Cidro (Between Love And Wounds)

Chapter 3

Dari hari ke hari, Azwan dan Citra semakin dekat saja. Itu sudah cukup menimbulkan gosip yang membuat Anne dan Shintya merasa gerah. Mereka berdua tak suka saat sahabat baik mereka digosipkan yang bukan-bukan oleh penghuni sekolah itu.

"I'm really excited about Shin. What do they want anyway? Yet Citra never once nudged them. Let alone nenggol, want to know their business is not. But why do they seem to want to know the Citra business," growled Anne.

Shintya could only shake her head at Anne's scolding. The cute girl also felt astonished by the inhabitants of the school. Why they seem to be the judge of what Citra does. Whatever the image does is always wrong in their eyes. Maybe even when the image of breathing is also wrong.

"Eh look at that geeky geek?" said a girl sitting on the bench next to Anne and Shintya.

"Wear what pellet is he? To the extent that Azwan stuck with him?" smith again.

"Yes yes. Guys as cool as Azwan to be willing to get out of the basketball team for the sake of being a girl like that," said the other girl.

Anne who heard it became hot. He felt he could not accept his best friend being insulted like that.

"Sabar An's. Patience. Don't get emotional. Because that's what they expected." Shintya tries to calm the emotionally-burned Anne.

"Gue can't wait for Shin anymore. They're outrageous. They can't judge others like that. Especially the Citra Selugu people," said Anne. His face was reddened from holding back anger.

"Sabar An's. Don't you want the name Citra getting ugly in their eyes?" Shintya.

"If you nyamperin them and hit them now. It's the same way you make the name Citra getting ugly in the eyes of the haters." Shintya said as she looked into Anne's eyes fixedly.

Anne was silent at Shintya's words. Shintya's words have a point. If he hit the girls with the spicy mouth now, it would be the same as feeding Citra to the nest of hungry crocodiles.

"But I feel sorry for Shin as Citra. He's a real fuckin' innocent. Where's the pendiem again. He never dared to fight those who bully him" said Anne. His face showed deep pity and compassion.

"Yes, I know how Lo feels. But try to think. If you hit those haters right now, they will definitely not stay silent. They will surely hate the image even more. They will definitely do everything they can to hurt Citra."

Anne was silent at Shintya's words. He so rethink to do things that might harm himself and also the image.

Meanwhile, Azwan and Citra were sitting together in a gazebo in the school garden. Azwan accompanied Citra who wrote poems for the race.

The face of the image looked very serious. To the extent that both eyebrows are perfectly linked. Azwan watched the face with a smile that was hard to decipher. He felt something when he saw that serious-looking Citra's face.

"You're beautiful too Cit. Sweet. Especially when it is so serious. The more visible your beauty," said Azwan in his heart. His eyes could not be separated from the face of the girl in front of him.

"Are you good, Wan?" ask Citra. He thrust his notebook at Azwan.

Azwan paid no heed to that. He was still focused on looking at the face of Citra.

"Wan," call Citra.

"Azwan," call Citra once again.

"Eh yes. Why Cit?" ask Azwan. His voice was trembling slightly from nervousness.

The image looked at Azwan in wonder. A second later he smiled. Making Azwan more and more float made.

"Is this good?" The image repeats the question while thrusting the book.

Azwan received the book and read the poem Citra had just made. Azwan read the poem carefully. The young man seemed to be commenting on a faint smile as he read the poem. His face also met red while reading the love poem Citra.

"If this poem had been for me. I must be really happy. But... Ah, it's impossible. This poem must be for Dirga" Azwan said in his heart.

"Where's Wan? Nope good? Is there anything to fix?" ask Citra.

"Eh. em. his poetry is very good. Cool. I read it, "Azwan replied.

The image reflects her sweet smile. He thanked the young man.

"If you may know who the poem is to Cit?" Azwan asked as he looked at the fixed image. He hoped that the poem was for him. But the other corner of his heart did not dare to hope so. Because he knows Citra really likes Dirga. The man who had embarrassed and humiliated her.

Citra let out a long sigh before answering Azwan's question.

The image stared at the flowers growing in the garden. His eyes looked at the butterflies that flew here and there and perched among the flowers.

"It was for someone who was always in my heart. Even though he never knew my feelings and never returned the feelings in my heart. I always keep that love growing." The image answered Azwan's question without looking at Azwan's face. He was still focused on staring at the beautiful blooming flowers.

"Make Dirga?" azwan suddenly said.

The image turned towards Azwan. He looked at the young man's face.

"That poem was for Dirga, wasn't it?" reworked. There was a sharp angle when he said that.

The image looked at Azwan with a hard-to-understand look. But a moment later, the girl nodded her head.

Azwan turned his face the other way. He no longer looked at the face of the image. His heart ached a little when he learned that Citra still holds a love for Dirga.

*****

The day has changed. The clear sky started to turn orange. The birds and animals began to return to their nests.

"Diminum Wan first," bargained Arga.

Azwan only smiled faintly to answer Arga's offer.

"Partner is unique Wan. From childhood he was always alone. He is more comfortable when he is in a quiet place than having to gather in a crowd" Arga's story goes.

"Do you know a lot about Citra?" Azwan.

Arga laughed at Azwan's words. He looked at the face of the friend with wonder and curiosity.

"Why? You're not jealous if I know a lot about him?" Arga asked in a joking tone.

"Jealous? Make what? He's not who I am, is he?" sahut Azwan's.

Don't-don't-don't-elo Ga who's jealous I'm close to Citra?" accuse Azwan.

Arga's face changed immediately. His face reddened as Azwan teased him.

"Eh. Who is jealous? I used to," said Arga.

Azwan laughed at the words of his best friend. He knew that the friend had been watching the image for a long time. But he had no courage to express his true feelings.

"Gue knows Ga. I have long had a crush on Citra. I know that Elo secretly likes to pay attention to him" said Azwan.

Arga's face flushed perfectly hearing his best friend's words. He did not expect that the friend knew something he was trying to cover up.

"Gue is no hypocrite Ga. I also like the image. Beautiful girls are different from others. It's beautiful it's completely natural and it comes from inside her." Azwan expressed his praise while looking at the star-studded night sky.

"Emangs. She's beautiful and sweet. Not bored if you look at him. But what I don't like about him. He's too good with people. He's too trusting if one day the bad or sick person he'll be conscious." Arga confirmed the words of his best friend.

"Dirga b**o really dah nolak kayak Citra girls. Besides being smart, he is also very good at making poetry" said Azwan.

"Oh yeah? I just found out, yes" said Arga. He looked surprised to hear the words. Azwanese. He did not know at all that Citra was good at writing poetry.

"Yes. I give advice for him to participate in the poetry contest. I also listed her poems on the website."

"Gue is sure. The poem Citra will win." Azwan said with complete confidence.

"That's sure, Lo? How good is it?" ask Arga.

Azwan looked towards his friend. He looked into the eyes of the friend with a questionable look.

"What is the poem Citra wrote? So I'm curious" said Arga.

"Elo read about it in a book of poetry. You see all the poems of the contestants will be recorded," said Azwan.

"Did you like Citra Wan?" asked Arga suddenly. The young man was a little worried. He was afraid that his best friend would like the girl he likes.

Azwan did not answer Arga's question. The young man looked at the darkening night sky. His feelings are uncertain. He doesn't understand what he's feeling right now. He felt very comfortable when he was near the girl. But on the other hand, he also felt fear. I don't know what scared him.

It was not only Azwan who was worried. The image also feels the same. He also felt comfortable when he was near Azwan. But he also could not just erase the trace of Dirga's shadow in his heart.

"How do you feel about him now?" A beautiful-eyed girl asked Citra who was sitting on a nearby bench.

The image took a long breath. He was confused as to how it should be now.

"I don't know Ma'am Wit. I was confused" Citra replied.

The girl named Wiwit patted Citra's shoulder slowly. Then he smiled at her.

"What makes you confused? Did he also approach another girl besides you?"

The image shook its head slowly.

"Then?" connect Wiwit.

Again the image took a breath and exhaled slowly.

"I don't know Ma'am. Still afraid if close to a guy. I don't think I'm Mommy." The image answered the brother's question with a sad look.

"Try to open your heart to others. Do not wait for the uncertain. You should be able to open your heart to others" Wiwit suggested.

"Don't put your heart on loving someone who doesn't love you at all" he added.

The image fell silent at the words of her brother. He permeated every word that came out of his brother's mouth and tried to put it into his heart.

"Yuk. It's night. Tomorrow must be school, right" Wiwit asked.

The image smiled towards the older brother. Then he followed the steps of his brother into his house.

"Remember Cit. Open your heart. Don't hold your heart. Let your heart choose who deserves to be in it" Wiwit said before Citra entered her room.

"You're an adult. You can choose the best for your heart" he said again.

"Whatever your choice. Ma'am Wiwit and Mas Tegar will always support you" he continued.

Citra said a lot of thanks to her brother. He felt grateful that his brother would listen to all his outpouring of heart.

Now all he had to do was reopen his heart. Freeing his heart choose for whom he will dock. Azwan or Arga?