INTROVERT

COLIN

It's been 3 months since that night at the bar. It's also been 3 months since the last time Colin saw Rachel.

Like Colin said, the next day he went to Bali to guide a tour group. After spending a week in Bali, that very same group had requested to extend their trip to Java island. So Colin went with them, guided them for another 2 weeks through Surabaya, Batu, Jogja, and several other well-known towns.
After that group went back to Boston, Colin suddenly realized that he could easily avoid meeting Rachel Gray, by simply being on other countries; purposely not capapble to go back home. So he stayed in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, and called Hermes headquarter in London, asking for other groups to guide; practically begging for any groups that are heading to Indonesia. Or anywhere in the world. He said that he just don't feel like going back home yet. And by some miracles, Hermes London gave him just that.

Because Colin knew people do that sometimes, enjoying cross-country airplane trips by themself, feeling cool that they can fly themself to another country, but suddenly when their foot is set on land, they realized that they don't know a thing about that country, don't know where to stay, don't know what to enjoy, and end up being ridicule by the locals.

Colin went to Bali again ( this time he has the chance to stop by his grandpa's and tell him Rachel said hello, and that she's engaged to James. Grandpa Harry just laughed, since he also knew both James and Rachel well since their childhood ). Some groups of people wanted to see some Torajan corpse dance or whatever. So Colin guided them there. Some people wanted to see Lake Toba, so Colin went there with them. So basically, Colin went wherever the agency sent him to accompany people.

And now, 3 months passed, and here he is, sitting at the living room in his own house in Boston. He's fully dressed, the biggest suitcase he owned is standing proudly with it's handle grip up, fully packed with everything important Colin ever owned, ready to be stroll whenever he is.

He close his eye for a moment, ready to cross-check his mental list of what he should bring, what not to bring. But instead, a memory came up.

They were in high school. It was a summer vacation. As usual, Colin spent most of his summer vacations in Grandpa Harry's resort. But that was one of the few times when Rachel could actually convinced her parents to let her came with Colin.

It was their last evening in Bali and they spent it together; sitting side-by-side at Kuta Beach, watching the sunset.
The moment couldn't have been more perfect: they dated for these whole month, the setting was romantic, they were sitting side-by-side...Colin think that, at least a first kiss was overdue. But just when he leans closer, their lips nearly touch, he felt Rachel's body was shaking. Colin's eyes widen when he saw Rachel started to giggle. And then Colin join her awkwardly with a nervous laugh.

"It's not going to work out between us, isn't it ?" Colin sighed when they stopped laughing. "No."Rachel shake her head slowly."It'd be weird, isn't it ? Like, kissing my own brother. Eww."
"You've kissed Ben ?" Colin trying to sounds disgusted, teasing Rachel. "On the mouth ?"
"No way! Double eww !"
Colin laughed.

"So we're not a couple anymore ?"
"No." Rachel let out a small laugh, and then lean her head onto Colin's shoulder.

"But I still love you."
"I know. I love you too."
"Best friend forever ?"
"Best friend forever."

And that was that. They were a couple when they arrived, spend 3 weeks in Bali, and they were BFF when they went back. But since then, Colin had never stop asking himself 'why'; why why why why why why why.
Why they can say 'i love you' to each other whenever they want and the other would reply 'i love you too' ? Why James reenter their life ? Why hadn't he ever tried to kiss her one more time ? Why James proposed to her ? Why had she said yes to him ? Why James is Rachel Gray's fiancee and not him ? But most of all, Colin often asked himself, why hadn't he realized sooner that he is in love with Rachel Gray in a way that pure best friend would say 'eww' ?

Not so long after, the taxi come and Colin heads outside, strolling his suitcase. Before locking the front door, he gave the house one last look. Because this time, Colin doesn't plan to return.
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THIS IS THE END OF INTOVERT(1)
TO BE CONTINUED IN INTROVERT 2