OPACAROPHILES

16. Everyone Has a Reason

Today Love welcomes the morning with her beautiful smile. He will start today by going to school on a bicycle and enjoying the breeze and the heat of the morning sun that he really likes. Love came out of his house with a uniform and a bag already attached to his body. But just as she was about to go on her bike, her Mother's voice calling her name made Cinta turn her head and see Meta walking up to her with a box of food.

"Love, your food supply is left behind, dear" said Meta with a warm smile.

"Oh yeah, Mom, I forgot. Thank you very much, Mom, I already remember making provisions," Love reply while patting his forehead. Meta nodded and immediately put the food supply box into the bag of Love.

"Yes, honey. Love eats a lot, yes, let the spirit of school and work. Dear Mother of Love, Ata know right?," asked Meta with a hand that grasps the hand of Love.

"You know, Mom. Love is also very dear, Mother," replied Love with a very wide smile.

Behind the two, Tyra stood with a face flushed red with annoyance. He looks at love with hatred. Love already made her lose Dad, and Cala, and now Love wants to take Mom? Tyra really did not believe it. All hers now belong to Love. He has nothing now. His life was ruined, he had no reliable friends, he had nowhere to go now. Love takes everything that should be hers.

"Gue hates the same lo Love. Totally hate. You take everything I have. Take what should be mine. What else you'll take from me, love. Mammy? If so, I really hate you very much" Tyra muttered in a very subtle voice.

"I left first yes, Mom," Pamit Cinta while pedaling her bike. Meta nodded and waved his hand to Love. After that he turned around to go back inside the house. But when he turned around, his eyes met with Tyra's eyes looking at him sharply.

"Tyra, I want to talk to you" Meta called Tyra who just wanted to get away from him.

"There is nothing to talk about" Tyra replied without looking at her mother who was now standing behind her body.

"Tyra, please. It's been five years since it happened, you have to let go of everything. And all this, is not the fault of Love" Meta said in a raucous voice.

"Mom talks like this just want to buy my favorite child, right?. I'm sick of hearing it. Obviously this is all her fault, why does everyone always assume that she is innocent of all this? If it's not his fault, who is it? Me? Who's wrong, ma'am answered me," replied Tyra who was now staring at Meta with a cold look.

"It was an accident and there's no one to blame. Love is sad, just like you. You can't blame him for what he didn't do" said Meta, who tried to grab Tyra's hand but Tyra threw Meta's hand hard.

"It's all wrong Love, Mom. If he hadn't asked for anything that night, we wouldn't have lost Father and Sister Cala. If he wasn't spoiled, I wouldn't hate him like a gini. Mother just love the same Love. You never loved me, you were just like me. Don't talk to me if you just want to justify what Love has done," Tyra soon passed leaving Meta who now looks at Tyra sadly. He loves Love and Tyra. He loved both. But Tyra is too blindfolded by what he and Love have done for her. Tyra already hated herself and Love too much.

"I'm sorry, Mom, Tyra, Love. I made your life this way" Meta said in a weak voice.

Love with her ever-expanding smile walks into school and immediately goes to her class. When he was about to turn towards the stairs, he met Mizka who had just come down from the stairs.

"Eh Love, just came?" asked Mizka with a friendly smile.

"Yes, sister, just arrived" Love politely replied.

"Have you had breakfast yet? I want to go to the cafeteria, who knows you want to have breakfast together," invited Mizka to make Cinta shake her head slowly.

"I'm bringing provisions for breakfast, brother. I went to class first, yes," said Love because he felt bad to be seen by many people who passed by the stairs.

"Oh so, if so I can not leave this for Luka. Today he didn't go with me, so I haven't seen him. He also has not had breakfast for sure" Mizka said, offering a box of taro milk and a packet of cheese bread to Cinta.

"By, Brother. I will take you to Luka's class" Love replied with a hand that received milk and bread for Luka.

"But don't tell from me, yeah. Tell me from lo, he again sprained me," said Mizka makes Cinta confused and just nodded in return.

"O-oh that's it, you know I'm first, brother,"

"Yes, thank you very much, yes, Ta," Love soon passes leaving Mizka and climbing the stairs quickly to the point that Cinta gasps when she reaches the third floor of the school to get to Luka's class which is three classes from her class.

"Wound," said Cinta was surprised because when he wanted to enter the class Wound, along with Luka who would come out of the class made Love almost hit the body Wound higher than his body.

"When are you here?" asked Luka in a flat voice.

"I want this to you" Love handed over a box of milk, and a packet of bread to Luka.

"From Mizka?," asked Luka who made Love look at her in disbelief.

"You know where it came from? I had accidentally met Brother Mizka, and he entrusted this to me to be loved to you because he said you were lashing out with him again," explained Love.

"Because only Mizka knows that I love taro milk, and now you're the second person who knows" replied Luka with a hand that welcomed the milk and bread in the hands of Love.

"Oh, that. If so, I go to class, yes," said Cinta who was ready to turn to go to her class.

"Thank you, Love" said Luka suddenly when Love had stepped away from her made Love look back and smile sweetly at Luka.

"Good breakfast, Luka," Love replied and after that he immediately passed to his class.

I hope, we are indeed destined to be together, Luka said in her heart.

Love stepped her little feet toward her class. The classroom atmosphere is not too crowded, it may still be too early now. Love entered and immediately sat himself in his chair but as he looked back. He saw the figure of Felix who was laying his head on the table with his head covered with a hood hoddie. Love looked towards his food supply box, and he thought why didn't he share it with Felix. And quickly Love stood up and approached Felix.

"You why? Sick?" asked Love, who was sitting in the chair next to Felix. But Felix did not reply to Love's question and remained silent. The hand of Love moved towards Felix's forehead to check how Felix was doing.

"You're hot, Felix. Want me to take it to the UKS?" said Cinta who sounded worried about how her classmates were.

"Don't bother me," Felix replies making Love stare at him in disbelief.

"You're sick, Felix. I'll take headache medicine if you want. Or breakfast? I brought the provisions," replied Love thrust his box of supplies to Felix who now looked at him sharply.

"Go, Love. Don't bother me" Felix said in a hoarse voice. Love gulped his saliva and immediately put his food supply box on the table.

"You eat, yes, hopefully get well soon," after that Love soon passes to his seat. From his seat Love kept staring at Felix who was still bowing his head.

"Heh, what the hell until like that," said Zemira who had just come and looked at Love confused because her best friend continued to look back when there was no one there.

"A-aa, I didn't see anything" replied Love who also looked puzzled as she was surprised to see Felix was nowhere before.

"It's weird early in the morning" murmured Zemira who sat down next to Love.

...----------------...

Mizka arrived at the cafeteria and immediately headed for the chicken soto seller who looked tantalizing this morning. Just now he was going to order the chicken soto, his eyes even caught the figure of Kanaya who was buying something at the school cooperative. Without so ordering his chicken soto, Mizka instead passed by Kanaya before Kanaya left.

"Again, Kanaya. What kind of snack?" asked Mizka with a friendly smile.

"Why?" asked Kanaya.

"It's aja. I want to eat chicken soto, you want to come with me?" said Mizka.

"Can, deh. I'm hungry too" replied Kanaya who soon passed towards the chicken soto seller.

"Mang, the chicken soto is two," Kanaya told Mang Sali.

"No cabbage, Mang," continued Mizka and Kanaya together. The two looked at each other in surprise.

"OK deh, in wait for a moment huh," Mang Sali replied with a careless smile.

"Lo the new boy, huh?" asked Mizka who sat down on the chair in front of Kanaya.

"He'em, just one month ago," replied Kanaya who was cool to drink her banana milk.

"Replace from where?,".

"From Bali" replied Kanaya. Shortly after, the second order soto came and was immediately eaten with pleasure by the two of them. Suddenly Mizka's phone rang and displayed Luka's name there.

"Hello, why?" asked Mizka with a mouthful of food.

"Where is Lo?,"

"Cantin, again eat chicken soto," replied Mizka.

"There's important business, go home now. There are waiting lo," said Luka made Mizka stop feeding the chicken soto into his mouth.

"Huh? Wh who? Very sad, yes I am home now. Don't forget to permit the same Master Piket," replied Mizka who immediately rose up confused. Who is waiting for him at home.

"Lo want to unplug? Not yet entered the school, have been unplugged," asked Kanaya who still enjoys her chicken soto.

"Yes, here. It's important, sorry, I unplugged it first. Oh yes, payin all my chicken soto, yes," Mizka immediately darted away from the canteen after saying the thing that made Kanaya look at him stupefied.

"Damn it, caves don't buy novels today. Where Mama can no longer be connected, huh," said Kanaya with a sneak of her lips.

......................

Just as Love was passing away from her class, Luka got a call from her Mom. Of course it made Luka surprised and hardened her jaw because her emotions were ignited every time it concerned Mama. Luka swiped her phone icon and the phone was connected.

"Hello, Luka?," called her Mama in a voice made as friendly as possible.

"Why my phone?" asked Luka in a cold voice.

"Oh, Mama's back at your house. Today, after school, straight home, yeah. Mama cook food for you and Mizka," said Yuni.

"Where do you know where the house keys are stored?" replied Luka with a tone of dislike that sounded so clear, as the key was, and it hurt the feeling of Yuni who is now sitting on the porch of the house while squeezing her clothes.

"You and Mizka always keep the keys between the stones in the yard," Yuni replied with a smile as she recalled the habits of her two children.

"Don't disturb my life and Brother Mizka's. Go and never come back. You started all this, and there's no end to it" Luka immediately disconnected her phone. His breath sounded out of anger.

Luka calls Mizka because only Mizka wants a meeting with her Mama. He won't be home until his mom is gone. Luka met with Yuni a few days ago. An accidental meeting that makes Luka grieve at the fate that brought Luka to meet her Mama.

To be honest, Luka missed Yuni a lot. But the anger and fear of what happened in the past, make the longing that so far the painless wound alone disappeared instantly. The anger of being abandoned leaves behind an inner and emotional wound that Luka will never forget.

Unlike Mizka who always thinks about how their Mama and Papa are doing every day. Mizka's questions like that always make Luka unhappy and angry. Luka was angry, why was Mizka still thinking about how the two were. The two never thought about their situation. That's not fair, Luka thought.

Arriving at home, Mizka is surprised because the door is open and there are foreign cars that are not usually in the garage of their house. With a confused wrinkled face, Mizka walks into the house. He thought they had guests. But who? They just stayed with Mas Cetta without anyone ever visiting here.

"Mizka," the voice made Mizka speechless in her place in surprise. The familiar voice kept twisting in his mind, and Mizka slowly turned her body looking back to see the owner of the voice.

"Mama, why is Mama here?," asked Mizka in a voice that sounded very subtle.

"Mama miss you, Mizka," Yuni said with tears flowing from her eyes.

"Mizka also misses Mama," Mizka quickly splashes into Yuni's arms. All these years he missed this hug, all those years he waited for the time to meet him with his Mama.

"Sorry Mama, Mizka, sorry Mama" Yuni whispered in a sobbing voice.

"Mizka is sorry Mama, but Luka..," Mizka did not continue her words for fear of hurting Yuni's feelings.

"Hate as much as Mama huh, Mizka?," asked Yuni with a face as if hurt.

"You know, it's not easy for Luka or for me. I beg you, Ma, don't force Luka to apologize, Mama. Please don't bother Luka, until she comes to Mama herself. Luka has a reason why she chose to hate Mama. But Mizka knows, Mama also has a reason why Mama left Luka and Mizka alone when we again need complete parental attention. Even now, Luka and I still don't know why. Mama and Papa never found out where Luka and I were, Mama and Papa just dumped me and Luka,"

"I'm angry, Ma. I'm angry that Mama and Papa made my sister a cold person now. Mama and Papa made me lose my cute and fun sister. Mama and Papa ruined both our lives, and now Mama just so easily came as if what happened all this time, wasn't really happening. Every night I always look forward to this day coming, but on one hand I fear Ma. I'm afraid Mama will go again, I'm afraid Mama will leave me and Luka kayak first again. I'm afraid, Ma," continued Mizka who lowered her head because it felt like everything she had been alone could be freely delivered.

It's true that he misses meeting with Mama and Papa a lot, but Luka doesn't really understand what he's been thinking. He wants to meet with his Mama and Papa to warn them not to come and disturb their next life. Because Mizka knows, Luka has a hard time mentally remembering about her parents. And Mizka does not want her sister to live with the shadows of the past that continue to haunt her. And after this meeting, he would bury and forget everything that had happened in the past. Mizka will focus on taking care of her sister and healing Luka from the past dreams that continue to plague her life.

"Mizka, Mama can't tell you why. Mama doesn't want you and Luka to get further when she knows what the reason is" replied Yuni.

"Ma, isn't it better that I and Luka live mindless lives that keep questioning what's the reason you're leaving us both?. It feels really hard to live in the future with the shadows of the bad past, Ma," said Mizka who now looks at Yuni with a flat gaze.

"Our meeting this time, must answer all that is unanswered, Ma. Because, after this, there will be no more meetings between us. Luka and I will open a new book of our life story without a story about Mama and Papa in it," continued Mizka who made Yuni look at him in disbelief. Will his children forget him? It really hurt her heart.

"Well if you want to know why. But one thing my mother asked for. Don't hate Mom and Dad. You can live well without Mama and Papa, but do not hate Mama and Papa, yes," said Yuni who managed to make Mizka stunned. Is Mizka ready to accept everything she will hear? Can Mizka forgive whatever her reason? Mizka hesitated to say yes, but she had to say it.

"What does that mean, the reason could have made me and Luka hate you?" asked Mizka with a face made as calm as possible.

"It's not just for you and Luka, even for Mama and Papa themselves, it makes us hate ourselves" Yuni replied.