Starting From Grey

The 3rd Reunion

Maybe fate has determined the time, so that things that have been almost 9 years avoided can no longer be done.

Syarifa Mutia, now standing at the door of the hall SMA 31 trying to catch her breath to calm the heartbeat that feels so hunting her. Today is a reunion of two forces above it and one force below it. He had already avoided this kind of event twice, yet for this third he could not avoid due to the urging from his friends.

And here he is, in the midst of a relationship that feels so confusing. Not because they do not know but because time continues to run and distance becomes a barrier so that there is an invisible wall that becomes a barrier to familiarity that was once created.

Mutia seemed restless, she looked in all directions to look for someone who might recognize her and talk to her. But the result is nil, no one thinks it exists, they are too busy with all the activities of mengadu longing with old friends. Please note, that this reunion is specifically for the IPA child force so everyone here is an IPA child.

"Finally you came too" said a man in a maroon-red shirt who had folded up his elbow to him.

Mutia was silent for a moment, she would never forget the face of the man in front of her, she was sure to be right about that figure, the figure that once filled her gray-white time, it ended up with something unpleasant. Ah maybe this guy still keeps the wound for her.

"Alhamdulillah, it just so happens that there is no busyness," Mutia replied trying to smile even though it felt bland. It turns out that it is so difficult to store this taste, that when it meets again, it sticks back to the surface of the heart.

"How are you?" asked the man in a made-up tone as he could, as it seemed that he was also surprised by Mutia's presence.

"Thank God, it's better." Mutia replied calmly-trying calmly to be exact.

"How is Hasan?" mutia asked, she was trying to become as ordinary as before the beginning of introductions.

"I'm good, better." The man named Hasan answered convincingly. Mutia smiled and the signs understood the meaning of the words.

"What brings you to an event you've put on the black list?" ask Hasan cynically.

"I'm invited and I have some free time." Mutia tried to answer with a cry.

"Who do you want to meet? This OSIS chairman or the basketball captain?'' Mutia looked meaningfully at Hasan and smiled faintly.

"The basketball captain always invites you to this event––– twice, but you never show up. And this year the head of the OSIS invited you and you were happy to attend. Is this a sign of something?"

"No, I mean it's just a fateful coincidence" Mutia replied nervously and felt uneasy. He still felt afraid that the thing he did would cause misunderstandings just like it did before.

"Continue?" repeat Hasan while meaningfully muttering.

"A very pleasant coincidence."

"meaning?" mutia asked in surprise with Hasan's words.

"Yes, this year there are a lot of coincidences. The first one you attended at this 3rd class reunion. Second I invited you because the basketball captain did not become the committee this year because there is a wedding at his house. Third is a very remarkable coincidence because tonight the basketball chairman will introduce someone. Waw, isn't this a big coincidence in a day even in a matter of a few hours." Hasan smiled meaningfully as she looked at Mutia's fickle facial expression, she quite knew what the girl was thinking. Because, he has met many people and circumstances make him have to know and judge someone from the gestures and also the expression of his face.

"That's not a big thing." Mutia opened her mouth, she felt cornered by all circumstances. He hoped that there would be a friend of his who would save him from this very unpleasant situation. Where exactly are his friends who have forced him to come, why is no one seen.

"Oh yeah, it could be." Hasan said softly and looked in all directions.

"Look at that the person we're talking about has come." Hasan pointed out the existence of a man who was joined by a woman. Men with a sturdy posture and look so handsome and authoritative. Not much had changed in him except for the increasingly clean skin color and what was more noticeable was the mature aura on his face.

"Hay boy, I'm here!" hasan suddenly cried and looked happy. Then by reflex Mutia's heart rate increased, she felt that all this was not yet the time and that this was not healthy for her heart's performance. Then he immediately covered to leave the place without anyone's knowledge.

"Hay San's. Assalamualaikum," said the man wearing typical office clothes that look still complete with tie.

"Waalaikumsalam, how are you?" Hasan and the man hugged each other and shook hands.

"Good thanks, lo?''

"As you can see. I am okay."

"Waw, bring a partner," exclaimed Hasan in a carefree voice without the slightest burden. He knew the true nature of the relationship between the two people to bring them into contact like now.

"Yes, it's Anandi." Feeling called his name Anandi immediately cupped his hands in his chest.

"This is my friend Hasan." The man introduced his partner to his best friend.

"Cie, the grout of the mahrom continues, then you will not be too bad anyway." Hasan teased her best friend as usual.

"What the hell?" said the man with a smile of wrong behavior while Anandi blushed embarrassed until a pink tinge was created on both cheeks.

"Lo alone from year to year?"

"Number of number-" Hasan's words hung unresolved because he remembered something instead of someone exactly, as he turned his head towards the back he already did not find the figure he was looking for, then he circled his gaze in all directions but he still never found Mutia's whereabouts. He lost track.

"Who's there anyway?"

"So he was here, Bi." Hasan was busy looking in all directions. Either because it is too sensitive or because there is an inner bond, the figure of a man named Abi immediately understood the word 'he' meant by his best friend.

"He's coming?" ask Abi flat.

"Yes, I even talked a lot. Just so I'm afraid he's still here."

"He's gone when he sees me." Abi said calmly even though he knew that there was no calmness in his heart and mind at the moment every heard of him. So unwilling to meet that he avoided himself.

Then they joined and greeted each other while the figure that had been sought by Hasan stood up and smiled faintly near the exit.

"Are you going home, Mut?" ask a man who greeted him.

"Hay Za, long time no see." Not answering questions from his classmates he said hello.

"Style, just yesterday we met. Long time no see." Mirza said casually and pushed Mutia's shoulder to come in and sit on the chair she had been provided. Mutia did not refuse, she followed the wishes of her friend.

"Hi guys, look who I brought." Mirza said casually.

"Mutiaaa.." they exclaimed together to make all eyes look at the brown hijab girl in surprise. The girl smiled shyly and greeted her friends without realizing that she had been the center of attention.

Time went by so quickly, and event after event had passed, the clock showed 10pm, Mutia had moved from her seat.

"Yach, even though I haven't finished kangen-kenan lo." Erly said spoiledly as Mutia bid her farewell to go home.

"More time is spliced again InshaAllah."

"Promise yes" said Erly.

"Yes, we can chat later." Mutia assured.

"Lo don't want to say hello to the captain first?" erly asked softly afraid that anyone would hear, because all of that was a secret that not everyone knew.

"I'm not ready yet." Mutia smiled forcefully.

"When you have walked such a long distance, ready not to be ready you must still face all the circumstances." Erly advised her best friend while escorting Mutia to the exit of the hall.

"Yes, let time answer." Mutia stopped and hugged her best friend, they were spiky, as Mutia walked a few steps then she turned back and ran to embrace Erly again, "I will move to this city again, I will move to this city again, wait a week." Erly who heard the whisper smiled meaningfully, until she was unconsciously her best friend was no longer seen.

----------------------------

Mutia traced the corridor of the hall, and to the left of the hall was the library. He stood there long enough and looked at the door meaningfully, without a smile on his thin lips.

Then he took a breath and walked, next to the library there was a bathroom and a small building that is a scout studio, then he again continued the road and stopped in the class that there is a square box that reads "XII-IPA2" Mutia was standing right at her doorstep, after a long time it turned out that this class had not changed much. Only the color of the walls and flower plants that do not look much in front of him. He smiled again, as the flash of High School was clearly visible in the shadow of his memory.

"Are you smiling at the door?" asked the figure of the man standing behind Mutia, as it was startled Mutia immediately turned around and retreated two steps due to such a close distance, he could only look at the chest wrapped in a suit that was so fitting to be worn on the body that was in front of him. After calming his heartbeat and shock he raised his face to see who the owner of the upright figure was in front of him. Although she knows and recognizes but Mutia needs to convince her instincts by looking directly at the window of her world.

"How are you doing Mu-tia?" asked the man who was none other than Abinaya Rahman.

"Well," replied Mutia, turning her eyes away from the black eyes that had been looking up until she could probably stab him.

"You don't want to ask me?" abi asked as he saw Mutia was silent with no intention of making her voice.

"I don't think it's necessary, can't I judge by seeing you in front of me." Mutia said softly and published a smile on her lips despite apparently failing. The shadow of the man walking into the hall with a girl flashed in his memory making his heart feel squeezed firmly. Hah, it turned out that there was still a sense in his heart that was always left for the figure before him.

"Yes, you're right." Abi said flatly and took one step back, then he looked at Mutia from top to bottom intensely, making Mutia misbehave and unable to do anything about it. He wanted to rebuke because he was stared at in such a way, but unfortunately his voice could not come out, he wanted to run away from the place but he did not have the energy to lift his legs, he was unable to get out, he could only be silent and could do nothing. A faint smile rose on Abi's lips.

"Time goes by so fast." Abi said quietly and turned his gaze towards the door of a room that said 'KRI'.

"Yes, and things have changed." Mutia said, she then followed Abi's line of sight.

"Many, many things have changed, but one thing has not changed. I don't know when." Abi said and turned his body towards the hall. Mutia just silently looked at the figure that had been swallowed by the darkness.

There was so much time that he had missed, and so many memories in such a short time that he had once done. However, there are also many feelings that cannot be conveyed even though time provides a long opportunity.

The figure of the idol of the High School period that he so admired because of hospitality, wisdom, intelligence and many more good qualities, with the rolling of time is now a figure he does not recognize. He changed as time went on, there were no longer the upward-sloping lips that he often spread. There are only flat, lined lips filled with mystery.

Mutia looked towards the path that Abi had left with a hard-to-understand look.

"We are never meant to spend time together." Mutia stepped out of the place full of history and into the car that had been parked neatly.

"Assalamualaikum" said a man sitting behind the wheel with a soothing smile.

"Waalaikumsalam," replied Mutia and immediately burst into the man's arms accompanied by sobs.

"I'm sorry, I forgot about your presence." Mutia said sobbing, and the man named Rouf simply stroked her girl's back lovingly.

"No problem, it's commonplace when memories of past loves are re-stirred in memories." Rouf said calmly in order to be able to convince, even though in the corner of his heart there was a hint of uneasiness.

"We're back at our hotel at 3am, so we have to take a break before we go home." Rouf wiped away the rest of Mutia's tears and justified the messy-looking hijab. Then he put his seatbelt on and ran his car through a crowded street despite the dark the night had come.

The city that never sleeps, the city of money always has activities for 24 hours without stopping. Either the sun or the moon stars that accompany but the activity continues to run properly.

-----