The Sun Becomes a Star

The Sun Becomes a Star
Aunt Nina and One Other Event



I met him again, because I had to.


“Halo May,” she called me before meeting. “This Aunt Nina. Aunty got your number from your Papa,” I heard her voice was pretty sweet on the phone.


“Oh .. uh .. yes. What's up Auntie ?” I was out of school, with Jell and Trisakti walking beside me.


“Tante want to chat with you. It just so happened that Auntie was around the station again. How ?” I looked at Jell and Trisakti for a moment. They don't understand.


“Ehm .. good Aunt,”


“Wait about ten minutes well,” and phone closed.


“Who May ?” ask Trisakti. “Feelings you don't have Auntie deh ..”


“My Papa girlfriend,” I replied briefly. Jell looked at my face.


“Just make sure all the sad stories of garlic shallots do not happen to you May. But I'm sure you can handle it well.” Jell. I saw Trisakti nudging Jell's hand.


“What – what the hell Tri ?” sergeant Jell.


“When the hell do you want to stop cynical like that. Positive little why the hell ?” Trisakti.


“It feels weird that I have to have a mom now. All this time my life is good – is fine without a mom. If I thought to myself, I would never be able to accept there was another woman in my house. But this is all for Papa. I can't be selfish,” I told them. I heard the sound of a motorcycle that I was very familiar with.


“Aaron pick up,” said Jell while looking at me. The three of us stopped.


“Hai,” Aaron greet the three of us.


“Thank you came Aaron. May wants to see her stepmom. If there is you khan at least I can calm down, May well – fine not tortured told to clean the house from sunrise to sunset.” Said Jell.


“You watch Jell's soap opera too often. Huh already. Yukk Aaron,” Trisakti dragged Jell away.


“What did Jell mean earlier?” Aaron looked at me curious.


“My father has a girlfriend. He wants to see me now,”


“Oh .. Everyone has a girlfriend like her. Kevin has a girlfriend, your dad has a girlfriend and I also have a girlfriend ..” Aaron smiled sweetly. do I have to smile too ?


“You think it's funny Aaron .. I mean Papa's decision to have another wife will be good for me. I can imagine how the atmosphere of the house will be. Definitely awkward. Do I have to just move to Grandma's house well ?” I imagined living in Grandma's house and instantly felt nauseous.  


“You're lucky May. There will be more people who love you.”


“But I feel like everything I have now is enough. Papa loves me very much. I didn't need a Mama at all,” back then we walked hand in hand on the sidewalk. Aaron's guiding his big bike.


“But your Papa needs a companion. Otherwise, there's no way he'd introduce you to someone,” This way, Aaron looks mature.


“Yah .. I know that. Papa and I have talked about it. That was also my reason for trying to accept Aunt Nina. You accompany me well !”


“Sure. I do want the same – as you.” We walk. Not much to say after that. Both waiting for Aunt Nina.


“Ngapain you bring basketball all over?”


“Inseng. Who knows can be useful ..” he grins mischievously. I don't know what that means. But I'm Ok if he asks me to play basketball.


“Halo May,” came also her finally. Wearing jeans and T – Shirt. His hair was concisely tied up complete with typical journalist glasses.


“Halo Tente Nina,” I tried to smile warmly. “Meet Aunt, this is Aaron.” Aunt Nina shakes Aaron's hand.


“Looks like Mas Ndaru ever mention – name Aaron well,” face Aunt Nina thinks. He must have seen a question mark as big as a phone handle over his head.


“Papa story what ?”


“Ah .. maybe Aunt heard wrong,” she smiled. Aaron raised two eyebrows at me.


“It's better if we find a drink well,” I nodded, “Where ?”


“In front of Aunt station,” Aaron said.


“What's – what does May do?” Ask Aunt Nina.


“No problem,” I replied. I feel like an important person.


Aunt Nina and I walked together. Talk about some light things to get familiar. Aaron's driving his motorcycle behind us.


“Aaron is your girlfriend well May,”


“Iya Aunt. But Papa seems not to know yet, or already yah” I try to remember – remember if I had ever told Papa about this. It doesn't seem like it yet.


We talked when we got into the place where we were going to buy a drink and Aaron was still parking his bike.


“Ah .. Aunt remember. He's that Aaron. Previously you had a crush on his sister khan ?”


The three of us chatted about – little things. Things – trivial things that are actually not necessary. But I think, when we want to know someone well, familiarity must start from – small things, right ? Until finally we decided to split because Aunt Nina had to return to Surabaya with the results of her coverage.


“Your stepmom is pretty good I guess,”


“Not necessarily he's the same Papa. Many things are still possible khan ?” Aaron shrugged his shoulders.


“You're not going to school today Aaron. Don't tell me your school is still off ..”


“I don't want school today May,”


“Easy it ?” I can't believe it. “Why ?”


“From the morning my stomach was nauseous.”


“You need to see a doctor. Want me to accompany ?”


“No need. Meet you alone I'll be cured immediately,” I know he's teasing. I bumped his shoulder.


“Where are you taking me now?” i'm tanya.


“There's one place May,” and she's riding her motorcycle very fast. I hit him in the head a few times so he'd slow down a little. But just keep going until we get to the basketball court. You guys believe it ? The basketball court ! True – true informal dating is perfect.


“You really – really ?” i'm tanya.


“Sure. You are not a spoiled girl who is quick to give up khan ?”


“And I believe that you are not a flabby guy who is always afraid of sweat and sunshine ..”


“I don't think there's any point in girls talking too much without showing proof,”


“You want proof Aaron ?” he laughed, but time was too precious to spend just laughing all the time. I play ball running towards the ring. Two numbers printed on the sidelines of – between laughter Aaron. And I can make sure that laugh will soon turn into disbelief.


“It cheated !”


“You need proof not ?”


And he's hunting to get my ball. We were chasing, racing to score until I was overheated and gave up.


“How about ?” he held the basketball in front of his chest.


“Actually you cheated Aaron. You from home do not say –. And me ? Must be tormented looking at the face of Mr. Rustam who continues to be cynical to me.”


“Indeed why the hell is the same Teacher?” he asked while running there – here dribble the ball.


“I myself don't know. Besides khan it's not my fault if I don't like physics for example. Everyone in the world should love physics?”


“No,” he's still running around dribbling the ball and trying to put it in the ring.


“You heard I didn't anyway ?”


“I heard ! My ears are quite sensitive compared to your ears that need treatment,” he smiled mockingly at me. Strange as well if in fact, our model courtship is often filled with ridicule – mockery like just now. It may actually not be strange for people who have been dating often. This Khan was the first for me. And now I'm the one who ran after him. Ooops, I mean the ball. And there was another one on one match that had stopped earlier, until I gave up. Aaron's energy is like not depleted – endless. Even when there were some other guys who came, Aaron instead joined the play with them until several sets. Several times I found him like he was holding back nausea and probably wanted to vomit.


“You sure you're okay – what Aaron ?”


“May. I told khan that I was cured as soon as I met you ..” he ran again. Until it was very late afternoon and until I forced him to drive me home. With great difficulty, he wanted to take me home. He drove me to the front of the alley into my house. Simultaneously, Ms. Claudia, the mother who owned the store in front of my house, came out of the alley. Get me and Aaron talking on the side of the road. Surely he has new talk tomorrow morning with a bunch of other moms –. If only he had a steady job, not done as part-time as now, surely he would have many other things more valuable to do than gossip.


“You sure it's okay – what Aaron ?” I asked her after Ms. Claudia passed.


“I'm very healthy. See this ?” he bent his arms like a bodybuilder. I guess it's just a – pura because I saw a dark circle on his face. “I go home first yeah,”


“Why hunt – hunt ?” I think something's not right.


“I want to rest.”


“You're honest ?”


Without answering, he went on his motorcycle. Leaving me here with anxiety.


Everyone who has a love for someone wants the best. So did I to Aaron. I want the best too. So what's the best I can do ? That's a big question. Maybe I can think of some alternatives, but is that maybe the best thing ? it's hard enough, isn't it …? Maybe I can talk to Kevin. I'll do it tomorrow, when I go to work in his office. 


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