After three weeks of training to become a new caddy, Lila finally stepped onto the field. Just as Angie had said, she got the job easily. As her eyes wandered over the wide stretch of grass and the soft slopes of the small hills, she realized there truly was a world like this. All her life, she’d thought sports were just something that made people sweat.
There were still many golf terms she was slowly memorizing as time went by. She tried to carry out her duties professionally and be extra patient whenever she got mischievous middle-aged men as clients. But Lila tried to take their cheeky compliments and flirtatious remarks as nothing more than jokes. It didn’t happen too often anyway, and she was relieved that sometimes she got young, wealthy clients who only wanted to learn golf to fill their leisure time.
Three months went by quickly, and she was now living more comfortably. Her mother was happy knowing Lila started working right after graduating college—but Lila told her she worked as an administrative staff member at a private company with a good salary. She was afraid her mother would be upset if she knew Lila was actually working as a caddy who sometimes wore tight uniforms and short skirts on certain days.
“If I’d known this, I wouldn’t have bothered going to college,” she muttered playfully during her lunch break at the cafeteria.
Of course, she was only joking amidst the busyness and messiness of life. Even if she didn’t really know what her dreams were, she still believed education was important. Lila simply focused on her job, refusing to get too caught up in the dramas that easily bloomed between men and women in her workplace.
During those three months, she’d grown close to two new caddies who joined around the same time as her—Gina and Olive, both twenty-three. Then there were the senior caddies—Crissy, Dira, and Angel—whom Lila thought were stunning and kind, each only two or three years older than her. The rest were caddies who liked getting involved with high-ranking officials, and Lila preferred not to get too friendly with them.
Crissy sat across from Lila, munching on her salad. “Is that good, La? Give me a bite,” she said teasingly.
Lila smiled and poked a piece of fried chicken toward her senior. “I thought you were on a diet?”
“Just one bite,” Crissy replied with a playful wink, then continued eating.
Not long after, Gina and Olive joined them at the table. Working didn’t always mean sitting all day in an air-conditioned office behind a computer, right? Lila reminded herself to be grateful—her salary was more than enough even without using her college degree. Her days off weren’t fixed like those of office workers, but at least she had four days off every month. In fact, on holidays or national days off, the golf course usually made the most profit.
Once, in a single day, Lila earned nearly a million rupiah in tips from assisting a family who came to play golf just for fun. They were very appreciative of her help and explanations. The family hired two caddies, including Lila, while the kids played only occasionally out of curiosity. But there were also days when she had to be on standby at five or six in the morning to accompany players who wanted to tee off while the air was still cool.
***
At first, Lila didn’t pay much attention, but eventually she found herself listening whenever Gina, Olive, and Crissy talked about those men. Or rather, that group of men. Lila was drawn to one of them in particular—a tall man with a smile as bright as sunlight and a face she couldn’t easily forget. She had only seen him five times since working there, yet secretly hoped that someday she might be assigned to assist him.
“I heard from Lala, they come here often,” said Gina.
Olive frowned, sipping her drink. “Why does it always seem like Lala’s the one who gets them, huh? It’s always the same clique—Lea, Sissyl, Andrea, Nova, and Tami. You know, the flirty ones.”
Crissy snorted. “Oh please, you girls really don’t understand men, do you?” she said, puffing out her chest as if to prove her point.
Lila smiled before taking a sip of her water, while Gina and Olive groaned in mock annoyance. Crissy then went on, telling a long story about a friend of hers who once went out with one of those men. Gina and Olive leaned in, eager for every detail, asking question after question.
Meanwhile, Lila pretended to read her phone messages—even though there were none—while quietly listening. For some reason, her chest ached as she heard the gossip. She could already guess that the man she liked was probably no different. Handsome and wealthy—it would be strange if men like that didn’t use both to attract women… to take them to bed. What exactly had Lila been hoping for in a place like this?
“As far as I know, the most muscular one is a businessman—or so I’ve heard. Then the Chinese-looking guy with glasses is a well-known journalist. You guys ever watch the news? You’d see his face interviewing ministers or politicians,” said Crissy.
Gina shook her head. “Nope. But I like the businessman. So hot!”
Olive slapped Gina’s shoulder while laughing. “Agreed! Agreed! Okay, then who’s the one with slightly long hair? And… the one who looks half Asian, half Western? What does he do, Sis?”
Crissy shrugged. “No idea about those two. But I’m pretty sure—besides the ones I mentioned—that guy’s an influencer.”
“No way! I’ve never seen him. I check social media like every hour,” said Gina.
“Gin, influencers have different niches. Maybe he’s not in your algorithm,” Olive replied, exaggerating her tone. “But yeah, that one’s super handsome too—just don’t put him next to the journalist.”
Lila fell silent, her thoughts drifting. It wasn’t hard to figure out who was who from Crissy’s description. So, he was an influencer. Still, she wasn’t about to waste hours scrolling through social media just to find out who he really was. By the time she got home every evening, it was nearly dark—rest sounded far better. Love was a luxury she couldn’t afford right now.
Even if she did find out—then what? He probably already had a girlfriend hidden from the public eye, to keep his fans devoted and sustain whatever fantasy they’d built around him. In the end, Lila would just end up admiring him alone, like a fool. No, thank you. She had bills to pay and a life to steady. She’d rather keep her feelings quiet and watch him from afar, if they ever happened to be on the same course again.
Gina nudged her shoulder. “So, which one do you like, La? Just for fun.”
Olive grinned. “Yeah, you never talk about guys.”
With all their eyes on her, Lila smiled shyly. “The journalist’s nice, I guess.”
Crissy laughed softly. “See? I knew it. Lila’s the type who goes for the full package—smart and handsome, just like a journalist.”
Not exactly. Lila simply didn’t want to be that easy to read. The truth was, she’d liked the influencer from the very start—even before she knew who he was or what he did. But admitting that felt too embarrassing. It was better to keep it between herself and God—this quiet ache she carried in her heart.