DALLAS
CHAPTRE 9

"Excuse me, I accidentally dropped the bottle of drink the woman bought here. I want to replace it with a new one can you give it?" I cried to a man who served the bar.

"Oh girl, Dara means?"

I was very surprised after the man said Dara's name.

"How do you know Dara's name?"

"I know because every day he comes here to buy drinks. But he never drank it here, he always took it home." Obviously the man while putting some bottles of drinks that Dara always bought into a plastic that is large enough.

"Thank you." I said as I swiped my credit card, then I went home with all the bottles.

While I was in the car I kept wondering why Dara bought so many drinks.

"Is he a drinker? Ah no, no way. I never even smelled alcohol when I was close to him. But if Dara's eyes always have a lot of thoughts, does she drink to lose the burden of her mind?" ask batiku.

On the way I got a message from Coach Bimo if there's going to be an MMA match next week.

In the message Coach Bimo said.

Dallas, next week there will be an MMA match Mr. Harris told me earlier. So from tomorrow you have to focus on training.

After the message that Coach Bimo sent. Lately I have been busy practicing. Even at school I didn't think about anything even Dara. I liked MMA so much that I forgot everything.

In school I kept watching tricks from MMA matches on my laptop. Even day and night I always go to Coach Bimo's place to train hard. I'm so excited because this is the first MMA fight for me.

When I watched the MMA fight on my laptop at the bag, Abiyan came up to me.

"Dallas!" abi shouted in front of me

"Abiayans! What's up?" I was angry as I opened the earphones that were attached to my ears.

"What did you say! I want to talk to you. Lately you continue to focus mulu same laptop lo, um lo again watch what'an si? Look out if you watch a video that there are red bullets in school, I report you to the same teacher BK so your laptop is confiscated." Abi keeps babbling until it makes me uncomfortable.

Then I showed her that I was watching MMA fight on my laptop.

"Look! I'm watching MMA fight again, soon I'll be fighting in the ring!"

"Do you want another illegal fight with Jonathan?" asked Abi with a frown.

"No! I will fight legally. I signed a contract with Mr. Harris. And now I'm in Mr. Harris' shade."

"Sir Harris? Mr Harris our principal?"

"Yes, I signed a contract with him. Have you written esay yet? Classy chivalry."

****

The MMA game is very close. Before the game I wanted to tell Yasmin and Abiyan to watch the game.

But before I told them coach Bimo called me and told me, if I can't take anyone to the arena because of where the MMA matches are going to be held, if I can't take them, it will be held privately without an audience there are only cameras and journalists to broadcast it directly on television.

"Remember you have to abide by the rules of the match otherwise you will be eliminated." Coach Bimo said on the phone.

"All coach I understand." Reply obediently.

One day before the game.

That afternoon I was training at home alone, suddenly someone knocked on my door.

"Who is that? Ah maybe Yasmin." I said with confidence that it was Yasmin, so I deliberately did not open it or kill her, because Yasmin would have entered immediately because the door of the house was not locked.

But the man kept knocking on the door three times. And it was only then that I realized that it wasn't Yasmin. "Who is that?" my many.

When I was going out, I let go of my hand wrap quickly first. When I opened the door it was Dara.

Tare...

My feelings at that moment were really shocked. I haven't spoken to Dara in a week. Even in school I didn't meet him because I was too focused on the MMA game.

"Dallas why are you sweating?" ask Dara. Suddenly I was nervous. I don't want Dara to know if I'm training for an MMA match. Because Dara didn't like it, so I lied to her.

"Oh t-so I. I-I just finished jogging." Answer nervously.

"Well what's wrong? Why are you here? Oh, come in. It's not good to talk near the door."

Then I told Dara to go inside. And give Dara a glass of hot chocolate.

"Dallas I want to be friends with you." Dara said something that surprised me. "Why did Dara say that? Though we've been friends since 10th grade." said my inner.

"Why did you say that? I'm your friend we're friends."My answer.

"-I don't mean that." Dara suddenly spoke stammering. And divert the conversation.

"Oh yes Las I want to ask, are your words true or not?"

"Said, What word is Dara? did I ever tell you anything?" many confused.

"The word when you returned my handkerchief the other day." Replied Dara with her innocent face.

I had forgotten what I said, but after I remembered it, I realized the words I had said to Dara at that time were, I told her in front of Jonathan that I liked her.

"Oh that word, i-it.". "I was nervous to answer it, and also confused why Dara asked that.

"The word is true. I like you Dara" I replied casually.

After I said it the atmosphere suddenly turned awkward.

I couldn't change the awkward atmosphere, we even kept quiet, but Dara diverted the conversation with another conversation.

"Dallas lately you seem to be busy?" tanya Dara switched the conversation again.

"Yes Dara, I'm very busy with schoolwork, so I rarely greet you when I meet." I replied lying.

Yep. Dara must have asked about that. It's true that for a few days I was busy, busy for MMA matches so I don't remember the people around me, even Dara. Because this is the first time I've been to an MMA match.

It's getting awkward and I don't even know what Dara's purpose was in coming to my house for. Did Dara come to me just to ask me what I said at that time, whether it was true or not. If it's true that Dara was sensitive to what I said at the time, that it wasn't a joke. I do like him.

"Oh yeah Dallas, I came here to return your red hoodie, I forgot the hoodie was left in the car, I'll take it first." exclaimed Dara as she walked out to pick up my red hoodie left in the car.

And I just answered him with a small nod.

"Ah I just thought Dara also liked me, because she came suddenly and asked me what I said back then. But it turns out he's here to return my red hoodie." I muttered.

Dara came in with the red hoodie in a small bag.

"This is me giving it back to you, thank you for lending it to me."

"You should have kept Dara"

"No. It's not mine it's yours. Oh yes, I'm going home first. Thank you Dallas."

When Dara was about to leave I held her hand.

"Bara." call me while holding her hand.

"What's wrong Dallas?"

"So you said to me that you wanted to be my friend. Does it mean more than friends?" ask me who tries to stay cool outside even though nervous on the inside.

Maybe Dara was still surprised by what I said, because Dara still did not answer what I asked. Dara kept silent without saying a word.

"D-dallas, a-aku~"

"My words at the time were true. I've liked you since 10th grade but I don't dare say it, because you're still Jonathan's girlfriend."

"Dallas." when Dara was about to speak, I cut him off.

I held Dara's hands in front of my house and looked her in the eyes seriously. Then I said to him.

"Why do you want to be my girlfriend?"

"Your lover?"

"Yes, my beloved, you just have to answer yes or no."

Before Dara answered, Dara looked at me first. Maybe Dara wants to see if my words are true or just a joke.

"Y-yes I want to, and I hope you're different from Jonathan."

When Dara said YES, I smiled widely at that moment, because my wait for this had finally happened as well. I hugged Dara tightly at that moment. But I still doubt if later after I have a relationship with him, if everything will be okay, whether I will be a good man for Dara.

Or maybe later, we're both stuck in a maze of love. Because at that time I was thinking of going through this relationship first, without knowing whether this relationship would be as warm as summer or as cold as winter.