THE HIDDEN MENTARY

I AM YOUR HOME

My heart kept racing, as if I had been through a full-day marathon. I occasionally steal a glance towards the front, right on the figure of my academic guidance lecturer who is explaining whatever it is.

Surely my ears could not be used to hear his explanation, my brain was not able to digest all his words. I just remember the voice that made me look up to. I only remembered the sharp look that made me shudder.

"Kay, what's wrong with you?" Aldrich elbowed my arm slowly.

"Huh?" I flinched, shocked to hear his slow greeting. I opened my eyes, trying to focus my thoughts and my eyes.

"Your hands are so cold. Are you still tense? Relax, everyone is safe now!" Aldrich tried to calm me down. He grabbed my hand and rubbed it slowly to keep me warm.

Ah Aldrich, if you'd known, what's making me tense is not my collision. But this tension comes from the body that is standing in front of us right now.

"Make it." I tried to pull out my hand that Aldrich was holding when I saw the gaze of my supervising lecturer who was starting to look very unfriendly.

For a moment I was confused, I didn't know what reason I would be afraid of if she saw me holding hands with another man. Isn't it my right to be friends and join hands with anyone? I'm alone and Aldrich seems to be alone. So highly taught?

But somehow, I felt I had to guard her heart. Hah this is an absolute ridiculousness.

"Aldrich and Micah. Come to my room after this." Samar I heard my supervising lecturer say this. But I doubt my ears are in trouble?

Maybe it wasn't my ears that were troubled, but my brain that was troubled. Ah or maybe my heart is troubled. I don't know.

"Good Sir." Aldrich's voice seemed to make it clear that my hearing was correct.

He called. Called us. I don't know what the purpose is. I can't afford to think about it now. L'm.. L'm.. I'm really scared.

I am afraid to face this reality. I'm still scared to see him. I'm afraid if Aldrich or my friends find out about my story with him. I'm afraid that what I've been hiding is finally found out.

"Come on Kay." Aldrich's voice dispersed my daydream.

I looked at his body that was already standing in confusion. I looked to my right and left, where were all my friends? Why is this class empty?

"What?" I asked confused.

Aldrich smiled at me. He gently cupped my cheek.

"You're really not recovered. Still surprised? Relax Kay. You're safe, everything's safe and you're on campus. Now, come with me." Aldrich explained everything patiently. But my eyes are still empty. I feel like I am still gathering my scattered life.

"Where are you going?" I'm still confused.

"We're called Mr. Fabian. Come follow me to the room." Aldrich explained with his shady face. His hands stretched out to hold me again. I'm letting.

My brain is still thinking about all these coincidences. Aldrich led me to the lecturer room of our academic advisor.

I walk with a beating heart that keeps racing. Mr. Fabian. A foreign name but his face is no stranger to me.

Fabian huh? Ah Kay, why don't you ever ask, what's her full name? Where's his workplace? You are busy arranging your heart, until your logic is not used. I continue to grieve my stupidity.

"Please come in." The voice from inside a room sounded loud.

Oh, my God, I didn't even realize I was in front of Mr. Fabian's room. My brain feels completely empty. Thankfully, Aldrich was leading me.

"Sister Al, I'm scared." I tried to be honest with Aldrich about how I felt when his hands were already clutching the doorknob.

He smiled warmly in return.

"Follow me, then I won't let you get scared."

I wanted to trust Aldrich, but my body betrayed me. My heart's still hammering. My palms still feel cold.

"But Brother.." I wanted to refute it, but Aldrich's hand broke it.

I stared at him for a while, trying to seek refuge from there. All right, I'll follow you, Brother Al, because I honestly haven't been brave enough to face the figure waiting for us behind his room.

"Excuse me sir." Aldrich said hello, as his head slightly went into Mr. Fabian's room.

"Come on Al." He answers. That voice! A voice I know very well. The voice that these few days have returned wants to knock down my defenses. The voice I missed.

"Good Sir." Aldrich replied as he walked into the room. I followed him in silence.

"Sit down." He kindly welcomed us, but his eyes were blighted when he looked at me.

It's you, Mikhayla! You enter the tiger cage with your own consciousness. This is the territory and you're the easy prey.

Aldrich and I sat ourselves on the couch in the room. Followed by Mr. Fabian who also sat across from us.

Pak Fabian's eagle eyes looked at us in turn. The sharp highlight was filled with questions and I don't know what feeling I saw in his eyes. I can only hold my heart as hard as I can.

I had to hold my heart back from looking at him. I had to hold my heart back from crying in front of her. And I had to hold my heart and body back from scattering towards him.

I really didn't want him to know that I was missing.

"So, this is your boyfriend you told me about, Al?" Fabian smiled as he asked Aldrich.

But somehow, my ears caught the question just as an irony.