Chris's mood improved as soon as he heard about Merry. He laughed at Jean's warning.
"Oh? Are you worried that I will create a scandal with Merry..."
"You don't have the courage to do that." Jean coldly cut him before hanging up the phone.
Chris stared at his cell phone with a hurtful look. He knew Jean was right, but his best friend didn't have to drop the truth bomb on him like that!
*****
A day later, at Los Angeles International Airport.
It was noon when Chris got off his plane. Unlike Indonesia, LA was currently experiencing autumn and the cool air felt good against the skin. Chris took off the light coat he was wearing as he left the airport.
In the taxi, Chris checked his watch. At this time, Merry was supposed to still be in class, so Chris decided to rest in his apartment first. The man had rented an apartment located across from Merry's campus, right next to Merry's apartment.
The thought of seeing Merry again gave Chris mixed feelings. There was a feeling of longing, but there was also joy that couldn't be hidden. Finally, he could meet his little girl again!
*****
Merry's class ended at four in the afternoon. When the lecturer left the classroom, the young woman rested her dizzy head on the table.
It had been more than a week since she was sent to America without her consent. Her heavy and intense classes made Merry's head hurt. Life in America was not easy at all! She wanted to go back to Surabaya! She missed all Indonesian cuisines such as gado-gado, pecel, and especially rice!
Merry sighed and forced herself up from the chair. She walked out of the classroom while dragging her steps. Her hands were covered with piles of materials and assignments from today's class. Merry sighed again as she imagined all she had to do when she got back to the apartment.
She had just reached the front yard of the campus when she heard someone calling her name.
"Merry, wait a minute!"
The young woman turned her head reluctantly. The person who called him was Rico, an Indonesian classmate of hers.
"Do you need something from me?" Merry asked in a lazy tone.
Instead of chatting with Rico, she would rather go back to her apartment. Merry couldn't sleep last night, so she played games until sleep came to pick her up. Even though Merry had been here for a week, she still could not adjust to the extreme difference in time.
Rico walked quickly after Merry until he stopped in front of her. The young man who came from Yogyakarta had a big body and was well built, with a height of up to 180 cm. When compared to him, Merry looked like a porcelain doll that could break at any time.
"Didn't you say yesterday that you were going to the library? Why don't you go?" Rico asked in a demanding voice, "I've been waiting for your arrival for a long time!"
Merry stared at Rico for a moment, then she lowered her head. Her feet kicked the rocks on the side of the road, "I don't feel like going." She stiffly answered.
"But there is still about a month before the exam period starts. If your grades are bad, you will be forced to repeat classes, you know!" Rico explained.
The young man did not understand why Merry would bother applying to this university if she was so relaxed. Didn't she know that the tuition fees here could buy her a house in Surabaya?
"I don't care. I have mastered the material after all." Merry murmured.
"What?" Rico did not catch Merry's muttering. He took a step closer as he said, "There's still enough time if we go to the library now. I've just found a few good books, so how about we read them together?"
The invitation made Merry frown. She looked up at the sky, then looked at the ground. Should she spend her precious time in a boring place like the library? Merry didn't want to be rude, but she wasn't interested in the book Rico found.
"Never mind, let's go!" Rico's patience ran out and he took Merry's hand, pulling her to the library, "We can still find a place there!" The young man said with a warm smile.
Rico was a handsome young man coming from the Andana family, one of the big families in Yogyakarta. The biggest reason why Rico was so attached to Merry was because the two of them were the only Indonesian students in their class. Having someone familiar in a strange place indeed gave a sense of security.
Finally, Merry let Rico half drag her into the library. Along the way, she glanced at the screen of her cellphone which was still displaying her ongoing game. Merry sighed sadly and closed the application.
Merry knew that her condition had not been very good lately. She could grasp lessons quickly, but she didn't like the boring atmosphere on this campus at all. Even worse, Merry really missed Lilia!
Two days ago, she saw Shirley's post on the internet. Too bad that Merry was not in Indonesia at the moment, so she could only grit her teeth to suppress her anger.
Merry and Rico arrived at the library and started reading. But in just half an hour, the woman had fallen asleep on her table.
Rico, who was sitting across from her, stopped writing when he heard the sound of regular breathing. The young man looked up and saw Merry's peaceful sleeping face. For the first time, Rico noticed that the young woman had snow-white skin and cherry-red lips.
The son of the Andana family put down his pen and reached out to Merry. He imagined that her skin must be silky smooth.
Plaque!
But before Rico's fingers could touch Merry's cheek, someone had slapped his hand away.
"Keep your dirty hands away from her!"
Rico turned around with an angry expression and growled, "Who would dare...?!"
His voice vanished as he caught a pair of glaring eyes from the man who was older than him. Suddenly, Rico felt difficulty breathing, as if he was being wrapped by a poisonous snake ready to attack. His whole body felt stiff and cold.
"Y-You ... who are you?" Rico asked, feeling threatened by the man's presence.
"You want to know who I am?" Chris replied coldly.
The man had been waiting in his apartment for a long time, but Merry did not appear. So Chris decided to try visiting the library. Luckily he did!
Chris shot an icy glare at Rico, then he walked around the table towards Merry. Before Rico could say anything, Chris had touched Merry's shoulder.
"Hey, what are you doing?!" Rico shouted as he got up from his chair.
The young woman slowly opened her eyes and looked up, "Hm? What's all this commotion?" Merry muttered, still feeling sleepy.
"Are you awake?" Chris asked in a flat voice. Wasn't this young woman too innocent?! How dare she fall asleep in front of another man! If Chris wasn't here, who knew what the man would do to her!
Chris's gaze returned to Rico's hand and he gritted his teeth. He wanted to cut off the man's hand for daring to touch Merry!
At first, Merry looked confused. She felt that she had just heard Chris's voice. But how could that man be in America? Was she still dreaming now?
Then Merry turned to the side and her brown eyes widened.
"Brother Chris!" Merry jumped up from her chair and immediately ran into the man's arms without hesitation.
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