Chapter 2 Part 1

“What do you keep day dreaming, Sweetheart? Is there something bothering you in your heart and mind?” Miranti asked her only daughter. The 17 years old girl shook her head gently. Her eyes returned to the streets of the capital city which were very foreign to her. “You don’t like living with Mommy?” Miranti’s eyes glazed over. “Uh, no, Mom, that is not true. What are you talking about? I really like living with you. It is just that ….” Melody did not continue her words. “Just what, My Daughter?” “It is just that I miss Daddy, Mom.” She answered sadly. Miranti hugged her daughter, stroking gently her daughter’s flowing long hair. It is not easy for her to live a life like this, especially her daughter is still very young to suppress the bitther pill. However, how else? In fact, now she and her husband are divorced. The man prefers a woman whose age is not too far from his daughter. “Daddy is gone, Sweetheart. We have to accept that.” She replied trying to calm her down. Even though she knew, her daughter would not be calm with her words. “That means I am not Daddy’s daughter anymore, Mom?” Tears started to fall from Melody’s eyes. Miranti gently wiped the tears that started to roll down Melody’s cheeks. Again and again she hugged Melody in her arms. “Dear My Lovely Daughter, you will forever be Daddy’s daughter.” “But, why does not Daddy want to be with us, Mom?” Miranti was silent. She did not even know why. *** Ring … ring … ring …. The house telephone in the room rang, breaking the concentration of the four boys in gray and white uniforms who were playing the play station. “Answer the call, Joe!” Brian said commanding. “You are interrupting the son of the biggest benefactor and chairman of the school’s foundation?” Joshua asked in disbelief. “Gosh! Don’t overdo it, Joe! Queen Elisabeth would not be too proud to answer phone calls.” Fredo said angrily. Joshua looked at his best friends in annoyance. Just wait for my revenge on you all! Joshua said in a vengeful heart. Even so, the boy still obeyed – accepted the incoming call on the house phone. “Hel—” “Go home now or Daddy will confiscate your car and your ATM card?” Joshua swallowed his saliva. He shouldn’t have answered the call because it turned out to be Christian – his father. “Yes, Dad, I am going home now.” Joshua replied, he relented. He had no other choice but to do what his father said. He did not want the facilities provided by his father to be confiscated. Christian decides the phone call unilaterally. Limply, Joshua also took the car keys which he placed on the table near several jars of food. “Where are you going?” Brian who eyes were still busy with his play station asked. “Go home.” Joshua answered shortly. “Why come home early?” Alfan asked. “Yes, why do you want come home early? You are like Cinderella who is afraid to come home late at night.” Fredo – who was still focused on the game on the television screen asked. “Are you sleepy?” Alfan asked, he surprised. Unlike usual his best friend came home early. “Joe, if you are sleepy, you can sleep in my bedroom.” Brian said. Joshua shook his head. “My Daddy told me to go home now.” Joshua replied. “Why did Uncle Chris suddenly tell you to come home early? What is wrong? Are you going to be secluded?” Fredo asked carelessly. Joshua shrugged his shoulders. “He only threatened me – if I don’t want to go home now, he will take all the facilities he gave me including my car and ATM card.” “I am sorry, Joe, when it comes to parents, I don’t dare to keep you here.” Alfan said, he surrendered. “Yes, instead of going to school you have to walk because your car was confiscated by your daddy – it is really scary.” Fredo said. “There could be an uproar in one world later.” Brian said. “I will go to home now.” Joshua said good bye, he walked languidly out of Brian’s house. “Take care, Joe!” Brian exclaimed which was only answered by a wave of hands by Joshua. “I am worried about Joshua.” Fredo said. “Me too.” Alfan replied. “Never mind, let’s just pray for the beast, hopefully his father does not make him have to walk to school.” Brian said, to which Alfan and Fredo answered ‘amen’. *** Joshua honked his car horn, making a security guard who was on duty in front of his house surprised and immediately opened the fence for him. “What is your function here just to sleep? Do you want to be paid or not?” Joshua protested in an annoyed tone. The security just bowed, then apologized for his carelessness. Alyana rushed out as soon as she saw her eldest son was already in front of the house. “Joe, come on in!” She said in a whisper as she waved her hand towards Joshua. Joshua entered the house following Alyana. He was a little surprised to find a lot of people already gathered in his living room, including Jayden. His twin – for some reason – refused when he was invited to playing play station with members of The Crush. The reason is he was boring to play an old game. “Hi, Everyone, he is Joshua – our eldest son.” Alyana said, inviting the attention of many people. “Joe, say hi to them, please!” Alyana whispered right in his ear. “Hi, All, I am Joshua.” Joshua said. “Wow, your children are very handsome, Alyana.” “Yes, very handsome.” “Equally handsome twins.” “Their faces are very similar to their mom.” “Eh, don’t get wrong! Their good looks have decreased from me.” Christian said, not wanting to lose. Christian’s answer immediately made everyone laugh. Especially when Christian deliberately pretends to be sulking so that everyone there admits that his two sons look like him. “Joe, when do you want to visit our house?” A man of Christian’s age who they used to call Uncle Dedi said. “Yes, that’s right, Joe rarely visits our house now. Angel always asks for you, Joe.” Desi – Dedi’s wife said. “Hehe, next time I will visit your house, Aunty, Uncle.” Joshua answered awkwardly. “It is a must for you to visit us. Don’t you miss Angel?” Joshua just smiled awkwardly. Missing Angel? Absolutely not! Who is Angel in his heart? Nothing more than a sister to him. All matchmaking is just a plan and a stup*d fantasy. Joshua does not love Angel at all, even though that woman has tried a million times to get his attention. “All your sons are very handsome.” “Of course because their parents are also handsome and beautiful, they must be handsome too.” Joshua and Jayden looked at each other, they were tired of worse like that which they thought were very monotonous. “Dad, Mom, and Everyone, I will go to my room now.” Joshua said. “Me too.” Jayden replied and follow his twin. Christian and Alyana looked at each other, as if throwing the blame by saying, ‘look at your two sons!’ “I am sorry, Everyone. I am sorry, Angel, Jayden has to go to his campus tomorrow at six in the morning. Meanwhile, Joshua has daily exams at his school tomorrow, so they need to study in their room tonight.” Alyana said, of course she lying. “It is not a big problem, Sis. We can understand that. Angel is like that too, every day she has to go to campus in the morning, so she does not have time to hang out with her friends or just relax.” Desi replied. While in the room, both Jayden and Joshua, no one studied as Alyana said earlier. Jayden is busy with his painted, this man has had a hobby of painting since he was a child. Alyana even holds a painting exhibition every month in Jayden’s small gallery. Many admire in work of the 19 years old boy. Different from his twin brother, in Joshua’s room busy playing. Online games on his favorite computer. No wonder if Joshua is still in the second grade of high school, while Jayden is already in college. Knock … knock … knock …. Jayden stopped his painting activity, he turned to his twin who was still busy playing the online game. Joshua did not even take his eyes off the computer screen in the slightest. It seems that if there is an earthquake or tsunami, Joshua still won’t care. He’d rather be hit the ruins of a building than lose a second of his game time. “Joe.” Jayden was still awake while looking at his twin who did not even care about someone calling his name. “Joe.” The girl outside the room was still calling out Joshua’s name. “Hey, don’t you hear your girlfriend keep calling your name?” Jayden asked, trying to resuscitate Joshua. “My girlfriend? Who?” Joshua asked. Finally, Jayden could distract him from the game. “Angel.” Jayden answered in a very low voice. “Is not she your girlfriend?” Joshua annoyed. “You are her fiancé.” Jayden teased. “If it was not for the st*pid matchmaking made by Daddy and Mommy, I would not be engaged to her.” Joshua said. “Never mind! There, meet your fiancé first.” Jayden said, teasing his twin while pressing on the word ‘your fiancé’, making Joshua glared at him. However, Joshua finally relented and opened the door for Angel who had been waiting for him. “Why are you here?” Joshua said straight to the point. He was very lazy to just make small talk with the girl in front of him. “Could you be a little gentle with your fiancé, Joe?” Jayden shouted from inside the room. “Can you shut up? If not, I will ask the grim reaper to sew your mouth or take you to the afterlife.” Joshua said, he annoyed. Jayden was silent. He chose to continue painting instead of having to argue with endless Joshua. Jayden already knows very well how Joshua’s character is. His twin was very good at arguing. “Say what you want to say now!” Joshua snapped, making Angelica surprised. “Ehm, I want to say that we are engaged and—” “DON’T BEAT AROUND THE BUSH AND GET TO THE POINT, ANGELICA!” Joshua raised his voice even more. “Sshh .... Joe, lower your voice! I don’t want her parents to hear this.” Jayden said quietly but still audibly. “I want to take you to—” BANG! Angelica had not finished speaking, Joshua had slammed the door very hard, leaving the girl frozen in front of the closed door. Joshua did not care even though the girl complained to her parents while crying. Who is Angelica in his life? Nothing but a daughter of his parents’ business partners. Even that engagement – ah, Joshua really does not want to think that st*pid ceremony is an engagement.