Somebody That You Loved
2. Cold Hotel Wall

More than three hours had passed since Velica told Bonita the location of the hotel's opening ceremony. He tried to call his best friend many times, but there was no answer. Right now, he was standing on the edge of the highway squinting to look at the Bonita car that might appear at any moment. However, the day is getting late. The light of the downstream car lights might make him wrong see.

''Come, Boo. It's just that you came." Velica muttered as he walked towards the hotel building. He leaned his back against the wall. Her eyes glanced towards the makeup kit box lying next to her.

I don't know how many tens of people have passed by him and stared strangely at him since. He even had a stare at some striped-nose men who seemed intent on intruding until they left on their own.

Velica let out a heavy sigh. He regrets that he realized it was better to tell Bonita about Benjamin's affair tomorrow. He was too shocked to see Benjamin being hugged by Zayna to think long.

Minutes passed after Velica leaned against the wall of the hotel. The people who pass by start to diminish. If not for suddenly seeing the presence of Bonita's car, maybe that second too Velica will go to one of the restaurants around there.

"Boo!" Velica shouted as she ran towards Bonita's slowing car.

Bonita stopped the car and lowered the window, "You waiting for me?"

"I'm sorry. It seems you won't be able to enter. The hotel was closed specially tonight to entertain guests who have invitations." Velica with a look of guilt through the window of an open car.

Bonita was stunned by the obvious disappointment of the map. For nearly four hours he split the distance and endured the anxiety only to meet with Benjamin. However, his efforts were in vain.

"Wait tomorrow. Have you tried calling Benjamin?"

"My phone's not welcome."

"Wait a minute." Velica said as she moved away to pick up her makeup kit box that was still lying near the wall, then entered Bonita's car. "Come, let's go to the restaurant and talk. We can see who's going in and out of the hotel from there."

They went to the restaurant directly opposite the hotel. Velica ordered food for the two of them as Bonita kept quiet. He deliberately invited Bonita to sit by the window to freely pay attention to anyone downstream.

"Is your phone dead?" ask Velica.

Bonita took the phone out of her pants pocket and muttered to herself, "I just realized it."

"I'm calling you so you don't have to come, but it's okay. Put it on and try Benjamin's phone." Velica said while lending a charger taken from inside the bag.

Bonita accepted it without saying anything. His cell phone battery would take some time to recharge, then he left it lying on the table after plugging it into the charging cable.

"I'm sorry, Boo. If Isabell doesn't come home first, maybe you can see Benjamin now."

"You don't have to apologize for that."

"But you must be tired after a long journey." Velica said with a very guilty look. Velica felt misbehaved because Bonita just looked at her without saying anything until she decided to bring her lips closer to Bonita's ears and whispered. "And again .., it looks like they're rooming."

Bonita gasped, "You mean ...?"

Velica nodded doubtfully, "I had a chance to ask Isabell before she came home. There is only one room for one invitation card. Isabell was quite certain that the one invited for the opening event of the hotel was Zayna. Benjamin might just be invited."

Bonita. However, his heart skipped a beat with a sensation of heat radiating throughout the body. She jealous. Very jealous. Something felt very wrong with him. Either you lose one of the nerves in your brain or maybe one of the carriers is suddenly blocked.

Velica looked at Bonita nanar, "I asked Isabell for an invitation card and reasoned to stay over because there's someone I want to meet in town tomorrow, but she refused to give it to me."

"You - I mean, have you ever done that?"

Bonita shook her head with a fixed gaze fixed on the hotel across there. He knew clearly what Velica's question meant. For four years in a relationship with Benjamin, they had never done so. So far they have only hugged each other and kissed on various occasions. Never more than that.

Bonitas always give clear boundaries even though their desires are passionate. She takes care of that because she does not want to be the same fate as other women who feel very attached to a man to lose their mind and are willing to do anything.

There are many women who are known to experience mental disorders because they never give everything until it ends with living a life of torment forever. Even in her very free social environment, women are still naive and expect men to bend their knees only if they give them everything they want. When the truth happens, any man will still go if he does not intend to stay and settle on one heart.

"Are you serious?" There was a tone of disbelief at Velica's question, but the brief nod in Bonita's head that was still staring at the hotel across there answered everything. "He couldn't possibly be cheating on you because he needed an impingement, right?"

Bonita smiled bitterly at the phone still lying dead on the table, "Come on. Bee just told her she wanted to go to this town to help an old friend. I don't know who the friend he's referring to is and what he's going to do to help."

Velica rubbed Bonita's shoulder, "I'm sorry, Boo."

"no need. You act right by telling me. I'll ask him for an explanation. I ...," Bonita's throat choked to the point of not being able to continue. There were too many things he was thinking about. The incision in his heart increased as he thought of all the possibilities. Two people of different sexes in the same room is a bad sign. Exceptionally-worst.

Pramusaji delivered the food and left shortly after. Velica invites Bonita to start eating, but Bonita refuses.

Bonita turns on the phone and tries to call Benjamin once again. However, his phone call remained unaccepted. The hot water thread dripping on his cheek was immediately removed with the back of his hand. He didn't want anyone to know he was crying over a man. Especially the man who cheated on her.

Bonita's gaze turned back to the new hotel building across the street. The walls felt cold and looming arrogantly. The paint that reflected dozens of lights left a dull impression in the deepest recesses of Bonita's heart.

The distance between her and her lover was already that close, but the distance that appeared in her heart felt as far as the earth and the sun. That distance left a slowly gnawing pain, a hollow cavity that suddenly appeared in the corner of the heart, hesitancy to choose actions, as well as various thoughts that made his belief in love again fade.

It was getting late as Bonita and Velica finished dinner. The hungry Velica finished all her ordered food, whereas Bonita only touched a few mouthfuls and left the rest without mercy.

Velica had Bonita stay at another hotel a block away from the hotel where Benjamin was staying. They chose a single room that had two separate beds. Then take alternating baths and lie down on the bed of each choice.

"Sleep, Boo. We can get up early and try to come to that hotel again tomorrow."

Bonita looked at the ceiling of the room without saying anything. There was so much he thought, but none of it could be said to his best friend. It's too complicated to even say a single word.

"I'm sorry ...."

"You've apologized to me, Ve. Really, you don't have to say it." Bonita said as she closed her eyes with a heart full of wounds and bitter taste that spread to make her think to release Benjamin alone. "Maybe .. I wasn't meant to be married."

***

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