Second Change
Chapter 27's

"What I said, Dave! You're a liar, too!"

"What do you mean, Lia. You calm down."

David desperately held back my arms which continued to rebel.

"Take me off!" I took a few steps back from him "You said Tony didn't like me. Tony tricked me. But it turns out he still loves me. Because I didn't want to get hurt so he left. My initial guess was right that you planned all this!"

"It's not what you think, Lia. You calm down and listen to my explanation first." persuade David

"Nothing to explain anymore. Now you're gonna throw me out too, right? You instigated Om to send me home. He promised to buy my parents' house. Again you, Dave. Wanna see me as badly as anything else?!" roaku.

"I didn't bring you back. You misunderstood me, Lia. Pliss listen to me?" David extended his hand to me while advancing two steps carefully.

My heart hurts too much to hear his lies. Everything's been uncovered. My brain was too messed up to figure out one by one David's lies all along.

"Enough Dave! I heard it myself!"

"Young, pliss. I don't know what you've heard. But not as you think. Maybe you just heard a piece. Let's go home, me and Dad will explain it to you."

David swiftly caught one hand and followed it with a second.

"You want to go to college, right? Go, Lia. You want us to split up for a moment? If that's what you want, I'll do it. You want to rebuild your parents' house? Me and dad will do their best." David sternly looked me in the eye.

"But why did you say you'd make sure I went back to my parents' house?" nanar

"After your college is over, you need a place to stay right? You can go back to your parents' house. Misconceived citizen business with you, I'll take care of it."

"If Tony? You said he cheated me. But he actually still likes me. You've separated us."

"Even if you love each other, the fact that you can not unite is certain. Tony has his own reasons. And I separated you guys also have my own reasons. From the beginning you should have understood. You have chosen me. This matter has nothing to do with Tony anymore." David wiped my tears. "We're home."

David turned his back on me, put one of my hands on my shoulder, and then lifted me up his back.

"I'll ask you to explain. I'm starting to like you. She said you were a strong girl, as if no storm could topple you. Just like Mom used to."

"Did Om really say that?" ask me from behind his wide back.

"My father and I had a chance to negotiate a university that has a private mess. So you can go to college comfortably."

Tears that had stopped two minutes ago, now flowed again wet David's shirt. "I'm sorry."

"Have you believed me?" tannya

"I couldn't accept it at first. But after I think about it, college is your dream. Without me, you might be able to focus more. I'm willing to wait for you."

I buried my face on David's shoulder and cried for the umpteenth time. But this time because I was moved and regretted that I misunderstood her.

...****************...

After apologizing with Om, Auntie and Emi, David and I went back to our apartment. Along the way, David held my hand. The car drove through the sea and the beach. The night view from the bridge is beautiful. Although it has been a few times past this place, only this time I passed by with a feeling of relief and happiness.

"Remember we're sitting on that beach? I ordered fried rice at the restaurant but I didn't eat it." I said breaking the silence.

"On the beach, for the first time I fell in love" he said, smiling.

"Who's in love? Your first love? When's that?" tanyaku. When else can we go through David's past.

"You. Who else am I going to the beach with?"

Me? Wasn't we fighting at the time? I could fall in love with her at a time like that.

"Wouldn't you take me to the beach that day because you want to drown me?" candaku

David laughing.

"Not so," David glanced at me "because I'm already in love with you."

Is someone's feeling really that simple? Are we really in love with each other at a certain moment or because we are stuck with our emotions? Can this instant feeling last long?

Throughout this journey I thought about what would be my priority right now. I was given another chance to fulfill my dream. A dream I thought would never come true because of economic constraints. The bad things in my life may have passed and then the good things that will meet my days.

I looked at David who was seriously driving. 'I'm sorry, Dave. You are not my priority at the moment. I promise I'll be a better version when I show up in front of you later.'

I'll be the woman you deserve. Although you never mind my status, and even though I'm crawling from the bottom, but I promise, I do, I will stand before you with the social status you deserve as an expression of gratitude for everything you and your family have given me.

"What do you think?" Her question suddenly broke my daydream balloons.

"It's okay." I turned my attention to the streets.

David stroked my head while still focusing on driving on the crowded streets even though it was ten at night. It turned out to be this hour, I deserved to be sleepy. I closed my eyes enjoying the AC and instrumental music that I did not know the title of. David always plays instrumental songs while driving. And for the first time I enjoyed the music that when before I felt very boring because there was no singing. It fits with David's calm, assertive, cold personality, but he's been warm and considerate lately.

I yawned for the third time and fell asleep.