That morning, Barra headed to campus earlier than usual. The sun had just begun to peek over the horizon, and the streets were still empty. He rode his motorcycle slowly, trying to shake off the lingering anxiety from the night before. However, as he passed the large intersection near campus, his instincts as a law student kicked in. Something was wrong.
A black car with tinted windows maintained a constant distance behind him. At first, Barra thought it was a coincidence, but when he turned into the narrow road leading to the parking lot, the car followed and pulled over a few meters away.
Barra dismounted, pretending to adjust his helmet. His heart beat twice as fast. Through the reflection in his rearview mirror, he saw a shadow-a man in dark sunglasses staring straight at him from inside the car.
All day on campus, the feeling of being watched never faded. When he left his class, he saw the same man sitting in the cafeteria, pretending to read a newspaper while his eyes never left Barra's movements. When he headed to the parking lot that afternoon, the man was still there.
Barra swallowed hard, trying to calm himself. Am I just paranoid? he wondered. But as a future lawyer, he knew the evidence in front of him was too consistent to be a coincidence.
On his way home, Barra intentionally stopped at a stall near his alley. Sure enough, the black car stopped at the end of the street, as if marking its territory. Pale-faced, Barra entered his house. His mother immediately noticed something was wrong.
"What's wrong, Bar? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Barra shook his head, forcing a stiff smile. "It's nothing, Mom. Just exhausted from classes."
That night, he couldn't close his eyes. The memory of that sharp gaze from behind the tinted windows haunted him. He was now certain of one thing: General Bratha Yudistira was keeping eyes on his every move.
***
The following afternoon, Barra and Alma sat on a campus bench beneath a withered flamboyant tree. Alma was busy stirring her boba, while Barra remained mostly silent, his eyes warily scanning the surroundings.
"What's up with you, Bar? You've been spacey all day," Alma asked, leaning in.
Barra took a deep breath. "I've been feeling strange lately, Al. There's a black car following me everywhere. From campus to my front door." Barra looked at her intensely. "Do you know something?"
Alma froze. The straw in her hand stopped moving. She wanted to deny it, but Barra's analytical gaze made it impossible to lie. She bit her lip and said softly, "Papa just... he wants to know who you really are, Bar."
Barra turned his face away, his jaw tightening. "So it's true. Your father sent an intelligence officer to spy on me?"
"Bar, listen to me. It's not because he hates you. Papa is just worried. He's always like this with anyone close to me." Alma tried to reach for Barra's hand, but he pulled away.
"Worried? Or suspicious? As if I'm some national security threat that needs investigating." Barra's voice was low but laced with pain. "I don't have a rank, I don't have a big name. It's just me and my mother. If that's a crime in your father's eyes, then maybe I was never good enough for you from the start."
"Don't say that!" Alma grabbed his hand firmly this time. "I don't care about any of that, Bar. Papa can have his standards as high as the sky, but my heart only belongs to you."
That night, Barra sought strength in the safest place he knew: beside his mother. As they sat together folding laundry, Barra finally poured out his concerns.
"Mom... Alma's father has people following me."
His mother paused for a moment, then calmly continued her work. "Son... no matter how powerful a man is, once he becomes a father, his heart turns soft for his daughter. His ways might be harsh, but it's because he cares. Don't feel inferior."
"But I'm nobody, Mom. He could find a son-in-law far more impressive than me."
His mother looked Barra deep in the eyes. "You might not have wealth, but you have an honest heart. And that is far more valuable. If Alma can see that, her father will understand eventually too."
However, that peace didn't last long. The next day, Barra's world seemed to crumble. Since morning, Alma was unreachable. Her phone was off, and his messages remained on a single gray checkmark. At campus, Alma was nowhere to be found. Her medical classes were empty.
Barra's anxiety peaked. He couldn't take it anymore and raced his motorcycle toward Alma's house. But his steps were halted at the towering gates. Two soldiers in green uniforms stood stiffly guarding the entrance. One of them, a Private First Class who had seen Barra many times before, looked at him with a rigid expression.
"Good afternoon, Mas Barra," the soldier greeted, his voice heavy.
"Afternoon. Is Alma inside? I need to see her for a moment," Barra said, breathless.
The soldier didn't answer immediately. He glanced at his colleague, then looked back at Barra with a hint of suppressed pity. "I'm sorry, Mas Barra. Orders from the General have been issued. As of this afternoon, you are no longer permitted to meet with Miss Alma."
The blood drained from Barra's face. "What do you mean? What did I do wrong?"
"We are only following superior orders, Mas. Please understand. It's best if you leave the area before the situation becomes more difficult," the soldier replied with perfect posture, but his tone made it clear that this was non-negotiable.
Barra stood frozen in front of the high iron fence. The house he once thought of as the place where Alma waited had now turned into a fortress with its doors slammed shut. He gripped his phone tightly, staring at the silent screen.
His mind tried to find a way out, but his heart could only wonder: What is actually happening in there?
YOU ARE READING
Kidnapping the General's Daughter
Romance"He thought he was rescuing their love. He didn't know he was just driving her escape." Barra is a brilliant law student, a high-achiever who built his future on a prestigious scholarship. He plays by the rules and carries the weight of his mother's...
