Chapter 9: Do Y*u Wanna Be My Girlfriend?

"Here is the place of the whose sell the best bakso*!"

Eza's motorbike stops right at the parking lot which has been filled with two-wheeled vehicles.

Zia got down from Eza's motorcycle seat and saw the tent in front of her, there was really crowded, and the smell of meatball's soup was smelled up when she was standing.

"Come in," Eza gently pushed Zia's back, invited her to enter the tent and sit on the last empty seat. "What do you want to order?"

Zia glanced briefly at the menu on the table. "Bakso urat* with orange juice," Zia answered.

"Okaay, wait for a moment."

Eza seems will be walked forward, going to order bakso while Zia returns to struggling with her phone screen to reduce boredom.

"Excuse me, is this place empty?" a man asked Zia. In his hand was a tray filled with bakso and his face was like someone in his late twenties.

"Sorry, it's filled." Eza, who came from nowhere, immediately stopped the movement of the man who wanted to sit next to Zia. "If you want to sit down here, please take off your shoes first."

Eza's words made people immediately look at the man's shoes, including Zia. They were surprised when they saw the mirror glass shredded between the shoelaces.

"Uh, you are pervert!" snarled an old woman on the other side.

"It's so annoying, oh my, in public again!" The woman from the other table connected.

"Damn it," grumbled the man who was embarrassed because his action was caught.

"Eza!" shouted Zia who was surprised when she saw the strange man pushed the tray in his hand against Eza, made Eza's clothes filled with meatballs.

Zia stood up and hurriedly handed a tissue to Eza. The woman's face was panicked, made Eza laugh when he saw her.

"Why are you laughing?" Zia pursed Eza's response.

"Because you are so funny when you are so worried. It's okay, Zi. I'm fine." Eza answered.

"But it's hot." Zia again handed the tissue in her hand. "You will blister your skin later, how?"

Eza didn't reply. Instead, he led Zia to sit back down. "Alright, now you just sit again. Soon our order for bakso will arrive."

While the diners at the other tables were still grumbling about the incident just now, Eza and Zia sat back down quietly even though Zia was now feeling anxious. He checked down several times.

"It's okay, Zia. It's safe, I be there to make sure that nothing will be happend to you," Eza tried to calm Zia down. "Sorry, because the incident before made you felt worry."

Zia smiled at Eza. "Thank you for protecting me," she said sincerely. At the same time, the servants came and brought their orders.

"Um, Sir. Sorry for the inconvenience. We didn't know this incident could happen."The waiter immediately apologized for the inconvenience that had just occurred.

"Alright, it's okay. It's just that visitors should pay more attention, too. So they will not makes the visitors feel worry. " Eza gently and without raising the intonation gave input. Even without intonation, every word that comes out is conveyed in a straightforward manner.

"Okay, Sir. Sorry again, Miss as our apologies, this order is free for you, Sir and Miss. It may not be able to correct our mistakes, but this is a sign of our apologies. "

The servant put down one by one the bowl and glass from the tray which he brought to the table. When finished, he apologized again. "We are so sorry about the accident, Miss, Sir."

"It's okay. The incident was also unexpected. We accept your apology. Thank you." Eza ended.

"Thank you, Sir, Miss." The waiter thanked to him several times before finally leaving Zia and Eza.

“Try it, Zi. The meatballs here are super delicious, especially we are not paying for this." Eza ended his sentence in a whisper, making Zia laugh.

"Hahah ... yeah. I'll try."

Zia was just about to put the spoon into her mouth, but Eza held the spoon instead.

"Stooop ... pray first."

"Ah, how could I forgot it!" Zia patted her forehead, made Eza laugh at her. Zia then put the spoon back into the bowl and she immediately prayed.

Without realizing it, Eza took a photo of his calm face while praying.

Creck!

Eza forgot to turn off the shutter sound on his cellphone. When Zia finished praying, Zia glared at him.

"What's wrong?" asked Eza, pretending to be stupid and didn't understand Zia's gaze.

"What was that sound?" asked Zia.

"That ... the next table was very busy taking photos." Eza whispered.

Zia turned her head to find the diners at the next table taking pictures of their newly arrived dishes. Looks like Eza was not lying, she then continues eating.

"How's the taste? Is it good?" Eza kept asking Zia's opinion about the taste of the meatballs.

"Hmm ...," Zia seemed busy chewing and ignored Eza's question. "It's delicious, but ..."

"But what?" asked Eza. The man became impatient to hear Zia's review.

"Eza looks at Zia, always. Zia feels awkward when Zia ate the meatballs." Zia said with a flushed face, made Eza laugh instead. "Uh ... why are you laughing?"

Eza shook his head. "No, it's okay. After all, you're so cute, hahahah! " Eza still couldn't stop laughing.

"Whatever." Zia ignored Eza and then continued eating.

Eza who was sitting next to Zia was still staring at Zia. Men ignore it even though Zia feels uncomfortable and wants to avoid it. "Zii ...," he called.

"Hmm ... what?" asked Zia without turning to Eza. Zia cannot be seen by Eza, especially now that Eza is still staring at him endlessly.

"You ... do you want to be my girlfriend?"

"Pfft ... cough! Cough! " Zia, who was enjoying the meatball sauce, coughed at Eza's question.

Eza hurriedly handed Zia's ice. "Drink first Zi!" he said.

Zia immediately took the water offered by Eza and drank it until the remaining half. "W-what were you saying?" Zia asked stammered, between embarrassed and confused.

“Alright, don't think about it first. Just finish to eat your meatballs, first."

Eza smiled warmly, tried to makes Zia feel comfortable to continue eating.

To be honestly, Zia, she heard clearly what Eza had said earlier. She just ... she wanted Eza to say that back, but the man didn't seem interested at all.

"I'm full," said Zia lazily who had lost her appetite.

"Okay, I'll take you home, okay?"

... -toxic- ...

Since earlier, Zia has not focused at all. She was really lazy to finish her calculus task that was currently in front of him. Her eyes were still staring at the wall in front of her blankly, while she thoughts drifted somewhere.

"Is he ... serious, is he?" Zia asked herself.

Thought back to what Eza said for a long time made her dizzy. “Aaa! Pissed off from my head!" she shouted.

"Zi? Are you okay?" Outside of her room, Gwen knocked softly on Zia's door.

"It's okay, I'm okay," replied Zia.

"Are you sure it's okay?" Naya replied.

"Yes, I'm fine!" Zia tried to convince them both.

"Oh, okay."

The sound of footsteps seemed to move away from Zia's door. Zia again tried to focus on the literature books and notebooks on his desk.

"Ah, alright. Don't think about it, Zi. Continue studying!" said she to herself.

-To be Continued-

Note:

Bakso is the translation of Meatballs in Bahasa Indonesia, and Bakso Urat are one of the variance from Bakso.