SCREAMING IN THE NIGHT

A high-pitched scream awakened Hira in the middle of the night. A woman's cry. She looked at the clock on the wall. It was 11 pm. At first, she thought she was dreaming. But the more she heard it, the clearer it became the sound of crying in real life.

Hira opened the door wanting to confirm the truth.

At the same time, Mr. Billy and Mrs. Yulia came out of the connecting door with hasty steps towards the front room where A-Jay and Viny were.

Hira was shocked and backed away into the room, not expecting to meet the host with a disheveled appearance in her casual nightgown.

Oh, it was Viny's that was crying. Some of the boarding house occupants came out but returned as soon as they saw that Billy and Yulia had already taken care of the case.

Hira stood at the door watching the progress, she didn't want to interfere, but she remembered the incident a while ago that might have something to do with it. A Jay lifted Hira's clothes when it started raining. It must have been unintentional because Hira dried it next to their clothes. But Viny was so angry when Hira asked and found her clothes in their closet. Viny pinched A Jay hard while saying furiously, "Naughty!!!"

Is there a continuation of that story? Jealous?

Oh, that's impossible.

Not long after, Billy got out of Viny's room and passed in front of her.

"What's wrong with teh Viny's, Pak?" Ask Hira

"It's fine now."

"Oh, good"

"I'm sorry," he politely asked permission to leave.

Hira nodded and smiled respectfully.

Then Yulia passed. She greeted again, "How is teh Viny, bu?"

"As usual... a young man problem," said Yulia shortly while walking into her house.

In the room, Hira silently praised Viny. How great today's generation is, don't be ashamed to scream in the middle of the night. Imagine if she was, whatever the problem, she could only cry sobbing on the pillow.

***

Finally, Bibi spoke. Bibi just waiting for Grab* to visit her brother. But the car didn't come yet. Hira accompanied Bibi standing beside Billy's car.

"Did you hear when Viny screamed in the midnight like a devil?" Ask Bibi

Just in time. While curious about what happened, someone gave a leaked answer to the question.

"Of course," Hira said calmly, pretending doesn't want to know.

"How did you know?"

"Everybody knows"

Then all in Bibi's mind poured out without being asked. "The story was that Tris wanted to go home yesterday, but it's already late. I was looking for a motorcycle taxi in the village. Then get Pak Tatang, we pay 75 thousand to take Tris home to Cimahi. But suddenly, Pak Tatang was canceled. In the end, Ibu asked A Jay to take Tris home. It's good to have 75 thousand to add to Winda's pocket money. We pay, not free."

Hira listened to Bibi carefully. Unconsciously she leaned her back against Billy's car. It feels so comfortable.

"Eh, Viny's didn't accept it. She was blindly jealous. Her husband came home late for another woman, then screamed like the devil—what a shame. A Jay obey cos Ibu asked," Said Bibi fiercely.

"Tris comment, I don't want your man... I don't like lackeys," Bibi murmured with a fierce smile.

Hira flinched, Bibi cursed harshly, but she nodded at Bibi's story while imagining the figure of Tris loudly. Yes, it's all true. Ibu forgets that A Jay has a wife. She didn't ask for Viny's permission first for her husband to drive home Tris, who didn't have a husband. Yulia might not think that Viny would not accept it.

Ah, Meuni rieuweh, Budak Ayeuna ceunah (how complicated the business of nowadays kids), Hira hummed with her new Sundanese accent. It's like there's something wrong with the placement of the words, but let it be. She is not a native speaker anyway

.

Soon Billy comes up from the connecting door and catches Hira leaning on his car. Something changed on his face, a smile he couldn't let go of.

Hira stood in hurry away from the car.

"Haven't departed yet, Bi?" asked Billy as he took his motorbike out of the parking area.

"The car hasn't come yet," replied Bibi.

"That's it, bi. You've been waiting for," Pointed Hira on a car slowing down toward the parking area. Bibi approaches the vehicle.

Two people in love were silent in the parking lot. They were quiet with irregular heartbeats. What a precious moment togetherness without saying a word. They were immersed in beautiful atmospheres for some time before both left the place without looking at each other.

A new song that she had never heard before appeared on the YouTube music channel in her room. At the same time, the pounding of her heart was still felt even though Billy was not near anymore...

Simply Falling - Iyeoka.

There goes my heart again

all of this time I thought we were pretending

nothing looks the same when your eyes are open

now you're playing these games to keep my heartbeat spinning

you show me, love, you show me, love

you show me everything my heart is capable of

you reshape me like b-butterfly origami

you have broken into my heart

this time I feel the blues have departed

nothing can keep me away from this feeling

I know I am simply falling for you

Such a beautiful clip. Hira is contemplating. The lyrics of the song she hears always have something to do with her. She never looked for it. The song chose itself to reach Hira's ears.

She looked at the clock. It was 11:11. Is this Synchronicity?*)

***

*)Grab, an online motor taxi

*)In numerology, some New Age believers often link 11:11 to chance or coincidence. It is an example of synchronicity or meaningful coincidence.