Cidro (Between Love And Wounds)

Chapter 2

Citra berjalan menuju ruang kelasnya dengan langkah gontai. Tas punggung lusuh yang selalu menemaninya ke sekolah tergantung di pundaknya.

"Hi" said a young man to Citra.

The young man smiled sweetly towards Citra. While Citra only links her two eyebrows.

The image stopped its pace. He looked at the young man in front of him.

"Just come, huh?" asked the young man without noticing the expression on Citra's face which was astonished and confused.

"Why?" The young man asked again when he saw Citra looking at him fixedly.

The image only shook its head without making a sound.

"Know, I'm Azwan. Dirga's teammate." Azwan introduced himself while extending his hand to Citra.

The image looked at the young man's hand and turned to look at the handsome young man's face.

"Partner." The girl answered Azwan's short words.

Azwan nodded and smiled. "You just came?" Azwan repeated the question.

The image just nodded its head. He then continued his steps towards the class.

"Hey wait," Azwan said. He pursued the steps of the image that was getting away.

The image stopped its pace. He looked over and glanced at Azwan. Then without answering, he continued his steps back.

"Partner, wait," Azwan said again.

This time the girl stopped and stared fixedly at the handsome young man's face.

Azwan smiled looking as Citra stared at him.

"I'm sorry about yesterday" Azwan said.

The image scrunched his forehead. He was amazed by the young man's words. Citra felt Azwan never did anything wrong to her. Don't make mistakes, just know them. So thought Citra.

"What about?" Finally came the voice from the mouth of Citra.

"On yesterday. That you were humiliated by Dirga and my other friends" Azwan said.

The image fell silent at Azwan's request. A second later, the girl let out a long breath.

"Nothing. No problem for me. I used to be treated with them" Citra replied.

Azwan looked at Citra in surprise. He felt strange when the girl said it was okay and was used to getting less pleasant treatment from the people around him.

"You sure?" ask Azwan. He did not believe in his hearing. But he just wanted to make sure what he heard was true.

The image smiled hearing Azwan's question.

"I'm used to bullying and body shaming like that. So I feel ordinary," Citra said.

And without anyone knowing. The image often cries in its solitude. He felt desperate and discouraged. He felt insecure when he had to blend in with his surroundings. It made him drown in his solitude.

"Are you really okay, Citra?" Azwan asked to be sure again. He did not want an innocent girl like Citra to experience trauma and feel humiliated.

"really. I can still stand and still breathe, right?" abugn.

Azwan breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't feel scared or guilty about the girl anymore. Although he is not sure of all the words of the image. But he felt relieved because Citra looked fine.

"I'm sorry on behalf of my friends and Dirga. I feel guilty because they humiliated you and humiliated you in public like yesterday" Azwan said.

The image inhales and exhales slowly. Then he smiled thinly.

"Nothing. I'm sorry about you guys. And assume that yesterday never happened" Citra replied.

"Wow it's so good to say, by the way" said someone.

The two young men turned to the origin of the voice. They were a little surprised to see who was coming.

"What kind of boy are you talking about? You think you could have done something embarrassing yesterday" said the man.

"Lo embarrassed me in front of my friends. It has tarnished my reputation" he said again.

His eyes glared sharply towards Citra. The girl could only bow her head. He did not dare to look at that person.

"Lo Wan too. Why do you use sorry all. You like both hick and j*** this?" abugn. His hand pointed right at the image.

"He has the name Dir. Called Citra. And you know it. He willingly apologized for all your actions to him," Azwan replied.

The young man did not like it if there was injustice happening before his eyes. He did not care if he had to argue with people who did unfair actions like this now.

Dirga smiled as she heard Azwan's words. In his brain he devised a plan that he would use to bring down Azwan.

"Are you tired of being on the basketball team?" ask Dirga.

"I mean Lo?" Azwan asked back because he did not understand the direction of Dirga's conversation.

"Are you tired of playing basketball on the school team? You want to get out of the team because of this hick girl problem?" said Dirga.

"What do you mean Dir? Why are you bringing a basketball team?" ask Azwan. He tried to stay calm and patient. He did not want to be provoked by emotions just because Dirga's words sounded provoking.

The image raised his head when he heard his parents being insulted by Dirga. He looked up at the young man who had been an encouragement for his life.

"Why? Don't you accept me talking just now?" ask Dirga.

Without saying anything. The image of a step forward Dirga. And without much talk his hands floated slapping hard on Dirga's cheeks.

"You can insult me as you like. You can say whatever you want. I don't care. But never insult my parents. Especially my mother" Citra said.

Azwan who saw the incident could only gawk in disbelief. He did not expect that a girl as gentle as Citra could let out such an overwhelming anger.

Dirga stroked her hot cheek from the Citra slap. He looked at Citra with hatred. He felt that he could not accept being treated that way by someone he thought was weak and helpless.

"Lo will pay your treatment to me today. I will make the same calculation Lo," threatened Dirga.

The image smiled obliquely at the threat of Dirga. He did not show a look of fear on his face.

"Please Cit. Don't be afraid. I will help you and help you. Yes, Wan?" sahut Arga, Dirga's teammate.

Dirga glared sharply towards Arga and Azwan. "You two what the hell? Are you tired of being on the school basketball team?" asked Dirga furiously.

"Well, I wanted to get out of the team. I've felt for a long time that you have changed since taking over as head of basketball" said Arga.

Dirga stared intently at the press of that team. From the beginning Dirga never liked the two colleagues. He felt that his friends were always comparing him to Azwan or Arga.

"You two will regret it because you've bought this s****n girl," he said.

Arga was about to come forward to beat Dirga. But Azwan quickly prevented it.

"From today you're not a member of the basketball team anymore. You guys I'm out of the team" said Dirga in an angry tone.

Azwan and Arga compactly smiled at the words spoken from Dirga's lips. They do not need to bother anymore to find a reason to get out of the team. Because unexpectedly Dirga took them out of the team at this time as well.

*****

This afternoon Citra spent her break time in the school library. He didn't go to the cafeteria even though Anne and Shintya took him.

"Thank you. I'm going to the perpus. There's something I want to do there," Citra refused when her two best friends took her to the cafeteria.

"Yes, if you don't want to. But really, aren't you sick?" ask Anne to make sure.

"It's not because of yesterday, is it Cit?" This time it was Shintya who asked Citra.

The image shook his head. He didn't tell his two best friends much. He did not want to make his two friends feel burdened with his problems.

Now the image is in the library. In front of him were several books and a notebook as well as a pen. He seemed busy writing something in his notebook.

"Hey alone?" azwan. A sweet smile spread across his handsome and handsome face.

The image only smiled back at Azwan's reprimand. Then he resumed his activities.

"What is nulis? Can I see?" Azwan.

The image stopped the writing. He looked at Azwan with a doubtful and incredulous look.

"If you can't do anything?" azwan said again.

Without saying much, Citra thrust the fur of her notes to Azwan. Azwan accepted the book with pleasure.

Azwan read what Citra wrote in his book. A faint smile fell on his face.

"Do you like to write poetry, Cit?" asked Azwan after he finished reading Citra's writing.

The image smiled timidly upon hearing Azwan's question.

"Icheng is just. It was also because I accidentally made fitting there was an Indonesian assignment yesterday," Citra replied.

Azwan mangosteen heard Citra's answer. A brilliant idea just popped into his head.

"Eh Citra's. Want to run the race?" Azwan.

"What race?" ask Citra.

"Psychology of poetry. I'm sure your poem must come out as the champion" Azwan replied.

The image seems doubtful. He felt less confident to take on such a race. Because according to him, poetry is still far from perfect. There is still a lot to fix again.

"I'm ashamed of Wan. I'm not PD if I participate in the kayak race," Citra said hesitantly.

"Why not PD? Your poem is good. I read your poetry. Who is your poem to? Not for me, is it?" Azwan nyerocos just like an electric train.

The image only smiled hearing Azwan's words. Inwardly, he wanted to be honest with Azwan. But he was afraid to remember Dirga's treatment of him yesterday.

"Cit," call Azwan.

"Would you like to run a poetry contest?" Azwan hopes that Citra will accept his offer. That way he can get closer to this girl who he thinks is very unique.

"Where is Wan? I don't want to run the race. I'm ashamed of Wan. You know...."

"Udah. I'm sure your poem won. Your poem is good and cool. The choice of words is also very good," said Azwan. He tried to give her encouragement and pumped up the girl's confidence.

"Where's Cit? You want to run that race?"