Lala The Dancer

Bedhaya Ketawang

I went home in a taxi. Together with my two best friends. Males really if you have to call Vano to pick up. Who her? Until Farel's kos is waiting. My heart was terrified.

"I want a good conversation" Farel opened the conversation. I entered the room quickly and closed it. Two of my best friends also entered their own rooms. Farel was left outside.

"Laa, please forgive me," said Farel to the point. I'm trying to win my mind. If I felt it, I would embrace it.

"No! Enough already. I'm not your boxing samsak!! Go or I'll call the police now!!" I said from inside the room.

"Laa..... Vanilla I beg you.." I don't know what he said. I don't give a shit. Hedset tries to sleep. I'm dizzy. The tears came back down one without me asking. Farel. Maybe with this kind of anger he'll change. I'm certain.

I woke up, I'm sure Farel wasn't around. It's already night time. Take a bath towel. Just opened the room, it turns out Vano has been hanging out with Nita.

"That's your sleeping daughter Mas" said Nita.

"Go ahead, we need to talk!" Vano commands. I just shut up to the bathroom. Didn't answer Vano who kept an eye on me. I went through Lola's bedroom door, it was tightly shut and it was still dark.

"Where's the Nit?" I stopped in front of the bathroom for a moment.

"Go hunt earlier. Borrow motorbike. Where are you going" replied Nita. I'm a mangosteen.

I got in Vano's car. He taught me to eat near the police. Eat a pretty good pecel catfish sambelnya. We sat down to enjoy dinner.

"I'm in office here. Rico really came by. He's reporting. Bringing the backing of a lawyer and a middle officer. I have trouble dealing with it. So... I'm sorry I called Mr. Revan." Vano explained. I choked on the chili. Heat and heat spread to the nose. Vano moved to sit next to me and patted my back. Giving me a drink.

"You're crazy!!! Why involve Papa? I can take care of it myself!!" I said angry.

"It would have been easier if Mr. Revan intervened with Po, they used the police as well. They revoked the report and will work with the family after talking to Mr. Revan" Vano said.

"You said Farel's problem too?" my many.

"What's Farel's problem?" papa's voice was shocking behind me. I jumped straight up with goosebumps.

"What's? Farel has problems too?" ask Papa relax. Closer his lips and kiss my temples at a glance.

"Papa's here? When's come? How come I'm not calling Lala?" I was trying to shift Papa's focus to Farel.

"Papa's coming home in a minute. Your problem with Rico is over. Your mama didn't tell me about this. Then what's your problem with Farel?" ask Papa to investigate. I wavepan. Papa is creepy.I'm sure everyone who knows him will say the same thing. Silent, intelligent, meticulous, and creepy.

"Just a small matter sir, it seems like they had a little fight yesterday" Vano tried to help me.

"Yes Pa, I forced Farel home. Poor Aunt Ine, but she doesn't want to" I said to get an idea. Papa sighed.

"Not be forced. Watch him well here. If he does anything like say Papa. Let papa drag him home" said Papa. Success.

Papa really came home that night. Cus... Straight to my town. Beware of me while holding me for a moment. Patting Vano on the shoulder and saying that Papa believes him. He even left me with Vano.

"Emang Lala stuff pinned everything!!" i protest. Papa smilingly stroked my hair slowly.

Two days passed.....

Hundreds of messages from Farel perched on my phone. I got really caught off guard. I blocked the number from my phone. I need concentration. Soon the Sultan's ascension ceremony. I'm going to dance a sacred dance and need more concentration.

"I only had half a day on campus. You're going home from Lol, "I said to Lola. This morning he bullied me, Nita tired not menggampus. Two girlfriends last night came in turns.

"Okay, where are you going?" ask Lola.

"I'm going back to my town. Preparation for the dance, "I replied.

"Eh, seriously? Is it time for the show???" ask Lola girang. I'm a mangosteen. Lola told me that she was proud not to play me in the event.

"You've always been lucky La, including taking the dance. I envy you" said Lola.

***

I got home late in the afternoon. There is no one else. Mbah Marni doang.

"Mbak Lala.... would you like Mbah masakin what?" ask him while hugging me.

"No need Mbah, Lala starts tomorrow and the next three days of fasting." I replied.

"Why?" ask Mbah Marni kepo. I explained that I would dance a sacred dance for the ceremony commemorating the sultan's ascension. One of the main conditions is a three-day fast before dancing. He understood and said he was proud of me, because he was chosen to dance.

The day of the dance arrived.....

I was decorated with Javanese manten. Paes ageng and loop bokor. The clothes I wear are typical green kemben manten named dodot ageng or often called basahan. Roncean jasmine flowers dangling beautifully at my right. It is called tibo ndodo. All the attributes used in dancing have their own meaning.

The sacred atmosphere made anyone shake his chest. This dance is a sacred dance danced by 9 dancers mention each. There are batak, endel, apit, gulu, and bucit. The dance will be held for an hour and a half. Everyone in the pendopo participated. Not just as a spectator. They are equally involved in meditating on God.

There are two versions about the history of this Bedhaya Ketawang dance. Some say that this dance was created from the meditation of the King of Mataram first. Then he heard a voice from the sky in Javanese language called a wasp. He also created this dance. The second version is this dance is a form of the love story of the King on the Queen of the South Coast.

I danced in rhythm and in tandem. In the middle of the dance, the sound of sinden singing means more or less telling that the Queen of the South Coast will always be loyal, although many times the Sultan married others. I remembered my own love story..Will Farel be faithful? Is Farel my soul mate? Who will accompany me until the end of my life. Who is loyal to me without my need to doubt?? But. Farel's late attitude makes me sad. I wish Farel had changed like before. And our love story ended happily.

At the end of the chat, which also ended the dance, I saw Vano smiling sweetly standing outside the pendopo. With a black police suit uniform attached to his body. There is no way he is. Everyone in this pendopo uses beskap for men. I blinked my eyes. Vano's shadow is gone. Right, it's all just my delusion. Or.... This is a sign of my question while dancing? No..... Is my soul mate Vano right? That shitty guy???

***

I'm back at college. My lecturer proudly announced that I had just danced the sacred dance of Bedhaya Ketawang. My friend congratulated me and was proud.

"No eating that?" asked Nita when we were after class to the parking lot.

"Seek your girlfriend" I replied with a laugh.