Allow Me to Be With You

CHAPTER 13

Hearing the conversation between Nathan and his friend Odi Frisca becomes confused.

“What's the matter Nat?” ask Frisca at last.

“I skipped basketball practice so I can keep you here as long as you're here, Fris. When else can you be here.” Obviously Nathan made Frisca raise her mouth.

“Why use truant truant everything? Basic Stupid! You practice it!” sahut Frisca while pushing Nathan's body bigger than her. “Udah, let's go practice! You lost your chance, you know!”

“How do you go? I will lose a lot of time with you if I join the same training tournament!” nathan is not willing.

“Yes already, I'm sure you're training the same tournament!” frisca again.

Nathan's eyes immediately sparkled. “Wah, are you seriously Fris? Promise yes?”

“Iya! It's there! Spoiled basis.” Frisca said with a smile, then followed Nathan's steps towards the basketball court.

*****

Nico sucked his skirt deep while nodding his head in the rhythm of System Of A Down's B.Y.O.B. He is currently on the roof of the main campus building, a place that is actually off limits to students, but Nico considers himself the inventor of the place. From here, you can see a large campus garden with a large pond along with several other lecture buildings.

Nico exhaled cigarette smoke and tried to form a small circle in the center. Nico stared at the ring of smoke that instantly disappeared and fused with the wind. This dry season, the wind was blowing hard enough, strong enough to wiggle straight hair as long as Nico to and fro.

Nico returned to smoking, turned off his CD-player, and changed his sitting position to look towards the spacious back-campus park. From here, Nico often finds Nathan practicing basketball on a basketball court in the middle of the park.

Suddenly Nico stopped smoking his cigarette when he saw something he did not want to see.

Friscas. Sitting on the bleachers, watching Nathan training with a cheerful face. Sometimes Frisca cheered when Nathan put the ball in. Nico watched them with a look of disdain.

Nico had no idea what caused him to not quickly leave and instead watched over them. Maybe because Nico wanted to look at Frisca longer without anyone noticing.

Everything has really changed. Things are not like before. In the past, when Nico had to accept all injustice, Frisca was the only power he had. When Frisca leaves, Nico loses everything. Now, when Frisca returned, the force turned against her by always choosing the person she was born with. The beginning of all this injustice. Nathan.

Nico doesn't ask why Frisca chose Nathan. Nathan is obviously more everything than Nico. Nathan is almost flawless. Nathan is almost perfect. Nico looks really bad when he is paired with Nathan. And girls like Frisca have no reason not to be with people like Nico.

Nico didn't expect anything. Nico is not used to hoping. Nico stopped hoping. He did it a few times as a child, but that hope never happened. Nico once wished father and mother to come take the report card, but they both did not come because they had to attend Nathan's report card which became the class champion during his life. Nico had hoped to go to Dufan during class break, but father and mother were too busy to take Nathan on the road, while Nico was staying at home because he could not spend the reading book that was asked by his father.

Nico no longer knows how to hope. Therefore, he no longer wanted anything more from a Frisca, let alone trying to snatch it from Nathan's hands. In Nico's eyes, Frisca was also a traitor. Everyone Nico has ever known is a traitor. And Nico doesn't trust anyone anymore.

Frisca cheered again as Nathan managed to score, sending Nico waking up from his daydream. Nathan runs towards Frisca with a proud grin, stops in front of her, and Frisca rips her hair out as if Nathan was a puppy who caught a frisbee.

Co, I care about you!

Nico got up with a jerking motion, then immediately left the place.

*****

“Co, for cigarettes dong”

Nico takes out his cigarette box, then throws it to Vino - his bandmate - who catches up nimbly. Meanwhile, Wanda, another member of his band, was watching him from the corner of the room. Currently, they were in the warehouse of Wanda's house which was made their band headquarters.

“Co, you run away again huh?” ask Wanda.

Nico just nodded while strumming his guitar.

“It looks like your problem is pretty serious. What's wrong?” ask Vino.

“No need to interfere.” Nico said flat while rising. “Come, we leave for the club. Ntar late so do not get paid, again.”

Vino and Wanda glanced for a moment, then put their shoulders together, then followed Nico.

*****

Frisca looked out the window. Nico still hasn't come home even though it's late. Frisca glanced at her watch agitatedly. Ten o'clock at night.

“Fris, don't worry about it.” Nathan said, then yawned. “Most him again gig.”

Frisca looked at Nathan curiously, but soon changed her expression to make Nathan unsuspecting.

“Oh.” Frisca said as if she didn't care. “Emang her she likes gigs where?”

“Maybe at The Club times. It was the club of the katro people,” Nathan back yawned, not realizing Frisca nodded his head in a nod. “Fris, sleep there. By malem.”

“Iya deh.” Frisca said, then stepped cheerfully into Nico's room. Then step quickly to his suitcase and pull out his flagship shirt. After finding a beautiful suit, Frisca put it on and polished her face with a thin makeup. Frisca then opened Nico's room window and smiled knotfully.

Indeed the typical window of a bad boy who often blurs. Nico's room window opened wide open without having a trellis. Frisca easily jumped out, then with tiptoed steps, she moved towards the fence and jumped on it.

Frisca called the lighting, asked for the taxi's phone number. After successfully ordering a taxi, he waited in the dark. The night wind that blew made Frisca feel her hair standing. He's never done anything as stressful as this, but he's got to do it for Nico.

Shortly his cab came, and Frisca rushed in.

“The Club yes Sir,” said Frisca, and the taxi was moving forward.