Singing Forever

Chapter Four

Author's note:
I've been considering to translate this work into Indonesian since I think more people will come here if it is in Indonesian--I live in Indonesia. So... Yeah... Probably I will. I don't know... Or I will just make it bilingual, I will have both Indonesian and English.

***

"Hey, Dila. You finished already?" asked Emma when Danny and I met her in front of the library. She was my classmate as well as one of my close friends.

"Ah, hi, Em. Yeah, now Danny and I are heading to the sport centre. You wanna come?" I replied.

Emma shook her head. "Nope, I've gotta look for some journal articles," she said.

I smiled and said, "Okay then. See ya."

"Yeah, bye," said she whilst smiling at Danny and me. Danny responded her with his big smile.

"So, you have no more class today?" asked Danny on our way to the sport centre.

I shook my head. "I only had one class today in the morning. And I'm too bored to stay at my boarding house."

"Why is that?" asked Danny.

"There's this on girl in the house. She likes playing a song repeatedly," I replied.

"Hey, that sounds like you," said Danny.

I slapped Danny's back a bit, and he laughed. I loved it how we were already close in only one month that he was not angry at me for slapping his back. "It's not me. Why would I be bored with myself?"

"That's not unlikely to happen, though," he said.

I sighed. He even already realised the presence of my low self-esteem. "It's the song. The song used too much auto tune that it sounds so much robotic."

Danny giggled. I glanced at him and he glanced back at me. Then he laughed.

Danny and I just arrived in front of the sport centre when suddenly I heard someone singing near Danny, "I know you're missing home, it's been so long since you've been." It was Glen.

"And that life you had in Dublin now ain't nothing but a dream," Danny continued the song.

I just responded with, "I'll get a Mark, and we'll have a concert. What do you think?" Glen and Danny laughed so hard at this.

I never expected that I would have two buddies named Danny and Glen which was such a coincidence that Danny and Glen are two-third of that popular Irish band, The Script. More coincidentally, Danny was actually a fan of the band, so I often heard him singing the band's songs, which are good, and the song he and Glen just sang was his favourite. And just like other Irish people I know, Danny was really proud of his identity as an Irish. I rarely found anyone so proud of their identity nowadays.

After changing their clothes, Danny and Glen headed to a court and started to play. I preferred to sit on the tribune whilst seeing them playing. Sometimes I checked on my phone whether there was any important news, new information, or just some chats from my friends. But I finally decided that it was actually better for me to just focus on Danny and Glen playing badminton. I found a friend of mine posting his photos when he was attending an occasion in which his new book was being released. My heart beat faster and suddenly I felt bad for 'wasting my time'.

I distracted my attention to watch Danny and Glen playing and I smiled when I saw them kept joking around during the game. I plugged in my earphones to my phone and set the playlist on shuffle. I started by listening to Paint the Town Green by The Script and sang in low voice.

"I know you're missing home, it's been so long since you've been. And that life you had in Dublin now ain't nothing but a dream. To be right there in the moment you'd give anything to be. It's alright, 'cause tonight we're gonna paint the town green."

I saw Danny and Glen stop playing and headed to the tribune. Whilst they're on their way, the song on my phone had changed for several times without me realising that. Now it was Shane Filan's About You. "But some days you wake up, and feel like you need love. You can't see your smile, your eyes, not the way that I do. Don't ever feel worthless. Just know that you're perfect. And I'd change the world before I change a thing about you." I felt like Shane himself was saying those words directly to me and talking me down. I was still feeling bad.

I felt happy as well as sad at the same time. I felt a tear appearing from my right eye.

I swept the tear in my right eye as Danny and Glen now were approaching me. Glen swept some sweat on his forehead using his right palm. I looked at them and smiled. "How was the game?"

"As for myself, I am always better than Danny," said Glen rather arrogantly. But I knew, actually he was not arrogant.

"He always tricked me!" exclaimed Danny.

"Hey, that's just how it is. Just admit it, you may be good in singing, but you still cannot beat me in badminton," said Glen.

I laughed at their childish fight. This was why I liked to be with them. I would not refuse to accompany them all day because they would surely make me laugh. Whilst other buddies I had were not so fun to be with, these two lads surely were gifts. I wish I had longer time to have them around me.

"In five minutes, we're back to the court," said Danny. "Dila, I'll show I can fight Glen back."

I gave a small laugh. "Okay, okay. Sure. I'm sure you can. You're multi talented."

"Oops, Dila. Your sarcasm is showing," said Glen.

"No, no, Glen, I'm serious... Danny can fight you back," said I with convincing eyes.

"What about the multi talented part?" asked Danny.

"That part?" I said. "Probably."

"Okay then." Danny looked rather annoyed, but then he laughed. He was always good at getting my jokes.

The two then sat next to me. They drank some water and took some rest.

"Tomorrow is Sunday. What about hanging out at a mall? I'd love to go to bookstore," said Glen.

"Okay," said Danny. "What about you?" Danny asked me.

"I don't see why not," said I.

Around five minutes later, Danny and Glen were back to the court. That time, I chose to watch them play and didn't spend much time to check my phone.

Danny served first. The shuttlecock flew towards the back part of the court. Glen, with his tall body, could reach the ball and gave a lob. The shuttlecock flew back towards Danny who also gave a lob back. The game was then continued with smashes, jumping smashes, chops, and many lobs. In the end, it was Glen who won the game. Poor Danny.

My phone rang. When I checked, there was someone calling using a number I didn't recognise. I answered the call and someone greeted me, "Good afternoon, Dila."

I recognised the voice. It was the buddies coordinator from the international office of my university, Marina. "Yah, good afternoon," I said.

"Are you free now?" she asked.

"Well, kind of... I am currently with Danny and Glen at the sport centre. They are playing badminton now."

There was silence for some moment, then Marina said, "If it is okay, could you please come to the office as soon as possible?"