“I got rejected?” Devan stared in disbelief that Davina had turned him down.
Rendra and Arjuna nodded at the same time. They were shocked because this was the first time they had ever seen Devan get rejected by a girl.
“Ugh, what an ungrateful girl, acting all high and mighty! Who does she think she is, turning down Devan? Does she think being pretty means she can reject the most popular guy in all of smaneke? What a crazy girl!” Rina cursed, annoyed that Davina had rejected Devan’s invitation. Rina herself wished Devan would always stay close to her, and yet this small-town girl had just turned him down without a second thought!
“Dev, why are you lowering yourself for a country girl like her? And she thinks she’s pretty, too. You should just come home with me!” Rena turned to Devan with a broad smile. Although Rina had been cursing Davina’s rejection, deep down, Rena was thrilled. At least that country girl knew her place!
Devan let out a harsh sigh. He put his helmet back on without paying any attention to Rena’s words. The handsome boy started up his Honda Satria.
“Hey, why did you leave me behind?” Rena grumbled angrily as she watched Devan drive away.
Rendra and Arjuna exchanged a look and shrugged at Rena’s behavior. She was usually such a tomboy, but in front of Devan, she turned into a soft and feminine girl.
“Looks like she really does like Devan. Too bad Devan doesn’t feel anything for her. Rena’s been secretly giving him attention for almost three years, but sadly, Devan’s never responded to her,” Arjuna whispered.
“Yeah, but what can you do? You can’t force someone to have feelings for you!”
Rena glared at her two guy friends. “Are you two whispering like that? Don’t tell me you’re talking about me!” she snapped.
The two boys nodded, but two seconds later, they immediately shook their heads when they saw Rena’s eyes bulge.
“How dare you!” Rena pointed at them, her face bright red as if horns were about to sprout from her head.
Rendra and Arjuna immediately hopped onto their respective motorcycles without putting on their helmets and sped off, leaving Rena all alone.
“Hey, why am I the one getting left behind?” Rena complained, even more annoyed that Devan’s two friends had abandoned her too.
“Ugh, I’m so mad, so mad, so mad! What is wrong with those three? How could they just leave me like that? Whew, calm down, Rena, calm down. Don’t lose your temper so easily. I guess it’s my fate to have such ridiculous friends. Good thing they’re handsome, or I’d have hung them from a papaya tree by now!”
Meanwhile, Davina and the twins were walking together.
“You’ve really lost your mind, Dav. You rejected a guy as handsome as Devan, the most popular student in all of smaneke!” Amira exclaimed.
“What’s wrong with that?” Davina replied indifferently.
“Of course it’s wrong! Davina, daughter of Mr. Yusuf, you’re seriously mistaken. Devan is the most popular guy, and tons of girls are chasing after him. You must be one lucky girl to get his attention!” Amira said, exasperated.
“So what?”
“What are you even saying, Mir? Speak clearly instead of getting all worked up like that!” Amina said, glancing back and forth between them.
“How can someone have a twin who’s this slow on the uptake? Please, God, just take away her slowness for once!” Amira grumbled as she walked away, leaving Amina to think over their conversation.
“Hey, Amira, wait for me! Don’t walk like a motorcycle going putt-putt!” Amina shouted.
“Whatever. I’m tired of dealing with you!” Amira shot back.
Davina smiled faintly as she watched them. She tugged Amina along so they could quicken their pace and catch up with Amira.
The Satria motorcycle sped down the road, leaving behind the memory of the girl who had just rejected him. A smile curved his lips as he pictured the girl’s beautiful face. Her eyes radiated something Devan found difficult to understand. One thing about her had piqued Devan’s curiosity: she wasn’t like the other girls who were always chasing after him.
The girl acted as if he were completely ordinary, without a care for his status as the most popular guy around. That was what attracted Devan to her.
“Her attitude only makes me more curious. One day, I’ll win her heart and hold on to it until fate brings us together!” Devan murmured hopefully.
The Satria Devan was riding entered a house enclosed by a tall fence. The building wasn’t very large, but it looked spacious, with a flower garden in the yard—unlike his family’s residence in the center of the city. Yes, Devan’s family was far from ordinary. They were major business owners, but because of his past misbehavior, he had been sent to this city and enrolled at smaneke with his two friends, Rendra and Arjuna.
“Dev, you just got back? Where have you been? Why are you only getting home now?” Arjuna asked when he saw Devan arrive.
“Nowhere. I was just out getting some air. I’m going to my room to clean up!” Devan replied, patting Arjuna on the shoulder.
“All right, then. Rendra and I will wait out back. I’m starving. Auntie said she cooked your favorite dishes!” Arjuna replied.
Devan merely nodded. He headed to his room.
Half an hour later, the three handsome boys sat together, enjoying lunch.
“Dev,” Rendra called, digging into fried gourami coated in flour and drizzled with sweet-and-spicy sauce.
“What is it?” Devan replied.
“What do you think about Rena?” Rendra asked, glancing at him.
“What about Rena? She’s fine. I’m nice to her because you two welcomed her,” Devan replied.
Rendra fell silent. Devan was right—they were the ones who had asked Rena to join their group.
“She’s a tomboy, so there’s no way she’d be interested in us. But it looks like things aren’t what we thought. She—” Arjuna clamped his mouth shut when Devan glared at him.
“I can’t stop her from liking me, but I don’t have any feelings for her at all, not even now. She’s a good friend, and that’s all!” Devan said firmly.
“Ahem. What about that girl?” Arjuna asked hesitantly.
“That girl? The class president, right?” Devan replied with a faint smile.
The two boys across from him exchanged glances when they saw Devan smiling like that. Could Devan really like that girl?