8. Lost Places

Elyn was very, very late arriving at the store from the time she promised Mom. Indeed, road accidents that make road traffic jams are not included in the calculation by her, the flow of crowded traffic at the weekend also Elyn missed to calculate. Arriving at the store the opening ceremony is over, now in the store there are only ordinary customers without invited guests.

“Oh dear, why did you come so long... Our important guest is already back home.” Mom regrets Elyn's delay in their important day.

“Uh, I’m sorry Mom. But a guest? who?" Asked Elyn confused, because mom just asked her to come , not to meet someone.

“Of course I want to introduce you to aunt Jean, she is waiting and eager to see you but since they are busy people can't linger here.” Mom answered Elyn's questions quickly and concisely but forgot the most important part.

"Who is Aunt Jean?” The new foreign name Elyn heard from all mom's acquaintances.

“Ah, right. I never told you, did I? Aunt Jean and her husband were old friends of your father. They helped us a lot since Dad was gone. You know, the guy who helped you get into school also helped us open this business?"

Or about this one Elyn also doesn't know, Mom is too busy with planning their business so she could have missed the opportunity to explain to Elyn.

Elyn has only ever met the secretary or the messenger who acts as a guardian to replace the mother who cannot take care of Elyn's school transferring. “No, l don't know, I just met some kind of aide?" Said Elyn innocently.

“Yes... That's why I want you to meet in person. Too bad!” Mom is so upset because her daughter is not as enthusiastic as she is.

“Uh, there will come another chance, Mom. Next time I will be on time. Promises!” If from the beginning mom said she wanted Elyn to come because they was going to meet an important person, certainly Elyn wouldn't relax, delaying the time either.

Mom is busy watching her daughter. “Then you came alone? No friends?” saw Elyn coming alone freely.

"Huh? Yeah. They also have their own family events, it's the weekend.” What made Elyn late was one of them because she was hesitant to come alone. At the end, she covers up with lies.

“Well, what can I do?” 

Mom is disappointed, but the most important thing is that their store opening event went smoothly. And Elyn was also happy for it, the desire to open a store and mom's old career when still in school could be realized. Now Elyn is big enough to take care of herself, so mom can focus more on the old identity that was once given up.

***

Before James went to exchange students, he and his friends used to gather on weekends. Even if they don't make an appointment, surely this one place will be the location of their gathering outside the school. That's what James thought for a moment and he was very confident in the opinion. But when he gets there, in a place that James and his friends make and build together. The building has already turned into another place, it looks alien and the atmosphere is different. The place has been changed to Nature Cafe, even though this place used to be similar to arcade games for James and others.

James pulled out his cell phone, dialed a saved number. "Where are you?”

Soon the other side of the phone picked up, and he asked the whereabouts of the person. Certainly it makes a person who receives a phone call confused. 

“What is it?”

“I have something to talk about. Let's meet, I'll come to your place." The way James spoke sounded serious.

“I can't, I'm with my mom. I'm busy today, I have an event outside. Just talk now if you want, is it urgent?” He asked again who still has not received an answer from James about the reason for contacting.

“Well, not really. But not by phone either, Anth, I want to talk to you directly." James is still twisting his words.

“What is it? What's the serious problem?" Anthony was curious because James refused to talk on the phone.

For James, this is serious actually, considering that he has been separated from his friends for a long time and longs to be together again. But not necessarily for others maybe, so he hesitated to answer Anthony's question. 

“We'll talk about it later. Since you have an event with Auntie, I don't want to interrupt." James cut the phone off, leaving Anthony curious.

Two things James didn't understand was that because their meeting place had disappeared, his friends were no longer there, or that the memory of his friends were no longer there, until the place finally disappeared. There should be a suspicion that the first one is impossible because the owners of the land and buildings of this place are Anthony's parents. And when they made the place together, both of Anthony's parents allowed them to use the place.

“I have to ask the others." 

James is determined to find answers. He immediately went to a place not far from his location. Actually, the house of four friends, consisting of James, Anthony, William and Carol is in the same residential neighborhood and so is the location of their school.

By driving a sports bike, it didn't take long for James to get in front of his destination house. Only by signaling the motorcycle horn, the security guard opened the front gate for him. Already very familiar with the floor plan of the house, James walked and looked relaxed. Thanks to the familiar face recognized by the front guard, James could immediately walk into the house even without being invited.

“Willy..." Call James at the door of the room while knocking occasionally. He can hear a moving sound from inside the room. James opened the door. However, even though looks like he likes to break in, he is aware and understands that the bedroom is still a private area for the owner.

From the owner of the voice that called him, William knew who the guest who came without the invitation was. “At least let me know before you come!" protested him as he opened the door. 

No James, no Anthony, they always act on their own. And for Carol, maybe just once ago.

“Why would I waste my time telling you when I'm sure you're home." Said James.

In William's heart cursing himself because what James said was true, he was almost always at home. When there is an event if he can choose not to come then he will not go.

“Why are you looking for me?” ask William to the point.

“Jeez, see how cold you are to an old friend who just came back!" James started acting sad. “At least give me a treat and bring a lot of it because I don't have anywhere else to go at the moment." In other words, James has decided to hang out longer in William's room.

“Don't overdo it. You're the one who came home without telling me, just showed up in front of my class and now asks for a greeting?” Bring up William about an incident at school not long ago.

“But you're not at all surprised when you see me, Will.” 

James 'surprise plan failed, it was because William had heard first of James' return from Anthony. 

“By the way, what are you doing? Aahh..." James quickly regretted asking, because the answer was very clear. 

Although this weekend William locked himself in a room busy studying. Yeah, otherwise it wouldn't be him named William Daniel. No one knows how many thousands of exercise books he spent on his exercise scribbles.

Before William hears James' crackling and comments about how to spend his days off, he'd better go get what his friend is asking for. 

“I'll bring whatever's in the house, don't protest. Or I'll kick you out!" he firmly threatened that James would not ask for anything strange.