Restore Your Smile

Drunken

The next day, James deliberately left for work early to avoid Celine. Honestly, he was afraid of hearing the decision that Celine would make. His heart is not ready.

In school, everything goes on as usual until the teaching and learning activities end. After the bell rang, Mr. Joseph, who had returned to his seat in the teacher's room, asked James to speak.

"Sir, you're home from work, is there an event?" tanyakanya.

"nothing. Why, Sir?" James asked back.

"There are things that bother my mind and I need people to ask her opinion. I just thought about James. Maybe you are willing to help me? Let's talk outside the school area, let's relax. Can you?"

"It could be, '" replied James in short.

"Thank you, Mr. James," said Mr. Joseph.

"Together, sir, "reply James.

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

James was taken to a cafe by Mr. Joseph. They went in and sat in one of the empty seats.

"This is my friend's cafe, Mr. James. Have you been here?" ask Mr. Joseph.

"Yet. I rarely hang out in cafes, "James replied as he was.

"The cafe is simple, but the menu is quite complete, the food is good, and the important thing is friendly in the bag, sir!" mr. Joseph said he was promoting his friend's cafe.

"Hi, bro !"

James and Joseph looked at the sound. A man with a strong body greeted them.

"Hi!" Joseph returned his greeting.

"Know, bro, this is Mr. James, my coworker. Mr. James, this is my friend, the owner of this cafe." Joseph introduced them both.

"Eddy," said the man as he extended his hand.

"James," James responded with a helping hand.

"So, bro, is there a recommended menu ga?" asked Joseph while grinning to his friend.

"There's dong! We have a new cocktail menu with low alcohol content. It tastes good and refreshing. This is why it is a favorite drink here. Wanna try?" haggar Mr. Eddy.

"Sir James how? Wanna try? Maybe you want to change the mood by trying something new?" Joseph asked James' opinion.

James doubts. He knew he could not stand alcohol. He was once drunk just for drinking a glass of beer during High School. Since then, he has never touched alcohol.

But with his condition in turmoil like this, the offer sounded quite tempting. The alcohol level is low, right? Who knows by trying something new, can change the mood. How thought.

"looks interesting. Maybe, "break up James.

"okay! Order 2, Ed! Bring snacks and bite!" joseph's message to his friend.

"Ready, bro ! Please wait for yah ...." Then Mr. Eddy left immediately.

"So, Mr. Joseph .... What do you want to ask?" james began the conversation.

As if back to be invited to see reality, the look on the face of Mr. Joseph who was cheerful when he met Mr. Eddy was lost instantly. He was again reminded of his main purpose until he was here.

"I .. I feel like I've lost myself, sir," he said with his head bowed.

"I've told you before, right, if I have been more trying to do outdoor sports practices than indoor because unfortunately the sun is wasted? But since the Priscillia incident, I've been confused about determining my sporting material, sir. I find it unfair for him that I tend to choose outdoor practices over indoor ones." Joseph told me his heart.

"If you feel unfair, interjected, "James advice is short.

"Yes. I thought about that solution. But still, when thinking about outdoor sports practices, I get confused how to behave with the child. Thinking of her in only 2-hour class waiting for her other friends to exercise, it felt unfair to her. But, there's no way to get him down to the field with his illness."

James was stunned, then said, "Sir Joseph feels sorry for Priscillia? Or still traumatized by a previous event?"

"That's what trauma says. Perhaps also, after seeing firsthand what happened to him. If I try to think in his position, I must also feel unfair."

"My advice, you better stop that mindset. Don't make Priscillia feel the need to be pitied or regret her situation. I think Priscillia is learning to accept herself. Even if he had to stay in class because he could not practice sports, I think he could be quite happy. So, Mr. Joseph was acting like normal."

Hearing James' words, Mr. Joseph fell silent. He knew the truth of James' words. He knows his theory, but it is difficult to put into practice. He realized how much he would die if he faced Priscillia.

He doesn't know how to behave. Between anxiety and rage, because he is still the target of the Princess Gang's hazing. But there is also pity, perhaps trauma. Every time he saw Priscillia, he always reflected back on how Priscillia looked when the child fainted. He felt so wrong.

At that moment, their order arrived. Without saying much, Mr. Joseph immediately took one of the drinks presented in front of him.

"Drink, Sir!" he told James and immediately downed him before James could answer.

James who saw Mr. Joseph's behavior could only fall silent. It was seen that this teacher in front of him was having a lot of thoughts. There were probably many things in his heart that he could not reveal.

But James had no intention of finding out more. His current situation is not much different. Therefore, James could only do the same. He took the remaining glass and swallowed it.

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

Time showed almost five o'clock in the afternoon. Mama Ratna and Papa Heru are ready to leave the house.

"Yes. Kappa, Ma. Bang James or Bang Alex might go home, right?" celine replied with a smile.

"Yes. James called, he said he just wanted to talk to his friend for a while after he came home from work. Should have gone home too. If Alex, Mama doesn't know, Lin. Can be daunted again, can also be a new night home. Obviously, we were only able to return a bit late at night. Understandably, Linda's aunt's house is a bit out of town. We want to look, 'cause it's sick."

"Yes. My mom is focused on Aunt Linda. Celine can take care of the house. Celine's a big one." Celine reassured Mama Ratna with her sweetest smile.

Seeing that, Mama Ratna and Papa Heru smiled. They were indeed a little worried since this time for the first time Celine was left alone at home. But Celine's condition is clearly much different than it used to be. Maybe it was time for Celine to be given more trust.

"Yes already. We go well .... Take good care of the house, "said Papa Heru while stroking Celine's head.

"Call if there's anything, Lin! Don't forget to lock the door! The food has been prepared at the dining table well ..." Mama Ratna's message once again.

"Yes, Ma, Pa. Be careful on the road!" answer Celine. Shortly after, the car drove off leaving Celine alone at home.

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

Two hours have passed. The night has come. But neither James nor Alex have gone home. Celine started to feel scared. He used the TV to divert his mind and expel the silence he felt.

Not long after, there was the sound of a car in front of the house. Celine immediately ran over to peek out from behind the curtains. It turned out that an unfamiliar red car had stopped in front of the fence. From the back seat of the car, came out a man who was also unknown to him.

"Excuse me .." said the man facing into his house.

Celine did not dare to answer. He simply fell silent while observing the situation from behind the curtain. His hand that was grasping the curtains started to sweat. He's afraid.

"Excuse me .... Is there anyone in the house?!!! I'm a friend of Mr. James', bringing Mr. James home .." exclaimed the man again.

Hearing James' name being mentioned, Celine immediately came out of hiding and faced the man.

"Bang James? Where's bang James? Bang James why?" The worried Celine immediately charged the man with questions.

The man in front of him smiled looking at Celine's attitude. "Quiet, Miss. His Bang James is still in the back seat. He's doing just fine. Can you open the door first, so I can lift it straight into the house?"

Celine was still silent with a doubtful face. The man could read Celine's gurgle.

"I'm not a bad guy. I'm a friend of James's. My name is Joseph. We teach in the same school." The man introduced himself.

Celine was still speechless with eyes full of probing. Then he opened his mouth again, "What's the matter James?"

"He's drunk. Now asleep in the back seat. I didn't expect anyone to be that vulnerable with alcohol" said Mr. Joseph, laughing wryly, as his struggle led James to this place.

"Sorry, Miss. Can you open the door immediately? This is an online taxi. I'm not as good as the driver for a long time, "pinta Pak Joseph again.

With a forced and watchful attitude, Celine opened the door. The man went straight back into the back seat. And soon enough he took James out of there.

"Thank you, sir!" the Man said to the Driver. Before long, the driver immediately drove off leaving his passengers who had gotten out of his car.

Joseph immediately brought James in.

"Please show me the room. Don't forget to close the front door" she told Celine.

Celine immediately did as the man said. After closing the front door, he immediately ran ahead of Mr. Joseph and directed him to James's room. "Here, sir!"

Celine opened James's door. After that, Mr. Joseph went in and laid James to one of the beds there. Then, he opened the shoes that James was wearing. It was seen that he did so while adjusting his breath which was somewhat hunting after carrying James.

Seeing that, Celine immediately brought a drink for the man and directed him to a chair in the living room, "Sit down and drink first, Sir!"

Joseph sat down and drank the water Celine gave him while looking around. "You alone at home?"

Celine fell silent and with a heavy heart nodded.

"Yes already. I'm leaving soon. Take good care of the house! Titip Mr. James yeah .." said Mr. Joseph as he rose from his seat. He understood the situation the girl was facing right now. How uncomfortable it is to be alone with a foreign man in his own home. Therefore, with full awareness, he immediately said goodbye.

Celine nodded and escorted the man outside the house. Before the man left, Celine took the time to say, "Te-thank you, sir. Sorry for the trouble."

The man just laughed and said, "Look easy. Later if Mr. James realized, tell him, do not try to drink alcohol again. Excuse me yeah .... Don't forget to lock the door!"

Then Joseph left Celine. Celine went back inside the house and locked the door. Then he went to the living room to clean the glass used to drink Mr. Joseph earlier. And suddenly he heard his name called by James.

"City ...."

"Yes, Bang James .... A moment ..." he cried while hurriedly putting the glass into the dishwasher in the kitchen.

How shocked Celine was when she turned around James was already in front of her. James's face was red, and so were his eyes. It is also unstable.

"Bang James sat down first yuk. It will fall" said Celine, who was anxious to see James awake. He immediately approached James with the aim of refuting James so as not to fall.

But Celine's back was startled because suddenly James hugged and held her tightly.

"Cin .... Don't go .... Don't stay Bang James, Lin .... Bang James loves Celine. Bang James is in love with Celine .." said James amid his unconsciousness.

Hearing that, Celine could only be silent and petrified in James' arms.

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