The Married With Stranger

Agnese

Life required him to work at a young age. Living alone with the Mother who has a severe disease makes her have to work a little harder to make ends meet.

After school, he will definitely go to a nightclub in New York City, USA, to work as a bartender. However, sometimes he is forced to sing if no one entertains the customers there. And to be sure, he will get tips from some regular customers of the entertainment venue.

She is Agnese Camila Fernandez. Seventeen-year-old girl, Indonesian-Spanish missionary living in the USA. His status is still as a student at a famous school there. Since his father died, he had to pay for his own school. Every time he came home from work, he would set aside the money he earned to meet his daily needs and also his future.

At the moment, Agnese is in school. He uses his spare time to carry out hobbies. His fingers shrewdly danced on the drawing paper so as to form a very beautiful picture. The picture looks so neat and almost like with the original building. It differs only in scale and color. While he was drawing, he was shocked by the voice of a classmate who called out his name in a frenzy.

"Agnese!"

That shout made Agnese look up to look at her fellow comrades. Next to the raised eyebrow indicates he was confused why his friend shouted like that.

"What's wrong? You're surprising me!" exclaim Agnese and go back to drawing.

Yoana Xalvadora is the only friend who is still willing to befriend Agnese since the Agnese family went bankrupt.

Joanna sat her butt in the chair beside Agnese and let out a short sigh. "You should know this great news!"

"What kind of big news do you mean, Yoan?" Agnese who managed to finish her drawing immediately closed the picture book and focused on the topic that Yoana was going to convey.

"The son of the school owner is coming soon, Agnese!"

Agnese rolled her eyes lazily when she heard Yoana's words which she thought were very unimportant. He picked up the phone in his shirt pocket and played it. The phone caught his attention more right now than having to listen to Yoana's insignificant remarks.

"Ck! Why aren't you excited to hear this news? Really, all the students in the middle school are discussing this news right now."

Joanna spoke again to grab Agnese's attention. However, everything was in vain because Agnese only focused on staring at the handsome faces of the members of her favorite boyband, One Direction. He breathed a rough breath. "You're such a bitch, Agnese! I talked to you earlier, but you didn't hear it."

Agnese turned to look at Yoana who was putting on an annoyed face. Let him now prank his best friend. Because Joanna did not change her face, she pinched both of Joanna's cheeks with anxiety. "Despite this the owner of this school has the face of a Greek God? Why are you so enthusiastic about telling me the news about him?"

Joanna smiled because Agnese had responded to her words. He turned around and looked at Agnese with excitement.

"Aren't you seeing the owner of this school?" Agnese shook her head because she did not know about the owner of the school at all. "Geez! It's worth it that you're just acting normal when I tell you about it" Yoana continued, stupefied.

"Why do I know about the owner of this school? All I know is, I just have to study hard to achieve the goals you want through this school."

With every mention of the word 'Father', Agnese would definitely remember the incident where the father's life was lost because it protected her. The figure who always took care of him as a child has gone forever. No more laughter and affection from someone so dear. In fact, he has not been able to return the favor for everything he has done for him even though he will never be able to repay what his late father had done.

"I'm sorry, Agnese," said Yoana, for feeling really guilty about Agnese.

Joanna did not mean to make Agnese feel sad and remember everything. He just wants Agnese to feel the happiness that is being felt by all students in school. She spread her arms and happily, Agnese immediately embraced the body of her friend.

"It's okay, Yoan. I promised my late father not to continue to dissolve in deep sadness. Because I know, he will also definitely feel sad by His side."

Agnese's words made Joanna feel pity. When Agnese first visited Joanna's house, she would always tell her if Agnese could consider both her parents as Agnese's parents as well.

Tears that had been trapped in Agnese's eyelids, finally spilled as well. However, he immediately wiped away those tears. He broke into a hug and turned to smile to trick those around him if he was okay. Even if you continue to look at his eyes, a sadness and fear is also there. He was trying hard to continue living. Let the dark events of the past become memories for a more worthy life ahead.

"Agnese, are you feeling hungry?"

Agnese shook her head and smiled. "I don't feel hungry at all" Agnese said calmly.

Yoana nodded. "Then I go to the cafeteria, huh?"

Agnese simply smiled in response to Yiana's question. After that, Joanna passed away leaving Agnese who was still faithful looking at the mobile phone. His mouth said he wasn't hungry. However, his heart had been sore since this morning because from last night he had not touched any food.

...🍒🍒🍒...

Agnese draped the bag on both of her shoulders and left the class together with Joanna. They walked around and talked about a very unimportant topic.

Joanna who gets the nickname Mrs. Up To Date, just keep telling the various events that happened at school. Of course based on his own observations spread through the Instagram application.

As he laughed, someone shouted Agnese's name. He is Mrs. Ernesta, an active teacher in the arts. The teacher walked over to Agnese and Joanna who were standing at the end of the corridor.

"Agnese, everybody knows your singing skills. So, you were chosen to display your singing talent in front of the school owner later. You want to, right?"

Agnese looks to sigh. He doesn't like to show his talent. He prefers to keep his talent than to be witnessed by others. Because he experienced a trauma that likes to haunt him if he is showing his talent.

Joanna elbowed Agnese's arm so that her best friend would immediately accept Mrs' offer. Ernestian.

"I'll work it out, Mrs. Ernesta," replied Agnese with a smile imprinted on her tiny lips.

Mrs. Ernesta nodded with a smile. "I hope you don't disappoint me as an art teacher, Agnese."

After saying that, the art teacher passed away leaving Agnese who was still thinking about the offers that applied to her.

"Thank you, Agnese! It's a very rare opportunity. I'd like to get an offer like this, but you know for yourself how I sound, he-he!" Yoana tried to influence Agnese to want to appear in the welcoming event of the school foundation owner.

"Huf! All right, I'll be on the show."

"You are my best friend, Agnese. I'm sure, after your performance, your haters will be reduced drastically."

Joanna said that with complete confidence. However, Agnese could not be sure of what her best friend said. Because the people who hate him are increasing.

"I'm not sure about it" said Agnese and walked ahead of Joanna.

Joanna did not stay silent, she soon followed Agnese who was a little far from her place now. "Don't talk like that, Agnese! You and everyone else also know that haters are secret fans. They only envy the abilities you have because they can't necessarily do what you do. After all, they could only rely on the mouth, not the brain."

Agnese stopped walking and re-administered Joanna's body. "I don't know what else to do if you're not by my side, Yoan. You're the only one who wants to be friends with me after a misfortune has befallen my family. Thank you, Yoan."

"Hey! You don't have to thank me like this, Agnese. I will never leave you just because you've lived in deprivation. It is my duty as a friend to strengthen and help you rise from the fall that befalls you."

Yoana's words again made Agnese shed tears. However, this time it was not tears of sadness, but tears of happiness that. She is very happy and grateful to have a friend like Yoana Xalvadora.

Joanna always helps when she gets into trouble. Joanna never left herself in grief. If Joanna goes out of her life, I don't know what she'll do.

Agnese already considered Joanna as her sister. So, if Joanna left him, he would feel very sad. However, being left behind by his Father and Brother was much more saddened.

After their embrace unraveled, the two again swung their legs to return home.

"Agnese, you're coming home with me, huh?" Joanna invites Agnese back home together.

"No need, Yoan, I can go home by myself. You just go home!"

Agnese refused Joanna's invitation not without reason. He would not continue to trouble Joanna. For the past few years, she has been asking Joanna and her family for help. With a heavy heart, Yoana returned home in a car driven by her personal driver.

Agnese began walking down a fairly crowded street that afternoon. Walking is not a scary thing. On foot, he felt healthier. Even though he was tired of walking, he still eagerly swung his feet over the pavement that led him back home.

He walked while occasionally humming following the song through the earphones attached to both ears. Counting all practicing for his performance later at the welcoming event of the school foundation owner.

***