Owner of Heart #1
Chapter 13
“News not important.” Arga took the TV remote to change the channel but I stopped it. With eyes still staring at the TV screen, I shook my head which made Arga undo his intentions.
I have to know about what really happened, did they know each other before or after we got in touch? How did they meet? How long have they been dating? And whether this news is true or just a figment of the thumb. I need to know everything, not run away like that.
The TV screen now shows a capture of the artist's social media with a photo of Leona and several men with typical army hair wearing neat shirts.
“As we have known a few months ago Leona was hosted by the Indonesian Embassy in Myanmar to entertain the citizens of Indonesia including the TNI who was serving there. And a few days ago Leona shared her activities in Myanmar, one of the photos uploaded showed Leona being with several men suspected of being members of the TNI, he said, but what attracted attention was the writing on the photo that read Witch one? With a sign of heart.”
The screen now shows a beautiful long-haired female host.
“Status was immediately evoked the curiosity of the netizens who invaded it in the comments column. But the curiosity of netizens did not have to be long because the next day Leona again uploaded a photo with one of the men in the previous photo, Leona, and it says ‘lunch time in Myanmar with Mas Lieutenant.”
My chest was pounding, my eyes were staring at the artist's photo with the smiling Lieutenant staring at the camera, they were wearing different clothes from the previous photo which meant it was a different day, but what made my heart ache more was that she even had the same call as the way I called her.
The third photo now adorns the glass screen, set in the sunset with silhouettes of men and women who were standing opposite and inscribed.
“While enjoying the last twilight in Myanmar with Mas Lieutenant, Miss you soo much.”
I remained unmoved staring at the TV screen with a hunting breath, unconsciously holding my hand to the brown mug so tightly that Arga had to take it from my hand, then put it on the table.
“We watch something else.” The new Arga will change channels when the TV sees an exclusive interview with the artist, and I stop Arga again.
“A minute,” I said softly with eyes staring at the face of the artist on the glass screen. She looks beautiful with a thick makeup, long wavy brown hair, smooth white skin wrapped in trendy clothes from world-renowned brands.
“We met at an event at the Embassy a few months ago, acquaintances continue to chat and it turns out to connect until now.”
Events at the Embassy? Till now? That means since he hasn't called me they've been in contact?
The reporters asked her when they were officially dating and what was it like with LDR? With a face she answered the question casually.
“We decided to date not long ago, I have no problem with LDR-an anyways next week he has returned to his homeland.”
“Enough!” Arga immediately moved the TV channel and this time I did not forbid it, I just fell silent to remember the words of the artist.
“You heard that, Ga? They started to get in touch after that day.” I looked at Arga who was also looking at me gently as usual.
“I'm a fool yes, Ga, all this time I was worried something happened to him, and faithfully waited for him as he asked but it turns out he was even again with another girl, I'm really stupid.” I smiled wryly, Arga still kept quiet listening to me, “It turns out he disappeared not because he couldn't contact me but because he didn't want to. And actually I don't have the right to be angry with him, do we not date so actually he's not cheating, right, Ga? I should've shunned you a long time ago.”
I looked at Arga who was even more angry than me.
“The man who makes a woman cry is an inexcusable baj*ngan, what else if that woman is you.”
I looked at my best friend for a while, my best friend who was always there and protected me at any time, my friend who seemed to be able to read all my thoughts, and she was Arga Dewantara, a man who looks bad but has a good heart.
“Don't kill,” my words are still staring at Arga.
“Why?”
“Tar if you go to jail, what do I do? No more friends.”
“Hahaha... So how's dong? Kill don't?"
“Do not, just hit the fast make his teeth on the fall out all so as to be ugly.”
“Hahaha, so I just hit it?”
“Iya, just hit.”
“Ya I'll hit you when I meet.”
“Hahaha.”
That day all day rain flushed the city of Bandung, even Arga could only go home after Isya prayer and eat food when the rain began to subside. I was of course still feeling sad and betrayed, but I was no longer crying, as if my tears had run out under the rain that afternoon.
The night I had a high fever, my boat was about to break, my throat hurt as a sign of a severe flu. I could not sleep, my body shivered violently, and only fell asleep when the clock hit 3:30 am, at 5 am I was awake again, with my impetus towards the bathroom, every step of my foot, I was back awake, I feel a headache stabbing my head. Even I feel my eyes as if coming out when I perform ruku and prostrate in prayer.
After the morning prayers I went back to sleep until my mother woke up at about 9 and was shocked to see my condition with a high fever. Mom brought me chicken porridge but I didn't want to eat, mom forced me to eat even just a bite, which I would not like to do. After taking the medicine, I fell asleep again. My fever is getting higher, my head is getting sicker even when my cough feels like my head is stoned, making me even more tormented.
Dad took me to the doctor but I refused on the grounds that I would recover after sleeping and taking medicine, but until the next day my condition did not improve, even now it is getting worse, but until the next day my condition did not improve, my body was in pain in all parts, the world seemed to rotate every time I opened my eyes which made me nauseous and finally vomited, every food that entered as if rejected by my body.
I could hear Mom, Dad and Dirga's worried voices, they were calling my name but my body couldn't react to the call, I tried to stay awake but my eyelids were getting heavy, their shadows grew increasingly blurred and I finally gave up in the dark.
****
