Short Story (Cerpen)

Aurora Symphony

Category: Romantic Love Short stories

Title: Aurora Symphony

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In that room – with near-minimal lighting and one natural phenomenon painted on the ceiling emitted a projector – similar to a summer night in San Jose.. Two people are swept away by their own melodies. Adam moved his fingers through the black Grand Yamaha piano keys, playing a string of beautiful notes. The Eve had an audience with her violin. Walking, turning, and smiling let her tiny body appreciate in tone. A beautiful tone that produces a melody 'Symphony Aurora'.

—

I walked down a corridor full of teenagers my age. Gagging, gossiping about the cover boy of weekly teenage magazines or perhaps the most popular basketball player as in schools in general. I don't know what makes all this shit. Their eyes were focused on me. I think mutational students are common. Huo. What kind of country does this treat foreigners like.

I circulated the view across the class measuring 10 X 8 meters. There was not a single bench I could sit on except the one in the corner of the classroom. Yes, the bench is empty but not empty. There was a man sitting alone there.

'Can I take this seat?'

He looked at me pushy 'If there's another bench you can sit on you better not be here.'

'I think you already know there's no more seat here.'

He sighed and shifted his seat – sliding up the edge of the table, as far away from me as possible.

'Hi, I'm Alexa. Wanna tell your name?'

'That doesn't matter to you.'

'How come you behave like that?'

'Been already. No need to overdo it. You don't have to call my name and you don't have to melt the atmosphere. Your sense of humor is not good.'

'Oh! OK. Maybe my sense of humor is bad but not worse than you who can not appreciate people, Bro.' I said a little stammered because I am not used to speaking in Indonesian.

'Whatever you say. I don't give a shit.' He's sniffing

'I don't need your care.' My words are a little harsh

'Basic crazy girl.' He casually left class – especially me.

'You are crazy!' I screamed and all eyes in this class again rained on me. Uhh. Really sucks. I hate being treated like this.

—

No different than the days before. Me and the guy I knew named Andre, never got along even if they were just saying hello to each other. There is no point in thinking about that crazy guy.

I rushed as fast as lightning leaving the school grounds. I promised myself to visit my beloved sister – Alena. I've been too preoccupied for a few days by myself. I paddle BMX silverku across the streets of Bandung which began at dusk. I took a deep breath and enjoyed it. Huh, what a relieving situation. At least this is enough to make me peaceful by killing the lonely bike on the wet streets. Oops. My feet are aghast, 'shit, what's going on'. My wheel chain is tucked from its shaft. Oh. Damn. Anyone gunna help me? I spread my eyes from where I stood. What kind of shit is this. There's really no one here.

'What a hell such this thing happens!' it's really hard to fix this bike.

'Pyeekkk.' Splashes of water landed on most of my clothes, bike and emoku hair.

'Uhh. fxxking boy.' I threw a fist-sized stone at the man with the ducati he was driving. Yeah, right on target. Instantly he stopped the engine.

'Heh, stupid girl. What the hell do you mean?' The man approached me who was angry about everything that happened to me.

'I think I should return the question to you, Boy.'

'Look! your painting on the bike, my shirt and my hair, is beautiful, isn't it?' nadaku. 'Who do you think started?' chink-bung

'Where do I know you're on this side of the road. It's a public road anyway and I'm entitled to use it. Don't you think, Miss?' with such an annoying behavior, he leaned his head towards me.

'It's a public road, but look at your results. You irresponsible man!'

'Ups. I'm sorry Miss. Your fault. Where do I know you stopped there anywayit wasn't a stopping place. So don't blame me if I paint your clothes and body that does require a little polish.'

'Shut up! Watch mouth!' I really burned my beard, I swung my fist around his nose.

His right hand acted. 'Oh…! It's not appropriate for a woman to play violence.' I don't know what I think. Really sucks. The wind out of nowhere had originally penetrated into my body. And a split second of my brain malfunctioning' – dead style.

I tried to free myself from my daydreams. 'That's none of your business.' I try to let go of his grip. But just like a cold day in the hell, it squeezed my hand too hard. His sharp eyes hit my eyes, really in – very deep. I don't know why, I saw something there, something I could clearly catch. Eyes that are sharp and full of fragility.

'Eeeergghh' he closed his round eyes waving his head and shoving me. Staggered me. His face was so dark, sad and frustrated. He just left me. Leaving me in the stillness of the twilight parting with the sun that was about to play behind the darkness of – left a feeling that I did not know how to brush it off, for indeed I should not have expected him.

—

Ever since that afternoon, I've almost gone crazy. Inexhaustibly Andre made me his new toy. Hiding my math job until I had to cut grass all over school. Humiliating me in front of school ants. To send a love letter to Joko the glasses horse that makes her more crazy about me. And now I have to applaud him. Yeah, punching holes in my skirt the size of a dinner plate while keeping me locked up in this class.

'Andre!' my voice squealed out the shouts of the school bell. My face was red with my chest tight to hold my anger against her.

I'm sick of all this. How much longer do I have to be trapped in this classroom.

I walked as fast as I could to the parking lot with both hands holding the back of my skirt, trying to cover the hole because of Andre. There's no way I can repay him for now. Let the bastard float in the air because of his victory. Huh.

'Damn. What a hell it is!' My bike hangs on a big mahogany tree.

'ANDREE.!'S…!' I screamed as much as my vocal cords could. My eyes are pushy, the tear foam I can no longer hold. I walked back to the school building. I hope I find Andre soon and I punch him in the nose.

I was frozen. My steps came to a halt when the beautiful melodies from the art room touched my ear lobe. I open the door slowly – explore the whole room with my view. Yes, a fragile young man playing alone there, I approached. The closer I get, he plays deeper. By ourselves. Oh, naw! he's not alone. I think there was something inside of him that accompanied him during that game.

I think this is the right time. Yeah, it's time. 'Aurora Symphony.' That word just came out of my mouth that built up the long daydream of that frail man. Stamped by piano keys that did not understand anything, the beautiful melody immediately transformed into an irregular sigh and lost in silence.

'Where do you know that song?' He yelled at me. And I just fell silent.

'Answer.' Impact again. His emotions are getting out of control.

I opened my eyes slowly. 'Hit it, if it makes you relieved.'

Andre is silent. Yes, Andrelah men always spend their afternoon in this place. In truth, he froze and rested beside me. His head was bowed, his face was full of such a deep heartache.

'You know Alexa, even if I hit you a hundred times it won't be worth the punch you've been giving me all along.' Now the water is melting and I remain silent. Sculpting. Like a cold polar freeze.

'Since your presence, every time I see you you always beat my heart, beat my soul, make me cramped, make me tormented.'

He hit his head. Water melted from those round eyes. This time I saw that face was sweet and desperate. Like his face in that twilight.

'Maybe it's not fair to you. Why do I hate you, be rude to you and often hurt you.' His words were stopped by the long breath he was breathing.

'Why?' much

'Because I want you to get out of this school.' Answer weakly

'But why?' my question repeated

'Here you go, don't ask much.'

'No. I wonder what the reason is. Answer it! Let's answer!' I shake his body like a little boy whining at his father.

Andre remains silent. My shaking is getting better. He breathed a long breath.

'THAT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE SIMILAR TO THE PERSON WHO'S BEEN HURTING ME AND DESTROYING ME ALL ALONG.' He screamed right in front of my face.

Ku mute. Never thought this would fall apart like this.

'You know, Ndre. I thought this was all fair to me. The person you mentioned has destroyed you and hurt you is the twin brother of the person sitting right next to you.'

All of a sudden he looked at me, returning with a pushy and incredulous look.

'Yes. Alena is my twin sister. We parted 4 years ago, one year before he met you. My parents and I moved to Amrik because my father had a mutated service at one of the airlines. And Alena stayed in Indonesia with my aunt.'

'Have you been ruined all this time because of Alena?' much

'Look, how I've been calling my feelings all this time. I feel stupid, messy and I don't know how I should treat it.'

'Alena left you because she fell in love with Amrik's man. She wants to marry him, that's the crap you know, right?'

I can't keep Alena's secret. But at least Andre will know the truth about Alena.

That dark face was now looking at me with a questionable look.

'Yeah, Alena's been lying to you all this time. Because he loves you so much and he knows that he will leave you for good.'

Andre's face was getting more clueless.

'Alena mederita sirenopsis.' I bowed in.

'What? Alena has ssi-rop-sis.' Andre mamakensu. And, I just nodded.

'When he's with you he realizes that this will only hurt him as well as you. So he decided to end your relationship. Yeah, saying something stupid like that's the best way he thinks'

'Then where is he now?'

'He's in a beautiful place with God, Andre.' Andre was wide in disbelief with eyebrows that almost fused with each other. She was staring at me sharply. His hands clenched as I first saw him.

'You know, Andre. When he's sick he'd rather be friends with his violin playing the same melody as the melody you just played. Yes, the same melody with her fantasies as you. However, I did not understand Alena at the time, until one day she told me all this, about the memories of you playing a song that you changed yourself. Yes, in this room with aurora background from the projector bias because Alena really wants to see the aurora – and to that extent you are able to grant it. However, for Alena everything you give is much more beautiful than her she sees firsthand the aurora, as we used to do back then.'

Andre is still speechless – stunned without knowing what to say.

'Alena has never forgotten you, Andre. Although in his last moments. He asked me to move to Indonesia and say his apology to you.'

Andre was still down, I dared myself to touch his shoulder trying to encourage him. With her head on my shoulder, her tears still fell. Straight away, my blood rippled. I don't know why I'm feeling something different right now, something comfortable but impossible for me to feel.

'Hemmm.' I took a deep breath. 'I think my responsibility is over, I've fulfilled Alena's request and it's time for me to return to America.'

'What? You're going back to America, after everything you did to me?'

'me?. What have I done to you?'

He stopped his words. 'Once, forget it'

A few minutes we drift in silence – in our own daydream.

I have to do this, Andre. I love you and I cannot keep loving you. I shouldn't feel it, you're not for me. You belong to Alena. It belongs to Alena.

—

The sun this afternoon did not show off his throne of power. It seemed that he was too tired to deal with the heat all this time. The atmosphere of waiting longue airport is quite crowded even though the weather is not exactly sunny today. The sky is now crying – the water grains are maturing at almost the same time. I waited in the dark blue seat of the airport lobby while enjoying the plane that was about to take off in the middle of the rain framed by a slightly dewy glass window. I don't know what I'm feeling. My mind is arguing, one side I heavy moving from here – what because of Andre. Sort of's. The other side I couldn't have betrayed Alena, my own sister – and I had to go. Come on, Alexa. Let it go and flow.

I'm still in the baggage claim. Uh, why am I still waiting for him. Come, Lexa. It's over. Forget her. Yep. I had to forget about it and this was the only way. 'Alexa.' I heard someone call me. I set my eyes on all directions. Niente. Maybe it's just my feelings. With a heavy heart, I walked in the crowd towards gateway 3. However, I don't know what's holding me back, pushing myself to turn around. Andre's. I wish it was Andre. All of a sudden I ran away from everything in front of me trying to chase the time I was trying to avoid. Getting her back took her with my future.

I kept running through the stream. Break through the crowd. My plane took off. I don't give a shit. I kept looking for the source of the sound. Paused. Spreading views. So next. Finally, I stopped my steps. My breaths. My chest is beating irregularly. Where's Andre. Didn't he come. Yep. I don't think he's really coming. My head is bowed in. Stupid idiot! How can you imagine Andre would love you, Lexa. Her heart has been framed by Alena instead of you, Alexa.

With all the rest of my strength turned somewhere else. I don't want to go back to Amrik and I don't want to be here. I have no purpose. Without me noticing the great emotions ambushing me. My body's limp. My heart was beating irregularly. My blood is flowing. Someone hugged me from behind. Wrapped his sturdy arm around my body. Hugged me inside. He buried his face in my shoulder.

'Don't leave me. Don't you ever leave me. I don't know how I would be without you.' His voice whispered in my silence. Attacking my entire veins. It paralyzed me instantly. The rain is still noisy out there. His arms kept poking me. I also have no power to escape. I can only enjoy it. Enjoying my fragility is also her. Finally, my anxiety was answered.

*** finished ***