Dollar Girl

Chapter 55 Being Honest to Yourself

"What can I say? I'm stuck on the game I've been in, it's kind of annoying like you have wings but you can't fly. Moreover, this is a play of the heart, who would have thought even a poet would turn into a clown for the sake of his worship. One piece of advice I can say, might as well be a reminder for myself in the future. Be true to your own heart."

Excerpted from Ratna Mangalih's personal archive.

* * *

Ratna and Ian meet back at school, they deliberately look for a quiet place to talk alone.

"According to our agreement at the beginning of this your payment, then if Sela asks you again I will answer that we have broken up" said Ian while handing over some money.

Ratna took the money and counted it.

"Thank you, it's good to do business with you" he replied.

"Then I'll see you"

"Wait!" sergeant Ratna stopped Ian's steps.

"What's wrong?" ask Ian.

"Do you want to pretend to be my girlfriend? in exchange I'll pay you"

"A.... pa?" asked Ian in wonder.

Ratna smiled and returned the money she had just received.

"I love money and food so much, I can do business easily but that doesn't mean my life is just about money. It's all because of your cowardice! you're making me unable to take the money quietly so let's continue our charade until you can be honest with yourself."

Ian did not understand what Ratna meant, but he understood Ratna just wanted to help him. Ian therefore agreed to pass on his charade.

Their play is quite simple, Ian only needs to drive Ratna home from her place of work if there is time. Not really home, just to the front of the alley where Ian used to drive him home for the first time.

Day after day passed by, that night Jimy accidentally saw Ratna get out of the car and saw a man saying good night friendly words before leaving. Suddenly it made Jimy curious, when Ratna was walking to go home quickly he ran after.

"Wait!" his screams stopped Ratna's steps.

"Master? what's up?" ratna asked confusedly.

"Who is he?"

"Huh?"

"That guy? who drove you home in a car!" obviously Jimy.

"Oh he's my upperclassman"

"Unclassmate? why would he take you home? what did good-night mean?" ask Jimy suspiciously.

"What if someone takes me home and says good night? what's the deal with you?" reply Ratna.

"You." call Jimy slowly.

It felt like Jimy was cursing and cursing when Ratna did not care about it, but all he could do was finally mumble indistinctly.

Unable to bear the curiosity Jimy immediately went to Amus' house and invited Ardi and to discuss the man he had just seen.

"Is that guy tall, white and handsome?" ask Ardi.

"True, why do you know?" reply Jimy.

"I think I know who that guy is"

"really?" amus and Jimy asked together.

"Most likely she's Ian, Ratna's new boyfriend"

"What?" amus and Jimy shouted back together.

"But when I asked Ratna said she was just a big sister" Jimy said.

"A few days ago I had a double date, my boyfriend said his ex named Ian would introduce us to his new girlfriend. When we met apparently she was Ratna, I heard from my boyfriend Ratna and Ian that they were hiding their relationship because they were in one school" Ardi said.

"What the fuck? why didn't he tell us about this?" jimy's nagging.

"Either what happened but despite being forced Ratna still did not want to raise her voice if asked about her boyfriend, she turned back angry unclear"

"It sucks! anyway we have to dig deeper information" said Jimy annoyed.

Ardi nodded in agreement because he was also upset, only Amus did not answer because his heart was destroyed instantly. His hope of obtaining Ratna's heart just vanished, right now all he could do was regret.

The next night Ardi, Amus and Jimy deliberately wait for Ratna's return to ensure the man who drove her home. For a long time they hid there until finally a car stopped right in front of the alley, before long it was seen a man came out of the car and opened the door for Ratna.

"That's the guy!" jimy said.

"Really! that's Ian" Ardi said.

"So that guy was really Ratna's boyfriend?" ask Amus.

Ardi nodded without turning his eyes away from Ratna, he started to get hot when he saw Ratna and Ian talking and seemed to laugh together.

Can't bear to see that Ardi rushed up to them followed by the others, Ratna was quite surprised when her friends suddenly came just like that.

"When do you want to stand here? it's night you better go home quickly" said Ardi ketus.

"I see, you don't have to remind me like that" Ratna said.

"It's late, after all you must be tired of working out" said Ian who understood very well the meaning of Ardi's words.

"Bye bye!" ratna then left the place.

"I'd better go too" Ian said.

Ardi simply nodded in response to the remark, while Jimy looked at him with a cold gaze that made Ian uncomfortable. After Ian's departure they soon followed Ratna, asking her to speak first before entering the house.

"What else?" ratna asked annoyed as her steps were blocked.

"You haven't explained anything about the man" Jimy said.

"What should I explain?"

"Everything! you didn't even tell us you had a boyfriend, since when did you guys date?"

"Why do I have to report who I'm going with?"

"Have you forgotten Jaya? what if that guy is as bad as he looks? what if you get hurt?" jimy asked, starting to get emotional.

"She's so nice, you don't have to worry. Let's talk about it later, I'm sleepy" replied Ratna.

"He's right! how long are you gonna treat him like a kid? Ratna is also the privacy she wants to keep so stop prying over her personal affairs" Amus said after Ratna's departure.

Jimy admitted that he was exaggerated, but what happened to Ratna when it came to Jaya made him quite traumatized. His little sister who he always took care of, although sometimes annoying is unlikely to let him hurt again.

Meanwhile Ratna begins to notice signs of change in Sela, from Ian she finds out that sometimes she meets Sela and chats. This time Sela was much more understanding, either because she had changed or because they had broken up and become strangers.

One thing is certain Ratna knows that Sela and Ian still love each other but are ashamed to express it, their feelings are too outdone by their respective egos and Ratna's job here is to awaken them.

One day Ratna had the idea to invite Ardi and Sela to the tavern, that day in order to welcome the day of affection the tavern gave a discount for each double purchase.

"Welcome" said Ratna to Sela and Ardi who had just arrived.

"It looks like you are very busy" said Ardi saw a considerable number of visitors.

"Here you go, it's Valentine's Day so many couples come"

"That's it"

"Please sit down first, I'll make you some good juice" he said.

Sela and Ardi were sitting in the place that had been provided, but before long Ian came which made them quite surprised.

"You guys here too?" ask Ian.

"Yes, Ratna invited us to come here" Sela replied.

"That's it" replied Ian who then joined them.

Not long after Ratna came with a tray containing two glasses of juice, he looked happy also when he found out Ian had arrived.

"Sorry to wait a long time" Ratna said.

"No problem, let me help" replied Ardi who immediately put the juice on the table.

"Thank you" replied Ratna.

"Please enjoy the juice, sorry I can't accompany you guys because there's a lot of work. Oh and juice for you I'll bring you soon" he continued.

Ratna smiled kindly and started to turn around, but as she stepped suddenly.

Aaaahh....

Gep

His leg slipped and almost fell, lucky that Ardi was there and caught him in time. They stared at each other for a few seconds, feeling familiar with what had just happened.

"You okay?" ask Ardi slowly.

"Um.. that's.. aaahh.. my leg.

"Why? what's with your leg?" ask Ardi to panic.

Slowly he helped Ratna stand up properly without letting go of her handrails.

"It looks like my leg has sprained" replied Ratna.

"You are not careful, then sit down first"

"How's this? now that I can't work, it's like my feet hurt so much when they're moving"

"You better rest first, I'm sure your boss will understand" Ian said.

"Well, with this many customers, I have to keep working"

"Have no objection! I can replace you" replied Ardi.

"really?" ask Ratna cheerfully.

Ardi nodded in response.

"Then can you help me get inside? at least I can help you cut the fruits" he continued.

"All right" answered Ardi.

Slowly Ardi returned to help Ratna to walk, before leaving Ratna briefly waved to Sela and Ian as a gesture that they could continue without worry.

Arriving in the shop Ardi immediately put on an apron and saw the order while Ratna started preparing fruits for juice, she just had to chop the fruit and smooth it using a blender while sitting down.

Ardi became busy as orders grew, he went back and forth to give orders to his customers.

"Ratna! can you help me get those fruits inside?" ask Hamdani.

"Oh well uncle" Ratna replied after confirming Ardi was outside.

He soon got up and brought a basket of fruits for juice, there were still two more baskets left and Ratna did it quickly before Ardi returned.

But he was unlucky, when he brought the last basket Ardi went inside and was shocked to see him who could walk even carrying a basket filled with fruits.

"You... Your legs don't hurt?" ask Ardi.

"Hehe.. um. that's." murmured Ratna in confusion.

There was no reasonable reason he could use to lie, in the end he told me what he was really planning.

"I...just pretended to be sprained, actually my legs are fine" he said.

"Why are you doing this?"

"So you're gonna help me work"

"just that? why don't you ask for help, why pretend?" ask Ardi who still does not understand.

"It'll be seen by both of them"

"You mean?"

Hhhhhhh

"I'm trying to get Sela and Ian back together, so I deliberately invited them here and made all these plays so they could have a chance to talk"

"What's? why are you doing that?" ask Ardi in shock.

"Of course because they still love each other, it's just that they're too naive to be able to express it"

"Not that, I mean isn't Ian your boyfriend? then how can you let your girlfriend get back to her ex?"

"Oh that.. um.. actually." murmured Ratna hesitated.

Ratna has agreed that her play with Ian should be covered up without anyone knowing, but she cannot explain it to Ardi if she does not tell him about the fake relationship.

In the end he did have to tell everything, including the drama that still continues for the success of making Sela and Ian make up.

"So so" commented Ardi.

"I'm sorry, but I don't care how you feel. But I'm sure you don't love Sela either so it shouldn't matter, right?" ratna said regretfully.

"Alright, then I'll help you" Ardi said.

"What?"

"Tell me what to do? I'll help you get them back better" Ardi explained.

"Really?" ask Ratna cheerfully.

Ardi nodded confidently, making Ratna jump in excitement. Of course it does not matter for Ardi to break up with a girl as beautiful as Sela because she was never interested in him, until now any girl is not important when compared to Ratna. He was also grateful because the relationship between Ratna and Ian was apparently just a charade.

Long time they let Sela and Ian talk alone until finally Sela said to leave home.

"Why should it be now? I still have a lot of work" said Ardi.

"No problem, I can go home alone" Sela replied.

"Where can that be! it's not good to walk alone, what if Ian takes you home?" ratna.

"What's? me?" ask Ian.

"It doesn't matter, does it? just this time, anyway as a man you should have accompanied a girl home"

"Oh, yeah, I don't mind"

"But... "

"Here you go, consider this my thanks because you allowed Ardi to help with my work. In any case he is your girlfriend" Ratna said cutting off Sela's remarks.

"Mm all right, then see you"

"Be careful on the road" Ratna said.

Although awkward but Ian still drove Sela home, after saying goodbye they left the store.

Along the way no one spoke even though the chair that Sela was sitting in was her usual place while still dating Ian, at that time they even joked and laughed together.

"You each hang it" said Sela staring at the necklace hanging in the rearview mirror.

"I never touched it, so it's still there" Ian replied.

They certainly still clearly remember that it was a necklace that Sela gave for Ian's birthday gift, because Ian was not used to wearing a necklace so he hung it there for him to always see.

They dissolve into each other's daydreams, reminiscing about what has happened during their long courtship. There are sweet, funny memories to the sorrow they managed to pass.

In the end it is ironic that the relationship must run aground because of each selfishness. Until in front of the gate of Sela's house, they were still silent to each other.

"Thank you for taking me home" Sela said slowly.

"No problem"

"Then I'll see you"

"Wait!" sergeant Ian as Sela opens the car door.

"S...what?" sela turned around slowly.

"If.... I kiss you... will you get angry?" asked Ian doubtfully.

Without answering, he looked at Ian. Keep looking at her as Ian starts to approach her, until Ian's lips kiss her gently.

It was only a few seconds but Sela had dissolved into the feeling of love that she still had, as Ian turned his lips away and whispered.

"Good night."

Sela realized that her heart was still attached to Ian, this time she moved and returned the kiss. Ian was quite surprised but accepted it with pleasure, because he knew Sela would belong to him again.