THE MENTARY FOR THE ESTUARY

CHAPTER 3, ABOUT NICO AND RIRI

- POV AUTHOR

As fast as Riana's body, Nico caught it. Riana's cake box was placed on the table. The most important thing for him right now was to help the girl who seemed to be in deep shock.

“Ri... Rianna... Well how is it? Carissaaaa!” hatched scream. A girl with long hair and wearing a green-colored apron came out from behind a room. The girl – may be named Carissa, widening her eyes as soon as she saw who was inside Nico's bopongan.

“Mas Nico, this is Mbak Riri why?” tanyakanya.

“Do not ask a lot, here, anterin cake to Rey, I want to take Riana up first, to the private room.”.

“Ta-But why? It's a cake from Mbak Riri right?” Carissa wonder.

“Later nanyanya, already love cepet!” nico was impatient. After his order (and without waiting for a response from Carissa), he immediately continued his steps, climbing the emergency stairs, to the private room, where the employees usually rest.

***

“Lho Mas Nico, this is Ma'am Riana right? Why mas?” ask Alit, one of the kitchen employees who happened to be off duty today.

“Later unclearin, Alit. But I ask for warm water, take it now if you can,” said Nico.

“Oh yes mas, briefly.” Alit immediately ran to the pantry that was quite close from there, while Nico immediately laid Riana on a long sofa.

“There are those who have eucalyptus oil not?” the half yelled. One of his female employees who was also off duty immediately approached Nico and gave the eucalyptus oil bottle to him.

“Ri, wake up, Ri...” Nico said as he rubbed the eucalyptus oil into Riana's nose.

***

Carissa went up. Behind him are Rahma, Ica, Diana and Fita. They were all Nico employees who also knew Riana well.

“Udah aware mas, Mbak Ri her?” ask Carissa.

“Before-yet. What are you guys doing here? Under whom are you guarding?” ask Nico back.

“The party is done, mas, but Mas Rey is still downstairs, she is confused by the same box of cookies on the table, it's from whom she said,” said Rahma.

“It was from Riri... Where is the kid? Let me talk, if I have to, I'll beat you up!” exclaim Nico furious.

“Mas-mas, be patient, don't be rash... Udah mas focus same Mba Ri aja, I will go down the same children to tell Mas Rey, besides he also wait at the bottom.”.

“Keep the function y'all up here tuh what? Kan Carissa I told you earlier that it was a cake from Riana,” said Nico emotion.

“Already, Mas Nico, no emotions. Udah Diana, Rahma, the same others, we go down aja yuk, can not also we are here, later even chaotic all, justin Mbak Riana calm first,” said Alit mediate the atmosphere that is almost heated. They all nodded. Then according to Alit's instructions, finally, all came down, leaving Nico worried, and Riana unconscious.

“Riri's chat... Riana please wake up dong, I'm afraid nih...” shriek Nico while shaking slowly Riana's body. Not long after, Riana opened her eyes, and she was confused.

“I-This is where?” tanyakanya.

“Lo is still at the cafe, Ri, same me..” replied Nico. Riana closed her eyes, trying to remember the last event she experienced before she was here. And as soon as he remembered everything, his tears came down without excuse, without his permission.

“Patience, Ri..” says Nico concerned. He rubbed the top of the girl's head. Actually what the hell happened in the party room earlier, before Riana was unconscious?

***

- FLASHBACKS

- POV NICO

Born and grew up to a teenager in New York (because my father was there, then married to my mother who is Indonesian), made me experience “culture shock”, which made me experience culture, when we and our family had to move to this mother country because of the economic problems, crisis and massive bankruptcy that our family experienced at that time.

I was about sixteen, when I finally set foot in this beautiful country where my mother was born. When I first entered High School, I was completely shocked, shocked, and almost traumatized. Wh why? Because I saw the strange gazes of the High School students at me, as if they were hungry and saw a delicious cake on a giant plate before them. They seem to want me so much. There are even those who mepet-mepet everything and try to invite me to talk. I was alone petrified at that time, because there was not a single word in Indonesian that I mastered well. Mother also never taught me about the language of this country, life mother more hedon, more ‘American style’ than anyone, including father. So everyday at home, we only use English, even though the mother was born and raised in Malang, East Java, before finally moving to America and becoming a model there.

“Yeah onnok bule stray rec!” the cry of a girl's cry stopped the activities of the other girls who plugged me like a line of ants that met sugar. Oh my god, whoever he is, I have to thank him, because I can be free from those magical creatures even for a little while. The strange girls moved aside one by one, leaving me and the other.

“Hi, are you new here?” respond with English and a fluent and pleasant pronunciation.

“Yes, I’m a new student here,” I replied.

“In which class?” ask again. I immediately handed him the school plan and asked him to look for my name, as well as the location of the class. X-IPS 3 is not wrong.

“Oh, we’re classmate... Follow me, don’t worry, I will protect you from the strange people here,” the candle. I nodded, smiled, then welcomed her hand. For some reason, with this long-haired girl, I was not afraid, so I trusted her.

***

Riana, the girl's name. I read the name tag in his uniform, not daring to ask him directly. At that time in the first class was an art lesson, and all students were asked to do a talent show, not in the classroom, but in the art room which turned out to be one floor above the classroom row, the classroom, near computer rooms, libraries, and chemistry lab labs for IPA children. When I arrived at Riana's turn, I saw the girl walking so gracefully towards the front of the keyboard, and she sang a song that was so melodious; an Indonesian song, but I liked it. The progression of the cord is very unusual, it may sound strange to the ears of ordinary people, but to the ears of music and or art lovers like me it is a very good cord.

“Who is singer of that song?” I asked, just after Riana got off the stage.

“Oh, Hi, Nicolas. It’s sing by Kahitna, a popular old pop group in Indonesia. Kahitna has a good and truly genius keyboardist, arranger, composer, and song writer. His name is Yovie Widianto.” that day, after the first lesson until the end of the break bell, I was included in the enthusiasm of the girl – Riana, who told about her music and musicians faforitnya.

***

Since that day, this heart belongs to him. Uh, wrong, that's the lyrics to the song Kahitna that I first heard from Riana's sweet lips on the first day of school. Okay, I repeat. Since that day, Riana and I have been getting closer. The girl helped me with many things, from learning Indonesian (and Javanese), to explaining the lessons as well. Riana is a typical girl who is patient even though sometimes she is a bar-bar, what else if in her hand there is a basketball. Hmm, sadistic but sweet, that's her Riana. By the way, that girl is also a karate master, you know.

The longer, the closer we got, until in the end, we arrived at a day I hated so much at the time; graduation day, and school farewell day.

“I have to go now,” he said that night, in the city park, where we promised to meet.

“Why, Ri?” tanyaku. Really, there was an invisible burden that seemed to be crushing my chest, it was very painful, making it almost difficult to take a breath.

“If I continue here, papa will keep pressing and searching for me, asking me to become an artist. Yes I love art, I love the world of intertain, but I do not want to live it by force,” replied Riana. I'm choked. I saw that speck of clear circle escape from Riana's eyes. I hurriedly cupped his face, rubbing the clear crystal. I don't want to see my beauty cry, I swear by anything.

“don’t cry, my dear,” light.

“Thanks for everything, Nicolas. But I'll leave tomorrow, if you want, you can take me on the train. I go not alone, I go with Maura and also Milia.” explained Riana.

“I... I cannot accept this decision, honestly,” I said later after a paused and agonizing silence. I saw Riana's gaze pointing straight into my eyes. Oh my God, that look... That look... Really, let me be the one who is hurt, give me the pain, exchange my position with Riana, because I can't see the hurt radiance – no, very hurt in the eyes as clear as that well.

“I have something for you,” Riana broke the silence while taking something out of her bag.

“What’s that?” I almost without spirit.

“Open,” doors. Her tears were still flowing silently, and she refused to remove them. I hated that sight, so I chose to open the gift he gave me. After I tore the wrapper off, we saw a small glass box, containing our playful portrait of a game center that is quite famous in the city, a few days after the national exam. In the portrait I laughed happily while holding a large red cotton sugar, and Riana had a similar expression to her large pink cotton sugar. On top of the small box was a glass that allowed people to see portraits inside without having to slide the lid of the box. But, it seemed like I wanted to look inside the box directly, because I was intrigued by something poking inside. I slowly shifted the lid of the box, and something like a necklace immediately fell out of it, as well as a rose array that seemed to be composed of a series of beaded ronceans, very beautiful. But I was more curious about the necklace, so I immediately deciphered it, and once again I choked, seeing such a familiar sign, such a familiar sign.

“I know we're on the same frequency of taste, but I realize, we're different too. When I'm with you, I often think that the difference doesn't mean much, if none of us don't care. But obviously, it's a mistake, because after all, what we are fighting against is God's blessing. So...”

“I understand, Ri, I understand..” I see. Carefully, I stashed the girl's gift box into the backpack. Then I hugged her; just hugged her, as a sign of separation.

“I will miss you..”.

“Me too... You know, parting with you is a very difficult thing, number two, after the departure of my mother,” he said. I nodded, got it. And we spent the night talking about a lot of things. I want to have as much time as possible tonight, before it's all over, just less than a few hours away.

(BC)