After Two Years

She had to be punctual, even though it was more for her satisfaction as a perfectionist than for practical reasons. She hated to deal with the consquences, though. As for now, she sat alone on a big round table in a family restaurant, waited for her ex-classmates from two years ago to appear before her eyes. She knew for sure they would be late; they always did. But she couldn't bring herself to arrive even one minute later than the promised time because she was sure if she let herself do it once, it would slowly become a habit. And she frightened just by the thought of it.

She watched the front door swinging as customers came in and out. No faces she recognized. She checked her cellphone for time and it was already twenty five minutes since she had sat like a fool. The waitresses kept glancing at her; a mixture of annoyed look and sending a pity.

"Ata?"

She turned around and found a tall, well-built man walking toward her direction. He smiled, and his bright eyes disappeared into thin half circles of uncolored rainbow. She couldn't help herself. She recognized that face, she still would even if she saw him from afar, with or without her glasses. It had been two years--and she admitted she had changed so much since then--but some feelings were meant to remain unchanged.

"Hi." She instantly stood up. "Bari, long time no see."

"Yeah. Two years, if I'm not mistaken?"

"You're not." She smiled. "Please, sit. I have been sitting alone waiting for you guys, but twenty five minutes went by and you're the only one showing up."

"Oh, so you're not happy to see me here? That hurts. Maybe I should head back home..."

Suddenly, her pupils dilated. Did she just blow things up? "No, I'm sorry, please just--"

"Haha, it's okay, Ata, I'm just kidding. I'm staying with you."

And she could not stand grinning like an idiot. Well, this was happening. Back in two years ago, who would have thought she could hold a conversation with him longer than two words variation of yes and no.

"Ah, it's raining," she said. Both of their heads turned to view the window. Outside, the rain started to pour  heavily, blurring the thick glasses of window and blocking their vision to whatever happened in the other side of the wall. She let out a sigh. "They're gonna be so much late."

"What a bummer."

She glanced beside. Somehow, there was no subtle indication of him being irritated at all.

--------

He wasn't the kind of person who loved to come on time. He was more the type who decided to show up only when the others were all present. He didn't know exactly why, but maybe it had something to do with his hatred toward waiting. He thought the amount of time he spent waiting could be used to do something much more beneficial, and that was including some leisure time in his room watching TV or sleeping safe and soundly.

This time was different.

He didn't mean to make himself remember--he just did. Two years didn't rust that special part of his brain where he subconsciously put all of his knowledge about her. Her cute childish laugh, her blue framed nearsighted glasses, her awkwardness when talking to guys which only accentuated her innocence even more, or that time when she randomly blurted out about blue being her favorite color in one truth or dare game night. And of course, one more thing about her he couldn't just shrug off and forget was her unusual habit to always be punctual.

The designated time for the classmates reunion was at 7 P.M. As he thought, when he arrived a few minutes before the promised time, she was already there securing the table. He chuckled. She was so busy arranging the table and didn't notice he walked in to another table behind. Initially, he wanted to approach her, but he changed his mind because he didn't want to ruin her moment of pride being the first one to arrive before the time.

But watching her from afar wasn't enough. He did it two years ago, he didn't want to repeat it this time. He had made effort to be punctual for the sake of few more minutes with her and he shouldn't let it be meaningless. So he stepped ahead.

"Ata?"

And he couldn't be more thankful to himself for taking the step. Her gloomy face that must be tired from all the waiting brightened up instantly, and he liked to think that it wasn't just because someone had showed up: it was because he was the one who showed up.

"Hi. Bari, long time no see."

"Yeah. Two years, if I'm not mistaken?"

"You're not." She had the best kind of smile. "Please, sit. I have been sitting alone waiting for you guys, but twenty five minutes went by and you're the only one showing up."

"Oh, so you're not happy to see me here? That hurts. Maybe I should head back home..."

Her worried face amuse him. He couldn't help but laughing. "Haha, it's okay, Ata, I'm just kidding. I'm staying with you."

But her wide grin was the one that splashed water bucket to his face. How could he just realize it now? After two years. Two freaking years. What was he doing?

"Ah, it's raining." She let out a sigh. "They're gonna be so much late."

"What a bummer."

He didn't care if the waitress kept eyeing them for not ordering anything, or their friends wouldn't show up for another hour. Additional minutes to be side by side with her was all he could ask for now.