The Lovely One's

Chapter 11: The Two Sides of Compassion

Before entering the house, Starla checks the garage if there is a car of his parents, cheering knowing there is only Denis motorbike here. He came out of the garage, checked the front door of the house if there was a car as well, clapping knowing there was nothing.

Starla breezed towards her house while humming a little.

There was no Denis and his parents, he could calmly talk to Arthur.

"Assalamu'alaikum... eh?" Starla gave her greetings but her steps came to a halt at the door not to see a middle-aged woman standing inside with her hands folded over her chest, next to her was Arthur looking at her with a look of pity. "Mama!?" shocks shouts.

How could? His parents' car was not at home.

His mother's brown eyes narrowed. "Wa'alaikumussalam," he said calmly. "How was school today, Starla?"

"Eh?" Starla was a little surprised, she had thought her mother would be angry turned out not? Maybe he was thinking too far. "At school fun, Ma," he ventured closer, then kissed his mother's hand.

"Mama also thought that way" Mother Starla said, then with a sweet smile she said. "Today, isn't Starla taking the bus, who's not happy?"

Caught wet.

"Mrs Rosa, I'm sorry if I was presumptuous, but wouldn't it be better to listen to Miss Starla's excuse first?" Arthur tries to mediate between them.

"I don't understand what Mama's talking about," Starla tried to be innocent.

His mother patted his forehead. "Mama's only been gone for three days, and you and Denis planned this, Mama's disappointed in you, Starla."

"I'm just taking Ma's bus, not committing a crime" Starla said. "I even made a new friend, he was nice to me, Ma." he tried to persuade by telling positive stories because of his actions.

"Mom knows, it's just that your safety is most important" said his mother calmly.

"But that's not important to me, Ma." Starla let out a feeling she had long harbored. "I just want to ride the bus, play with my friends, even make new friends...Is it wrong in the eyes, Mama?" tanyanya.

His mother exhaled, "Sure Mama understood, Mama was also once young like you. It's normal for Starla to start messing around or being attracted to guys but it'd be nice if you take them in the car too."

Starla's eyes narrowed in dislike. "I don't mean it's Ma" he said.

"Yo, what's this?" denis's relaxed voice stopped their conversation. "Ehh... Mama," she said nervously. "What do you wear? I don't see Mama's car outside."

"Have you never heard of a taxi?"

"Ah," Denis became embarrassed. "Yes, then I'm going to the room, I'm going to do PR." he tried to escape.

"Denis, come back here" said his mother. "You must have something to say to your mama, hm?"

"Eh, no Ma," said Denis innocently. "My motorbike was damaged so I was forced to bring a car. Mama knows I'm almost late, she's forced to do it, Ma." she tried to defend herself, though not completely true.

"Here you are" his mother ordered.

Denis according to the end did not want to add to the murky atmosphere.

"Do you know why you're here?" ask mother.

"I'll get to the point, Ma" Denis said. "Sister Starla and I did nothing beyond the limits of reasonableness."

Starla was surprised Denis also defended him when he had thought Denis would save himself on the grounds of his motorcycle strike earlier.

"By endangering your brother?" ask mother.

"I know what is good and bad. Starla's sister is just a normal girl, she has the same rights as me" Denis said. "Which he asked to just take the bus, Mama look at Kak Starla is an adult, seventeen years old, my goodness. Give Starla a little breath."

"Dennis..." Starla is fascinated to hear that, she doesn't know that Denis thinks so deeply about her.

"Denis, you don't know about this" said his mother. "Your father and I decided something was good for your brother."

"Really?" denis said a little underestimating. "Does Brother Starla look good in your eyes now, Ma?"

Starla immediately put on as sad a facial expression as possible to tell her feelings for her mother.

His mother thought for a moment that her heart was divided in two at this moment, between logic and conscience as a mother, she was not that kind of person to her children, the situation forced him to put limits on his son.

All his mother wanted was that he didn't want to see Starla again depressed, or that Denis fell into a no-no relationship.

"Already, Denis. That's enough." Starla said as she patted her forehead, she gave up, she was tired of convincing her mother, at the moment she just wanted to be in the room, rest. "Mama, yes I was wrong, forgive Denis," he regretted. "And also forgive me that just wanting to be an ordinary human is not Starla Annora." after saying that, he ran up while holding back his cries.

Her mother, who had not seen Starla cry for a long time, was moved; maybe she and her husband were too hard?

Rosa gasped at it, then bowed deeply.

***

Starla turned off her cell phone alarm, her body felt heavy this morning, her eyes were also a bit swollen from crying last night.

Starla got up from her sleep, stretched her muscles, then walked to the bathroom, cleaned her whole body and teeth after she was done wearing her sports clothes, because last night she did not have time to prepare textbooks, so he did it now; geography, Indonesia, PPKN. "Hm," he took his uniform instead, as well as powder and lip gloss, so as not to look pale after sports.

Starla makes sure all the necessities no one is left behind. "Shirt, books, make-up, it's all.." she came out of the room, but stopped, hesitating to go down there was her mother who might advise her again.

Starla is not sure if this time she will be strong enough to hold back her tears to get her mother's advice, she knows her mother is doing good for her, no parents will plunge her own child.

Starla took her breath, then went down the stairs, her eyes fixed on the steps she stepped on, then after reaching below, her eyes straight ahead, as expected, then, his mother was there sitting on the sofa drinking tea, had been wearing work clothes, understandably, his mother had a habit of not sleeping again after the morning prayers were different from him.

His mother put down her green tea cup. "Sit down Starla."

Starla said without answering, sitting across from her mother.

'Remember Starla, I gave birth to you to bet your demi life, don't get angry or yell at me even if you're upset with Mama' Starla said in her heart.

"How did you sleep?" ask her mother kalem.

Starla took a deep breath. "Well Ma" he fell asleep after crying.

His mother smiled a little. "Starla looks lethargic when Mama and Papa want to give good news to Starla loh."

"Eh?" Starla, who had just bowed, looked at her mother now. "Good news?"

Mother nodded. "Overnight, Mama and Papa were discussing your actions and Denis, we were thinking, arguing, brainstorming all night over the phone..."

Starla's heart degub beats faster than ever, in her heart hoping it's not about tightening her protection and Denis, she won't put up with it, she's sure Denis too, but her mom says good news, she's not sure, should he be happy? He waited with worry.

"Finally with a little pressure from Mama, Papa agreed to let you take the school bus, "His mother continued with a gentle smile this time. "The protection Mama and Papa gave began to affect you, so we decided to obey you,"

Starla was agape at hearing that.

Didn't hear his ears wrong? Is he allowed to take the bus? Riding buses?

Starla Annora's on the school bus?

Starla rose to her feet and immediately rushed over to her mother, hugging tightly. "Thank you" he said slowly. "Thank you, Mama and Papa would understand me..."

His mother returned Starla's embrace. "I'm sorry Mama and Papa if it's too hard on you, Starla. Mama and Papa just don't want to happen again, seeing you slumped for a year breaks Mama and Papa's heart" she said as she gently stroked Starla's black hair.

Starla shook her head; she was heartily moved to hear it. "I'm the one who should apologize, I should have permission for Mama and Papa not to act casually."

Rosa let go of their embrace. "Mom guess it's time to go, it's seven o'clock, right?" tanyakanya.

Starla nodded.

"Bus isn't here yet, so Mama and Papa gave an exception on Wednesday when you were escorted by Arthur, but were able to take the bus home" his mother said.

Starla smiled broadly. "That's more than enough, Ma. I agree!" shouts spirit. "Thank you again, Ma." then he remembered something. "Please don't be so hard on Denis, Ma."

"Of course, it's honestly Denis who opened up about Mama's feelings. She showed a different kind of affection than Mama did to you" said her mother.

Starla surprised.

'really?' Starla wondered in her heart.

"Learn right, Starla" his mother advised.

Starla nods, and kissing her mother's hand just out of the house, she sees Arthur already standing next to the car, opening the car door for her.

"Please Miss Starla" said Arthur.

Starla smiled broadly.

For the first time, Starla was so excited about riding in her car.