Maya Adisti
Journey

Akash helped me put my seatbelt on, just nine o'clock at night the cabin lights went off. I could hear the roar of the aircraft engine taking off. Seeing me tense Akash clasped my hand.

"It's okay," she whispered softly. After the incident at the airport it felt like Akash had become more sensitive to me.

A few moments later I felt the plane start to balance. Actually I was a bit disappointed not to sit by the window, I was eager to see the scene above the clouds for the first time.

"Akash, where was the drinking water bottle?" my many. The man took out a bottle of mineral water, unscrewed the lid and handed it to me.

"Are you okay?" tanyakanya. I shook my head while gulping down the water.

"May I sleep, can you speak english?"

"A little bit" I replied.

"Jas. If anything, wake me up." Akash lowered his chair until he lay down, before long he fell asleep without raising the barriers between our chairs. I grabbed the available blanket and enveloped the man.

Because throughout the journey Bandung - Tangerang sleep, I did not feel any sleepiness at all. Moments after Akash fell asleep a flight attendant offered him food.

"Later on" I said in English.

Either true or not what I said but the flight attendant left. He answered me, but because he spoke too quickly I did not understand what he meant. I just nod, let me ask Akash when he wakes up.

To get rid of my boredom I watched a few movies. Three hours later Akash woke up, he yawned a few times and grabbed a bottle of drinking water in my lap.

"Aren't you sleeping?" ask Akash.

"No sleepiness. There was a flight attendant here to eat, but I told you later that you'd wake up."

Akash got up from his seat, long time he went and came back and handed me the food menu brochure. There was no rice on the food list.

"Oh my God, just read the menu I'm dizzy," my inner self. I finally let Akash order whatever he wants.

Finished eating Aksh asked the flight attendant for help to install, what is it? Bedcovers?

Ah, I don't know his name. I also decided to sleep because the journey we took was still very long.

"May."

"Hmmm.."

"Can we be friends?"

"You dream of the strange thing Akash?" I pulled the blanket up to the chest.

Akash leaned his body to see me. From here I can see Akash's face which turns out to be more handsome. Plus the dim lighting, Akash looks more....

"May! What are you thinking?" my inner.

"Why indeed? You don't want to be friends with me?" ask Akash.

"Are you comfortable with me?" I intentionally answered the question like that.

"Come," he answered.

"For me friendship isn't just a pledge that we're friends, Akash. The most important thing is comfort and trust in each other" I explained.

I heard the man laugh very softly. I was surprised and looked at his face. I saw the man smiling.

"Finally Ranbir Kapoor is smiling" I said.

"What's? Ranbir Kapoor's? Wh who? Me?"

"Yes." I replied. I re-inflated my body, not even five minutes to my entire senses no longer felt.

***

I don't know how long I slept until I finally felt Akash rocking my body.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I opened my eyes.

"Breakfast," he said.

I grabbed my phone looking at the clock there. "It's still early in the morning Akash, breakfast time?" my protest.

"It's been scheduled that way. Get up or you'll starve until we land in Istanbul."

I sat down, I saw from afar the flight attendant pushing the trolley and handing out food. Arriving at my seat the flight attendant gave me a plate of fruits, omlets and bread.

"You? Not washing your face first?" ask Akash.

I circled my eyes across the cabin, there weren't many passengers here. "Nobody knows, right? Akash, you want the fruit?"

Akash took my fruit plate and ate it, he finished eating first while I only spent half of it.

"Akash, you want some more?"

Akash called the flight attendant and asked her to take care of our dishes. The flight attendant offered her tea and coffee but I refused. Akash took a bottle of water in the drawer next to him, unscrewed it and gave it to me.

"I'm not a cripple of Akash" I protested. Why is he so happy to open a bottle?

I saw him smile so sweet. "You're gonna keep calling me that? Akash, Akash. That so?"

"Why indeed?" my many.

"I'm your husband Maya and I'm definitely older than you."

I handed him the bottle and laid my body back.

"I'm more comfortable calling you that" I replied.

"All right, it's up to you."

***

Akash woke me up again because he said the plane was going to land in Istanbul. After the plane stopped completely, all passengers left the plane including me.

"Are we moving planes?" my many.

"No."

Along the way Akash again grabbed my finger, grasping it tightly like a real married couple. Usually if I meet new people I will feel awkward, because actually I am only good at acting but not to get along. That's why I don't have many friends. All my life that was closest to me was only Nia and A Great.

I rarely go out with college friends if it's not for group work. In my brain I only see how to get money, not how to squander it.

The only thing that became my entertainment was to take part in activities in the theater community, either outside or inside the campus. Several times I took part in the staging, one of which was the final assignment of the course.

I was actually more active in the off-campus community. Hanging out with different types of people's backgrounds, it made me more comfortable because I was more free to express myself.

I turned to Akash, this man seemed to be getting used to me by his side. He was already able to show some emotions that were completely out of the heart.

Ever since I first saw Akash at the cafe, I felt as if we were friends who had been separated for a long time. Being around him feels a little different.

Out of the garage, I was amazed by the view of the airport. This is very different from the airports in Indonesia. Bigger, wider and also more luxurious.

Akash took me up the escalator down to what floor. There are many restaurants, clothing stores, bags, makeup and food. It's like the mall.

"Istanbul Maya Airport. Turkey" said Akash.

"You come here often?"

"Just a few times."

"Are we going around? A walk?" my many.

"No Maya, we only transited for three hours" he replied.

I never imagined I could step foot in Arnavutkoy. A district on the European side of Istanbul. Akash told me.

"Where are we now?"

"Mandi," Akash replied.

"I don't have Akash's change, all my clothes are in my suitcase."

Akash looked at me and smiled. "I've brought him. Clothes, underwear and soap."

"You!?"

I put on a face of disbelief and glanced at the backpack he was carrying. Instantly my face flushed.

"What did he say? Underwear?" my inner.

***