Love That Starts With Hate
He stole my heart

The ballroom is so full of people from both visitors and those from travel agencies who could offer cooperation. That's what Jessica is waiting for –a deal. That way he can return to Jakarta with relief. I've seen various kinds of people who stop by here to just ask or take a brochure –from the black hair, to the blonde. They quickly passed, with no deal.

“Lo is good, Bin..," grumbled Jessica. "It could be a few more days here. Well I, same Mr. Sony, if we go home to Jakarta empty-handed, can be slaughtered by Mr. Sendra.”.

“Yang patiently, Jes, I also previously contrived blood cry with Mr. Sendra. Still mending you, if you sell a lot, can travel to Hong Kong everything. Lo is also the favorite Sales Executive of Mr. Sendra. If I'm mah, just eat the same salary of service that so doang," I said and we just watch our buyers and then run over to look around.

Jessica sounded snorting. “Eh, Bin, you keep my ‘warung’ for a while well. I'm going to the toilet first" he said, leaving.

I look around me. Not visible DoS (Director of Sales) –Pak Sony, who was standing in front of the booth. He just disappeared like Oom Jin.*

Until someone walks into the booth, and I'm yawning. Of course it looked ridiculous and I saw it was holding back a laugh. I'm rushing to be the poker-face – that's my forte right now.

He brought the goody bag that he got from other places –and the number was up to more than three so he looked troubled carrying it. He casually picked up a brochure and sat in the chair provided.

Oh, shit, why isn't Jessica back? I thought as I wiggled confusedly out the booth. Sony is invisible too!

And I'm not good marketing, of course…

I don't know how to start. I smiled faintly, sitting in the chair in front of him.

“Good day," I greeted and the man turned his head, smiling kindly.

“Siang...," he replied, looking at me for a while like someone pushed the ‘pause’ button until it was long enough.

“There can be helped?” reply, waiting for the question about room rate and other promos that we are offering through several standing banners and banners behind me that are clearly exposed a picture of a five-star hotel in downtown Jakarta.

“Oh yes..," he immediately returned his gaze to the brochure he was holding. Then it cleared its throat and he took something out of the pocket of the white shirt he was wearing. A name card.

I got that business card. Bastian Dewangga's. From his name it was discovered that he bli Bali. With the company logo named Skyline Tour. There's a phone number under his name. I looked at her for a while before her straightforward face made a slight gurgle.

For a few moments there was no meaningful conversation. I don't know how to start either because it's Jessica's job. And he hasn't come back yet. Is he not stuck in one place because he met a foreign man who he had been after yesterday? Oh naw…

“Mbak...," she rebuked me, gesturing for me to mention my name.

Oh yea!

I immediately stretched out my hand. "I'm sorry, I'm Sabina" I said and she grabbed it.

“Bastian," he replied with a charming smile.

I'm getting confused. "I don't really know much about selling" I said, hopefully not to sound ridiculous. "I just replaced Sales who went to the toilet.”.

“oh yes?” he laughed softly. "If it is not Mbak who stands there, I also do not necessarily stop by”

“Ah, no, I'm just kidding.like Ma'am also like to joke...," he said immediately, his laughter more loose and showed his teeth are white and neatly arranged like a star advertising toothpaste.

I also laughed. He's a familiar, I'm a familiar. That's enough! So that this doesn't look strange.

“I've been around since," he said, closing the brochure and looking at me. It looks like we will not discuss about room rates and meeting room facilities sold. “It looks like a full day is not enough to chat especially if chatting to bouncing everywhere”

I'm still laughing.

“Ya kayak now. I don't like talking about the meeting room, because all the explanations are already in the brochure. If Mbak clearin, free dong print a good brochure and expensive..," he jokes.

“Iya, right...," I reply.

He was silent for a moment, but still laughing.

It was our first meeting arranged in such a way by God to teach me one more lesson about love and life.

***

Jazz music is soft. Many foreigners dance on the sand of the beach that feels romantic for a couple who are drunk. I watched around me while enjoying the refreshing cold lemonade and occasionally glanced at my watch. At nine o'clock at night, but the new atmosphere is alive when it is late. So I sat there, feeling the wind blowing through my hair. For a moment I could forget my job waiting in Jakarta.

“Hey," someone greeted me and I was amazed by the figure suddenly present in front of me.

I met him this afternoon. And had a good laugh and chat. That was before Jessica came and they started talking seriously. Until Jessica finally got the deal she was waiting for from this guy. Perfect.

“Hey..," I said as I watched her sit on the empty chair in front of me. "Continuously.”.

“No coincidence, I saw you come out of the gala dinner" he said. "Here it is..”.

I smiled knot. From various kinds of parties, dinners, and lavish banquets, I prefer to be outside – aloof in the crowd. Maybe I'm tired, maybe I'm bored.  And I never asked to be visited by anyone or offered the beauty he called love.

I'm a grown woman. I'm 24 years old, I've grown so much since I was taken for granted with nothing on me. It makes me very careful or never fall in love. I do not need love beyond work, so in these three years of career there have been many names on the list of men that I refuse raw. I hold the title of Miss Independent or Miss No-Commitment, and to me that is not satire, but reality.

This man offers a handsome face with a set of riches that will probably make women in general get entangled easily. Then feel sick yourself and disappointed later in the day. I understand that pattern more than anyone thinks I'm not interested in men. But, I wasn't ready even to look into his face.

I laughed and I should have done it to someone who was friendly. He took me around in Legian, making the holidays more pronounced by walking on the beach in the sun, swimming, riding a banana boat and trying to dive. The holidays become more perfect with a special dinner in Legian and watch the kecak dance the next day.

Until the end I had to leave and I never said anything but a big thank you for all the fun experiences. I waved my hand and left because at the beginning everything felt so ordinary to me.