Sorry I Love You, Friend!

Not Bima

This is not Bima!

Aska let go of that cold hand, she turned to look at Raka. Then looked back at the body in front of him, looking more closely. Now he's more convinced, this is not the body of Bima.

“This is not Bima," he hissed.

Raka and the officers looked at him in astonishment.

“Raka, this is not Bima.”

Raka grabbed Aska's hand to calm her down. “Aska, I know you're shocked. We all have not been able to accept the departure of Bima, but we must be steadfast" he said.

Aska shook her head quickly. “Raka, this is not Bima. Bima is alive. You have to trust me.”

"What do you mean?"

"Bima always wears the same ring. He never took it off," pointed Aska at the silver ring that had been coiling on his finger for years. "Look at this, there's not even any mark on this finger," instead of the finger on the body identified as Bima. There was no ring or circular trace on that finger.

Aska had advised Bima to release the ring because the shape of the middle finger that appears smaller than the other fingers, the pressure effect of the ring is coiled tightly on his finger. After all, it's time for them to take off the ring, considering that Bima and Angel will soon be engaged.

But Bima refused hard even silenced Aska for a month. Bima was angry because she thought Aska had forgotten the meaning of the ring they were wearing. The ring was an Aska gift on Bima's seventeenth birthday, when they celebrated her second birthday which was only one day apart. Aska dated 11 and Bima 12. Bima cried and promised never to take off their friendship ring. So Aska was very sure, Bima would never let go of the ring.

Raka fell silent. He knows what Aska means. Silver ring with fine line frame. Behind the ring is engraved the sentence Aska & Bima forever. A few days ago Bima had a story, Angel asked her to remove the ring and replace it with a ring that had been prepared for their engagement.

"Maybe Bima took it off."

Aska shook her head hard. "Bima will never take it off. That's a promise we'll always keep" he said confidently.

“Aska, please calm yourself. Let Bima go quietly," Raka raised her voice, she began to get annoyed with Aska's behavior. He thought the woman was too beaten to be childish.

Aska. Go away quietly?! “

Bima is alive!” Angry touch. Aska was very sure her best friend was still alive. He was the person who knew Bima the most even more than the mother who gave birth to the man. He is 100% sure that the body that is stretched rigid is not Bima.

“Aska," Rena entered with Nirmala because she heard a noise from inside the room.

“Ma, Bima is still alive," Aska hunts for justification, he holds Rena's arm to convince her. But only the look of an empty and disappointed face displayed the woman.

“Bima is alive!” shout Aska. He ruffled his hair in despair, confused as to how to convince people.

Raka and several hospital staff members held Aska's hands dragging her body out of the room. Aska's energy thrashed while asking Rena to hear it.

...***...

"Mama must believe the same Aska. The body is not Bima. Aska sure Ma. Please cancel the funeral. Mama Rena has to get the police to do an autopsy" Aska said.

Many times he tried to convince Rena that the body now lying in the mourning room was not Bima, his son. Although without evidence, Aska is very sure that the corpse is not his best friend.

Agus pulls his daughter away from Rena. The woman was already quite devastated due to the departure of her son. Aska's attitude only added to her sadness. "There has been enough Aska, the police have conducted an investigation into this case and they assured that it was Bima's body" said Agus.

"But Pa, it's not Bima. They must be wrong!" Jerit Aska.

Aska is running out of ways to convince everyone. He was tired, sad and desperate. Aska tried very hard to accept this fact but her heart still denied.

Twenty years is not a short time for Aska and Bima. They spent every minute and every second together. For Aska, Bima is more than just friends, friends, even family. Bima is more than that. Every single thing about Bima was recorded clearly in memory. Aska can distinguish the clattering of steps, sounds, even the scent of his best friend's body.

"Enough Aska. Better now you go home. Mama doesn't want to see you here right now and stop being childish," throw Rena out in a trembling voice.

Aska was dumbfounded, she never saw Rena's angry face on her. Even when Aska caused Bima's ankle to break, Rena wasn't angry with her. The woman kept smiling while stroking her hair.

Aska sighed tired there was nothing else she could do. As hard as Aska tried to convince, they stick to his stance. He dragged his steps out of Bima's house. Not a single bit of his eyes turned to look at the body that was lying stiff in the mourning room. Aska passed by accompanied by the astonished gazes of the mourners who sat around the body.

...***...

Aska shut herself in the room, drowning her body in the blanket. He missed the funeral of the body believed to be Bima. Nirmala and Agus forced her to attend the funeral, but Aska refused. Until now Aska will never believe that buried under the navel with a headstone bearing the name “Bima Ramadhan” is his best friend. I don't know whose body is lying there accompanied by the cry of loss by those who love Bima.

A series of questions continued to appear in Aska's mind. If he is very sure that the body is not Bima. Why the body can be found in Bima's car with the condition of a badly damaged body. What makes it difficult for police to identify the identity of the victim. Then, why did they easily deduce him as Bima?

Aska got up from her bed, grabbed her backpack and jacket. He sighed softly as soon as he saw the reflection of his face in the mirror, dull with puffy eyes from crying all night. Aska came down from the stairs in a hurry without realizing that Papa sitting in the guest room was watching her every move.

“Aska, where are you going?”

Aska turned, surprised to see Papa. “Out Pa, get some fresh air," he said flat.

“Sini,” Papa waved, asking Aska to approach him. “Sit. Papa wants to talk."

Aska reluctantly approached and sat on the sofa that was located the farthest to provide enough distance to avoid direct eye contact. His relationship with the Father is not harmonious even though both of them try hard to make the bond between Father and son is not visible too clearly in front of others.

“You okay?” Agus observed the change in princess expression.

Aska was silent for a moment. “Good,” murmured slowly.

“Better you rest at home only until your condition is healthy.”

Aska. “Papa doesn't think like everyone else, if Aska's crazy, right?” disappointed hiss.

Agus realized, he had just offended his daughter. “Not so dear, Papa is only considering your health.”

Aska clucked in annoyance. “Aska is fine, sane enough to date," he jolted angrily and chose to leave without even hearing any explanation.

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