The Love Competition

86 . Love Lilis

Anto sits on a cot made of bamboo next to the house of mang Kardi . He stared at the fish pond that was in front of him . This is the second time he came to the house, the first time he came with Mr. Wira when he wanted to ask for a job .

" Maggot to ? " Mang Kardi's voice breaks Anto's daydream .

Seen mang Kardi walking while carrying two glasses of black coffee and a plate of steamed yam .

" Let's enjoy "said mang Kardi while putting the tray he brought next to Anto , He then sat on the couch .

" Thank you sir." said Anto politely .

The two sipped the coffee that was served simultaneously .

" Yesterday Mr. Karman asked about you to me "kardi's foreman's speech made Antok turn towards him .

" So far Mr. Karman has never interfered in labor affairs, for some reason He wants to know all about you . I think this has something to do with your closeness to Lilis " foreman Kardi .

" Do you really have a special relationship with him ? " Tell foreman Kardi because Anto just fell silent .

" There's nothing special between me and Lilis, we're just friends ." Anto answered a moment later .

" Surely.., everyone in the village talks about your closeness . Not only one or two people who see you walking together to the hills of the village, like people who are dating "mandor Kardi looking at him with a smile .

" We just happened to meet when I was running in the morning or walking in the afternoon "mandor Kardi laughed at Anto's reply .

" It is no coincidence that it happened more than once . Lilis was already considered his own child by Mr. Karman, so do not mess around "this time foreman Kardi said seriously .

" I also never saw Lilis close to any man during this time after being a widow, I think she likes you . Nothing To , let the widow she is young, beautiful, already established . Especially now that he is arguably a confidant neng Dila . You can change your fate ." Kardi's foreman's remarks were simply in reply to Anto's flat smile .

" If we are close to someone who is only to change fate it is not love his name sir, we are not much different from the benalu . Sorry I'm not that kind of guy " said Anto after a moment of silence .

" Well fine it's up to you . I'm just gonna tell you, actually , it seems like the horse that will be bought by Dila has delivery problems so last night Mr. Karman told me for a while yes you are free of duty first until the time that has not been determined . How do you want to stay here or do you want to work somewhere else . On the farm, for example ? " Mandor Kardi diverts the conversation .

' oh by any chance sir actually I want to ask permission . I have family business for a few days, I want to go to the city " said Anto who did not want to waste the opportunity .

" What business is it ? " Ask the foreman Kardi .

" Family business sir . I don't know how long I'll be there "answer Anto .

" Well, then . Again Pula for a while we have not received an order of rice so in the factory there will not be many activities "horror response Kardi makes Anto feel relieved .

"On salary Mr. Karman said they will keep paying you as long as you still take care of the stables and help odd jobs in the factory like today , so if you go out of town, your salary will be cut " said foreman Kardi a moment later .

" Well it's okay sir I understand . Then I ask permission maybe the day after I will leave" said Anto .

" Well, I'll tell Mr. Karman . Maybe this afternoon he came back because he called Ujang already aware, he also wanted to meet you he said , yes already then I also have to return to the factory " said foreman Kardi as he gulped down his coffee .

" Oh.well sir, I'm sorry thank you so much . Assalamualaikum..." Said Anto as he moved from the couch where he was sitting .

" Walaikum..." Answer Mandor Kardi .

Anto walked away from Kardi's foreman's house located not far from the grain warehouse . His steps lightly down the stone road which is the only way to the grain warehouse owned by the Saka family .

Anto then chose the path on the edge of the rice field , the young man occasionally enjoyed the view of the rice fields that had just been plowed , because the growing season had arrived . Anto's step stopped for a moment , at the end of the path he saw the figure he knew very well was sitting pensively on the edge of a small clear river , the river flowed to the back of the cottage he occupied .

" What are you doing here ? " Sapa Anto after being a few steps away from the figure of the woman he knew so well .

" Ach..., Mas Anto why are you here ? " The woman asked without regard to her question .

" I'm from the Mandar Kardi house . What are you doing here, Lis..? " Anto repeated his question to the woman before him who was none other than Lilis .

Lilis just silently heard the question Anto itself does not know why he chose to be alone on the banks of the river . In fact, it was not realized by everyone when Anto, Mimi and Zul talked about it ,. Lilis heard their conversation, her heart was sad to hear Mr. Zul and Ms. Mimi compare herself to doctor Aisyah in front of Anto . But he really did not expect Anto to defend him .

" Emh.no..I just look for fresh air "Lilis reasoned .

" It just so happens, actually I I want to ask permission . I will go to Bandung for a few days " said Anto while sitting on a big rock .

" To Bandung? , What business ? " Tanya Lilis wants to know .

" Em..there are things I have to finish "Anto replied with a smile .

" Oh..., we are also planning to Bandung this afternoon why not just go together ", said Lilis .

Anto shook his head, his hand picked up a few stones then threw them into the river . Both of them were silent drifting in their respective minds .

The sound of the phone ringing broke the silence of the two , Anto reached into his pants pocket because of the vibration of the phone . He noticed for a moment the unfamiliar number on his phone screen, then hesitantly received the call .

" Hello "sapa Anto doubt .

" Ango Mas ? " A distinctive soft voice was heard on his phone line .

" Ais Doctor ? " Anto answered doubt .

Lilis who was beside her immediately turned her head upon hearing the name of doctor Aisyah, her eyes looking at Anto's face carefully .

" How ? Do you want to continue treatment ? " Ayesha asked the doctor from the phone line .

" Yes.., I am willing "answer Anto with confidence .

" Well..we can go tonight? , Lisa my acquaintance will go out of town until next Sunday , if you want to know the results sooner we better go tonight , how ? " Ask Doctor Aisyah .

" Tonight.?? , Alright . What time do we leave ? " Task Anto while standing from her seat .

" Wait in front of the village hall at nine o'clock" said Doctor Aisyah who sounded busy .

" Okay . See you later tonight . Assalamualaikum "Anto hung up after hearing the reply of greetings from doctor Aisyah .

" mas Anto seems to be close to Doctor Aisyah" said Lilis with a sarcastic tone .

Anto just smiled at Lilis's statement which he thought sounded like dislike .

" What's with him want to go to Bandung ? " Tanya Lilis, this time with a doubtful voice .

Anto nodded my head, he didn't want to lie .

" What's going on with Dr. Aisyah ? " Lilis' question made Anto raise both eyebrows .

" Why not answer? , What is true said by people , the doctor liked Anto mas ? "

Anto turned her body , staring at the tiny figure before her for a moment .

" I don't think I need to answer that question, why are you asking this ? " Anto shook her head while looking at Lilis in wonder .

" Because I like the Anto mas "Lilis's answer makes Anto speechless . He really didn't expect to hear that .

• some moments later

Anto was still stunned in his place, while Lilis had disappeared somewhere . Anto took a deep breath, then sat down on the river stone while staring at the clear water flowing before him . The events that had just happened back flashed in his head .

" Because I like mas Anto "the woman's words she never expected at all .

Lilis is a shy woman, more silent, and seems introverted . But the woman just said she liked him .

" I fell in love with Mas Anto since we first met "the woman looked at her for a moment then lowered her face .

Anto was silent, somehow an event flashed in his head . It's like I've experienced this before .

" I don't know how you feel to me, but someone once told me, if love then say so there will be no regrets even though we won't meet again " After saying that Lilis ran away leaving Anto glued to her place .

Anto's head hurt and his ears buzzed . The man tried to endure the pain and walked quickly towards the cottage while enduring the pain in his head .

With great difficulty he finally reached the courtyard of the hut , the young man laid his body on the Bamboo cot in the courtyard of the hut .

☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️

Lilis ran away leaving Anto speechless without daring to look back & as soon as she got to the car she immediately launched her vehicle and returned home .

The empty house made Lilis freely go straight to the room . Today Bu Karti pampit returned to his house to pick up some goods before going to Bandung later tonight .

" Isa...why should I say that .." Lilis covered her face with both palms .

Somehow he did it , declaring love to a man he had just met in a matter of months .

" I'm really crazy .." whispered Lilis' heart to herself .

"Argh....! " The woman ruffled her hair randomly and laid her body on the bed violently .

He himself did not understand where the courage to say like this had come from, Anto must now think himself a haphazard woman . he could see the man holding his head , perhaps his head suddenly dizzy because of his behavior .

" Shameful.really embarrassing ! " Lilis is back cursing herself .

Tok tok tok tok

The knock on the bedroom door surprised Lilis .

" Lis...are you inside ? " sounds Bu Karti's Voice from. Door swipe .

" Yes .." Lilis got out of bed, in her hair neatening random scramble using both palms .

" Last minute..." Said Lilis while looking in the mirror . He didn't want Bu Karti to find his state of chaos . Quickly he opened the door of the room after tidying himself up .

" What's up ? " Task Lilis in the calmest tone possible .

" You don't pick up the phone from Aldi's father" replied Bu karti, he used to call mang Karman as Aldi's father .

" Said we did not so leave this afternoon , Didit can not replace him accompany wife Ujang . In addition, he wants to make sure the condition of Ujang is really stable . We wait until tomorrow "Mother Karti said as she stepped towards the living room , Lilis followed the middle-aged woman's steps .

" Have you eaten ? ' asked Bu Karti while turning on the television in the living room .

" Lazy " replied Lilis while throwing her body on the sofa .

" Maneh kunaon tea ? " (What are you doing ? ) "Tanya Bu karti wonder . He casually sat down next to Lilis and started looking for Chanel Television which aired his favorite soap opera .

" Bibik notice you like people are in love these few days, lazy to eat, often daydreaming, often use perfume "bum karti speech makes Lilis speech .

" What is so clear is his behavior "miss heart Lilis .

" Is it true that gossip, you're the same as the horse-keeper's courtship ? " This time Bu Karti asked while staring at Lilis' face full of probing .

" Who said it ? " Answer to Lilis Ketus .

" Everyone says, you often go together to the hill " replied Bu karti quickly .

Lilis just fell silent to Bu karti's words . What he said could not be denied, several times they accidentally met at the end of the village hill when running in the morning or at dusk .

Lilis initially met by accident, but after that she deliberately went there in hopes of meeting the eagle-eyed man, and hope never disappoint .

He often found Anto sitting pensively on a hill that is often the place where Kampung teenagers spend dusk with their partners while enjoying the view of the village from above .

The more often he saw Anto silently silent , the more flourishing the sense in his heart . He seems to not care about the words of people, his love seems blind and deaf to all taboos that have always been a consideration of every behavior .

He re-experienced that time, entangled in blind love that made him even willing to sacrifice everything, in the end he had to swallow the bitter pill of marriage that happened because of an accident .

While Lilis was busy with her thoughts, Bu Karti no longer teased her with questions because she was cool to enjoy soap operas on television .

Ach...Lilis shook her head, Her love story of a few years ago came back to her head .

Starting from the admiration of the figure of the upperclassman who became the idol of many schoolgirls, slowly amazed it turned into love because the idol often came to see him . He did not think that it turned out that his girlfriend actually liked Dila .

When Dila refused him, he became an entertainer because he felt sorry, that's when the embarrassing event happened, yes.he gave up his crown to get the love of the idol , in the end they did get married because Lilis was pregnant .

But marriage without the basis of love, making his household like a sea of pain . Especially after Lilis miscarriages, domestic violence often occurs, the idol is not as beautiful as he dreamed . The man is often drunk and gambling , in every quarrel he often blames Lilis and assumes Lilis has deliberately set him up in a marriage . Because of his disdain for Eyang Saka alone the man survived .

In the end because she did not want to continue to be hurt, Lilis chose to end her marriage . The blind love has misled her, is she now also in the same phase ? . Ach...Lilis shook her head again while staring at the television although her heart again cursed the actions by the river this afternoon, she took many long breaths .

" You why? ? , From earlier like a person with asthma huh.. heh..hah... heh , what's in the wind here bibik kerokin " said Bu karti SMB turned to him when the soap opera he watched in the commercial break .

" No way." replied Lilis lazily .

" Lilis wants to sleep first bik.." said Lilis as she moved from the sofa, she chose to stay in her room .