Jingga was at the Love Cafe, sipping coffee while watching people pass by on the street. The cafe became his favorite hangout when he was doing nothing or spending time. They have great coffee and he can easily tell what's going on outside. This cafe is close to the highway.
Jingga was sighing, when he suddenly saw his parents enter the cafe, he stood up to greet them.
"Hello, Mom." Jingga greeted his mother while kissing her cheek. Then turned to dad and hugged him. "Hello, dad."
After that, he returned to his desk and waited for his parents to sit down first.
"How are you?" Jingga asked.
Her mother sighed before saying. "Jing, when are you getting married?"
He was taken aback by his mother's question. How could they immediately discuss marriage, while Jingga wanted to ask about longing because they had not seen each other for months?
"Mama, I'm not ready yet...."
"Strange virgin!" Her mother cut Jingga's sentence with a smile. "You're ready, Jing. Just so you know, actually Mama already has a suitable candidate for you."
He grimaced. Again, her mother wanted to introduce her to someone, even though none of her mother's chosen candidates had ever liked her.
"Mom, I'm sure whoever Mama chooses will be a good man, but not necessarily a match for me." Jingga said and a fake smile appeared on his lips.
"Jingga, come on. That's not true," said his mother, touching Jingga's hand. "You're twenty-nine years old. It's time you had a child!"
As her mother spoke, she grimaced. What his mother said really disgusted him. She looked at her father, squinting to see if he didn't care or was just pretending to read the newspaper. However, Jingga couldn't get a defense from his father.
He turned his gaze to his mother, taking a deep breath before speaking. "Mom, okay, I'll try to date her first." He said with a fake smile. He thought that if he refused his mother's offer, it would only prolong the problem.
His mother smiled widely. "Aww, you are so kind, my dear. All right, Mama will call Lodrick now," he said as he pressed the phone button.
Jingga looked at his mother strangely. "Does Mama have the man's number?"
Her mother looked up from her cell phone. "Yes. I'm sure you'll like him. I promise Lodrick is a gentleman."
Instead of answering mom, he just smiled hard at her. She really couldn't say anything else, only hearing the conversation between mother and Lodrick. Frustration made him take a sip of coffee.
Suddenly his mother startled him.
"Well, Lodrick agreed to date you! His full name is Lodrick Gamez," he said as he put down the phone. "You'll meet me at Igor Restaurant. Mama told him you'd be wearing a white dress."
"What? White dress? Mom, that's tacky!"
His mother gave him a sharp look. "Jing, a white dress is a formal dress for a woman like you!"
Orange laughed. "Okay, Mom, it's up to you."
"Okay, my dear. Mommy and Daddy are leaving anyway. We're going somewhere else."
"Okay. Be careful."
"You too, my dear, be careful. Don't forget your date with Lodrick."
Jingga grimaced remembering the alarm on a date later by his mother. "Sure, Mom. I won't forget it."
They stood up and said goodbye before parting ways. His parents seemed to have no other goal than to match Jingga with Lodrick. While Jingga thought that they would bond as a family but that was just a wish.
He took a deep breath then exhaled. How he would date because of his mother.
He stood up and then left the cafe. He walked to his car which was in the parking lot. As he was about to open his car, someone tapped him on the shoulder. When he saw who it was, his lips parted slightly.
The man in front of him looked like a strange celebrity. Quite a few inches taller than him. He was wearing a black polo shirt and denim jeans. His eyes were as tantalizing as melted chocolate. Her hair is jet black. Jingga did not expect that there was such a handsome man, with a pointed nose and thin lips that looked soft. He has a sparse mustache. Although Jingga never liked a man with a mustache because he thought he looked dirty, this man was different. His mustache adds manliness and it suits him. Unfortunately, it smells really good. That's what Orange wants from a man, a nice scent.
The man smirked. "I know I'm handsome, but you don't have to open your mouth wide. A fly will come in."
Orange automatically closed her open mouth. "I'm not admiring you, am I!" Jingga dodged.
The man laughed. "Hmm. Yes. It's fine, all the women I must be crazy about. I'm sure you're no different from them."
Orange was astonished. "Wow. You're so confident, Woy!"
"I'm just speaking facts. You are amazed by my good looks, right?"
Orange looked back at him. Yes, this man is beautiful, but also very arrogant. Honey, that was one of the qualities she hated in a man. Such a man must be a crocodile.
"What do you need and why are you touching me? If you're lost, ask Google Map. Ask them, don't ask me!"
"I'm sure Google Maps doesn't know your name."
Jingga's lips parted in surprise. "What!"
"I tapped your shoulder to get your attention so I could ask your name."
"What?"
The man rolled his eyes and held out his hand to shake it. "Hi, I'm Carlos. What's your name?"
"Orange."
Carlos smiled.
"Jingga. Hmm ... a good name," he said as he let go of his hand. "See you later, Jing!" After that, he passed in front of Jingga and got into the car parked next to his car.
Ginga shook his head gently. What just happened was very strange. He thought the man wanted to ask for directions so he touched him, but he only asked what his name was.
Jingga got angry when he got into his car and drove to his condo unit.
#####
While driving to his parent's house, Carlos called Radit, one of his close friends with connections to the Land Transportation Office. They were his high school classmates and even though they had different subjects in College, they never lost touch with each other. He was one of the true friends Carlos could reach out to.
"Hey DIt. Can I ask you a favor?"
Radit replied sarcastically, "I'm fine. Thank you for asking."
"Do I still have to ask if you're all right? I just came from over there at your workshop."
"What do you want help with?"
"I'll send you the license plate number. Can you not tell who the owner is and where he lives?"
Radit laughed on the other side. "Woah, you're stalking someone, huh?"
Carlos rolled his eyes. "Why would I stalk someone? That's the license plate of the person who hit my car. He ran away. Luckily I got his license plate."
“Halih… just a trivial matter, don't worry about it! Don't chase the owner. Just let it go. Just take your car to the repair shop and I'll fix it.”
"You don't really want to help!"
Raditz sighed. "Fine. I'll help you. Send me the license plate number, I'll call you later."
"Okay, thanks."
"Does not matter."
Carlos turned off the call and sent Radit the license plate number. After that, he threw his phone on the dashboard, then focused all his attention on the road.
After twenty minutes, he finally arrived at his parents' house. His cell phone rang just in time. He picked up the phone on the dashboard and when he saw Radit calling, he quickly answered it.
"How, do you already know who the owner of the plate is?" Carlos immediately asked just as he answered the call.
"Yes. The car belongs to Jingga Amelia. Twenty-nine years old and she lives in Mawar Condominium, tenth floor, unit one-zero-five."
"Status?"
"Bachelor." Raditz laughed. "Wow, you didn't ask when his birthday was?"
"No, thank you."
"Okay."
Carlos ended the call with a smile on his face. Orange Amelia. Hmm. Good name.
#######
Before Jingga entered Manda Restaurant, he arranged the white dress he was wearing.
"Excuse me, a reservation for Lodrick Gamez?"
The waiter smiled at him. "This way, ma'am."
Orange was led to a table where a slender man was sitting and wearing glasses.
Unlucky! So this is Lodrick?
"Mr. Gamez, your date has arrived." The waiter said to the man and Jingga was horrified.
He tried to smile at the man and sat on the empty chair. "Hi, good evening."
"Good night to you too." Lodrick's voice cracked.
Orange grimaced. Is this what mom says suits her? Lord!
"I'm Orange Amelia."
"Your mother is right, you are very beautiful."
Orange faked a smile. "Thank you."
Lodrick smiled. "My name is Lodrick. My hobbies are golf and bowling." He laughs and looks cute! "By the way, I've ordered for you. I'm sure you'll like it."
Oh my God, help me! Jingga silently prayed to God.
He wanted to thank the waiter who had served Lodrick's order. While eating, Lodrick told him about his business and the places he had visited. He just nodded firmly as Lodrick told the story. She didn't really know but an hour was enough to talk to him, so she knew he was just one of those people who always wanted attention and that was what she disliked the most.
He really felt relieved when dinner was over. When Lodrick offered to drive, he refused. When Lodrick asked if they could have dinner again in the next few days, he refused and told him that Lodrick wasn't his type and should find another woman. Orange felt bad, but that was better than making him hopeful.
When he returned to his condo unit, Jingga immediately undressed and lay down on the bed. Wearing nothing but a blanket. He was like that when he slept, he had to be naked because otherwise, he wouldn't sleep well.
After a few minutes of closing his eyes, sleepiness finally snatched his consciousness.
The next morning, Jingga woke up because of the sound coming from his cellphone. He slowly opened his eyes and grabbed the phone on the nightstand.
"Hello?" His voice still sounded sleepy.
"Orange Amelia! Why are you humiliating Lodrick!?" His mother shouted angrily from the other side. "He was just trying to be nice that's why he asked you out again-"
"Mom, I don't like it."
The next morning, the day was ruined. "I don't need a date, okay? Lodrick isn't my type. So please, leave me alone."
"Don't be rude to Mother, Jing! I am your mother. Lodrick is a good man. You two are perfect."
Ginga narrowed his eyes. "Mom, please, stop messing with my romance!"
Jinga hung up the call and removed the battery from his phone. She knew her mother wouldn't stop calling her until she agreed to date Lodrick again. Good grief! Is it why mom doesn't understand that she doesn't like Lodrick?
Instead of going back to sleep, he got up and walked to the kitchen to make some coffee. Confidently she walks naked in her condo unit because she knows no one can see her.
After making coffee, he was about to put on some music. While drinking coffee, he ground steadily.
When he heard a knock on the door, he turned down the speaker volume and went to the door to check who was knocking.
The door opened. Jingga was very shocked that the man who knocked on his door was the man who tapped him on the shoulder in the cafe parking lot.
"What are you doing here?".
The man didn't answer; he just looked at her from head to toe. Then a smirk emerged from his lips. "Is today your birthday, because you really have an amazing birthday suit."
Orange's brow furrowed. "What birthday dress are you saying?" Her lips parted at the sight of herself and realized that there was not a single thread covering her body. "Aaaaah, dammit!"
He slammed the door and covered his mouth. His eyes bulged in shock. She just froze where she stood as the man's gaze caressed her like a broken plaque replaying in her brain. Why did I forget not to wear clothes?
He was surprised to hear another knock.
"Hey, open!" Shout from outside. "I didn't see anything, really!"
Instead of answering, Jingga ran to his room to get dressed.
