ALPENIA (The Cruel Small Town)

Fake Hugs

After school, Salman took Iswanti to his home. They were about to ask his mother who was the owner of the book that Salman had given to Iswanti.

Arriving at the home that was first visited, Iswanti was very happy because she received warm treatment from her mother Salman. It turns out that the woman named Susi was a friend of her mother first when they sat in high school.

"Don't know about the ins and outs, you don't even remember having this book" the woman named Susi told her son who had asked about a book that wasn't in his memory at all.

"What time, ma? though I found this book from a drawer in the room mama," reply Salman made his mother's eyes glare.

Susi was surprised to learn her son dared to tear apart the contents of the closet in her room. "You're stealing?" He pulled out Salman's ears with an angry laugh, making Iswanti who saw him also giggle amused.

"I'm sorry ma, that was when I was in SD. I don't know what's right or wrong" Salman's alibi grimaced as he found his ears hot as his mother removed his fingers from his earlobes.

"Bad habit!" Susi turned her attention to Iswanti sitting in front of her, "if she misbehaves, you report to auntie, yes! Especially if he cheats on you, later he will teach this child a lesson," he said without hesitation.

Iswanti. That is, this Salman's mother considers him her son's girlfriend? He just looked at Salman who clenched his lips with his ignorant face. "Salman, have you told me what is the same thing?" The mind is strange, there is a sense of resentment, but mixed with pleasure. His face was now blushing with embarrassment.

"Ma, we're here to ask about this book, not to tease Mama's future daughter-in-law" Salman said, pointing to the book lying on the table. His words again made Iswanti swallow a rough saliva.

Actually, what was the purpose of Salman bringing Iswanti here? To get information about the book or is there some other ulterior intent? He felt like he was being attacked from both sides. His heart is beating faster than usual.

"Mama said I don't know!" susi for the second time.

With a face that was still red, Iswanti ventured to look at Salman, as a reaction to wonder because her mother Salman did not know she had a book that was more than thirty years old. Salman is too.

"If this book doesn't have a mother, does it have a papa?" salman asked to find another option present in his mind.

"Maybe. But strange, papa you've read a book."

Salman let out a long sigh, and exhaled within a few seconds. "Well, if you really don't know, let me ask you later." Salman stood up and left the living room and opened the door to go outside. He will ask his father after returning to work.

Iswanti was about to follow, she first crucified the hand of the woman before her.

"There's no manners of being a child! Look at your daughter-in-law, if you want to go out, say goodbye first!" Susi shouted until heard by her son who was already in the front yard of the house.

Iswanti was silent for a moment until she finally gave a clumsy smile. He passed and came out only to return to feel the turmoil in his heart when he looked at Salman.

***

With slow steps, Annisa attempts to enter the first round on a mission to find the truth about her father. He sneaks in secretly in the father's private workspace. Now is a good opportunity to take, because his father was still in Belisia two days ago.

When in the room, he was stunned for a moment when his eyes found a lot of photos of him that were displayed almost all over the walls of the room.

Continuing on the mission, the girl began to comb through the entire corner of the room. The cupboards and drawers that were there he opened one by one. After a few minutes, there was nothing to do with the kidnapping. He also thought, where maybe criminals keep incriminating evidence in a place that is easily touched. That's a stupid thing.  

He also wanted to get out, of course, after cleaning up the mess of the documents he had just checked one by one. When he was about to come out, how surprised he was when he found the father who was about to hold the door. Annisa's body trembled slightly, what reason should she give?

Suddenly, he hugged his father quite tightly. "I want to apologize, my attitude has been outrageous lately, sorry pa." He had to, himself, do that.

Aji returned her daughter's embrace with a happy smile. She thought that her little daughter had returned, not knowing that it was one of Annisa's schemes to achieve her goal.

***

This afternoon, the cafe is not as crowded as usual. Since an hour ago when his work sif began, Naya was bored because there were only three visitors who came. The boredom grew because he forgot to bring his textbook and cell phone. Sandi, a friend she usually talks to, has not been to work for two days. Complete already.

When daydreaming to drive away boredom, he felt happy when he heard the bell on the doorstep of the cafe ringing. Signs of a customer just coming in. Naya walked over to the person who had just sat down and filled a table. By putting on a cheerful facial expression, he was ready to serve all the needs of the two quite old men.

"What message do you want, sir?" Naya's smile faded when she discovered that the man was her father Faisal-Germawan, the one who made her life and her mother difficult, for giving huge interest to the small money her mother had borrowed in the past.

Hermawan looked at the girl in front of him with a trivial moment, before finally moving to look at the friend he brought with him with a smile.

Naya learns that it is a smile to mock and humiliate her. But, he tried not to pacify, and be professional, "what message sir?" ask again patiently. Because the two men kept laughing after Hermawan said, "It turns out that little people are always destined to be slaves."

Naya gritted her teeth in annoyance. After standing for almost three minutes, he chose to leave, feeling tired because it was considered like he had no self-esteem.

However, Hermawan suddenly gripped Naya's wrist violently, "I just waited for your mother to pay the debt patiently after ten years of unpaid, but you just waited for a while already impatient."

Naya grimaced in pain, she wanted to fight back and thrashed. But the man's hand was too big and strong, to the point that he could not move freely.

"Tell your mother, to be kind to my son, or I'll be the same to you, I can be worse than this" Hermawan said. Apparently, Faisal's words the other day affected him so much. Because after being warned by his son, he still hit and disturbed the peace of the Naya family.

Like a hero ready to save, Faisal suddenly came by gripping the father's arm which was still firmly holding Naya's wrist. "getaway!" Faisal forcefully pulled the father's arm, making his father's grip on Naya loose.

The girl was slightly pulled back, and her back hit the chest of the youth field that saved her.

Faisal raised Naya's right wrist right before his face, to see the mark left behind was clearly very red on the white-skinned wrist. The expression on the man's face turned slightly moody, "sorry," he whispered right in Naya's ear.

"Don't apologize as a lowly person as him," Hermawan said with emotion, making Faisal look at him sharply.

Naya ran from that place. His breathing was tight, his eyes suddenly sore. Does he deserve such insults? Why is he so weak today? Naya is a very strong girl.