The Monster In Me

The Past Story

“How about playing video games?”

“Again? Yesterday we played it until midnight!”

“Then, want to go outside and cycle?”

“Say today it will rain heavily. We're here only.”

“Keep we have to do what?” Karsa who was getting upset involuntarily shouted. He pointed his index finger at Evan who was just staring at him lazily. “You have always rejected my every suggestion. Now it's your turn to think about how we should fill the time today!”

“I don't always refuse. The proof yesterday I just wanted to be invited to play your favorite car racing game,” said Evan indifferently. He who was sitting on the carpet while leaning on the side of the bed, then stood up and approached his study table full of sticky notes. He carefully read one of the notes attached near his drawer. “If I choose, I will force you to study Physics today.”

Karsa widened his eyes before he snorted loudly. “Why can I forget that I am a neighbor and close friend of a nerd?” his weakness. It seems that he has given up on getting Evan to play, because now he approaches Evan's bed and lies there comfortably. “You learn only. I'll accompany you while taking a nap.”

“Tersubject only. But don't be crazy if your grades crumble too this time.”

“How did you know that my grade would be ruined?”

Evan sniffed his shoulders without looking at Karsa. “I've been stuck with you since ospek SMP until now we are 9th grade. You think there's still something I don't know about you?”

Karsa snorted but no longer denied anything. He just lay there staring at the ceiling of Evan's room. The thing he always does every time he comes to the house of his neighbor and his best friend. Either to stop by, or stay overnight. Karsa already considers Evan's house as his second home.

Anyone would have never expected, he and Evan who had quite opposite personalities could be friends this close. Everyone who knows them will definitely say that someday they will both have disagreements and break friendships because of it. Karsa and Evan never took it seriously.

Because Karsa quite enjoy making friends with Evan who although often stiff, but actually always ready to listen to every complaint. Karsa was never afraid to tell anything because he knew, Evan would never bother to spread his story without his permission. Even Evan seems to forget about everything Karsa told him. And that is not a problem for Karsa at all. Karsa only needs ears to hear, not brains to remember or lips to say advice.

Karsa is also convinced that Evan never regrets being friends with her. Although he does not know for sure why.

“In retrospect, I became curious too,” said Karsa suddenly. While Evan just muttered without really saying anything. Just give Karsa a sign that he is listening. “Why do you want to be friends with me? Though it seems you are the type of person who prefers to be alone.”

The sound of a pen hitting the table. It seems that Karsa had interrupted Evan's study session, so the nerdy young man decided to stop his activity and turn around. Now he sits facing the back of the chair. “Why do I want to be friends with you? I'm not the one who wants to, but you. You said we should be familiar because of neighbors.”

Karsa frowned, he didn't like Evan's answer. “You, right, can refuse. But you didn't do it.”

“Because rejecting will make me more confused,” replied Evan quickly. “If anyone asks me why I refuse to be friends with you, I will not know the answer.”

“Gosh. Your words are really hard to understand.” Karsa rubbed his face with both hands while growling, while Evan only smiled triumphantly.

Silence filled the atmosphere for a while before they finally returned to their respective affairs. Evan with his study book, and Karsa welcomes flowers to sleep on Evan's bed.

***

“You sure there's a way?” asked Evan doubtfully. “Awas only if you make me skip class for free!”

Evan's threat did not scare Karsa at all. Quite the contrary. His smile seemed to widen to witness Evan's hesitation. “Take it easy. I come here often. I can make sure you will like the food stall menu there! The food there is much better than the food in the cafeteria!”

Evan resignedly followed Karsa, until finally they saw a large bush that covered the outside wall of the school. Evan's forehead wrinkled as Karsa took out a broken tree branch and used it to remove some of the leaves and twigs covering a certain part of the wall. He was just about to ask when then his eyes saw a dome big enough for one person to pass through.

“It looks like some village people deliberately hollowed him to cut the road,” Karsa said while chuckling at the look of Evan's confusion. “I found him while hiding from that fierce student teacher.”

As if bewitched, Evan just walked on without saying anything. He passed through the hole without a single thought of the consequences they would receive if anyone caught them. Maybe it is true, that Evan spent too much time to learn, so simple things like this alone can make him very interested.

And it was not in vain that he followed Karsa. Because the food in the food stalls they came to after passing through the gates and a thousand turn alleys really had an amazing taste. Evan ate more than usual.

Or indeed his stomach was too hungry because he had to run around while avoiding teachers and other students. However, Evan did not want to think about it. For just this once, he wanted to admit that being friends with Karsa was quite useful for him.

“Do we really have to go back?” ask Karsa while rubbing his stomach that feels full. “I think I want to go home and sleep until night.”

“Go home if you want. I'll go back to school alone,” Evan replied. The young man had returned to being as indifferent as ever. “You can leave after showing me the way back.”

Hurriedly Karsa got up when he saw Evan already standing up and took his backpack. “Then I'll be back too. Come on, follow me.”

After paying, the two of them got out of the food stall and traced their way home. Initially, Evan walks leisurely behind Karsa until suddenly Karsa stops walking.

“What? What's up?” evan asked as he saw the look on Karsa's face paled.

“Actually, I've only been here once.” Slowly, Karsa unravels his own lies. “Sorry, I lied for fear you won't come.”

Evan frowned. Surely he felt annoyed, but because he also enjoyed the food earlier, he finally only let out a heavy sigh. “It's okay. I understand.”

“And one more thing.”

“What else?”

Karsa looked down and played his own fingers. “I ... forgot the way home.”

“What?!”

***