Guardians of the Heart #2

Chapter 37

Two weeks after my last conversation with the Lieutenant, and until now he hasn't come home, let alone his figure, no news. Lost like swallowed by the earth. Every WA message I sent no one answered was read as if it were a daily newspaper or a gossip tabloid, as well as a phone he never picked up.

My heart was again struck with fear, this was just like it used to be when the Lieutenant suddenly decided on me. If this were to happen again, I don't think my heart would ever be whole again and I wouldn't believe it would be love.

“It's been two weeks, Ga, he didn't reply WA, not phone also.”

“Maybe he's busy, Key.”

“How about like before? She came and suddenly just cut me off and picked another woman to marry.”

“Hust! Don't talk no-no, what if it happens?!”

I was getting frustrated imagining that happening.

“Now think about it all right,” continued Arga while looking at me trying to calm me in a frenzy, “maybe he immediately has a task, and he can not tell you because it is urgent, said no news because of duty.”

I fell silent, maybe Arga was right but I don't know why my heart still feels uneasy.

“Have you asked Lieutenant's parents? Who knows they can hear about his whereabouts.”

“Already, but it looks like they are hiding something, they just said that Lieutenant there is still work to be done in Jakarta.”

“Now, means he is indeed again no duty.”

I took a heavy breath, my heart was really not calm.It was the same as it used to be, when all went well he suddenly went to Jakarta and disappeared before finally deciding on me.

“Already, than BT think that no-no, mending us the way yuk!?”

I looked at Arga who was looking at me while putting her phone in her pants pocket after she was busy texting me with who, she said, and it made me a little upset because it seemed like he was busier than hearing my story.

“Where?” I saw a wall clock that had shown 7pm more.

“Just come!” Arga stood up and pulled me to follow him.

Inevitably I also follow Arga who is now splitting the streets of Bandung on Sunday night. I don't know where Arga took me, maybe to Lembang or to the same old days when I was saddened at the loss of news from the Lieutenant, he would take me to the upper regions just to accompany me to eat or hear my story until my feelings improved.

And as I used to go all the way down my head on my best friend's back looking for a bit of calm, I just fell silent thinking about all the possibilities that made the Lieutenant lost no news so far. And the worst thing is, she's back with Nadine, her ex.

As the Lieutenant once said that Nadine still seems to put his feelings and despair on him, and it is proven by the existence of several incoming WA messages from the woman. I don't know where he got his phone number.

The lieutenant swore he wouldn't give her his phone number, but did I trust him at the time? Don't hope! I stubbornly learned from the past not to believe it, I still suspected it. Maybe at that time I was like Irene to Arga who was always suspicious.

But finally the Lieutenant was able to convince me. He took us three seats. Awkwardly? Of course, but the annoyance that was entrenched in his heart had defeated him. We met at one of the cafes on Jl. Faithful Budhi.

“Self, Nad?” asked the Lieutenant casually when we met him who came alone, he seemed to dress up for a date and looked surprised when he saw the Lieutenant coming with me, “ I think you are the same girlfriend you are,” continued the Lieutenant while pulling a chair for me to sit on.

“Engga, he was back in Australia last week.”

“Oh.”

We were sitting in front of him looking awkward and uncomfortable, while I was? I just sat and acted as calmly as possible even though I was sure that my eyes would have taken out lasers every time I looked at them.

“Karin,” replied Nadine surprised me, I should have known Karin-kan knew the Lieutenant's phone number and he was Nadine's friend, but I can't believe Karin would just tell her phone number.

“Karin? Karin told you my phone number?”

“Iya, I told you that we used to be friends.” Nadine glanced at me when she said ‘bertheman’. Oh come! He thinks I don't know if they've had a chance to date? Ckkk.. has not known him that between me and the Lieutenant now there is no secret of the past.

“Nothing, Nad, he knows all about our relationship first right, Honey?” The lieutenant smiled gently at me making me smile.

“Yes, everyone has a past, it is not important to me who he is in the past who is important now and whose future he is with me,” said with a smile as sweet and calm as possible to make the Lieutenant smile proud of me and I saw Nadine just speechless looking at me with a look of dislike, but I don't care because for now I want to be selfish, I don't want to give up like Widy in the past.

“She's met and known my exes before, and fortunately now we meet so I can introduce you both. I don't want him to misunderstand our current relationship which is nothing but friends.” The Lieutenant looked at Nadine with a smile and as if whispering to her he said,

“She's precious to me, so I don't want to lose her.”

I looked at the Lieutenant in disbelief that he was going to say that in front of Nadine who was like me could not believe what he was hearing, but the Lieutenant just looked at me affectionately and smiled casually.

“Well until!” arga said made me realize from my daydream during the meeting of the three of us in the afternoon on Jl. Faithful Budhi. That day the Lieutenant was able to convince me but what if after that they still keep in touch and finally the Lieutenant gave up on Nadine's charm? I don't want to think about it, but it's still in my heart and brain.

The Arga motor had stopped, I looked around and was surprised to find out where this time Arga was taking me. The star hill, a place that meant so much to me and the Lieutenant.

“Come!” Arga asked me to walk up that hill which now feels like something is different, not because of who I am here with now, but the atmosphere felt different, lonely, there was no one but the two of us here.

“Tumben deserted.”

Arga looked around and shrugged his shoulders not knowing why it felt lonely tonight. We walked uphill, in the distance I saw flickering little lights that illuminate the tops of stars look like a sprinkling of stars that illuminate tonight.

“Know not, Ga, this is where we used to be.”

“Here?”

“Yes, but it used to be still not as good as it is now.” I smiled in remembrance a few years ago when for the first time the Lieutenant revealed the word love.

“And strangely, in Jogja there is also such a thing as a star hill, and. there we broke up.” I smile miris remembering, “Before Mas Yudha went to Syria also we came here, and now you invite me here when I lost contact with him.”

I let out a heavy breath making Arga stop her steps, she looked at me for a moment then smiled.

“This is not the first time you have lost contact with him, so there is no need to worry..he will definitely come back to you.”.

“If not how, Ga? I mean what if this time he really left me and preferred his old ex.”

“Mantannya?”

“Iya, Nadine.. she – her... she is beautiful, Ga, prettier than me, and also...sexy,” I said with a sigh admitting my defeat. Arga looked at me for a while then laughed out loud making me eat it in disbelief.

****

Ready for tomorrow? 😍