BE FRIENDS

Brian agreed to Sabina's proposal even though his chest felt like something was stuck and wanted to get it out.

"Please just answer one of my questions. Why can you touch things when you are transparent like this?" Brian asked out of dissatisfaction.

"I was taught by my friend while she was around," Sabina answered with a gloomy look on her face when talking about her friend.

"Is your friend a ghost too?" That silly question just came out of Brian's mouth and immediately made Sabina smile sadly. But Sabina didn't seem angry.

"My friend is a human. Before she died, she taught me many things. And until now, everything she taught me was very useful," Sabina replied with a sad smile.

"Your friend is human? But how come she can teach ghost-, ops! sorry, I didn't mean to." Brian hangs his outrageous sentence. Even though Sabina had often reminded him that Sabina was not a ghost and such.

"She is a woman who has special features, can see other creatures that not everyone can see, you could say like indigo. And like you too, right? The proof is you can see me," Sabina explained, "She asked her ghost friend how to make me can touch the things around me. And yes, since then I can hold anything I want." Sabina said.

What Brian was hearing right now seemed even more ridiculous. Feels more and more like a joke. But Brian again remembers that nothing is impossible on God's earth.

"That's enough. I've talked too much today. After all, we've only just met and I don't believe it if you're not going to tell other people about me and this room."

"But it's all over and I can only hope that you can keep this a secret. I don't want the comfort in this room to be disturbed."

Sabina smiled sadly at Brian.

"For God's sake… This is the first time I've experienced something strange. Strangeness like this is even more extraordinary than seeing ghosts roaming around out there. And I don't think, for a story as important as this, it's inappropriate to talk to outsiders," Brian responded seriously, "I promise I won't tell anyone about you and this room. You can trust me!" continued Brian with sure words.

Sabina's smile grew as if she agreed with Brian's words.

"Well then, eat and taste the food. Is there something missing in your opinion? I haven't cooked for anyone in over a year. I can't believe the taste, hihihi!" said Sabina with a small laugh.

Brian smiled and immediately tasted the food made by Sabina.

'Gosh… this is so delicious. I can't believe it was a ghost who cooked this meal-, Oops! Why do I call her a ghost again? Please, God… don't let me say that word again to her. She seems to have a serious problem in her life. And I don't want to hurt her feelings again.' Brian said to himself.

"Nice! How to cook food so it can be this delicious, does it also come from the teachings of your friends?" Brian asked after the compliment.

"Not. Before I was like this, I did often cook at my house to help my mother." Sabina replied with a smile, then gradually gloomy.

"You mentioned earlier that you have an older brother, that means you have another family, right?" Brian asked because he was more curious about Sabina's life. Brian felt a lot of things were odd about Sabina.

"I had a happy family before I got here," replied Sabina glumly, "It's a long story and you can't imagine what I've been through until now."

"Don't ask too many questions. One day I will tell you when I believe that you are suitable to be friends!" Sabina began to shift her sad smile.

"So I'm your friend now? That's exciting! Incidentally, I also don't have any friends here, apart from my uncle's family in this town." Brian answered with a smile.

"Yes, hopefully, we can benefit each other and not burden each other. I hope you feel comfortable here because now your life has turned weird, hahaha!" said Sabina, laughing.

'Her smile puts me at ease. I don't know what this strange woman named Sabina has. Seeing her, my heart is at peace,' Brian said to himself, 'Hey, my heart. Please don't do anything silly when I see her! Don't flutter like this. I know this feeling just because I'm happy to have new friends, right?' he continued wondering in his heart.

***

This is the first day that Brian started to be independent in his life, and at the same time, he started trying to earn his own money by working hard on his own.

Brian came out of the building and remembered that around his apartment building there was a motorcycle taxi stand. And yes, after Brian walked for a while, a motorcycle taxi driver was already there.

"Ojek, Bro!" called the motorcycle taxi driver when he saw Brian walking towards him.

"Yes, Bro! Can you take me to this address?" Brian showed him the address of his uncle's house.

The motorcycle taxi driver's face showed that he knew the address on Brian's cell phone with his smiling and nodding expression.

"Oh, I can. Put on the helmet first, just to be safe!" said the motorcycle taxi driver to Brian.

"Ready, Bro!" Brian answered immediately.

They walked down the deserted road. Along the way, this motorcycle taxi driver asked where Brian lived because his face was foreign to the motorcycle taxi driver.

Same question and same response when Brian answered him. Just like the people around Brian's neighborhood, and perhaps what surprised them even more, Brian was still fresh and healthy even though he had been there for two nights.

'What am I afraid of? Sabina is not as scary and rude as you talk. I'm sure, Sabina is a good person and not rude. Maybe what you heard was just because Sabina wanted to protect what was hers from strangers.

Brian arrived at the gate of Mr. Bagaskara's house - Brian's uncle. He went to the security post after paying for the motorcycle taxi service earlier.

Brian immediately showed his identity card to the security guard at the house.

That's when Brian noticed a car stopped right next to him. The car window on the driver's side opened and revealed a young man, apparently the same age as Brian's first brother - Dannis.

Brian watched the man as he greeted him.

"You're Brian, right?"

Brian nodded in approval of the man's question. Then he told Brian to get into the car. Before long, Brian followed his instructions and entered the gate of his uncle's mansion.

"Introducing, I'm Sandy, Amelia's fiancé. You must be confused, right, how do I know who you are?" the man spoke casually to Brian, "Last night Uncle Bagaskara called me. He said this morning his nephew would come and work in the office today," he continued.

Sandy continued to speak and Brian could only nod. Brian did not feel familiar to have a long conversation with someone he had just met. But Brian likes Sandy's attitude. Besides being handsome, Sandy is also polite and friendly.

'I didn't expect Amelia to be engaged to someone this good. But… when did they get engaged? Why didn't I know?' Brian wondered.

Finally Brian and Sandy arrived at the main door of Mr. Bagaskara's house.

Brian also went downstairs following Sandy who immediately pressed the doorbell. Before long, a middle-aged mother in a housemaid uniform appeared after the door opened.

It turned out that Brian remembered who the housemaid was. She was a housekeeper in his uncle's family who had not seen Brian for a long time. And it has been a very long time since Mr. Bagaskara moved from Jakarta.

"Auntie, do you remember me?" Brian greeted the housemaid first. But the housemaid who was getting old was still looking thoughtful. Maybe because of the age factor that made her forget about Brian.

"I'm Brian, Aunty… Mr. Aditya and Mrs. Annisa's son!"

Hearing Brian mention his parents' names, then the housemaid widened her smile. As if there was a sense of satisfaction in her that she had managed to remember and know who Brian was.

"Young master Brian, huh? Oh my God… I forgot and didn't recognize you, young little master! How are you, young master? You're this big and grown-up. You are also very handsome, young master!" the friendly waitress greeted and complimented Brian happily.

Brian laughed at the attitude of the waiter who was surprised to see him. Certainly, the auntie doesn't remember Brian's face anymore because the last time they met was when Brian came home from this house after Brian and his family brought Mr. Bagaskara to the house.

To be precise, when Amelia was two years old. And only now did Brian set foot in this house again.

Before long, a familiar soft voice sounded in Brian's ears. Yes, the soft voice of Aunt Alya, Uncle Bagaskara's wife.