just say the word okay”

I smile at him, maybe that bit too late and laugh at myself.

“It’s fine, nothing worry some, I promised I’ll go to you if anything happen”

I will not.

With that he waves at both of us, and goes to the parking lot alone.

“Ahhh, too bad the others can’t come with us”

Chad went first since he got another training for another game preparation. After Albern left, Maya suggested we hang out at the nearby Café, initially everyone complied and agreed to it, but Chad in the end needed to keep practicing after all.

Daniel really can’t ignore his brother's request either. It’s his family member after all, and I know how he is affectionate with him. Though Daniel seems pretty disappointed that he can’t come along.

But the real question is…

How come I got persuaded to come too?

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Carnaby Street is crowded with youngsters like any other days, today this broken soul; Joshua one of them, blends together in the colorful clothes. Maya walking in the front of him showing the way along with acting like she is the tour guide, the boy has been living quite a long time but he never visited Carnaby Street before, and that makes Maya delightful knowing she got a chance to show the broken soul how famous these places can be.

The girl happily bouncing here and there, showing and pointing from now and then, her tone changed to so classy to make herself sound like a tour guide even though her appearance says the difference. The girl mentions how ashamed that Joshua didn’t know this place and how much fun he has been left out.

“And this place is where people that like gravity and skateboarding hang out, usually they will be crowded when the clock strikes the nighttime” she pointed to the skateboard field with so many gravity arts showing even at the floor. “You should visit it again when the night times comes, people from many place will be gathered”.

They walk a little bit further from there and they reach their destination.

“Ala Monde”

The name hanging on the front door of these places seems like a café in the boy's eyes.

“Welcome!” the blonde girl with big glasses that they assume is the waitress greeting them as soon as both of them step in.

The boy's eyes calmer when he hears the melody that comes from the stage, a man playing guitar classic slowly. The cello and the piano ring and counter each other's melody as soon as the flute joins, Joshua witnesses the melodic yet nostalgic feeling washed all over him.

How long has it been?

He can remember vaguely, something from his burned up memory comes back piece by piece, a man and a woman sit down together in front of him, smiling at him.

When?

Where was it?

And a sudden pain memory hits him, in an instant he can feel the headache kicking his head, but he shakes it right away, don’t wanting to ruin this calm moment. He smiles at the girl who appears to be concerned about him.

This kind of song he wants to hear, when will be able to listen to it again?

After they are done with performances, Joshua enjoying the treat and talking about many things, Joshua learns that the band has their song aired on the radio and Joshua rarely listens to the radio. Maybe this is a good time to turn that radio on once again.