“Rachel, you’re here early!”
“Hello, Dianna. Yes, I am”
“Aaah, long time no see! How have you been? It’s very nice to finally meet you again!”
Rachel laughs dryly as Dianna—her old classmate—is hugging her immediately when they meet at the café. It’s a seven-year worth of hug, so Dianna doesn’t want to let this chance pass by even if people are staring at them.
“Alright, alright. Just sit, Dianna. I’ve ordered your request as well.”
“Hehe, thanks a bunch. I’ve been yearning for it nowadays, you know?”
Dianna happily takes her seat as she grabs her strawberry parfait. She doesn’t hesitate a bit as she scoops away the sweets onto her mouth. The moment she ate the parfait as the mixed feeling of cold and sweetness spreads on her tongue, she giggles.
“So! So! How are you? You must tell me everything because we’re just contacted again since graduation. I only know that you’re getting accepted into a university in another city, and that’s it! Are you working now? You’ve graduated from the uni, aren’t you?”
“Hold it. Please ask one question at a time.”
“Ahahaha, sorry. I’m just getting real excited to meet you today!”
Rachel sighs a bit. Looking at her old classmate as she smiles.
For a moment, Rachel noticed there’s someone else has just entered the café. The moment the said person meets her gaze, Rachel can’t help but nod.
“Hey, Rachel,” she greets with her calm composure.
“It’s been a while, Clara.”
“Clara! You’ve arrived at the right time! What’s with that new car? Are you going to show off since we’re going to meet?”
“Shush, Dianna. Don’t go blurting nonsense like that.”
The graceful lady taking a seat between Rachel and Clara. She put the bag first and noticed that her order is already here. A cold avocado coffee can helps her relax in no time.
Somehow, seeing Clara and Dianna together makes Rachel stunned. They’re her old classmates, but as the six years passed by without her really contacting them, everything feels different.
Clara is a calm and composed person. She’s coming from a wealthy family and good upbringing, yet she’s the modest person Rachel ever meet. A definition of perfection.
While Dianna is just an energetic woman. Able to brighten any mood as long as she entered the room. Very considerate and fun to talk with.
Actually, there’s nothing changed between those two. They were almost staying the same when Rachel met them at the school last time after the graduation ceremony.
Perhaps, it’s Rachel herself who has changed.
“Rachel. It’s nice to see you again. I don’t expect that I got your message after we lost communication the moment we’ve entered university,” Clara put her coffee back as she begins the conversation.
“Yep, yep! It surprises me too, knowing that Rachel is coming back to this city. Are you here for work, by any chance?” Again, Dianna with her passionate question.
“Slow down. We have all the time in the world.” Rachel trying to calm Dianna just a bit. “What about if we take a turn to tell each other about good news from our life?”
“Fine by me!” Dianna answered, almost like she’s shouting. While Clara nods gently as she sips again on her coffee.
“You can start first, Dianna,” Rachel suggested.
“Alright, hear me out. I think I’m thrilled since my boyfriend is asking me to go abroad. You know, vacation! Vacation!”
Rachel swears that she almost see Dianna jumps from her seat. But the said person shoves a full spoon of her strawberry parfait instead and shivering a bit because of brain freeze.
“You know how long I’ve wanted this days off. I meant, I barely got my paid leave approved! My boss really sucks like she doesn’t want to see her employee having fun just a bit. Hmph! Hmph!” She inhales for a bit. “And then, the moment I got my request approved—finally!—my boyfriend already prepared the sweetest present ever. Booking code of our flight!”
“Oh, that’s great. But are you sure about taking a vacation abroad? You said you want to buy this peculiar garment, so you’ve been saving ever since?” Clara replied.
“Naah. Actually, I have an allocation this trip, and I’ve been diligently saving! And, it’s rare for me to go abroad, so just let me feels happy for this time only. Yeah, yeah?”
Clara laughs, watching how lively her friend was. Then, she glances over her other friend, who is overwhelmed by that kind of positive energy.
“Well, that’s very nice of your boyfriend. Is it just two of you?” Rachel asked.
“Very true! This will be a memorable trip together!”
“Well, that’s indeed a piece of nice news to hear.”
“It’s my turn. I suppose I’ve told Dianna about this before. Rachel. I’m getting married next year.”
“Really?” Rachel can’t really trust her ears.
“Indeed. I’m engaged to a nice man my parents introduced to me. At first, I’m against it. But as we’re together for a while, I can trust him now.”
“That’s… actually amazing… I’ll wish for the best for you two.” Rachel claps her hands together, giving a gesture that she takes a quick pray.
“I’m honored to take such a good prayer, Rachel. Words can’t convey my gratitude to you. Now, it’s your turn. What good news coming from you, Rachel?”
“Yup, yup! I’ve been waiting for this.”
“Ah, right. My good news is…”
Rachel takes her cup closer towards her. The faint steam coming from her hot chocolate, giving her a moment to calm down.
What kind of good news should I tell them?
An image of her college life until now pictured clearly in her mind.
There‘satimewhenIwasabusedbymyalcoholicuncle .IhavenochoiceexcepttostayatthatterribleplacesinceIhavenowheretogo.Myparentscan’treallygivememoremoneyotherthanuniversitytuition, I’ vebeensuffering?Atleast,later,Icanescapefromthatwickedpersongrasp.Butmybodyalonealreadyembroideredwiththatstingingpain, hurtingsensationthatIcan’treallystand.Pain,pain,pain,pain,pain, hurthurthurthurtgoddamnit.Ican’treallytellanyonesincemyuncleisactuallyawellknownperson,evenforthepolice.IfIweretoldaboutanything,they ‘daccusemeofaliar.IthoughtIcanbreatheabitwhensomeoneiswillingtogivemeasafeplacetolive,whichismyfirstboyfriend,butthosesweetmomentswerequicklytakenfrommeasshetriedtoabusemesexually.Whatthehell,he ‘stryingtoforcemeasI ‘mdefendingmyself.Ido n’twanttoandwillneverto. ButthisturnsasaphysicalabusesinceIkeeprejectedhim,soIleavehimforgood.
Mysecondboyfriendisactuallyalifesaversincehe’ sallgloomyandstuff,sohedependedonme,whichgavemeapleasantfeelingofbeingreliableinthisrelationship.Atleast,heabletomakemefeelsecureandall.ButIdo n’tunderstandwhyIfoundhimdepressedandhanginghimselfontheneck.I ‘maskingalotofquestionsaboutwhereIcouldgowrong.Ido n’tunderstand.Doyouknowhowthatveryimageofmylovedonehangingisreallytraumatizingformeandshatteredmyheartintopieces?There ‘snosalvationandgoodsidefromthisworld,onlyprofanity,abuse,anddebauchery.Whythosethingshappenedtome?AmIreallydeservethat,orit’ sjusttheworldworksthatway?
Her grip on her hot chocolate makes the other two realizes something. Dianna isn’t really that vigorous anymore as she’s clearly concerned about Rachel. Clara got the same thought as well.
“Rachel. Are you okay?” Clara asked as she can regain Rachel’s attention once more.
“My good news, what’s it again…” Rachel’s hand is shaking.
“That’s right. My good news is… just seeing you two doing fine like this makes me really happy.”
She put her dry smile towards the other two, as Clara and Dianna can’t really reply towards that firm statement except to nod awkwardly.
That kind of bad memories, Rachel should lock that far away from her mind. At least, she’s calm and peaceful now.
Exulansis
n. the tendency to give up trying to talk about an experience because people are unable to relate to it—whether through envy or pity or simple foreignness—which allows it to drift away from the rest of your life story, until the memory itself feels out of place, almost mythical, wandering restlessly in the fog, no longer even looking for a place to land.
