Me, What It Is

CHAPTER 24 ~ First Love ~

Reana is stunned to see the environment where Nico takes her. A luxury apartment with all kinds of facilities that Reana never imagined before.

Nico stopped at a door, pressed the password combination button on a safety box and the door opened. Nico stepped in, but Reana was still staring at the door.

"Let's go in, do it there" said Nico let Reana in.

But the girl remained sculpted, Reana still hesitated to step foot in an apartment inhabited by a man. Of course this was never done by Reana before.

Finally Nico forced Reana inside, holding the girl's hand to his room. Nico put Reana's travel bag there. Finally Reana followed inside, staring at every corner of the room.

So luxurious, a big bed, clean and comfortable. Reana wondered how a man could have a room as clean as this, beside which there was a glass window that gave a view of the city forest.

"You sleep here, I sleep on the couch" Nico said, pointing to the sofa in the middle room.

Nico steps out of the room, Reana follows, the girl feels bad, hitchhiking but it is even troublesome.

"I'm on the couch, Brother Nico sleeps in the bedroom" said the girl, holding the door.

"What a fact, how could I possibly have you sleeping on the couch" Nico replied, refuting Reana's idea.

"But I'm not good, Nico's older brother who has an apartment even sleeps on the sofa" Reana said, refuting Nico.

"Mmmm... Let you feel good, what if we both sleep in the room ?" tanya Nico teases Reana.

The girl's face hinted red, in an instant Reana closed the room door. Nico laughing. Reana stared at the door she had just closed. The girl was misbehaved, shocked by Nico's joke.

After feeling calm Reana sat in an office chair, smiling like a child playing a chair can spin and have the wheel. Then look at each of the items on Nico's desk.

His hand traced a row of books in front of him and looked at the corner of the room, there were also neatly arranged books in the bookcase.

Pantesan never to perbus, if you need a book just buy, inner Reana, remember the words of Nico first.

Reana again looked at the goods on the table, there was a notebook complete with printer, stationery and all neatly arranged in place. Reana's eyes were glued to the paper behind the glass of the table.

Reana's College and Work Schedule

Reana was glued to the table of his lecture schedule complete with hours, days and rooms he used. The girl slumped her face on the table, a clear circle dripping down.

Don't be like this, please don't be like this, I'm afraid I can't repay you, I'm afraid I'm just going to hurt you.

"Knok. knok.. knok.. may I come in?" Nico appeared from behind the door with a smile.

Reana hurriedly wiped away her tears.

"Hey, what's wrong with you? it hurt?" said Nico shocked to see the girl's eyes and nose blushing.

Reana just shook her head slowly and bowed.

"You're sad to be kicked out of the hostel? or sad about having to hang out in my apartment?" nico asked as he pulled up the wheeled chair Reana was sitting on while the man sat on the bed.

"What are you thinking?" whispered Nico in front of Reana.

Reana shook her head back, the girl chose silence. Nico looked at the girl after goal, not until when the girl would open up to him. Accustomed to pour out his heart to him, Nico funds waiting for such moments.

Nico wants the girl to depend on him, but Reana is not the girl who is used to asking for help. If not offered or even forced Reana will find her own way to overcome her problems.

And the path he chose was very disliked by Nico, such as asking for help for tuition fees to Mr. Malvin or as it is today, asking for permission to stay at Mr. Gunawan's office.

But this time Nico did not want to force Reana to talk, because the girl was in his apartment, he did not want the girl to feel uncomfortable and wanted to get out of this apartment. Nico was very much avoiding that.

Nico asks the girl to take a shower and get ready for dinner.

"I forgot to tell you, there is a bathroom next door, if Miss Reana wants to take a shower first, please" she said, pointing at the door in the corner of the room.

Reana looked at the door.

"By the way you wear those jeans to sleep, is that comfortable?" ask Nico again.

Reana looked at the jeans she was wearing. It's impossible to wear the pants he's been wearing all day. But Reana hesitates, usually the girl wears Jamaica Short while at the boarding house, because it is only inhabited by girls.

Nico patted the girl on the cheek, smiling as he walked out of the room.

While Reana cleans up, Nico arranges the dishes that the courier has just delivered. Nico looks excited about preparing for dinner for the two of them.

Reana opens the door, exits the room wearing a soft yellow t-shirt and Jamaica Short in matching colors, her hair rolled up, the girl steps slowly towards the dining room.

Nico is fascinated to see Reana's simple yet sweet appearance. With clothes like that Reana's body looks very petite. Come to think of it when Nico wasn't blown away by seeing the girl ? Nico gulped.

"Please sit down Miss Reana" he said, pulling up a chair for Reana.

Reana smiled awkwardly, the girl was confused as to what to do. Reana does not want to be considered a guest to be served. But that's exactly what Nico did, just preparing everything so that the man was scooping the food for Reana.

With a smile Nico placed a plate containing food along with water and orange juice in front of Reana. Reana could only look at what the man was doing.

"Good meal" Nico said, not wanting the girl to starve for longer.

Nico ate his food and behaved as relaxed as possible, all that he did so that Reana did not feel awkward, sometimes Nico told me about the actions of his friends if staying there.

Reana listens and sometimes laughs, Nico is happy to see the girl amused by her story. Reana ate the dish without hesitation.

After dinner Reana took the initiative to wash all the dirty dishes but Nico forbid. But Reana forced and told Nico to sit in the middle of the room watching TV or playing gadgets.

The girl splashes the tap water to drive away Nico who wants to help Reana clean the dirty dishes.

Finally Nico relented and chose to turn on the LED. Enjoy subscription TV that broadcasts international and local broadcasts. Sometimes Reana was interested in glancing at him.

From the clean kitchen, Reana can also see the shows that Nico watched, but Nico did not focus on watching one show, intermittently the man changed channels. Reana shook her head.

Reana is shocked and turns her face when Nico accidentally stops by the movie channel with a friendly scene. Nico was shocked, the male reflex turned off his LED.

Soon Reana finished her dishwasher and paid her respects to sleep.

"Is this hour going to bed?" ask Nico wonder.

Reana nodded, usually the girl was already sleeping at this hour.

"Oh.. If so good night yes, good dreams" said Nico with a slightly disappointed tone.

Reana nodded wanting to step into the room but the girl turned her head back towards Nico. The girl sleeps at this hour because at the boarding house, this hour the hostess is already in their respective rooms.

Reana steps onto Nico's sofa, the man is shocked.

"What's wrong? is there anything uncomfortable?" nico asked to check his room.

"No, actually I am not sleepy but only because of the habit of a clock as early as the room" replied Reana, the girl was still standing next to the sofa.

Reana nodded in agreement.

"Thank you brother, you've got me here. But I'm so troublesome for Nico again" said Reana regretfully.

"No hassle, especially if I am happy to help you, I am sad if you ask for help from others" said Nico, the man remembered Reana who almost asked Mr. Malvin for help to pay his tuition.

"Reana, don't hold everything alone, try to rely on others once in a while" Nico advised Reana.

"But lately I have been relying on Nico" Reana replied, refuting Nico's remarks.

Nico laughing.

"You're trying to handle it yourself" Nico continued, shaking his head.

"What is that name that relies on ? if not offered, if not forced you will follow your own wishes." asked Nico.

Reana was silent, maybe because it was her aloof nature to always try to overcome everything alone, with her own thoughts. Reana was very grateful for Nico's attention and help.

"You want to thank me ? I know how" said Nico close his face to Reana.

The girl slowly tilted her back, Nico still continued forward, Reana took the sofa cushion and pressed it against Nico's face. Nico stopped, picked up and flailed the pillow over his face.

Reana laughs.

Sorry, sister Nico, I'm afraid, there are only two of us, whispered Reana.

Nico also laughed, they laughed together. Then a moment of silence, they were confused as to what to talk about.

"Oh, this is an old song, want to be replaced?" tanya Nico tries to find a conversation, while brandishing the remote control to change the radio channel.

"No, it's okay, brother, I don't care about old songs or new songs, if I've never heard it means new songs to me" reana accidentally holds Nico's hand to change the channel.

Reana pulls her hand shyly. Silent moment.

"Do you know this song?" reana asked to break the mood.

Nico nodded.

"Title Dirimu, released in 1990 by a band called Gang Pegangsaan, you are not even born yet, meaning this song hits when our parents are young" Nico told with a smile.

Reana is amazed by Nico's musical knowledge. With a smile Reana listened to the lyrics of the song. Look at verse by verse earnestly. Nico let the girl enjoy the song that caught his eye.

Suddenly Reana shed tears, Nico was shocked to see Reana's sad expression.

"You why? remember the first love?" noda Nico tries to cheer Reana up.

Reana nodded. Nico regretted asking that.

"The lyrics remind me of his promise" Reana said.

"At that time, during the third grade class break, we stayed at a Villa" Reana inexplicably started telling stories.

Hah, the new third grade Junior High ? vacation together in a Villa ? why is his style so holy ? whispered Nico in his heart while fanning hot even though the AC is on.

Nico remembered the girl had just put a pillow on her face, to block Nico from getting closer. The man held his mouth, not expecting.

"On our way home we saw the sun going down, I asked, how long does it take for the sun to sink below the horizon line ?" continue the story of Reana.

Nico halfheartedly hears Reana's story. Since when does a spirit man hear the first love of a woman he likes?.

"Then he replied 'if you want to know the answer then it must be proven, so it will be more memorable, next year's holiday, we stay at the villa with a view of the sunset' that's his promise" reana then lowered her head.

Oh my God, how sly, looking for a chance to stay together again ? nico's heart screams.

Nico couldn't stand to hear that story. But I can't stop Reana. It felt like the man wanted to hit his head. Reana glanced at Nico who was sitting quietly listening.

"I was very excited to wait for those moments, until on the last day of the UN, a teacher called me and told me to go home, even though I had not finished my repetition" Reana continued.

Nico is stunned, his attention on Reana's story begins to show.

Was he expelled from school ? caught spending the night together ? or pregnant out of wedlock ? whispered Nico, wondering.

"After home, I was astonished, looking around the courtyard of the house, why so many people ?

The teacher led me into the house.

I saw him sleeping in a central room surrounded by people I did not know.

Mama hugged me tightly, I just fell silent fixated on my mother's embrace, she did not keep her promise, she left us for eternity "reana's story, without feeling the tears of the girl flowing.

Nico's confused, Reana's story ends like this. The man grabbed Reana and held the girl in his arms gently stroking the girl's back.

"He... Your first love, is your father?" tanya Nico felt guilty about her thoughts earlier.

Reana nodded slowly.

Oh my God, of course, parents are the first love for their children, inner Nico.

Now he felt silly accusing the girl of nothing.

Maybe it was the beginning of the suffering of Reana's life, whispered Nico's heart further tighten his embrace.

Until finally Reana, feel calm.

"I don't know why I could tell this to my sister, but I've never told anyone before.

Thank you sister for listening to my story, even though it is boring" Reana said with a smile even though her tears were still dripping.

Nico shook his head.

"It's not boring, any story from you won't be boring" Nico said, giving support and attention to the girl.

Reana smiled, Nico wiped away Reana's tears. Reana was shocked, hurriedly wanted to go to the room to sleep. The girl did not want to dissolve in the atmosphere and linger in Nico's arms, plus now it was already late at night.

Shortly afterwards Reana came out with a pillow, bolster and blanket.

"Sister Nico slept as well" Reana said, forcing the man to lie down on the sofa.

Reana covers the man. Nico patted his cheek with his index finger. Reana kissed Nico's cheek, and the man pointed at her lips. Reana took the bolster and attached it to Nico's lips. The man laughed. Reana went into her room.

...*****...