Ante-post: I keep thinking whether or not I should publish this post. This post has become completely random. I meant to write something completely different, but as I write things up, it turned out to be this way, and I thought… well, why not? It’s random anyway. Any grammatical correction is very much accepted. Please do correct it if you find anything wrong.
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Danielle looked at her shopping cart and thought of what she could have been missed. She’d put the cereal, instant coffees, toilet papers, and the detergent. She took another round to walk around the mini-market, to check whether there was anything else she’d want or need. She saw a pack of wet tissues and thought that she could use them, so she put it in her cart.
After making sure there was nothing else that she need she went to the cashier and paid for everything.
Just when she was about to go out of the mini-market did she hear someone calling her name.
“Danielle! You’re Danielle, are you?”
The one calling her was a guy, about seven-feet-tall, with a delicate look and pretty features on his face. Had he worn a skirt, people might as well thought he was a very tall woman.
He looked at her intently, looking for recognition, and since Danielle had done nothing but stoned as she saw him, he laughed.
“Have you forgotten me? How could you?”
Danielle startled. Then as soon as she got her tongue, she responded,
“Ryan?”
The man called Ryan sighed in relief.
“Geez! I thought you didn’t recognize me!”
“Oh, no! How could I forget you?” Danielle tried to make an excuse. “I was just… surprised to bump into you here!”
“How did you think I feel, seeing you here, shoppiing like an Indonesian in a place like this?”
Danielle laughed.
“Well, I’m still adjusting.”
“Oh, it shouldn’t be a problem. Everybody here is so friendly, and they’re always ready to help you! But first, how did you get here at all? You never told me you’re going here in the first place!”
Newsflash. I guess we’re no longer BFF, old pal, Danielle thought.
“Oh, yeah… Sorry. I was…” Danielle stopped for a while, thinking of a good, logical, and perfect reason.
Should she tell him she had planned to avoid everybody she knew in Indonesia intentionally?
Should she tell him she had thought of not contacting him, of all people, as well as not keeping in touch with him?
Should she tell him that she had wanted to get by on her own?
Yet, upon seeing him–those kind eyes, and sweet smile, as well as the pretty face and most definitely friendly gesture–she really did not want to lose his benignity and warmth. And the truth was, after all, that she also felt excited to see him, too.
“I was still trying to figure out numbers of things in this country, especially this town. I really don’t know anything about this place except for this mini-market and diners nearby,” Danielle finally explained.
“Oh, right. Right. Yeah, it’s quite a challenge, I suppose. I mean, you’re now exposed to a complete different culture, language, and people. I can help you with that,” said Ryan, and then he grabbed Danielle’s shopping bag, the one with her new detergent, and cereal, as well as instant coffee, toilet papers, detergent, and wet tissue, as he saw Danielle was heading out of the door, eager to get out.
“I thought you’re here to do some shopping?” asked Danielle, taking her shopping bag into her arms back.
“Oh, right. Yes, I did. I need a new broom for my room, as well as detergent and soap,” Ryan answered, looking confused.
“Well, then, get going!” said Danielle.
“Oh, but…” Ryan’s hands was still on Danielle’s shopping bag, reluctant to let go, as well as reluctant to part ways.
“I’m still gonna be here for a long time, Ryan. We could catch up some time later,” said Danielle, and tried to smile as friendly as she could.
“Oh. Okay, then. Well, that would be nice! We haven’t bumped into each other for a long time! We should hang out sometime!”
“And we will. You could be my tour guide here.” Stupid. Why did she say that?
“Absolutely. It’s a promise, then. We’ll meet again soon. Can I have your number, by the way?”
She read her number to Ryan and so Ryan miss called her cell phone.
“Great. Now that I have your number…,” said Danielle, looking for words as she starred blankly at her cell phone screen with Ryan’s number on it. “I’ll text you,” she finally added.
“Not if I text you first,” replied Ryan, and so he smiled cordially.
And they finally parted ways.