ALPENIA (The Cruel Small Town)

Strange Things

Intan breezed into Ulfa's house with confidence. "Gue's late and I won't apologize" he said suddenly. "Connecting with our friend - my friend means, the Rima. His house just got robbed last night. So, I gotta get to her house first, give her moral support, and-,"

"No one wants to hear your reasons" Naya cut cynically as usual when dealing with Intan.

"Aws. You're so rude!" reply Intan while shaking off the irritated hair.

"What we care about is, why did you bring those two people here?" ask Annisa a little sniffle. Sebal saw the presence of two guys who followed behind Intan. Especially on Ikbal.

"OKAY. Don't misunderstand me first. I know you fight a lot with Ikbal. But, he came here to help. Not to mess up, let alone fight with you, corrupt boy!" exchange Intan with unfiltered words. As always.

"It's not so, Tan. Yesterday, he was angry, for not accepting you helped me," Ulfa said.

"Quiet dear Ulfa. He has been given the same enlightenment I. He understands that your feelings are now as broken as when we both lost Rahma two years ago. So, you don't mind if he helps?" Intan's tone turned a little soft when answering Ulfa's question.

Ulfa says, "okay. More people are helping you better!" I hope he doesn't take the wrong steps.

"By the way, I brought Salman here too. Because, who knows, he's useful to us. He said he had some useful information!" intan continued presenting the young man on his left side.

"What?" asked Iswanti raise her voice.

"It's time to talk" Intan told Salman.

"OKAY. Earlier, I wanted to apologize first, because I bother you guys a lot, especially-,"

"OKAY. Can we skip this part of the request?" cut Intan. "Everyone here will forgive you, when you expose the deformation. Aren't you, guys?"

Everyone nodded their heads, as if hypnotized by the word Intan.

"So, I saw the incident of child abduction directly yesterday" said Salman, continuing his words that were cut by Intan.

"Certainly? I also saw clearly the kidnapper's face, when the son of my unit's neighbor was kidnapped, "unusually, this time Annisa was cold and cynical.

Everyone there was clearly astonished. Annisa who is usually soft, cheerful, and full of spirit, why so sour?

"Gue hasn't done it yet" Salman said patiently. "So I managed to follow the kidnapper's car, to the forest," he continued.

"Hutan ... This city?" ask Renaldi.

"Yes." Yeah."

"You know, if in the forest there is a shortcut that connects to the highway, I follow the kidnapper's car there. But the fit went a little deep inside, the car was gone. And I don't know why, I suddenly went out of the same way when I came in. Even though I bring a straight motorcycle, do not turn back," explained Salman a little unreasonable.

Everyone did not understand the young man's words. They thought that Salman was just playing around with this precarious thing. His old nature may not have gone away, just like to make jokes for his pleasure alone, when seeing others suffer.

"Lo don't be kidding! Here we are all serious, worried. And the story lo it even makes all added runyam. Go if you don't want to help!" annisa said with overflowing emotions that made everyone surprised.

Suddenly the phone inside the pocket of Annisa's pants shook. He who was still upset, immediately went to the back to pick up the phone. Leave everyone with a question mark.

***

The mood is still unclear. Everyone started asking the truth of Salman's words.

Ulfa is getting sadder, because she feels she is being played.

Naya rebuked Salman for making sense.

Meanwhile, Renaldi was busy staring at Intan who ignored him.

However, Iswanti felt a little sympathy when she looked at Salman's sincere face. His fondness of reading all books and information keeps his memory open. Once, he read the mysteries and myths of this Alpine city, which is unacceptable to common sense.

So, maybe the weird and terrible thing that Salman told me about did happen. I don't know. Iswanti believes fifty percent, and the other half does not.

"Sorry, where's the toilet?" In the midst of the commotion that occurred, Ikbal's speech did not help at all.

"To there!" reply Ulfa by pointing her index finger back.

However, he heard the sound of someone crying from outside the back door of Ulfa's house.

Not wanting to drown in the curious sea, Ikbal opened the door slowly. And saw Annisa crying, sitting on a long wooden bench overlooking a small garden of various vegetables.

Ikbal didn't expect to do this. He would greet Annisa, who was often his arguing partner. This he did because he remembered his determination to change, as suggested by his twin sister.

"Lo why? It was angry, how is it crying now?" ask Ikbal hesitatingly.

Annisa did not reply, she instead gave a sharp glance at the young man.

It's hard to be a good person according to Ikbal, but he has to keep trying.

"yeah. I don't have any more tissue!" Ikbal stepped slowly, and sat down next to Annisa. "Lo why?"

"Don't care enough! I know, you're happy right now, see I cry?" ketus Annisa is still as much as she likes.

"Can be. If I'm still Ikbal who yesterday-yesterday," said Ikbal a little holding back emotions. Because of his intention to help him even accused of a no-no. Tempramental properties can't be lost overnight, right?

Annisa looked at the young man beside her that was a late-goal. He didn't have to chat with this annoying young man in front of him, he thought.

"Why sad? Want to tell me the same story?" Ikbal asked once again to convince.

"Lo won't understand."

"Clearly do not understand, you people have not told me!" sela Ikbal soon.

Currently, Annisa needs a place to beenaung. Having no choice, he finally told the problem to the young man he hated so much. Because it's impossible if he goes back inside with another problem. It's just as bad there.

He also showed his phone screen to Ikbal. Featuring a girl in glasses, with thick cheeks, and a full body. It looks like Ulfa, but it's not.

"Name Nina. We were classmates, before I moved to Alpine High School. I got a rumor this morning, that he killed himself last night, because he wasn't bullish. At first, I didn't believe it. But just now, my friend in old school called. And, Nina did kill herself," explained Annisa trying to be strong by holding back tears. Even though his face was red.

"Gue is sorry. Lo sad because your friend died, natural anyway."

"That's not the problem!" kilah Annisa is ambiguous, then crying again gets worse.

"Hey!" Ikbal touches Annisa's back up and down. Apparently, he also has a heart, the proof is now that he feels the sadness of the girl.

"Gue didn't have time to apologize to her. In the past, I had bully him all-out. Before papa was arrested, I-the spoiled child who felt above all else, always demeaning people who I thought were not rich, not beautiful, not popular," explained Annisa increasingly bothered.

"Nina I hit, I scorned, I ranted. Why did I think that was it?" annisa said while trying to stop the crying. Wanting to eliminate the tightness in his chest and the pain in his heart because of regrets that he would never be able to redeem. He was truly sorry for his cruelty and stupidity first.

Ikbal immediately placed Annisa's head on his shoulders.

"That's why, when I saw the three of you coming, I was immediately emotional. Because, you who used to bully others for the sake of self-gratification by demeaning them, it reminds me of myself. And at this time, I'm angry with myself," continued Annisa still sobbing in the arms of Ikbal.

"Gue asks the same lo, never again humbling others, even if you only intend to joke. Because we do not know, bad words and actions that we think are only small things, can have a big impact on others. Stop from now on, before you regret like me!" annisa's suggestion while straightening her body back to its original position.

There was something that suddenly hit the little heart of Ikbal. It could not be described or expressed in words, but surely his heart became more spacious. He was getting ready to change his attitude.

"Yes. From now on, I will change," Ikbal said sincerely.

"Not so. But we" said Annisa, holding out a hand, smiling bitterly in her tears.

Ikbal grabbed that hand, "friend?"

Not expecting to say this Ikbal appda, but Annisa also replies, "friends!"

"Now stop crying!" said Ikbal immediately wiping the tears on Annisa's cheek using his index finger.

"That's your friend who died. I know, it must be heavy. But, you are sorry, and want to change better. After all, he killed himself after you left, so you have nothing to do with it. Even if there is, you should know, not everyone has a mass that can be proud of," said Ikbal made Annisa try to accept. He was quite surprised by the words that came out of his own mouth. The mouth that is commonly used to berate, it can also give suggestions that have meaning. Maybe this is a good time to start maturing.