Chapter 23: The Whale Gray II

"Hi... You guys look cool, I like it." Ivani greets the boys of The Whale Gray.

"Hah... You came, I thought you weren't serious," said Thomas. Ivani glared at him making Thomas both gasped and confused. He glanced at Mai and Mai just smiled faintly.

Thomas is insensitive. Ivani wants her arrival to be considered a coincidence not because she wanted to come on purpose

"So now The Whale Gray has four vocalists? So much better than before." Said Mai. Mai helped Ivani, diverting the conversation.

She praised not to attract Thomas's attention but The Whale Gray's performance was good. And Mai has to admit that Ivani is right, Aaron is very suitable to be the lead vocal of The Whale Gray.

Handsome, can sing, good at karate and aspiring doctor, there are men as perfect as this and single too. Too good to be true.

Ah, why did she pay attention to Aaron anyway? This is because of Ivani who talks about Aaron every day, every hour, every minute. Like it or not, Mai pays attention to it too. Mai feels guilty, she feels like betraying Thomas, even though they are not dating.

"Yeah yeah, if I was here it would be good." It was Aaron's cousin who responded to Mai's comment.

"Who are they?" The girl next to Riven also commented.

The girl looked at Ivani and Mai alternately. Her probing gaze made Mai feel uncomfortable.

"Ooooh they are my juniors, the beautiful one is Ivani and the child-like one is Mai." Riven introduced them.

Gosh... why am I being called a child, Mai thought.

"And this is Karyn, my best friend, and neighbor," Riven said.

"Neighbor?" Ivani repeated Riven's words.

"Yeah, she lives one floor below us," Riven said.

Ivani furrowed her brow.

"Aaron and I live in an apartment," Riven said.

Riven mentioned one of the names of luxury apartments in West Jakarta. And it turns out that the apartment is not far from the housing complex of Mai and Ivani. Ivani and Mai's houses are indeed close, the difference is that Ivani's house is located in a luxury housing complex while Mai's is in ordinary housing.

"Wow, I didn't think we were the same way," Riven said.

Ivani glanced at Aaron and looked happy as if this was how they got along.

Aaron smiled faintly realizing where he and Mai had lived so close together, this was a terrible coincidence. He feels bound and will not be able to escape from his past. Karma comes very quickly. Is there anything worse than this?

"Oh yeah, Ryn. You came here alone?" Riven asked Karyn.

"No, I'm with college friends," Karyn said while looking around looking for her friend.

"Oh, there she is!" Karyn said while pointing at a tall, slim beautiful girl with curly hair like a shampoo commercial model.

Aaron's eyes widened when he saw the girl Karyn was referring to, he recognized her as... his ex-girlfriend.

What else is this? Aaron thought.

Why did everyone from his past come back one by one? He felt he should say goodbye to his quiet life. Oh, his life has been in chaos since he decided to read random people's diaries. Please God nothing could be worse. Aaron shifted his gaze elsewhere as the girl came closer. His heart was already noisy. Oh shit!

"Cynthia?? Oh My God...! How are you? I thought you were still overseas. When are you coming back?" Riven said.

Riven's eyes lit up when he saw the girl, in contrast to his cousin.

The girl called Cynthia approached Riven and hugged her, surprising Mai. The association of children today is like this, yes. Girl and boy met, immediately embraced. Eh, wait she also used to hug people carelessly but at that time she was still unconscious so it didn't count right.

I'm sorry God at that time I made a mistake, Mai thought. If you remember that, Mai will be ashamed of herself.

"I'm good," replied the girl called Cynthia.

Wait... Cynthia... The name seems familiar. Ah... That's not the name of Aaron's ex, isn't it?

Mai noticed the beautiful girl who was chatting with Riven at the moment. Then her eyes turned to Aaron and realized that the man looked uncomfortable. Ivani once said that it was bad to meet her ex. Pity...

"So all this time you studied in Indonesia too? I think you already feel at home in America." Riven said in surprise.

"I just continued high school in America, once I graduated I came back here, more comfortable in my own country, after all... I still have unfinished business here." Cynthia said flatly, her eyes glaring at Aaron making the man flinch and flinch.

"Where are you going?" Thomas asked as soon as Aaron was about to leave.

"Toilet," said Aaron.

Cynthia just smiled, she seemed to make small talk with Riven and then said goodbye.

"Wait a minute, we can go home together." Karyn held her back.

"No need, I don't want to be a mosquito between you and Riven, anyways I just came here to take you." Cynthia reasoned.

"Yes, be careful driving the car," Karyn said.

"Sure, honey. I'll be home first." Cynthia said. As soon as Cynthia left, Karyn glanced at Riven and dragged him away from the rest of his friends.

"How come you know Cynthia?" Karyn asked matter-of-factly.

"It's been answered by Cynthia, we are in the same high school," Riven said.

"I know..." Karyn said. For some reason Karyn's voice sounded harsh, Riven frowned.

"You guys used to... Have a relationship huh... Very familiar," said the girl.

Riven grinned widely then laughed, Karyn immediately glared at him, embarrassed that Riven's laughter was heard to the next table.

"Jealous," he said, grinning mischievously.

"What the hell... Why am I jealous of you." Karyn said, she turned her face away then lightly hit Riven's shoulder. Instead, Riven gently stroked the head of the girl in front of him.

"Cynthia is Aaron's ex," Riven said.

-----

Meanwhile, at another table, Thomas, Mai, and Ivani were busy eating and drinking. Boban and Eddo who had joined there decided to return to Riven's table near the stage. Boban probably didn't want to linger around Ivani, who always gave off an air of hostility. Mai also wonders why Ivani still can't be nice to Boban, even though according to Mai, Boban is a good person. Eddo, who is his close friend, relents, so Eddo decides to accompany Boban, leaving Thomas alone with their two female friends.

"Cynthia isn't Aaron's ex's name, is it? So that girl was Aaron's ex?" Ivani looked even more curious.

"I guess so," said Thomas.

"It seems like?" Ivani said.

"When I met Aaron, they broke up, I only know the story. I've never met the person," said Thomas.

"Looks like there's some unfinished business between them," Ivani said.

"Maybe, but that's none of your business," said Thomas.

Ivani looked thoughtful, Mai just watched while enjoying her strawberry juice. It seemed that her best friend was disturbed by Cynthia's arrival.

"Her ex is beautiful," Ivani muttered quietly.

"Why? Feeling insecure?" Thomas mocked her while chuckling which was met by Ivani's sharp glare.

"You're beautiful too, Van." Mai calms Ivani down.

"Thanks," said Ivani. The girl sighed.

"Do they have a chance to come back or not?" Said Ivani again.

Thomas burst out laughing making Ivani want to throw the glass in front of her to the man's head. Mai pinched Thomas' hand, hoping that the man would stop laughing because the aura that Ivani emitted was now scary like a hungry lion that wants to pounce on its prey.

Thomas hissed.

"It hurts, Mai." he protested.

"Don't laugh, that's why." Said Mai.

"Yeah... Yeah sorry." Thomas said, then his eyes looked straight at Ivani.

"I don't know about that," said Thomas.

"Ya, ya, how could you know," sneered Ivani. Thomas rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"But you can find out," Ivani said with an eyebrow raised.

"So how do you do it? Ask Aaron about this? I can be slapped by anyone. He never wants to talk about this," Thomas refused.

"Idiot! Who told you to ask. You just have to watch it and tell me Aaron's movements." Ivani said.

"You are crazy!" said Thomas.

"That's good! Who's crazy?" Ivani said.

"You! I was told to be a stalker. Stalker to another man." Thomas grumbled.

"Mai... Your friend is insane because she fell in love," said Thomas.

Mai just giggled in amusement while Ivani pouted. Mai knows how Ivani behaves when she has a crush on a man. Ivani can turn out like a detective, find out everything about the guy, and usually, her friends will get caught too, likes to be asked for help and Ivani is not a girl who gives up easily.

Surely, after this Thomas will be bothered. Ivani likes to bother Thomas the most. The reason is that Eddo is slow when asked for help related to love affairs, Nica won't want it, and Mai... Ivani never asked Mai for help. The reason made Mai annoyed.

You're still a kid, Mai, she said. Annoying isn't it.