The Side Away

Conversations in the cafe

The cafe becomes Laura's choice to talk about the matter, she sits next to Mika while Mario just stands by the side of the table. Seeming reluctant to be near Mika, that gaze Laura could see her clearly.

A deeply rooted hatred.

Laura cleared her throat to take their attention and the action caused the two to look at her seriously.

"Are you married?" tanya Laura made sure with a tone of speech made as calm as possible.

"No!" mario said firmly.

"We're engaged and according to the elders, we're married just not yet legally formalized" Mika said.

"Women together I understand Mika's feelings, I ask you one thing Mario," Laura looked at the man completely. "Didn't you care about her feelings?" ask Laura.

"He alone made me lose my sense of caring, my world was ruined because of this woman."

"Then is your world perfect when you're with me and make me the third person in your relationship?" asked Laura to corner.

"Laura, I understand you're distracted by Jean's words, but Mario does it because he loves you so much. There's no point in talking about this, until whenever Mario hates me and I get hurt watching him behave like this. Let's just end this conversation before I lose control because Jason's departure is causing my emotions to stabilize. Since childhood I was taught to be calm, but losing Jason I forgot that principle. Laura, thank you for helping me to make peace with Mario. But I don't need this anymore, I've let it go. Hope your wedding is going well and Jason has completed the design of your wedding dress. Laura, you're a good person and you deserve to be with Mario, Jean's problem, so I can take care of it. You can live your life in peace."

Mika leaves the place with a forced smile, Laura only sees Mika's departure from the clear glass that leads to the streets.

"Mika is a good person." murmured Laura softly.

"You're better than him."

Laura smiled bitterly then looked at Mario who was also smiling bitterly, there were many wounds in their smiles. But he was forced to keep the wound in honor of Jason on the day of the man's departure.

"Now the two of us have no more secrets" Laura said.

"I'm happier that we kept each other a secret, because I was able to have you without worrying that someone would take it. But today I have to see the truth, Gino, someone you've been missing. Laura, we're adults, but we're not old enough to solve the problem. Including expressing our true feelings, at that time I did not understand you well and this time I will try it. You can be with someone you love, I'm willing to let you go because I know, you never loved me."

They hurt each other in their own way, and try hard even though the wound is getting felt.

"Gino will marry someone else" Laura said.

"So, are we hurting each other?" mario asked with a fake laugh, sounding forced.

"Mario, you were once the most important person in my life and I haven't returned your kindness. I don't want to go into debt and will repay you by being by your side until your arm recovers" Laura said.

Mario shakes. "In that way, I'm getting hurt and not willing to let you go. Let's end it and become two strangers who don't know each other. Thank you for coming into my life and making my days colorful after my father's departure. Besides Gino, you must have found the right person. Let's just say your soul mate is somewhere else and you just have to wait for him to come."

Mario's words imply deep disappointment, Laura appreciates the decision if according to Mario is the best way to forget.

"And save the wedding dress, Jason spent a lot of time making the design. You can wear it on your wedding day, whether you're with anyone. I hope you find a good man and won't commit violence like me and your father. I'm sorry, I hurt you and you deserve to hate me." Mario got up from his seat and smiled bitterly, strengthening his heart to immediately pass from that place. "Never get hurt again or you'll lose someone who loves you as much as Lucy" Mario said.

The breakup was much more painful than Laura having a hard time when she first came to New York.

Eventually he and Mario take different paths to each other's happiness despite hurting each other for not getting that happiness.

It is a world full of falsehoods.

***

Mario's belongings had been taken by a group of people in black suits until there was not a single one left. Laura feels the silence in her apartment in silence, recalling the many memories she shared with Mario and the fact they lived one roof over four years. At first he thought Mario's decision at the cafe would not affect his life and live his days as usual. However, there was something different after Mario decided to split up. Laura was used to the presence of the man, either in the morning or at night before going to bed. Although they were preoccupied with their respective jobs, the difference was not a problem in their relationship. Before Laura knew about Mika, Mario had always been gentle and did not want to see her cry. Hugging her then gave a sedating sentence so Laura felt better.

Now he has lost that man.

A week after their last meeting at the cafe, Laura loses the people who used to pay attention to her, Lucy who dissolves into grief after losing Jason and Mario who consider her a stranger. Then Jason was calm in nature.

Laura's hope remains with Gino, but after the funeral, Gino does not contact her and David does not give any news of the marriage. Now, Laura understood the meaning of regret coming too late.

His phone rang and a foreign number contacted him. Calls originating from abroad, Laura associates it with Ajeng or Rahma. She hesitantly stuck her phone to her ear, waiting until someone from across the street made a sound.

"La, it's me."

It turned out to be true, Laura simply responded to the remark with a smile even though Ajeng could not see it.

"Next year I get married, you have to go home to Jogja. La, I miss you so much, we haven't seen you in a long time. Last time I met when I sent you to the airport, we lost contact."

Laura simply responded to the remark without commenting on Ajeng being enthusiastic about her marriage. She became a good listener about her ideal husband and Ajeng ideal type since she was in school. Laura could not even hide her curiosity about her best friend's future husband.

"Whose name is it?" laura asked after getting a chance to ask.

"Secret, so you go back to Jogja so don't be curious."

Laura's guess was almost close to Gino Ajeng's prospective husband, the invitation was indeed his best friend would marry Gino.

"I'm at Aunt Mira's house and stopped by shopping from Malioboro, you want to talk?"

Aunt Mira is the mother of Gino and Ajeng is there, meaning their relationship is very close. Laura cannot hide her feelings and refuses to talk to Gino's parents. Turn off her phone so no one else can contact her.

Twelve o'clock in the afternoon, her stomach was hungry and Laura could not cook. This week he ordered pizza and other fast food because he was reluctant to travel out looking for other foods. Laura was eager to eat chicken soup in the cold, but she could cook no more than a burger.

Forced to order pizza instead of letting his stomach continue to sound. Not long after the pizza had arrived, Laura stared at the food without taste, her tongue tired of feeling the food. But to eat other foods besides the boring pizza, Laura can not feel it because Mario will not prepare his favorite chicken soup.

Like old times.

***

"How's Lucy doing?"

Gino throws his suit against the sofa violently, he does not respond to David's question as his mind is fixed on Laura. A week ago after the funeral, the girl refused to go home with Mario, causing Gino to understand one thing. Laura really didn't want to part with Mario and the girl's feelings weren't hers anymore. Despite knowing the truth, Gino remains unhappy with letting Laura be with others.

Damnit.

"Gino, is Lucy okay?" david did not give up.

"Look at yourself, I'm not his mother's bodyguard!" gino was upset.

"Your atmosphere is not like a mourner, I went out to see Lucy for a moment."

David looks upset and Gino has never seen the man's expression before, losing Jason has nothing to do with David other than caring about Lucy. A person's stupidity had indeed reached the lowest level!

This week Gino deliberately did not contact Laura to have the girl look for her. However, what happened was that Laura did not preach it or come to the apartment. Gino did not care about the dirty and messy apartment, he only cared about Laura's feelings. After Jason's departure, though their relationship isn't very close by chance, Gino understands Laura's personality when it comes to other people. Especially someone who has contributed in the girl's life.

Luckily his attention is distracted by the case that is being handled so that Gino does not dissolve with his feelings. But after returning to the apartment, Laura's shadow becomes clearer as if the girl is there, cleaning her apartment, or being in the reading room looking at her collection of books.

Gino's emotions get increasingly out of control and decides to meet Laura. He returns on public transport to the girl's apartment, winter reluctance to bring a car increases. So Gino chose to take public transportation and walk to Laura's apartment.

Arriving at the door of Laura's apartment unit, Gino did not immediately press the bell instead stood there in silence. Weighing on the decision to meet Laura and see the girl with Mario. Gino was forced to leave aside rather than seeing Laura with others in the same room. With heavy strides, Gino moved away from Laura's apartment unit. As a result of his hasty steps, Gino accidentally bumped into someone and caused the person to fall so that the person's luggage splattered on the floor. Gino was late to realize the incident and just stared in silence. Letting the person pick up the vegetable ingredients with a groaning swearing, but Gino still heard clearly the voice.

"Lala?" gino said he did not believe it.

Laura looks up. "No, you don't use your eyes?"

"Why are you La?" ask Gino curious.

"Rather than continuing, why don't you help me finish this vegetable?"

Gino returned to his consciousness and picked up the vegetables that had rolled somewhere in the hallway of the apartment. She frowned in surprise, Laura couldn't possibly eat all those vegetables unless there was someone waiting for her to come home. Suddenly Gino understood the situation and quickly picked up the vegetables on the floor and put them in the grocery bag.

"I went back to La" said Gino.

"Aren't you going to my apartment?" asked Laura astonished.

Gino rubbed his neck in the wrong manner. "I don't want to interrupt your time."

Silent.

Gino did not want to get caught in that silence, he patted Laura on the shoulder at a glance and then stepped his foot towards the elevator. Let the girl stay there until the elevator takes her downstairs.

After being in public transport, Gino only realized that his phone was not in his pants pocket. He remembered the incident in the hallway of the apartment earlier, maybe when he picked up vegetables accidentally the phone fell there. As Gino remembers not leaving his cell phone in the apartment, important objects such as cell phones should not be left alone.

Gino returns to Laura's apartment and presses the bell, strengthening his feelings if Mario opens the door. And, Gino breathed a sigh of relief as Laura who greeted him with a look of astonishment.

"Why come back No?" ask Laura.

"You see my phone?" Gino asked back.

Laura shakes. "No."

"The jablay must be a rage if I don't pick up the call" said Gino.

"What did you say No?"

"It's nothing," Gino's bellowed quickly, he looked over Laura's shoulder like there was someone else in there. Not wrong, the girl was with Mario, realizing that Gino was hiding his feelings by putting on an forced smile. "If so I go back La first, enjoy your time" said Gino quickly.

"No, don't you come by?"

Gino shook his head and stepped out as quickly as possible to leave the apartment. The goddamn phone became insignificant after seeing Laura with Mario.

***

Laura closes the door of her apartment and returns to meet David in the kitchen. The man arrives after learning that Lucy is in his apartment and offers to cook.

"That pervert is home?" ask David.

Laura nodded then handed Gino's phone to David, she did not want to see it display Ajeng's name.

"You're a troublesome friend" said Laura, putting her groceries on the table.

"He must be taught a lesson, I want to see his expression when I see you with others. The stupid Gino never understood the situation, the stupidity behind his big name, Argino Mahendra, the talented lawyer from a famous law firm in New York. It turned out to be the kind of idiot who was insensitive to the surroundings."

Laura smiled slightly, not knowing how to respond to David's remark with the expression of the man holding a grudge. Friends who often quarrel, Laura can see it from the friendship of Gino and David, not only about musical differences, but the opposite way of thinking. But that's not what Laura thinks now, but it was Lucy who came to her apartment with a heart-wrenching cry. The woman went straight into Mario's room as soon as she arrived and did not come out until Laura finally contacted David. Asking the man to persuade Lucy and her efforts to no avail, Lucy still finds herself in there and assumes their persuasion is just a passing wind.

"Let Lucy alone" Laura told David, she was tired of facing the unwavering Lucy.

"I understand how Lucy feels" said David.

"That's it, I don't want to spend my time on this." Laura handed David her bags. "Take something nice to eat, you can cook soup, right?" ask Laura to make sure.

"Hahaha, of course you can't."

Laura muffled her frustration by following David's request to shop for vegetables and hearing the man couldn't cook. He took the butcher knife and put it close to David's face and put on a smile full of threats that had made it a hassle that winter.

"Take it now or you die!" said Laura who succeeded in making David take the vegetables out of place.

The sound of an open door distracts Laura from killing David, she is shocked to see Mario's presence in snow-filled clothes. The man was surprised to see David in the kitchen and Laura stood quite close to David as if they were about to hug.

"Sorry, I'm interrupting your time" said Mario, turning his gaze to his room. "Is Lucy here?" tanyakanya.

"Don't bother Lucy!" david said loudly.

Laura prevents David from pointing the butcher knife at Mario, not even knowing when David snatched the knife from his hand. The atmosphere between them was like a battlefield with David ready to throw the knife at Mario.

"Lucy is my brother, I don't know if a stranger has the right to forbid his older brother from seeing his own sister" said Mario calmly unaffected by David's provocation.

"Lucy was in the room, he came crying and didn't let us see him" she said.

"Lala, please take care of Lucy for these few days, mom almost killed her if I don't come on time. Don't ask me anything about Jason, he was so fucked up after his departure, I can't persuade him and believe you can do it. Excuse me, sorry to interrupt your time."

"Mario wait!" prevent Laura from nearly dropping the butcher knife from David's hand.

"Lala, what's wrong?"

"Don't go."

"Why can't I go?" asked Mario with a frown.

"I miss you."

The butcher knife landed successfully on the floor and David screamed in pain because his leg was scratched.

"I'm sorry, I forgot you're still here" said Laura regretfully, she put a bandage on David's leg with trembling hands.

"Lala, let me." Mario takes over Laura's job of bandaging David's wounds.

"I didn't expect it to turn out that your relationship was so strong and thought of me as an invisible being. This little wound won't make me die, but thank you guys for caring for me." David was moved and almost shed tears.

"Fuck, don't cry here!"

Lucy appeared with a dead red face, almost swallowing them everything in the room.

"Lucy why?" david asked half a whisper.

"Don't bother Lucy" said Laura.

"Your wounds are done wrapped, let me handle Lucy, I understand her character. Lala, I'm taking Lucy out for a second."

After the departure of Mario and Lucy, there were only the two of them in that apartment. Laura cleaned up the mess David was doing and felt the man was watching her.

"Laura, would you agree that I'm with Lucy?"

Laura pretends not to hear the question, not long ago the departure of Jason it feels strange if Lucy is with someone else in the near future.

***