Falling In Love In The Dark

"Shit!"

"Elaria, stop swearing. Get over here!" Elaria ruffled her hair.

"What exactly do they want? Those bastards keep acting crazy. Last week they smashed a bus stop. Tonight they smashed the glass of our flower shop. I feel like killing them." Elaria couldn't contain her anger.

 "Stop nagging. Help Chinar carry the flowers to the back room. We don't have much time. The flowers might get rotten from the rain.

Elaria looked up at the sky. There was only darkness. The rain was falling relentlessly. Lightning could be heard everywhere. It was frightening.

"Why don't we have a chance for us to live a relaxed life?" Elaria sat among the flowers that had just been moved into the cramped room at the back of the flower shop. A room with two small stuffy rooms and a multipurpose room that could fit one long sofa that the three of them often sat on.

"Ela, there's no point in complaining. Being able to survive is enough." Sky handed Elaria and Chinar a cup of coffee.

"The city is getting more and more crowded. I'm having trouble breathing." Chinar inhaled the aroma of the packaged coffee they used to get at a small shop in a narrow alley. It was very cheap.

"I thought we would see a lot of color but why do we only see darkness? Shop rents go up every year but there's no building maintenance. We have to fix leaking roof tiles. The toilet is clogged. Water bills have to be paid every month as well as electricity bills. Not to mention the cost of daily necessities. Flower shops don't have a stable income. I'm going crazy."

"Don't forget, we have to fix the glass. We'll run out of money."

Elaria, Chinar and Sky. Just like the other dreamers. They came to this city to realize their dreams. The city that has always been called paradise. The beautiful city lights. But in reality it was nothing more than hell.

They went to great lengths. They try all means. They never see the beauty. Only failure. There is only darkness.

"What should we do?" Elaria moved to the sofa. Sitting in the middle between Sky and Chinar. This sofa could only accommodate the three of them and even then it was a bit cramped. It was better than having to sit on the floor.

"Do as usual. Open a flower shop. Ela composes songs and sings. Chinar promotes the songs. I'll take care of the rest." Sky was the most mature and calm among them.

"Why are you still with me?" Elaria looked at Sky and Chinar in turn. "You guys could be doing something much bigger. Even go back home. You won't lack anything."

"Home is too crowded. It's more crowded than this city" Sky looked at Elaria. "I enjoy living like this more than being at home anyway."

"We promised that we would succeed together. Ela, when we find the right producer. Your song will explode. We'll make easy money. We won't be living in a place like this." Chinar looked at Elaria with confidence.

Elaria smiled. Looking at Chinar and Sky in turn. "I will try harder. I won't let you live in misery."

Their hands clasped each other. That's how they survived in the darkness for so many years.

Living with many dreams while never knowing when they will come true.

***

Early in the morning Chinar was already repairing glass with a friend he had known for a while. Both fighters of dreams in the darkness.

Sky was upset. Most flowers are rotten because of the rainwater.

Elaria cleaned up the room that was messy due to the nighttime riot.

Living in the city is like going to war every day. Movement is very fast. If you let your guard down, you must be willing to be trampled.

"We lost again?" Elaria approached Sky.

"Unable to help." Sky ruffled her hair.

"What should we do?" Elaria panicked. If the flower shop closed, they wouldn't be able to survive.

"We have to get a cheap flower distributor."

"With our conditions. Getting a cheap flower distributor is not a solution."

"Chinar tell me what we should do?"

"I'll take some videos of you guys. You guys are good at flower arranging. We should promote Roseanne Florist on social media."

"So?"

"If many people see our video. We will soon survive the crisis."

Elaria and Sky nodded in agreement.

"Let's do it."

"I hope that many high-class people will see our video. They are always willing to pay a high price for beauty."

"Chinar. Don't get your hopes up. We can't even see them." Elaria arranged some fresh flowers on the table. Sky set up the ring light while Chinar set up the camera.

"Let's work hard. We have to survive because going back home is not a viable option right now."

Again. A sentence full of enthusiasm.

Elaria and Sky started arranging the flowers as best they could. Chinar took a video.

It doesn't go smoothly. They do it over and over again until they get the results they want.

"This is exhausting!" Elaria stretched her muscles. Her eyes stung from staring at the ring light and camera flash for too long.

"How is the result?" Sky took the camera. Sky's situation is not much different from Elaria's. Sky was even worse. Sky wasn't used to standing in front of the camera like Elaria.

"Good. What do you think?"

"Okay, but I look really stiff. Ela, how about we take the video one more time?"

"Again?"

"I'm not fit to be in front of the camera. Please do it one more time." Elaria nodded her head.

Sky smiled broadly at the results, "Just as we expected. Ela is always beautiful in front of the camera."

"You're right. She should already be a world-class singer!" Chinar looked very excited.

"Our beautiful Ela will shine brightly." Sky smiled proudly. "Chinar quickly edited the video. Send it to me. I'll post this video to social media and send it to people I know!"

"I'll do it!"

Elaria smiled. Chinar and Sky. Two people who believed in her when Elaria was unsure of herself. Chinar and Sky always held her hand and even hugged her tightly when Elaria had to walk in the dark. Their dreams had never changed since they first met and heard Elaria sing.

Sky wants to be Elaria's assistant while Chinar wants to be Elaria's manager.

"Ela, it's time to go. You have a photo shoot." Elaria had started her career as a model since last year. Chinar and Sky organized everything.

Elaria's career as a model was not going well. The modeling world was too harsh. Elaria often received bad treatment, one of which was sexual harassment. Elaria experienced it once. At that time Elaria wanted to give up but seeing Chinar and Sky's struggle to get a job for her made Elaria undo her intentions.

Elaria chose to survive. Survive in darkness once again.

"I'm leaving." Elaria picked up her cell phone on the table.

"Ela, I will accompany you."

"You finish your work at the flower shop. I'll leave on my own. This isn't the first time I've worked with this brand. So far they've treated me well. Sky, don't worry." Elaria pecked Sky's cheek then darted away.

"Are you sure she'll be okay?"

"Sky, she's slowly growing up. You're taking good care of her. She'll be fine."

"Aren't we being too hard on her?"

"Not at all Sky. Calm down, don't overthink it."

"Does She like what she's doing?"

"Sure, she likes it."

***

The city's air is deteriorating every day. Air pollution is increasing but the number of vehicles and factories is increasing. Land that was once full of trees has now been replaced by high-rise buildings.

Elaria walked under the scorching sun to the inner-city train station. It's not far from the flower shop. It was enough to save money. At this time of the day, the train wasn't too crowded. Many of the seats that were usually full were empty. Elaria could sit and enjoy the train's air conditioning in the heat of the city.

"Do your best, Elaria. Don't disappoint Chinar and Sky."

Every time she wanted to do something. Elaria always said that sentence. She didn't want to disappoint Chinar and Sky who had done so much for her.

When the train stopped at its destination station. Elaria got off. She ran fast enough to reach the exit to the building where she was shooting today. A building with dozens of floors. It was not far from the station. This was Elaria's second time shooting in this building.

"You're late again?" Elaria looked down. She caught her breath.

"Aliston, I'm sorry." Elaria was already running as fast as she could. But she was still late.

"I know why you're not as famous as your classmates. You waste so much time Elaria that you can't even take care of yourself. Look at that sweat. You're disgusting."

Waste of time? Disgusting? Elaria wanted to laugh. Of course she was different from her classmates. They even started out on a different footing. They graduated from a famous modeling school while Elaria started by studying on her own. They traveled in luxury cars while Elaria used public transportation. They had expensive treatments while Elaria only took care of herself modestly. They eat healthy food while Elaria eats anything to stay alive.

"I will not repeat it again."

"Quickly change your clothes. Stop making appointments. This is your last shoot with me. I don't need an incompetent model!"

Elaria nodded without protest. This was not the first time she had been treated like this. No matter how hard Elaria begged and even kowtowed. She still wouldn't be considered.

"Elaria, it's not time to stop. You're too hard on yourself. You're not going to make it."

"Elaria, don't you realize? This is not your place."

"I can't even fathom how he got this project. What kind of way are you flirting with our boss?"

Elaria closed her eyes. This was not the first time Elaria had heard such words from her colleagues. None of them treated her like a human being in this place. They just looked at her as useless trash.

The photo shoot ended at night. Elaria got cursed at a lot. She could only smile until it was all over. The high-class models had already left in their luxury cars to celebrate the day while Elaria had to wait in the lobby until the rain stopped.

Elaria was never invited to dinner.

Elaria looked up at the sky. Again, she could not see the city lights she had dreamed of. Elaria could only stare into the darkness.

Elaria rubbed her arm. The air was getting colder but there was no sign of rain. Breaking through the rain wasn't the right choice either. Elaria would get soaked. The people on the train would stare at her sharply. Elaria would get another kind of scolding.

"What should I do?" Elaria looked back up at the sky filled with darkness.

There was no answer. Elaria only heard the thunder crashing together.

"What should I do?"

Elaria looked around her. The lobby was deserted. Just like her colleagues. People were leaving the building in cars.

"Do you need help?" Elaria gasped. She looked up at the tall man standing beside her. Looking at the clothes the man was wearing. Elaria was sure he wasn't a random person. He was from the upper class.

"Don't trust anyone. You live in the big city of Elaria."

"No, thank you." Elaria looked back up at the dark sky. Trying to ignore the man standing beside her even though the man's scent was quite disturbing to her. Elaria didn't know what expensive perfume the man was using until the smell still lingered even after dark.

"You must have heard many scary stories about this city."

Elaria gasped. She looked at the man beside her.

"Are you talking to me?"

"Let's just say that. Isn't talking to the darkness scary?"

Elaria didn't answer. Elaria hoped the rain would stop soon so she could catch the train and return home.

"Are you sure you don't need help? I don't think the rain will let up until morning." The man looked Elaria up and down. A luxury car stopped in front of them. A man in clothes similar to the man's got out of it while carrying an umbrella.

"Stubbornness won't help you live in a city like this." The man got into the car. Elaria was still silent but her eyes couldn't leave the man. He was seen talking to the umbrella-bearer who Elaria was sure was his personal assistant.

"Mr. Danesh wants you to carry this umbrella. You're lucky to have his help. He rarely cares about others." Elaria stared at the umbrella in the personal assistant's hand. A new umbrella.

"Don't waste your time thinking. You'll fall behind if you keep doing that." Elaria accepted the umbrella. She accepted a stranger's kindness for the first time.

The luxury car drove away from the lobby. Elaria turned her body around. She looked intently at the tall building with dozens of floors.

"Who lives on the highest floor of this building?" Elaria was sure that from the highest floor of this building, she could see the city lights she had dreamed of. This building was in the center of the city. Everything should be visible from the highest floor of this building.

Elaria looked down at the umbrella in her hand. There was no point in thinking too long. Elaria opened the umbrella and ran a little towards the station in the rain that didn't let up.

Elaria managed to protect her clothes from the rain but not her shoes. Her shoes were soaked by splashes from cars and motorcycles. Elaria also accidentally stepped in a puddle while running.

Elaria stood on the platform, waiting for the train that would take her back home. Elaria looked down at the umbrella in her hand. The only good people Elaria knew in her life were Chinar and Sky.

But meeting a man with expensive clothes and expensive perfume and still providing help to her even though Elaria had rejected it seemed impossible. Elaria was used to being ignored all this time.

"Whoever he is, if I meet him again. I will repay his kindness in every way I can." Elaria nodded confidently.

Elaria got into the train that would take her home. Elaria wanted to get home quickly. She was cold.

This is what lies behind the beauty that everyone dreams of. At first only Elaria's shoes were wet but now her clothes were too. The flood wasn't high but it was enough to make things chaotic. 

"Ela, are you back? Are you okay?" Sky checked on Elaria. The flower shop was closed. But the power outage, puddles of water plus some leaking roof tiles made the flower shop's situation much more terrifying than being outside during a rainstorm like this. 

"What should we do? Why are the roof tiles leaking?" asked Elaria. She sat down at the table so she wouldn't be exposed to the water. 

"Our part of the room is safe.  We can still rest tonight." 

"What about Chinar's room?" 

"Everything is wet. There are leaking parts there." 

Elaria raised the phone higher. The city was pitch black due to the power outage. Elaria closed her eyes. She wanted to rest easy after such a hard day but a relaxed life was not meant for her.  

"Chinar, where is it?"