Not a Choice

31

...*********...

...If he thinks your past is not a reason to leave you, then keep him. It's a sign that he loves you with all your flaws. ...

...~Arunika Pramesti~...

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In a pastel room, a beautiful girl sat pensively on a bed. His mind was filled with various reasons to maintain his relationship with the man who had imprisoned his love. The girl tried to close her eyes. He deliberately put out the lights in the room. That way, he hoped to immediately fly into dreamland. However, every time his eyes closed, it was precisely the shadow of the lover that was always present in his mind. Alea was completely devastated by the unilateral decision of her fiance. All Ata's sentences when asking to end their relationship just clicked.

“Shut!”

The girl got up. Both of his hands were shaking shut his ears. Slowly the warm granules slid on the cheeks accompanied by a soft stuffing. “You're cruel, Ta. You're really selfish. It's worth it Runa disappeared from your life!” erang that woman.

Cold air blew through the slightly open door gap. Wiggling the thin curtains blocking the moonlight to greet Alea. The girl got up to the balcony of her room. Alea stared at the perfectly rounded moon. In a matter of minutes, his smile suddenly expanded. A slightly forced smile. Alea was like getting a hint, how to maintain her relationship with Ata.

“I have to meet Runa,” murmured Alea.

...****...

Before the sun showed the light of life, Alea was already out of her house. Hurry somewhere to find hope. Currently, Alea was sitting sweetly inside the carriage of the train that was going to take her to Yogyakarta. Last night the thought of meeting Runa just popped up. Alea did not want to waste time. The girl thought she had to act immediately. He was trying to get one step ahead of Ata. Luck as if on his side. On Sundays like this, he could get train tickets easily. Out of nowhere he got the courage to meet Runa. All he had in mind was that he did not want to part with Ata. Alea loves Ata for her past. Alea realized that the present would never exist without the past. And Alea accepted all that.

Alea still remembered what transportation to use to get to Wonosobo. Arriving at Yogyakarta station, Alea used travel services to get to Wonosobo faster. The goal is of course Runa's house. Once there, Alea still memorized the path.

...*****...

Geck! Geck! Geck!

Hearing the sound of knocking on the door accompanied by the sentence of greeting makes the occupants of the house rush forward. The time is approaching the time of Ashar when Runa went home first after the resto. Just a few minutes Runa was inside the house, he had to go back to the front because he heard someone coming.

"Alea?" Runa's forehead frowned in surprise, as he opened the door and found Alea standing as his guest.

Alea smiled a friendly smile. "Hi" said.

"Who are you here with?" Runa asked as she circulated her gaze around. He was afraid that Ata would also come with the woman. As Runa knew, Alea was the man's fiancee.

"Quiet down! I came alone, really. Ata has returned to Surabaya. I came here because I wanted to talk to you" Alea explained.

Runa could sigh in relief. At least he can be free from Ata's demands to seize his son. "Please enter!" take Runa while widening the door of the house. Alea entered without hesitation. Following Runa who walked towards the living room of the house.

"What do you want to drink?" runa asked before she sat down to accompany Alea speaking.

"anything. What matters is not coffee. I don't like it" Alea replied.

Runa nodded her head while smiling. "Attime, yeah!" he said, then rushed to the kitchen.

After a while, Runa returned with a tray containing two cups of hot tea and a plate of snacks to complete their conversation. Then he put it on the table.

Alea slightly wiped the tea water, then sat up straight and faced Runa. His face looked serious when he wanted to make his point.

"Ehm .. I don't know where to start, Run. Actually, I already know about your past relationship with Ata. And you know, right, that we're engaged now ...."

A moment paused, Runa only flinched and was still reluctant to open her voice. He was just waiting for Alea to continue her words.

"Our relationship used to be fine, but after she met you and her son ... Ata could just break off our engagement relationship. He said he wanted to come back with you, Run."

Runa bit her lower lip, of course she already knew that Ata wanted to come back with her. However, he did not expect Ata would be that fast breaking her engagement with Alea. If it's like this, Runa can't let her guard down anymore. Ata was completely obsessed.

"If you're here just to persuade me to leave him, you're wasting your time, Al. Because I've been doing it for a long time. Ata's name I've scratched in my heart and my life. So, you calm down. I won't go back with him."

"But I'm not here for that, Run," Alea said.

"Then?" Runa scrunched his forehead.

"Ata insisted on getting her child. I know how Ata is. He wouldn't back down if he hadn't gotten what he wanted. That's why I asked you, Run. Please give Khan to Ata! I'm willing to be a connecting mother for Khan. I'll love him like my own son."

"Omong empty what are you saying that, Al!" runa snapped with great pressure. His emotions overflowed with hateful gazes. Runa did not expect that Alea would be able to say that just because of her love for Ata.

"Run, beat me up first! I really love Ata. I would do anything for her happiness. If you don't love him anymore. Let me be happy with him" Alea said. Her tears had run down her cheeks.

"If you want him, just take it! Don't take Khan!" sergeant Runa was still in a furious tone.

"But Ata's happiness lies with Khan. If the boy was with us, Ata would have accepted me again."

Runa threw a strange smile at the corner of her lips. It was as easy as Alea said for Ata's happiness. Then what about the happiness that has been taken by an Ata so far? Runa had already fought hard to forget all the pain just for the sake of her child, then now Ata would seize it as well with Alea's help?

"You're just like Ata, yeah. Selfish! You only think about your own happiness. You never know how much I suffered at that time. When Ata left me with a child without me wanting to have grown in my womb. I struggled alone with all the humiliation and hardship. Do you know what it's like, Al? Pain, Al. It hurts!" Runa patted her own chest. Her tears also flowed down her cheeks.

"I've been trying so hard just for Khan's sake, and now you're asking me to give Khan to his asshole father? Not likely. I'm not gonna let that happen. Khan my son, only my son!"

Alea bowed in embarrassment listening to the sneers coming out of Runa's mouth. Hearing that all made her ashamed as a woman. Ata is indeed a bad man according to Runa's version, but love makes Alea's heart eyes seem blind.

"I feel sorry for you, Al. You love Ata so much, when she doesn't appreciate your love at all," Inner Runa looked at Alea who was bowed down like that. He knew that Alea was a wise woman. He was trapped by a one-sided love.

If he thinks your past is not a reason to leave you, then keep him. It's a sign that he loves you with all your flaws.

Such was Alea's figure in Runa's eyes. It's unfortunate that Ata hurt the woman.

...******...

...to be continued...