Sorry I Love You, Friend!

Longing

"No one knows how to be strong. One could be strong only after crying so many times. We are forced to grow up by life." The Le Coup De Foudre - 2019.

~

This morning Aska woke up with puffy eyes. Throughout the night his feelings were not strange, the longing for his best friend made Aska could not close her eyes for a moment. So Aska decided to go to Bima's house to just treat her longing while visiting Aunt Rina, ensuring the condition of Ibu Bima.

"Auntie,"

Aska approached Rani who was sitting in the back garden chair.

After coming home from the hospital, Rani spends more time at home. He applied for a sabbatical and even planned to resign from his job. The main reason, Rani wants to rest, but the real cause Rani does not want to be away from the phone. He always hoped that the phone would go back and hear Bima's voice from behind.

"Aska?"

Aska nodded slowly. "How's Auntie doing?"

"Well," Rani welcomes Aska's outstretched hand to greet her. "You're a mess."

Aska smiled slightly. "Emang from the past was like Tan."

Rani is not just a pleasantries. Aska's body weight is much less than when she first set foot in Indonesia. His collarbone was printed, indented inwards, visible from behind the oversize white shirt he was wearing.

"Tan, Aska can go to Bima's room?"

Rani looked at the girl. "You miss Bima?"

Aska nodded for sure. His eyes glazed over to see pictures of Bima with his mother, Aska, Angel and even Raka, neatly arranged in a glass cabinet in the middle room.

"Bima routine clean photos in the closet once a week," said Rani.

"That's a craft boy," grumbled Aska. "Tante remember ngak? Suddenly Bima came for an inspection of the Aska trus room to throw away all the collections of Conan comics that have been hard-earned Aska kumpulin," Aska said with an anxious tone.

Rani chuckles amusedly. How could he forget, that day Aska and Bima had a big fight. The first time Rani and Nirmala saw the pair of friends not talking three days in a row. The two of them waged a cold war so that no one dared to approach.

"Bima is worried because you don't want to go out of the room busy reading comics," Rani stroked Aska's black shoulder-length hair.

Aska smiled. His memory again uploaded the expression of Bima who barged into his room and threw one by one his comic collection out the window of the second floor balcony.

"You haven't had breakfast, have you? Coincidentally Auntie wants to make fried rice," Rani stroked Aska's back gently. "Aska to the room, then Auntie call if the fried rice is finished."

Aska nodded in agreement and immediately went up to the second floor where Bima's room was located. Doubtful Aska turned the doorknob. As soon as the door opened, the distinctive Bergamot aroma of Bima's perfume burst into Aska's welcome. Instantly his heart throbbed pain, unable to escape the pain of enduring the longing for the loss of his best friend.

Aska's steps were fixed on a box wrapped in sky-blue paper. He lifted the box, reading the notes that were affixed to the surface of the box.

"For My Sun,

We will always be TOGETHER, today, tomorrow and FOREVER."

Aska looked at the box that was meant for her. Her eyes warmed up before a tear-flowing circle fell down on her cheeks. Sun, the name given by Bima to describe how valuable Aska in his life.

"Bim, where are you? I miss," Aska groaned as she closed her eyes.

...***...

Flashbacks ...

"Let's go in,"

Aska pulled Bima's hand into her house.

"Your house is very big," cried Bima amazed.

"Isn't she home?" Nirmala emerged from the kitchen as soon as she heard the sound of the living room. "Well, who is this?" Nirmala asked so consciously, she continued with the boys in elementary school uniforms.

"Hello Aunt, my name is Bima Ramadhan. I'm Aska's friend at school," Bima greeting politely introduced herself.

"Friends?! Thank goodness Aska finally managed to blend in with the other children, "inner Nirmala was happy.

"Aunty must be Aska's mother?"

"No. He's Aunt Nirmala," cut Aska fast with a high tone.

Bima glanced at the confused Aska. "Why is this kid suddenly angry?" Her thought.

Nirmala nodded. "What do you want to drink? Cola or juice?" Instead of Nirmala to reduce the tension between them.

"Just a Aunt."

"We went to the room" Aska interrupted while pulling Bima to follow him.

"Why are you angry with Aunt Nirmala?" Bima asked as soon as the two were in the room.

"I'm not angry" said Aska ketus.

"No, you're angry."

Aska sighed, "Tante Nirmala is my stepmother."

"Trus, evil auntie is with you?" Bima slammed herself on the Aska mattress. His eyes were directed upwards where a star-studded ceiling painting filled the ceiling of the house.

"No, Aunt Nirmala isn't evil."

"So why don't you like that Auntie?" Bima blinked slowly, her eyes suddenly glared. Aska's comfortable room atmosphere made her sleepy.

"I don't know."

Bima rose from his sleep, he sat with a straight look fixed on Aska. "You can't put such a face in front of Aunt Nirmala" said Bima. "Although stepmother, because she is good you must respect her but if the evil Aunt is as bad as you, I myself will be angry with Aunt Nirmala," he continued in a wise manner.

Aska was moved, only this time there were people who wanted to put up a body to defend him. Although their friendship only lasted a few days but Aska sure Bima will always be there for him.

...***...

"Tante Rani, where's Bima?"

Aska decided to go to Bima's house because the clock had shown seven o'clock, if they left past seven o'clock it could be ascertained both would be late to school. Last year Bima managed to get her mother to move to the same housing complex as Aska, so the two began to leave and go home together to school.

"Well, Aska hasn't left yet?"

Aska shook her head, "Aska waiting for Bima."

"His aunt's sick baby, this morning Auntie's hot body check. That's why Aunt told Bima to take a break today."

Aska mangosteen, "Aska to his room ya tan," his saying to Bima's room.

"No aunt papa, Aska just wants to see Bima alone."

"Aska, if Auntie tipped Bima can? Auntie's having an important meeting this morning."

Aska nodded, "no papa. Aunty to the office let Aska take care of Bima."

"Thank you dear," Rina clasped the hand of the teenager in the Junior High School uniform. "Oh yes, later afternoon Aunt send food from a restaurant near the office. If you're hungry or want breakfast in the kitchen there's cereal, bread is milk."

Aska nodded back in understanding.

"Tante left first yes, if there is any news, yes" said Rani.

Aska waved her hand to usher in the departure of Mother Bima. After that he went upstairs to Bima's room. Aska loosened her head as soon as the door opened.

"Bima is still sleeping," Inner Aska. "Pity, the face is so red." Aska raised the blanket that blushed until it covered Bima's chest.

"Why not go to school?" Mumam Bima slowly. He woke up when he heard the sound of an open door. Actually he did not sleep, pain throughout the body and head swirling made him choose to close his eyes tightly.

"Where is sick?" Ask Ask concerned.

Bima smiled slowly. "Head," he said.

Aska pinched Bima's forehead. Starting from the edge of the temple to the top where the child's hair grows. "It hurts?"

"Udah was pretty good," Bima forced a sound out of her throat until it sounded hoarse and heavy.

"Why not go to school?" Ask again because Aska is still wearing a uniform. "Are you home?"

Bima glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand, the short needle still perched on the number seven. Sunlight is still visible entering through the curtain gap, it means that it is still bright out there.

"Aska does not want to go to school" said Aska while continuing to massage the head of Bima.

Bima frowned in wonder. "Why?"

"You don't have Bima, Aska doesn't want to go to school."

"But today there will be a repeat, Aska."

Aska shook her head quickly. "But Aska does not want to go to school if not with Bima," Aska's whine spoiled.

Bima nodded her head which became dizzy. There was no point in forcing Aska, the girl was a typical stubborn person. Once you say no, no one will force you. "It's up to Aska. Bring your breakfast first. Must not have breakfast, right?"

"Aska isn't hungry."

Bima sighed slowly. "It's Aska's just taking a break."

Aska nodded and prepared to take a swing to lay down beside Bima.

"Eh, what are you doing?" Hold Bima.

Aska rounded her eyes, confused. "Rest, bobok?"

"Don't beat it, don't beat it."

Aska shook her hand no matter what. He immediately threw himself beside Bima. "Let's just, so we can get sick just as absent together."

"Well, you always find an excuse to go to school."

"Hehehe," kekeh Aska.

It did not take long for the two to fall asleep in the cradle until it did not feel the sun began to duck hiding behind the twilight.

"Ka, Aska," call Rani. He patted Aska's shoulder gently. "Where is Mala, both have high fever" he panicked. Rani looked at Nirmala, asking for her opinion.

"We're taking her to the hospital? I call Agus and Aldi." Nirmala half ran back to her house which was right next to Rani's house.

"Dear, baby, why did you become sick anyway," said Rani pity to see the face of Aska and Bima who reddened the effects of high fever.

Nirmala is back with Agus and Aldi. They immediately took Aska and Bima to a nearby hospital.

Aska opened her eyes slowly, wrenching at the glare as the light of the lamp struck her iris sharply. "Where is this?" Inner Aska. He tried hard to raise his hand, but the remaining energy seemed not strong enough even to lift the smallest pinky.

"Aska wakes up Ma," cried Aldi as soon as he saw Aska move his hand.

"Thank God" said Nirmala. He immediately approached the bed. "Aska."

"Where?"

"Ah, we're in the hospital dear," explained Nirmala. "You and Bima have a high fever, so Papa and Mama together Aunt Rani decide to take you to the hospital."

Aska sighed slowly. "It looks like I'm knocking Bima, pantesan really sick this head," inner Aska.

"Male?" Short ask.

Aska was only able to force a second word out from behind her mouth.

"Bima is still asleep, tuh," pointed Nirmala to the left of Aska's bed.

Aska turned around to see the condition of her best friend. "Is Bima sick?"

"No, you are just stricken with inflammation and lack of fluids so fever is just as dizzy. Said the doctor eating and getting enough rest, you'll be healthy again soon."

"Isn't she awake?" Sapa Rani's. He came with a basket of fruits. "You guys are funny, always sick together. You remember Mala, two years ago. When Aska got typhoid, not long ago Bima also sick until both of them had to be hospitalized."

"Yes right, even they are so sticky that they do not want to sleep in their respective beds. He wants to stay together like twins" Nirmala added.

"Ma, don't gossip in front of his son dong," protested Bima who suddenly rose from his bed.

"You are, use Nularin Aska. Look, the Aska's getting sick, right."

Bima glanced at Aska then sneered at her. "Mistake itself. I told you not to get close, still ngeyel."

After successfully transmitting the disease to Aska, Bima miraculously felt his body gradually improving. Even the dizziness that made his head almost explode seemed to disappear without a trace. But it does not make Bima happy or relieved. Seeing Aska weak made her heart hurt even more than her body. Bima was willing to accept tens of times the pain compared to having to see Aska grimacing in pain.

Bima walked closer to the side of the bed. He stroked Aska's black shoulder-length hair. His eyes stared softly at the pale face with my eyes resisting sleepiness due to the reaction of drugs given by the doctor.

"Hurry to heal, so we can go to school together again," he said.

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