008 -

Soon after he finishes taking a shower, he gets hungry again. Only then does he leave the beach and heads to the border.

He takes the times to visit that one food outlet he visited before, to fill his empty belly before taking a long journey to Summerfield.

Coincidentally, it’s quiet without any customers. Jimmy's arrival on a luxury motorbike makes the girl who owns the shop looks excited in waiting, tying her shoulder-length black hair up on the back.

But then…

“Oh, shit! No way? It’s that guy earlier,” mutters the girl by closing her mouth, recognizing Jimmy’s face soon after Jimmy takes off his helmet.

“Who?” The girl’s younger brother asks from behind.

“No one!” The girl ignores his curiosity.

“Oh, wait! That guy?” The younger brother recognizes Jimmy’s face. “Isn’t that the guy we saw on the side of the road at Boslow Hill? I thought he was just a thug!”

“Just go back to the kitchen!” Laura slaps her 14 year-old brother with a small towel.

Soon, she finds Jimmy walking towards her with his touring jacket and boots. She no longer sees that slightly torn t-shirt in Jimmy anymore.

There is no longer the beggar impression from Jimmy's current appearance. He looks cool in the girl's eyes, like a genuine reliable man. And of course, Jimmy's body odor isn’t as bad as before.

“Hi!” Jimmy greets. “Can I order the same menu I ordered this morning?”

The girl doesn’t immediately respond. She is still observing Jimmy’s new appearance in all her confusion.

Until then, her attention is diverted to Jimmy's helmet which Jimmy puts on the table in front of her.

It still has the sticker of the dealer shop on it. That is enough to convince her that it's a brand new helmet just like his luxury touring motorbike.

“Hey!” Jimmy softly knocks on the table twice.

“Ah?” the girl startles. “Yes? Is there anything I can help you with?”

“The menu No. 4!” says Jimmy.

“No. 4?” mumbles the girl, still with her blank face. “Oh, a chicken wing with rice plus coke? Okay, please wait!”

“No coke,” says Jimmy, as he gives his two empty metallic water bottles. “Could you please fill these bottles with some water for me? I’m going to need it for my journey to Summerfield.”

Jimmy leaves the bottles and takes a seat on one unoccupied table. After waiting for a while, the girl comes to him bringing his order. And just like before, she puts an extra chicken wing on Jimmy’s plate.

“Two chicken wings?” asks Jimmy.

“It’s okay! One of them is just an extra,” says the girl as she takes her leave.

Soon, she comes back with Jimmy’s two metallic water bottles and puts them on the table. But then, she looks so unsure either to leave Jimmy or to stay there.

As Jimmy is engrossed with his chicken wing, the girl shyly takes a seat in front of him, while still taking a look at Jimmy’s new bike outside the shop.

“Um…”

“Yes?” Jimmy takes a pause for a moment.

“Ah, anyway! I’m Laura! What’s your name?”

“Jimmy!”

“Oh, Jimmy? Um… Is that bike new?” she asks with an unsure face.

“Yeah, I just bought it a while ago,” replies Jimmy before he continues eating his food.

“You?” Laura squints. “Did you really just buy a new bike? To get back to Summerfield?”

“I went to the bus terminal before, but sadly the last bus to Summerfield had left. I had no choice but to buy the bike to take me home,” replies Jimmy.

The girl shuts silent, finding it hard to believe the guy she thought a beggar deliberately bought a luxury bike just because he didn’t get a bus to get home.

Later, she takes her face closer to ask in a weak voice and an unsure tone. “Ho, how? Where did you get the money?”

Jimmy takes another pause from eating his food. Somehow, a cute smile appears adorning his face.

“Just like what you said this morning, I begged and collected enough money to buy a bike,” he explains while holding his urge to laugh.

The girl’s face contorts so hard. But then, two new customers enter her shop stealing her attention. She can’t help but to leave by taking her curiosity away.

Later, after finishing his meal, Jimmy approaches the girl to pay. Like before, he puts one $100 bills on the table, and lets the girl keep the change.

“Um, wait!” Laura calls, before bringing her face closer. “Are you a content creator?”

“What?” Jimmy looks baffled.

“About this morning, was it just a prank for your content?” asks Laura.

“No,” Jimmy denies. “Why would you think so?”

“Nah, I’m just curious,” replies the girl. “Sorry, but I thought you were really just a beggar. Please, don’t blame me. But you did look like one.”

“It’s okay! I understand,” Jimmy smiles. “I just had an accident in a field trip recently, and got stranded here for two days.”

“No way!” The girl looks surprised. “Was it that accident two days ago, at Boslow Hill? The school bus from Summerfield? Honestly, I saw you walking on the side of the road this morning asking for a ride. If only I knew you were one of the victims I would surely give you a ride.”

“Well it wouldn’t be good if you just give a stranger a ride in a quiet place like that,” says Jimmy, taking the issue positively.

In fact, this girl is actually also an orphan, only 18 years old and she has been taking care of her younger brother since she was 10.

It’s not like she is a gold digger. But she is really curious and only wants to know how to raise that much money at young age.

“So, how did you get the money to buy the bike?” Laura asks. “What's your occupation? Are you an employee of a large company or a businessman? Or perhaps, it’s your rich dad’s money?”

“Rich dad?” Jimmy laughs awkwardly while rubbing the back of his head. “No, it’s from my savings I’ve collected when I still had parents. I don’t have any parents anymore. I’ve spent everything for that bike, and now I have to think about how to survive after this. I might sell it again, who knows?”

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