Part 4: End Of The Chapter

Continued from Reality

He rubs my hands' palms then puts them on his cheeks, "Do you feel warmer?"

I nod my head. This is winter, the season that I hate in my whole life. Thank god I have  Navid by my side, help me to get through it.

I guess that we are in the favorite local bar in town. The nearer place from our hotel that we can reach in this crazy winter. The news said that tonight, there will be a storm. But we haven't seen each other for two weeks, so we still go out.

People have crowded the floor. Even though this bar is dimmed, I can quickly know he is staring at me and smiling. "See, Joshua Radin is in the house," he said when the MC introduced the night's performer.

"No way, let see him closer, Navid!" I grab his shirt and lead him to the crowd. "No wonder this place turns to be a sea of people."

"Be careful Nay, watch your step."

I bump into other people, "Ups, sorry."

Navid takes charge, he holds my hand, walks in front of me, and makes away from me by splitting the crowd. He makes me successfully stand right in front of the stage. I can easily stare at Joshua Radin, who starts to sing his first song then sing along. I clap my hands when it's over. I feel Navid's arm around my hip. I can feel his warm body.

"Listen, I give you a change to choose what I have to sing for the next songs."

"Yeaaah," crowd cheers and claps even louder.

I feel warm air itching my ear. Navid whispers by my cheek, "I am thirsty,  I will take something to drink in the bar, do you want any?"

I smile at him and shake my head.

He replies my smile. "Okay, but put my jacket on to make you warm." he takes off his jacket and puts it on my shoulders.

I hold my smile and see him walk away. But, after a couple steps, he is back, "I forget I have to leave a mark here," he kisses my cheek then kiss my lips shortly.  "To state you are belonged to me."

Then he walks away quickly.

"You two are look great," said a woman who stands not far away from me. She has watched us.

I smile again, "Thank you."

"He's rare, darling."

I laugh, "Yeah, he's one of a kind."

"My man, he never does such things to me."

I roll my eyes and keep on looking at Joshua Radin.

"How long are you together?"

"Hmmm, it is our second year."

"Sweet, don't you ever leave him whatever your reason is!"

I lift up my shoulders with a smile on my face.

"Hey babe, they have I found hot chocolate with extra whip cream for you" he shows up with two glasses in his hands.

Yeah, hot chocolate always successfully help me to warm up my body. It is surprising this bar serves this kind of drink. I sip the liquid. It is delicious. The bitter and sweet are just balanced. But I stop sipping my hot chocolate when Joshua Radin starts playing his guitar and creates the melody that I know by heart.

"I found interesting request here. Someone asks me to sing a song which is dedicated to the girl next to him who loves hot chocolate with extra whip cream ---- that's sweet."

People clap their hands.

"So, this is You Got What I need."

I stare at him unbelievably.

"I grab a paper and write one request," he explains without any asking.

I am choked. That explanation is not helping at all.

"I remember gala dinner in the embassy. You requested this and quietly sit on your table with a glass of wine. You are so beautiful and so --- out of reach."

I am freezing, not because of the temperature in the room, no, it is warm. The chill comes from inside. It is spreading from head to toe. My heart beats fast. There is a familiar vibrant in my vein that brings me back to the time when I was with you. Our song when we were meeting in Warsaw, our music when we were in the coffee shop in NYC.

This song is always about you.

With cheap champagne, we walked in the hill and found Joshua Radin's live performance. I sat on your denim jacket covered the grass. We covered ourselves with my scarf to protect us from the wind. We enjoyed the show. You kept singing his songs, completely off-key, and exceedingly terrible. It was beautiful, and I thought it was the end of my love-story that you were my beginning and ending, my only soul-mate. So, that time was just perfect within every imperfection we had. Your denim jacket, your shampoo-scent, your hazed eyes, your smirk trapped me with love for countless times. I laid myself on your chest, within your hug, it was warm and comfortable. I never felt that kind of comfort existed.

I hope that you know what I feel about you, but I just couldn't say it even once. So, after your performance in Central Park,  after that random unexpected picnic, I've said goodbye again with a single hope that it would be our last goodbye. I still remember the way you look at me, the same look as you know well who always says good damn goodbye is the one who keeps asking a meeting. Damn, you know that you are the place I go home.

And here I am, trapped in a solitaire-cut diamond ring on my finger and old stupid memories.

"I can't wait to see your mom and dad! Hey, should we take the earliest flight? I heard Jakarta has bad traffic jam."

"What?"

"Our flight to Indonesia."

I close my eyes and suddenly feel so dizzy. It's like the world gets sink to a sunk-mud.

"Nay, are you okay?"

I keep silent. I can feel his calm palm on my forehead, checking my temperature.

"You're a bit warm. Let's go back to the hotel. I'll take the car first, you, wait for me here okay!"

I grab his hand, "I am so sorry."

"Never mind."

I watch him disappear in the crowd. For instance,  I take my phone and call a number I know by heart. "Josh, I need your help!"

"Nayla my girl.. I heard you're in Europe and I guess when you'll call me!"

"I need a ticket to Poland."

"You're always lucky, I am on my line, so---do you want me book two tickets for your honeymoon in Poland?"

"No, buy me one ticket and make it one way!"

"Nay, what happen with you and Navid?"

"This is the end of our chapter Josh, but I have to continue my story!"

--- end ---