The Delayed Soul
Chapter 20

After arriving at the front fence, immediately Pak Tarno opened the gate.

My eyes widened with shock at the sight of Adam's car in the front yard of my house, but I saw in the carport there was no car belonging to my parents, meaning it was safe he had not met them himself.

I looked at the phone screen with ten missed calls and five new messages sent by Mama.

[Today Papa same Mama want to get out of town maybe tomorrow just come home, you are careful at home do not wander] Message from Mama.

[One more! Papa advised not to meet often or even go out with Adam again, please keep a little distance yes dear] Second message from Mama.

And the other three messages were notifications from the class group.

Even Adam didn't tell him he was going home.

With heavy steps I entered the house, however I could not avoid it anymore.

Although I was actually afraid of meeting Adam, I was afraid that he was disappointed by Papa's reply.

I got out of the car and went into the house, where I dared to meet Adam.

"Hi Dam, it's been here a long time?" I asked after opening the living room door.

"Lumayan, about two hours ago"

"Why are you here? how come tumben didn't bother me first?"

"Look at your phone, how many times do I call?"

Adam's question managed to make me clumsily unable to answer anything.

"I'm just here to say, tomorrow will be a holiday when I want to take you to the Park of Love because there are important things that I want to talk about" he said.

"Why not talk now?" My toot.

"Tomorrow" he answered briefly.

"Oh okay tomorrow, but we'll see you there because I have other business first"

"It's up to you, the important thing is to tell each other"

"okay! I'll tell you what time it is" tomorrow"

"Well, would I go home first?"

"Well! doang? don't want to eat first?" I asked stale bases.

"Still full" he answered briefly then passed away.

🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞

The next day, the next,

Last night I could not sleep because I was anxious to think about what serious conversation Adam would discuss this time.

[Share located the Garden of Love Dam! I forgot the place] Fill my message to Adam before leaving.

Ten minutes later my phone shook, it seemed like Adam was replying to my message.

[Share located]

Adam sent me the location of the Garden of Love which I then opened and followed his directions.

Forty-five minutes I had reached my destination, and immediately called Adam to find out where he was.

"Hello Dam" My greeting after taking the call from me.

"How is Ti? what's up?" Ask from the phone.

"Yes, I'm from the south, where are you?"

"Jalan aja to the west, I sit on the bench Park precisely under the gasebo" he replied.

"How's the car?"

"Well, my car's not far from where you parked"

"Okay, get me there now" I put my phone back in and started walking west.

About a hundred meters from where I was standing, I saw the gasebo that Adam said on the phone, but there didn't seem to be anyone there.

I walked closer, maybe my vision was wrong.

"Well he said here, but the guy doesn't exist" I said after arriving at the gasebo.

"Should you take it?" Greet someone from behind me.

"Eh makes you surprised, where did you come from?" I asked someone who turned out to be Adam.

"Buy a drink there" Adam pointed to the street vendor who was selling across the street.

"Sit down first, drink let's relax" he asked.

"Dam, what serious thing do you want to talk about ?" Askaqua.

"So you want to go straight without us, just relax? you just came?"

"I don't have much time Dam, because there's other business" I said reasoned.

"What place did you want this to be?" Ask.

"Yes the park, right ? from the first mah emang Taman, how the hell do you do it so, we used to play here often if the school holidays"

"Your last answer is what I want to hear" he said.

"meaning?" I asked because I was confused.

"What about my invitation? do you accept it or not? I don't have much time anymore" Ti"

I was silent a thousand languages because I was preparing the right answer for Adam, because I did not want to disappoint him.

"Why did he? or let's go to the tree house now"

"To the tree house? we've been there the complex is empty and already surrounded by weeds"

"Relax, I told people to clean up"

"That's your intention Dam"

•••••

Twelve o'clock in the afternoon we drove to the tree house, about an hour's drive from the Love Garden.

After a tiring journey, we both finally arrived in front of the portal into the complex.

We continued on foot because the lever of the portal was rusty so it could not be raised, forced our car to park outside.

Sure enough as Adam said, the road to the tree house was clean no bushes were in the way.

"Finally, tired, right?" Adam asked after he got under the tree house.

"Lumayan, here's a drink" I held out a plastic bag containing various drinks and snacks.

"Drink it above aja more exciting like, yuk ride" Invite him.

"Good? I was sitting under that chair" I was surprised by Adam's invitation.

Since this tree house was made I never once climbed on it, actually I am not phobic with height only if it has gone up will not be able to go down.

"Let's go up Ti, your house is also the second floor why you should be afraid of only ten footings of the stairs only" But Adam still forced me to go up to the top of the tree house.

"This is the footing of the stairs is different Dam" I said.

"Again, this gini you step on the wood and hold his hand in the pond" said Adam while exemplifying how to ride.

"Judah I tried first" I slowly climbed the footing on the stairs as practiced by Adam just now.

Unknowingly, I was almost at the top of the tree house.

"Well that's brave" said Adam as he grabbed my hand to help climb up.

Adam and I were sitting next to each other on the front side of the tree house, your feet swinging down, looking around at the deserted atmosphere of the complex.

"I want to know the answer from you today" Suddenly Adam's voice resuscitated my daydream.

"Jaja...What answer?" I'm nervous.

My heart was pounding, cold sweat pouring out it was like running away from Adam.

"The answer to my invitation was engaged yesterday" he said without further ado.

"Oh that's yes" I answered stiffly.

"Yes, so how?" Ask.

"Sorry Dam, for now I don't have the right answer for you" I tried to speak calmly.

"Why? your parents disagree?" Guess Adam.

"No, I just still need to think about it too soon" I denied his guess.

"I don't want to lose you again Ti" he said.

"Tomorrow I give you certainty, for today I cannot yet" I answered confidently.

"Please, love me reassurance today Ti" he asked.

"OK if you make it, actually when you say it tomorrow morning I immediately talk to them before going to campus, but yes as you guessed, Papa has not allowed me to be bound by an engagement relationship with someone even he forbids me to meet and must keep a distance from you, if the mother anyway I sure agree" I stared fixedly at the sky.

"That's why you've been avoiding me lately?" Ask.

"Actually I've been saying this from yesterday, but I'm afraid to make you disappointed and stay away from me" This time I looked closely at Adam, our eyes fixed on each other.

"Yes, it's not Ti, even if you directly say from the beginning I will definitely find a way to convince your Papa" he replied confidently.

"Sorry Dam, I was really confused when it was going to be" I felt so guilty about Adam hanging it up.

"When we don't have two days left, you want to help me make Papa you sure?"

I was curious to know what Adam would do to convince Papa, whereas I knew his father was stubborn if he had chosen a decision that could not be shaken anymore.

"I will come to your house directly with my parents, who knows your Papa can be destroyed if those who speak, all you need to do is they are not busy at home" he replied.

"But Dam, if for example papa remains strong as his decision kasian your parents, I do not want to make them later embarrassed and even make us far away" said I worried.

"What's wrong with us dear friendmi, promise yes we fight never give up" He usually calls me with a call like that.

"What was that?" I asked him to repeat his words.

"It's okay, go home already this afternoon" Invite him to divert the conversation, It doesn't feel like we've both been here a long time.

We decided to go home, before we took the time to stop by one of the restaurants that are famous for their culinary delights.

☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️

Adam drove me home but only to the gate because I was afraid that Papa would come home and find out I was being ushered in by Adam would be furious.

After getting out of Adam's car I hurriedly told him to leave, then went inside using the spare key I brought.

When I reached the front porch I saw their car was not in the carport, immediately I entered the house because it was night.

When I entered the atmosphere was still quiet there was only a television that was still on, maybe Bik Inah or Mbak Lastri forgot to turn it off.

"Where did Tiar come home at this hour? he said college is off?"

There was a voice that was familiar to me, immediately I approached the source of the sound, it turned out there were Papa and Mama who were sitting down while eating instant noodles.

"Well, Dad, did Mom come home? why isn't the car there?" I asked to divert the conversation.

"Don't have to switch the conversation, where have you been?" Papa repeated his question.

"From going out there's a sudden assignment" I told a lie.

"Jain duty until this night? you have learned to lie to Papa" he said after sitting on the sofa.

"okay! Tiar came out with Adam Pa" I answered honestly.

"Oh so you're violating Papa's orders, Tiar?" Papa's anger started to come out.

"Pa! Tiar is already big, what is wrong if Tiar chooses on the basis of his own wishes? after college Tiar is not disturbed, Tiar's grades and achievements still survive" My contact.

"Papa don't want you busy dating while your college is abandoned, you're just a wayang Papa's child! assets of our family! don't be embarrassed and disappointed Papa, from tomorrow don't ever see Adam again or you Papa send to England with your aunt!"

"Pa, don't be too hard like that same child, Adam is also a good child won't be he's weird" said Mama gave a defense to me.

"Papa head of the family here, all must obey Papa's orders! Mama don't have to come to defend him later to become a habit!" Speak to Papa by raising his voice.

"Papa's orders are selfish! not Fair! I hate this house" I said then ran into the room and left those who were still shaking with each other.

Just this time I saw Papa angry and cursing like that, whereas I knew before he was a wise man and very loving to his family, as Adam had for me in Papa's eyes.

I locked my room tightly from the inside, I spilled out the destruction of my feelings today through tears to sleep.