Cracked Pearls

Hugs

Current time shows at 09:30 p.m. Luckily, Nandan had already contacted Dad, asking permission to take me home late. So my phone is not noisy with the sound of calls or chat messages lined up from my beloved man because of his acute anxiety.

This is the fifth place we went to.

A park that lies under the bridge of the Bandung City-City highway to be exact. Millennial atmosphere with young people who plot different activities looks exciting like it.

I took my foot off Nandan's bike. Retracing the map paving block that felt cold through my feet which was wrapped in thick sneakers.

The motor is parked Nandan in a special place for him. He approached me after that.

Although lightning occasionally darkens, but the atmosphere in this place is not also quiet.

Some young people like us seem cool entrenched with a theme that I certainly do not need to hear. That's their business, and I'm not a stalker.

When Nandan and I set foot in a direction, I felt a little uncomfortable. I don't know which part of my face is attracting attention. Many pairs of eyes - especially guys at some point, looking at me while smiling with interest. I'm not a sixth-grader who's ignorant of a person's expressive judgment. They looked at me like they wanted something. Even though until now I still feel, I am too ordinary when compared to my other friends.

And unfortunately until now, I never asked nor did I want to know, how could Nandan fall in love with me? Though if studied, Nandan is enough to be the answer, what advantages I actually have.

The man pulled my hand against one of the walls that were lined up separately. One empty we sat on. I looked around and smiled. There are no parents or children here. Almost all of them are young with an age range that may be equivalent to us-me and Nandan, or maybe older and vice versa.

“I bought a drink first broke,” said Nandan while getting up. I just nodded as a sign of agreement. I leaned my back against the concrete body of the bridge, with my legs swaying just like a kindergarten boy waiting for an invitation home.

My eyes are busy. Until finally my gaze accidentally collided with the face of a thin mustachioed but very sweet-looking young man, who was sitting not far on my right side, filling a bench of some kind. He smiled at me with mischievous flickering eyes. Though clearly, a woman who may be his girlfriend, was struggling spoiled on his shoulders, next to me was blocked.

I turned my face to avoid that gaze - a little uncomfortable.

“Again girls, still a flirtatious,” my mind is slack.

From the front, I saw Nandan start walking towards me with two cups of drink that were still puffing smoke from the top, in both hands. “Sorry yes, long time. Ngantri because,” said my boyfriend while handing a cup of his drink to my hand.

“Nothing. Thanks, Yang. I no longer PMS really,” my chandelier once. “Can't be angry.”

Nandan responded with a smile, then sat sweetly beside me.

“Where, seneng today?” he asked after doing one sip of his coffee elegantly.

“Steng really,”I reply is short and flowering.

Nandan smiled as he squeezed my hair as usual. But again ... I caught the awkwardness of the sirat he showed it. Like the pity that I myself find it difficult to study more deeply about it. Why is there sadness there?

Not wanting to mess up the ongoing atmosphere, I tried to turn my mind away. I put my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes.

The sound of rain starts to sound rushing accompanied by a gust of wind which then leads me to shave my body. I'm getting cold.

“You should know, Mut.” Nandan open his voice. “I amaaaang very much with you.”

That phrase I heard may have been hundreds of times from Nandan's mouth throughout our courtship. But that one just now .. why does it feel any different? I feel different than usual. Feels vibrating. “I know that,” reply I tried to hide the strange taste in the heart, without showing it to be an expression on my face. “I love you too.” A short reply I said with a feeling of uneasiness. Not because my love for Nandan was diminished, but rather. I don't understand this at all.

While struggling with my thoughts, Nandan changed his position. What he had originally embraced me with only one hand in a sideways position, now he was facing and hugging my body completely. “Do not move much. I want to hug you like a gini. If you need to get to morning.”

My heart is soaring hard of course.

“What the fuck is this?” My heart is protesting, but also .. real pleasure. Other than his strange words, he did not even care about the pairs of eyes that looked at us with a stare, trivial, mocking, or maybe ..envy for the sad singles in between.

I put my face in his face. “Yang .. we are seen by many people. I'm ashamed,” said slowly while grimacing red. I lowered my face again and then circled around with my tail.

My God .. Those people even sounded like we were mocking. No Nandan is still flinching. He doesn't care about anything right now but hugging me.

I'm happy with this, but ...

why does it feel different?

My mind then flew backwards on the cliche of my father's expression and behavior when I left this afternoon.

Why is everything weird today?

Father ... and now ... Nandans.

What's up with them?

My mind feels depressed now. I was confused, and alone.

Busy struggling with the contents of my head, I could hear a small song from Nandan's mouth. A romantic song that we used to sing together in the back of school when he was in the same uniform as me.

I held my head slightly to reach a distance on the guy's face, then smiled.

His eyes were calm. His lips moved in the rhythm of the song. So sweet, so soft. I smiled happily, then lowered my face and closed my eyes. I lost the burden I thought a moment ago.

Nandan's singing is like a sleep escort. I'm getting sleepy now. But I tried to hold it. Because it feels too strange if I drown sleeping in Nandan's arms, even in a place like this.

CTYAAAARRR

The loud thunderous sound roiled the calm. I snapped reflexively covering my ears with one side of my hand that was originally attached to Nandan's chest.

But then calm down, after my boyfriend tightened his embrace and said, “Don't be afraid .. there I am.”