About Taste

One Week Later

One Week Later.

The sun began to peek at the eastern horizon, shining its golden light. The wind blows slowly, dropping the dew on every leaf it hits. Andra and Ms. Mirna were standing among the beautiful blooming flowers in the garden of her house.

Bu Mirna's condition improved, but she was still at home, Andra had not allowed her to go to the office.

"Aren't you going to Ndra's office?" asked Bu Mirna while picking the yellowed leaves of the flowers.

"No Ma, today I will take Nadhira to Malang, a week ahead he has a photo shoot there." replied Andra while picking white roses.

"Andra don't pluck, just let it bloom there!" shouted Miss Mirna while looking at Andra.

Ms. Mirna really likes flowers, she really does not like if someone carelessly plucks the flowers. Andra was the only person who would pluck flowers, and throw them away.

"It's just one Ma" Andra said with a grim laugh.

"Based on habit!" said Ms. Mirna as she stepped away from Andra.

"If this one should not be picked yes Ndra, Mama will be very angry if you do it" said Ms Mirna while touching the blue Callus Vanda orchid hanging in the corner of the garden.

"Yes Ma." answered Andra casually.

"Mama is serious Ndra" said Ms. Mirna as she glared at Andra.

"I'm also serious Ma." replied Andra while putting her roses on the chair.

"It's just being thrown away, it should just let it keep blooming there, it's seen to be more beautiful right" said Ms Mirna nagging Andra.

"Ma has already been." Andra said with a smile.

"Now help Mama!" said Miss Mirna while looking at Andra.

"What's Ma helping you with?" andra asked as she approached Mirna.

"Move these flowers into the pot." replied Ms. Mirna while pointing at the blue rose growing on the ground.

"For what Ma, it's good there, don't move" Andra said with annoyance. Taking care of flowers is one of the things she does not like.

"It's better if planted here Ndra" said Ms Mirna as she reached for a black flower pot nearby.

"I don't want Ma, let Bik Surti do it" Andra said.

"Mama wanted to do it alone, and as a punishment because you've picked the flowers Mama, so now you have to help Mama" said Ms Mirna.

Andra sat crouching in front of her mother, her lips manyuning, clearly visible if she was very upset.

"Fill this pot with the ground!" ma'am Mirna's orders while thrusting the pot to Andra.

"Dirty Ma." grumbled Andra as he grabbed the pot.

"Just do it and don't talk much, this is one way to appreciate someone who has given the seeds to Mama" said Ms Mirna as she filled the soil into the pot.

"Who are these flowers from?" ask Andra.

"Ella." replied Miss Mirna.

"Huh!!" yell Andra. For some reason his heart suddenly thumped hard. What's up with him?

"Why you?" mam Mirna asked while frowning in wonder.

"It's okay, when did Ella give it to Mama?" andra asked nervously.

"There used to be a problem with Saints. Ella came here looking for you, and she brought these flower seeds to Mama." replied Ms. Mirna.

"Ohh." said Andra. Although he answered his mother's words briefly, but his mind glared far away. He remembered his best friend.

With her hands still covered in dirt, Andra reached into her pants pocket, and grabbed her phone. Andra remembered Nadhira's words at the hospital. Nadhira says Ella uploaded her picture while at the airport. Because of the condition of his mother who suddenly deteriorated, Andra forgot to see the post that Nadhira meant.

After a few minutes of Andra fiddling at her phone, she frowned confusedly, why can't she see Ella's post? Andra clucked in annoyance, and then she looked at her mother.

"Where's Mama's phone?" ask Andra.

"In the room, why?" Miss Mirna asked back.

"Andra borrowed Ma for a while" Andra said as he got up from his seat, and ran into the house.

"Andra wait, get your job done!" shouted Miss Mirna. But his cry was completely ignored by Andra.

"Based on a bad boy" said Ms. Mirna, shaking her head.

With quick steps Andra walked into her mother's room. He grabbed his mother's cell phone lying on the table. Andra opened her mother's Instagram account, and she searched Ella's posts. And not long after, he found Ella's last post. A picture of him at the airport.

"It turns out you blocked my account, why El?" andra said as she felt Ella's photo in her mother's phone.

Andra stared at the photo for a long time, Ella was at the airport, but somehow Andra airport did not know either. Two of his hands were stretched out to the side, which meant that someone else had taken a picture of him, but who?

Andra looked at Ella's sweet smiling face, nothing had changed from her, remaining beautiful and simple. In the photo, Ella is seen wearing long jeans, and a black top combined with a red blazer. His long hair was simply stroked, without front bangs. Andra smiled as she stared at the necklace with the eiffel tower pendant still hanging beautifully around her neck.

"Thank you, you've looked after her until now El" Andra said with a smile.

"But why are you blocking my account? and you seem to be deliberately avoiding me, why El?" andra said with a long sigh.

"What airport are you at? have you really come to Paris?" andra spoke alone.

"Why are you Ndra?" ask Ms. Mirna who just went into the room. Mirna came to Andra, and sat down next to her.

"That's Ella's picture, isn't it?" ma'am Mirna asked as she looked at her phone that Andra was holding.

"Yes Ma." answered Andra.

"You look at him like that, why Ndra?" ma'am Mirna asked while holding Andra's shoulder.

"I'm disappointed Ma, it turns out Ella blocked my account. Ahh I don't know, I think he really intends to stay away from me." Andra said with a wry smile.

"But why would Ella do that? you guys ever fight?" mrs Mirna asked while looking at Andra.

"We had a fight, but it happened when Ella had kept her distance from me." replied Andra.

"Why does Ella keep her distance, there's no way she's doing that for no reason" Ms Mirna said.

Andra was silent, trying to remember what she was doing before Ella kept her distance. But not long after, Andra exhaled violently.

"I don't know Ma either, I don't seem to have done anything wrong, but suddenly he just walked away from me" Andra said as she looked at Ms. Mirna.

"Yes, don't think too much, one day Ella will go home, you just ask her why she stayed away from you, after her misunderstanding was run, you can be friends again. For now, focus first with Nadhira, soon you will be engaged" said Ms Mirna as she patted Andra on the shoulder and smiled.

"Yes Ma." replied Andra while returning her mother's smile.

"Yes, quickly take a shower there, he said to deliver Nadhira" said Ms Mirna.

"How to plant flowers?" ask Andra.

"It's over." replied Miss Mirna.

"Well! that fast Ma." cried Andra in disbelief.

"It's not Mama who planted it too soon, but you who dreamt it too long." said Ms. Mirna.

"Sorry Ma." Andra said smiling.

"Your base, my men are most upset." - Miss Mirna.

"Learn from Mama." answered Andra as she moved from her seat.

"What did you say?" shouted Bu Mirna while glaring at Andra.

"His father was good, mature, never messed up, but why his son was like that" said Ms Mirna as she stared at Andra's departure.

***

The hour hand shows at 04.00 pm, Andra and Nadhira have set foot in the courtyard of the Sangrilla hotel, Malang Raya. Andra took Nadhira by the hand, and invited her in.

Andra had been booking her room since this morning, so now they just had to take the key, and go inside her room.

They enter room number 55, Andra put her suitcase in the corner of the room, then she approached Nadhira who was taking off her jacket.

"Honey." call Andra while hugging Nadhira from behind.

"Hmmm." muttered Nadhira.

"We're soon engaged, may I ask for it now?" andra asked as she kissed Nadhira's neck, and left some reddish marks.

"Don't Ndra, I'm not ready" said Nadhira, holding Andra's hand.

"Why? Soon we are fiancee, even if you are pregnant I will definitely be responsible, I will definitely marry you" Andra said with a hunting breath.

"Don't Ndra, I want to do it when we're married" Nadhira said.

"But I want it now, may ya baby for a moment. I promise I will do it gently." Andra said as she let go of her embrace, and turned Nadhira's body upside down. Now they stood facing each other, at a very close distance.

"No Ndra, I can't" Nadhira said, looking down.

"Come on! I can't help it anymore baby, I really want it." Andra said as she moved closer to her face.

Nadhira's heart was beating rapidly, his body was trembling, should he let go of it this second as well?

"Andra sorry I.." Nadhira had not yet continued his sentence, suddenly Andra had already kissed his lips.

Nadhira's eyes glazed over, as he felt the touch of Andra's hand was already beginning to be bold.

And in a matter of seconds, her tears began to drip. Could it be that Andra will take it this time as well?

Andra stopped her movements, when she realized that her lover was crying. He turned his face away, and looked at Nadhira fixedly.

"Why are you crying?" andra asked with Nadhira's tears.

"I can't Ndra" Nadhira said slowly.

"Why? You don't trust me?" ask Andra.

"It's not like Ndra, I believe in you, but I can't do it when we're not halal" Nadhira replied.

"Alright, I understand." Andra said as he exhaled violently.

"You angry?" nadhira asked carefully.

"No, as long as you want to help me." Nadhira replied as she looked at Nadhira.

"What can I help you with?" ask Nadhira.

"I need your hand." answered Andra as she reached for Nadhira's hand.

Nadhira gasped in shock upon realizing what Andra meant. Nadhira was about to step away, but Andra quickly held him back. And there was no other choice, finally Nadhira obeyed Andra's wishes.

***

Nadhira pensively herself in her room, Andra had been gone since an hour ago. Nadhira closed his eyes, and let out a long sigh. His heart was restless, and agitated at the thought of what he had just done. Nadhira opened his eyes slowly, he looked at his hand which was above his lap.

"Even though I have not lost my chastity, and Andra has not seen my body, but my heart feels uneasy. Andra why are you forcing me to do it." Nadhira said in solitude.

Nadhira stared at her reflection in the mirror. His hand touched his neck which was filled with reddish marks. Nadhira bit her lip, a clear feather dripping back over her cheek.

"From the beginning I knew that Andra liked that a lot. I should have thought about what the consequences were when I decided to have a relationship with her" Nadhira said, linking her hands together.

Sad, restless, agitated, and somehow what other feelings were mixed in his heart, which obviously made him really uncomfortable.

Nadhira stared at the circular bracelet on his left hand. The hour hand has shown six o'clock past fifteen minutes. Nadhira got up from her seat, and stepped up to grab her jacket. He decided to find a fresh breeze, so that his mind was not too messed up.

Nadhira stepped out of his room, walking while putting his hand in his jacket pocket.

"Nadhira!" call someone who is walking towards him.

Nadhira gasped in surprise, he looked up at someone who called his name.

"Vino, how are you here?" nadhira asked nervously. He did not expect to meet Vino at this place.

"I have a client here, I've been since yesterday. Why are you here yourself?" Vino asked back.

"I have a photo shoot here" Nadhira replied with a smile.

"Oh that way, what room do you live in?" ask Vino.

"Number 55." answered Nadhira.

"Seriously?" vino asked a little surprised.

"Yes, why?" Nadhira asked back.

"It turns out we're next door, my room's number 54." replied Vino.

"really?" ask Nadhira.

Vino answered with a nod and a smile.

"Are you alone, or with Andra?" vino asked as he looked at Nadhira.

Nadhira pensively for a moment, hearing the name Andra called, his heart fretted again.

"Nadhira!" call Vino because for a few seconds, Nadhira remained silent.

"So Andra drove me, but she came home about an hour ago" Nadhira said, trying to smile.

"You look sad, Nad, did something happen to you?" inner Vino while looking at Nadhira.

"Where are you going?" ask Vino.

"The streets are looking for fresh air" replied Nadhira.

"Do you want me to be with you?" ask Vino.

"Need, you just got to work, must be tired" replied Nadhira with a smile.

"Wait here for a minute, I change my clothes first" Vino said as he stepped away from Nadhira.

Nadhira let out a long sigh, he turned to look at Vino's back who was walking further and further away.

"Yes, let him accompany me." Nadhira said with a smile.

A few minutes later, Vino came with a pair of long jeans, and a short white shirt.

Vino walked over to Nadhira with a big smile.

But the smile did not last long, in a matter of seconds. Vino stared at the reddish marks on Nadhira's neck, which were slightly visible from behind his jacket.

Does this have anything to do with the look on Nadhira's face that looks moody?

What has Andra done to her?

Seriate.....