A Handful of Love for You
37. Surrender

Atep POV

At half past seven in the morning, I was in front of Alena's apartment building.

Wow, since when did I start calling Ms Alena no frills again? Assyik also called out to him without mentioning 'Mom'. Is it polite to call him by name?

It's okay, I'm not a student anymore. Our age is not much different. We might be the same age as well. So, from this moment on I will call her Alena and maybe later I will call her dear. Ha-ha-ha...

I sent a message to Alena informing her that I was already in the parking lot of her apartment building.

After a while of waiting, he had not returned my message. I sent him a few more messages but he hasn't read my messages. Let alone reading the message I just sent, the message I haven't read since. Is he sick again? Or is he not awake?

I'll have his phone number immediately.

“Hallo,” heard she replied with her beautiful voice. Not the sound of someone who is sick or just waking up.

“Assalamualaikum.”

“Waalaikumsalam,” answers.

“You ready to go? I'm already under.”

“I'm already on campus,” the answer instantly pisses me off.

“Why are you on campus? What time do you go to college? Didn't I say yesterday that I would pick you up and take you to campus?”

“I have a job to do before I go to class this morning. Don't worry about it. I was already on campus. You don't have to bother.”

“You should have told me that you should go to college early. What time did you leave?”

“Hour half six. I hang up, the meeting's about to start.”

He hung up his phone before I could respond.

Facing a woman like Alena is not easy. I have to be extra patient in dealing with it.

I drove a motor to the campus. There are a few things I have to do, including handing over the draft of the thesis that I have fixed and I will volume it. After completing the lick, then I submit it to the library for archiving purposes.

After finishing the Friday prayer, I only had time to contact Alena. I sent him a message that I was waiting for him in the campus cafeteria.

After a few minutes of waiting, there was still no reply from him. My message is still not received because it looks like the message from me still tick one.

I tried to call her but it just sounded like a dial tone.

I tried to send out several messages and the result remained the same, tick one.

Then I tried to call him directly without using the app. The result was the same. Whether the phone ran out of battery or turned off.

Because my stomach was rumbling, I decided to fill my stomach first. To face Alena with all her unique attitude certainly requires a lot of energy. Alena's problem that can't be contacted later I take care of it after my stomach fills up. I'll go straight to his room.

After I finished lunch I heard one of my underclassmen say that his afternoon class was going to be a little late.

“Gaess, Ms. Alena sent us a message. He said he'd be late for a second. We were told to discuss the theme given last week.”

I clearly heard that Alena just sent a message through the Whatsapp application.

Back I saw my messages that still ticked one.

Ah, he blocked my number.

“By borrowing hapenya not?” I asked the student earlier.

“Bby, Kang.” replied the student.

“I want to contact Bu Alena, but hape me dead.”

“This, Kang.” The student gave me his cell phone.

“Oh yes, whose name are you?” ask that student.

“Rendy, Kang.”

“Four.”

“I borrow first hapenya, Ren.”

“Guilhen, Kang. Feel free,” the answer.

“Still.”

I'm looking for Alena's name in the app, lucky that Alena's name is on the first page of the conversation. Maybe because he just sent me a message.

You bitch sucks, just blocking my number.

Why did he block my number? Is he bothered by my messages? It seems like yesterday afternoon he wasn't angry after lunch with me. He even looks happy because he often smiles and laughs. Very rare thing.

I'm Atep. You blocked my number, right? Unblock it!!!

After waiting for about 5 minutes, finally my message tick 2 and blue which means he has read the message I sent using a student account that is now restless waiting for me who is still holding the phone.

“Shortly. I was waiting for Ms. Alena to reply to my message,” I said to Rendy.

“Iya, Kang. Its alright. Relax,” replied the student.

Say relax but it's staring at me. Is he afraid that I won't return his phone. I grumbled in annoyance. Upset because it turned out to be true that I thought Alena was blocking my number.

Since my message wasn't answered, I'll call him directly.

“Can I have a quota to call? Looks like Ms. Alena hasn't read the message I sent.” I asked permission from the student.

“Please, Kang,” he replied giving permission.

I called Alena and on the second ringtone she answered.

“What's up, Ren?” greet Alena friendly.

“I'm not Rendy, I'm Atep. Why are you blocking my number?”

“As far as I dong. Right me to delete or block any phone number I want.” The answer pisses me off.

“Hmm... So that's what you want?”

“Iya!” his reply firmly made me even more upset and sad.

“Good. I won't bother you anymore. Sorry if you have been disturbed by me all this time.

“Good if you are aware. Never contact me again!”

After saying his last sentence, he immediately disconnected the phone.

“Still the gap, Ren.” I handed back his phone with a confused look from that student named Rendy.

Maybe he was surprised and confused by the tone of my speech and the no-frills pronunciation of Mom to a lecturer. Let it be, I no longer care what others think.

I might give up. I'll bury my wish and dream of making Alena a couple. I don't want to be considered a stalker or a psychopath because I keep bothering him. There are many women who are better than him. If I wanted to, one word 'yes' from me, this very second I would get a partner.

I remember, tomorrow at the Iyah Tea Thanksgiving, I will be introduced to his sister Kagendra. Maybe we can be a match. Alena's gone, another woman is coming.

Goodbye Alena's…

It seems like you are too tall for me to reach. I gave up on losing before fighting even harder. You were too close to shut yourself up for me to open.

I surrendered….

Goodbye to Alena. An angel I could never get. May you be happy with a good man who loves you and loves you.

My love is back to clapping one hand.

***************

to be continued.....