Alfa, Tata, and Sheila were preparing to attend the grand opening of a restaurant in the capital—an event hosted by Rehan, Alfa's uncle and his mother's younger brother. To save time, they rushed back to Alfa's house right after school.
The moment they arrived, everyone scattered to freshen up.
In one of the bedrooms, Tata and Sheila were huddled around the closet, deep in wardrobe decisions. Meanwhile, Alfa was already getting dressed in his private room.
"Does this dress look good on me?" Sheila asked, holding up a flowy gown in front of her body.
"Not bad," Tata assessed, eyeing the cut of the fabric. "But I think it'll look too loose on you."
"Ugh, then what should I wear?" Sheila groaned. "Sis, what dress are you wearing?"
"I'm going with the maroon one—knee-length," Tata replied while dusting her face lightly with powder.
"I don't have anything red... Oh, wait! I have a pink one!" Sheila exclaimed, rummaging through Tata's closet until she pulled out a knee-length pink dress. "Found it! What do you think?"
"Wow, the color looks beautiful on you. It's perfect," Tata smiled.
Once they'd finalized their outfits, they moved on to makeup, helping each other pick the right shades of lipstick and adding a subtle glow to their looks. It wasn't long before they were completely ready.
The clock read 6:50 PM.
"We need to go soon—the event starts at 7:30," Tata reminded.
To their surprise, Alfa was already waiting in the living room, sitting casually while scrolling through his phone.
"Let's go!" Sheila announced, linking arms with Tata and calling Alfa to join them.
Alfa looked up—and for a second, he was stunned. Tata and Sheila looked like two princesses stepping out of a fairy tale. Their makeup was flawless, elegant yet understated.
"Alright," he said coolly, grabbing the car keys from the table.
Alfa wore a crisp white shirt under a sleek black coat, paired with a bow tie he planned to wear only once they arrived. He wasn't a fan of bow ties, but for tonight, he'd tolerate it.
It didn't take them long to reach the venue. The restaurant was already buzzing with guests celebrating its grand opening. Relatives swarmed around Alfa and Sheila, pulling them into warm conversations. Still, Alfa never forgot about Tata—he made sure to introduce her to everyone, especially Uncle Rehan.
"Wow, you've grown so much, Sheila," Rehan said, holding a drink and beaming. "Last time I saw you, you were still a little girl. And you, Fa—what grade are you in now?"
"Grade 12, Uncle. Sheila's in grade 10," Alfa replied, while Sheila blushed and smiled.
"Oh, and this is my friend—Tata," Alfa added, motioning toward her.
"Your friend?" Rehan teased, eyes twinkling. "I thought Tata was your girlfriend."
He extended his hand, which Tata accepted with a shy smile.
"I'm Rehan—Alfa and Sheila's uncle, their mom's younger brother," he said warmly.
"Yes, Uncle. I'm Tata, Alfa's friend," she replied politely, hiding her nerves. It was her first time meeting any of Alfa's family, and even though his mother was abroad on business, Tata still felt a bit overwhelmed.
"She's pretty too, Fa. You sure you two are just friends?" Rehan whispered into Alfa's ear with a grin.
Tata heard it but pretended not to.
Alfa leaned in and hissed, "Stop it."
"Alright, alright. I'll leave you kids to enjoy the night," Rehan said with a chuckle, walking away.
Just then, Alfa's phone buzzed—it was a video call from his mother, Gabriella. He picked up immediately.
"Hello, sweetheart. Where's Sheila?" Gabriella's gentle voice came through, her hand brushing her hair behind her ear on screen.
"Mama!" Sheila squealed, tugging Alfa's arm so she could be seen. "When are you coming home? I miss you!"
"I'll be back next month, dear. Just wait a little longer. So? How's the restaurant inauguration going?"
"Not started yet, Ma," Alfa replied.
"You said Tata came too, right? Let me see her."
Alfa turned the camera toward Tata.
"Hello, Ma'am. How are you?" Tata greeted sweetly, their closeness evident in her tone.
"I'm well, dear. Thank you for accompanying Alfa and Sheila tonight."
"It's no problem at all," Tata replied warmly.
Suddenly, the emcee's voice echoed through the speakers.
"Testing, testing. Good evening, everyone! Wow, what a crowd. Alright, before we proceed to the main event—the ribbon-cutting ceremony—let's welcome Mr. Rehan Adiyatma to say a few words. Please give him a round of applause!"
"Looks like it's about to start," Alfa said, switching the camera so Gabriella could see the scene.
Rehan took the stage confidently.
"Good evening, everyone. I'm Rehan Adiyatma, and I'm honored to open this new restaurant with all of you here. First of all, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend tonight. I hope this place becomes more than just a restaurant—I hope it brings warmth, joy, and satisfies many hungry stomachs."
Laughter and applause followed his closing line.
"To save time, let's move on to the ribbon cutting. Back to the MC," Rehan concluded.
"Alright! Let's proceed with our ribbon-cutting ceremony! Mr. Rehan, please come forward."
A beautiful woman stepped forward with a silver tray, presenting the ceremonial scissors. Rehan took them and stood before a long red ribbon.
"Bismillahirrahmanirrahim," he murmured as he snipped through the ribbon.
Cheers erupted from the guests. Applause echoed throughout the venue.
"Please enjoy the night!" Rehan said with a smile.
Gabriella clapped from the phone screen as Alfa switched back to the front camera.
"I'm ending the call now, Alfa," Gabriella said. "Please give my congratulations to Uncle Rehan. I'll visit the restaurant once I return to Indonesia next month."
"Okay, Ma. Take care," Alfa and Sheila said in unison.
"You too, my darlings." The screen went dark.
The atmosphere was electric. Couples danced under twinkling lights, a live band played romantic tunes, and laughter filled the space. Alfa, Tata, and Sheila were swept up in the joy of it all.
11:00 PM
"Thanks for taking me home, Fa," Tata said as they pulled up to her house. "Do you want to come inside for a bit?"
"Wish I could, but Sheila's fast asleep in the back," Alfa replied, glancing in the rearview mirror.
Tata peeked in and chuckled. "Wasn't she all hyped up earlier?"
"Guess she wore herself out. Thanks for coming tonight, Ta. And tell your mom I'm sorry for dropping you off this late."
"It's okay," Tata smiled. "Well, I'll get going. Drive safe, Fa!"
"Got it," Alfa nodded, watching her step out of the car.
But as Tata turned toward her house, something caught her eye—a car slowly trailing the direction Alfa had just gone.
Her chest tightened.
Something's not right.
Please be safe, she thought, her eyes narrowing with concern.