Aira And Aria

6. A Promise

Two months have passed since I first got to know Aira. We spent more time in the park beside the school. Even more often exchanging stories through chat after school.

There's always interesting talk every time I talk to him. It may sound strange, even when meeting and chatting becomes exciting times. Although I actually talk more. More precisely, I'm the only one talking. But Aira was always there to listen carefully, while showing a funny expression on her face. As long as I spoke, there never seemed to be the slightest look of boredom on my face. Unknowingly, I became more chatty than usual.

I'm actually a person who likes to tell stories. It's just that not many people can make me comfortable, to be able to get out all the thoughts that are in the head. Maybe Aira was the first girl friend who made me be myself when I was with her.

“Bro, that's it now. Never told the two of us,” Bimo suddenly sat in my front seat facing me. While Raka who is my partner also looked strangely.

“What's the story, anyway?”

“Lo again deket same girl, right?”

“Ya. Kirain whatan.”

“So real, Yes?”

“Deket doang is not allowed? How do you become a gini?”

“The problem is yes... I'm hearing rumors that you are the same as Aira who is mute!” Bimo spoke with a slight whisper.

“Keep why, Bro?”

“Ya... How can you, anyway? Well, don't you do it on purpose? You know that he's a rich man's son.”

“Eh! Indiscriminate, lo!” I clapped Bimo's head with a notebook. But my friend just laughed because he was always happy to tease me. Although his words were a bit outrageous, but I knew he did not say them seriously.

It seems like people are starting to gossip because maybe someone saw me when I was with Aira a lot. But it's not a problem for me, even though I don't know how Aira would react to hearing that.

I think everything will stay the same as always. But from that day on I caught a strange thing

from Aira. He still spends a lot of time in the park or library. He always greeted me with a sweet smile. But, the first time I caught a face full of discomfort while being with me. Even that I felt in the days that followed.

Until finally I was unable to find Aira's whereabouts in an ordinary place. It turns out he's more frequent

spend time in class. Of course I couldn't suddenly enter and look pretentious to him. Is it possible that he's uncomfortable being the talk of people?

I tried not to think too much about it and gave Aira some time to herself. Maybe he is

I don't like being a gossip. Suddenly I remembered Bimo's words. I know he's joking, but is it possible that Aira heard rumors that I approached him just because she knew he was rich? If it's like that, it means I can't stay still. I don't want Aira to continue to misunderstand me and stay away from me.

Today I plan to have Aira chat. But I never thought I would find the time to drag him

going to a quiet place was quite difficult. For some reason now Aira seems to often join the hordes of girls in her class. But in my eyes he just looked like he was hiding.

‘Bugh!’

My eyes that had not focused on making others should be victims. “Duh, sorry.”

“Yes, Yes.if the road is careful, dong.” It was Mira I just hit. “You see what the hell until not focused?” tanyanya.

“Hm? No.”

I saw Mira glancing to a point I had seen before. Either he realized what I was watching earlier or not.

“Oh. As for his side,” comments while leaving me with a slightly irritated look.

I also gave up on not finding a way to get Aira to talk. It was the first time I felt

it's only because of someone who's not even my girlfriend. Even though when dating Mira only I can always relax because she will definitely apologize first when angry. But this time I was really scared of losing a friend. Maybe, because he's not just a friend.

“Lo what the hell, Bro? Daritadi lemes gitu.”

“Rak, lo if ngadepin girl angry how, anyway?”

“Hmm...” sahutku lazily.

“Why the hell? Are you the same as Aira?”

“Gak knows me. He suddenly dodged. Don't know what I'm wrong.”

“Gue new first look lo like this.”

“Emang usually I how?”

“Lo tuh if you want something will immediately chase. Don't care about anything, it's important you know what you want. Now you're just chasing a girl can't you? Don't you ever naklukin Kak Mira, the most beautiful girl in this school?”

Hearing Raka's words that might be excessive made me aware. If it turns out I'm just lacking effort. “Thanks really, Bro,” reply me while patting Raka's shoulder. “Lo is the best motivator!”

I got up right away, but I'm still in the middle of lessons. “Eh, where are you going crazy!” ask Raka

with a slow tone.

“Gue wants to work,” answered me before asking permission to go to the toilet to a teacher who is busy writing on the board.

I ran quickly through the corridor until I got to the front of Aira's class. It's kind of crazy, but at least I want to remove the burden of the mind that makes me unable to focus on capturing the lesson.

I knocked on the classroom door and opened it. All eyes looked at me with a strange look, as well as Mr. Wanto who was sitting on his chair. “What's up, Aria?”

“Sorry, Sir. I asked Bu Aneu to call Aira for a moment.”

This time the person he was aiming for could not dodge at all. He left class and followed behind me.

I quickly pulled his arm while running towards the side garden.

We both fell silent while breathing for a while. Then I saw Aira start putting on an annoyed face. His forehead shriveled and his lips pouted. His white face looked slightly flushed from fatigue. His left hand rubbed the right wrist that I had pulled. I just realized, somehow he was wearing a jacket since he was in class.

“You're sick again, Ra?”

Aira shakes. He was standing sideways, looking like he didn't want to look at me at all.

“I'm wrong what the hell is it with you, Ra? Why do you keep avoiding me?”

The person I asked did not respond to anything. He just started walking away from me. I like to be ignored when I talk. I unconsciously pulled the back of the jacket, and made Aira now in my arms. He started to rebel, but I held him tightly from behind.

“I will not be released until you promise not to avoid again.”

A few seconds later, the woman in my arms started to give up and shut up. I finally let go of my embrace after seeing Aira nod. He still did not respond to any of my questions earlier, and instead squatted down while drowning his head between his arms. Looks like she's crying.

I also squatted in front of Aira. Gently stroked his head. “Sorry yes, Ra. I'm really confused as to why you've changed. I'm afraid I'm wrong and make you uncomfortable with me. I have always been happy to have a sharing friend. I love talking to you, spending a lot of time just talking about dreams while sitting here. Maybe you are just disturbed?

If yes, that's okay, then.  But you do not want to tell me. You want us to not need a win?”

Aira raised her teary face and shook her head. He even grabbed my arm a little hard. I can catch that he doesn't want to lose any of it.

“Why are you so far away from me, Ra?”

The girl who was still crying looked heavy once replied, and I did not want to force her. “But, you still want to meet me, right?”

Aira nodded.

“Don't suddenly disappear again huh. Promise?”

Aira nodded back. Makes me smile quite relieved despite making her cry.

Today, the anxiety that had troubled me was gone. It will be a story I always remember. Because this is the first time I've beaten my ego, and done all that just to persuade someone not to be angry with me anymore. Something I never did before.