Neighbor Husband

Episode 19 - Theater & Trauma

"Hey, yummy yeah, cuddly cute guy."

"Eh, What?" Luke was shocked.

A man came to them. However, Dede just pulled Luke in his arms.

"Take it off" Luke said shyly. He pushed Dede's body hard.

Bruk!!

“Aduh!” exclaim Luke. “I pushed him, but why did I fall?” thought Luke while rubbing his sore elbow.

“Eh, where is this?” Luke's distraught. Wasn't she in the hotel lobby in a blue dress? Why is he wearing a grey shirt now? Luke looked around.

“Gosh! My room! So I was dreaming?” muttered Luke. The wall clock shows at 7:13. That means he missed the magrib prayer.

“Hah, have I gone crazy? Dreamed him? Just right?” luke shuddered amusedly.

In the real world alone he never imagined being hugged let alone to sleep on his chest. Hiii….

“What was a wet dream? Why should it be with someone's husband? No, jerk guy more precisely.” Luke felt his underwear. No wet or strange smell.

“Oh, yes. Satria is definitely waiting for me.”

Luke took his phone and opened the last conversation.

“Hai, Luke. How are you?”

^^^“What?” reply^^^

“Haduh, fierce very Neng. Watch the theater, yuk. You like the theater?” write Satria.

Just until that was their conversation. Last message at 17:05.

“Hah, so I haven't returned the message? Means all the messages I returned, until the appointment at the Devil's hotel were all dreams?” muttered Luke.

“Theater, yes. I have no good memories of the theater. There are precisely dark memories,” said Luke in the heart.

His eyes looked far away. His memories revolved around a dozen years ago when he was still in the third grade of High School. The events of that time were completely opposite to Luke's dream just now.

It was a class meeting after the first semester exam. All students gathered in the field. Watching an art show. Dozens of students participated in the performance. Luke looked at only one student. Dede Purwanto's. Yes, a very javanese name.  He had already put his heart on the man, since sitting in the first grade of High School.

They accidentally meet when Luke delivers a message from his Physics teacher. Dede is not a smart student. But he was being honest during the exam, in contrast to his slightly badboy appearance. Even for the sake of improving his grades in remedial physics, he was willing to study with Luke every time he went home from school. He is also good at Arabic and computer lessons.

Until the second and third grades, they met again in the XI class of IPA 1. Dede probably didn't recognize her anymore when they met in second grade. Luke is not the kind of girl who is popular in school, even though he is quite smart. However, in third grade they are quite often one task group. However, Luke is still not too familiar with the popular guy.

“Hey, can't you see the others too? There are a lot of guys,” Flora said. For two years more save the taste, only Flora, his best friend since the fifth grade of Elementary School, which became his vent.

“Duh, you are this. This is all I can do,” Luke said.

After the art stage, the students rushed to the food booth, including Luke and Flora. They headed to the martabak booth belonging to class 1 B, and ordered two mini martabak topping corn cheese.

“Martabak brown topping two, yes. I'll pay for this one.”

Luke turned. Dede smiled sweetly at him.

“This time I treat, because you look at me until the end of the performance,” said Dede.

Luke's cheeks are flushed. He did not expect this man to know the action.

“Luke, you like me, right?” dede asked as they sat together under the acacia tree of the school yard. Luke's cheeks are flushed. Just as warm as the martabak they are enjoying.

“Hey, did you hear me?” ask Dede again.

Luke raised his face without daring to look at Dede. Flora nudged Luke's shoulder. As if he said, ‘just be honest!’

“A few more months, we will be national exam. After graduation, we will be separated. Choose each other's path and do not know when to meet again. So I have to say as soon as possible, Dede looked at Luke closely, I know you've liked me for a long time. Yes, right?”

“Where did you know?” ask Luke

“A clear picture on your face, your attitude. You also look back too often during lesson time,” replied Dede.

“Ah, I will give you a memento.” Dede didn't answer Luke's question. He pulls out a permanent marker, then grabs Luke's arm.

“I give you my precious autograph just you,” Dede said as she wrote her signature and name on Luke's long sweater sleeve. Because today the day is free, then the students were released to wear accessories as long as they were not excessive.

“Ehm.” Luke feels stiff like a pinocchio doll. While Flora shifted ten inches away from them.

“Why are you giving it now? We still have about four months until graduation arrives,” asked Luke did not understand.

“Luke, I just want to say this once. Thank you for liking me. I think everyone wants to be and be with the people they like. Can you just keep that feeling? Enough me and Flora who know,” said Dede later.

“Why? Am I bothering you?” luke asked while biting his lips, enduring the pain.

“Hmm. no. It's just that I can't be with you,” Dede replied as she looked at Luke. “How do friends respond if we are close let alone together?” continued.

“You mean? I embarrassed you for my tomboyish look? Or because you who are popular suddenly become my close friend who is not popular?” ask Luke to be stuck.

“Eh, not like that either. But I can't be with you. I hope after this you don't show me your attitude, your feelings for me. And don't get too familiar with me.”

“What's my fault? Did I ever ask you to be with me? Or intentionally showing my feelings for you in front of everyone?” luke said again. His admiration for this man just a moment ago, was now evaporating entirely.

“Sorry Luke. We have a different type. In addition, almost everyone in the class has known your heart's content,” said Dede.

“What do you mean? Didn't you just say that only me and Flora knew? You mean Flora betrayed?” Lecar Luke.

“No. It's not like that. With your attitude like that in class, who wouldn't have thought of your feelings? We are not Junior High children who just know love anymore. Or... Do you know him?” reply Dede.

Sighs. Luke can't deny it.

“Do not get close to me anymore. If later we are a task group, behave as if we just know,” pinta Dede do not know himself.

“So embarrassing if people know I like-“

“Basic jerk! Luke, stop. You do not need to like people who have insulted you like this,” said Flora while inviting Luke to leave.

Flora realized, she was too involved in the affairs of her best friend's romance. But he also could not stand by to see his best friend trampled like that.

“Hey, wait. Next week Goddess's birthday. You wanted to get close to their gang, right?” said Dede, holding them off.

“Then?” ask Luke indifferently.

“Come to the party, if it does not come I will spread, if Lukella the geeky Olympic girl dares to approach even harass me,” threatened Dede.

“What? It's not enough you insult me and tell me to stay away? Why now do you want to spread that untrue rumor?” Luke protest.

“True. Who would believe such a cheap rumor. Everywhere men harass women,” added Flora.

“Of course I have to keep my pride. Because some people believe that I teased you first in first grade. I don't want my name to get polluted like that, especially among the underclassmen who don't know the truth.”.

“What did you say? Your name's tainted? So you want to defile my name too?” luke was angry.

“I won't spread it, if you obey my wishes. But if I spread it, who would they believe? You, the geeky who has no friends? Or me, a popular student with a lot of friends? Smart alone is not enough to make them believe,” said Dede.

Luke clenched his hand. Get ready to beat up the depraved creature before him. Actually from earlier he wanted to practice martial arts taught by his father, but still held, considering they were in the school environment.

“I know, you used to be almost harassed by our seniors, right? Do you want me to spread that rumor too? No one knows, he started it or you teased him first.”

“No! No,” said Luke. His legs attacked the man's body. But unexpectedly, it turns out that Dede is also good at martial arts.

“Then from that, come. I'll tell you the date of the show later. Is it hard to come? Or do you really not care to join us?” said Dede while fending off all of Luke's kicks and punches.

“Oooh... Luke... Are you alive?”

A message from Satria broke all those dark memories.

(Connected)

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See you in the next episode. ^_^