The Times New Romance

Chapter 10: Unexpected Confession

Chapter 10

The Unexpected Confession

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Usually, Zayn will have trouble sleeping if he forgets to take the medicine because his chest will feel tight when the blood pumped by the heart does not flow perfectly throughout his body, but this time even after Zayn took his medicine in time, why was he still unable to sleep?

Zayn rolled to the right and to the left on the bed. His involuntary movements, almost dropped the infusion pole several times. Zayn. He can't sleep tonight.

His mind soared as he saw Ayna and Nata so familiar. Even Ayna seemed to develop a sweet smile several times on Nata that the girl never showed Zayn. What is Nata as good as? Zayn believed he exceeded Nata in every respect. Except for a healthy heart, but is that a big deal?

Why did Zayn dislike Nata and Ayna so much? Zayn couldn't possibly like that shitty girl, right?

Zayn grimacing. He covered his face with a pillow and shouted loudly, "You're crazy, Zayn!"

He hoped that his madness would only stop for a moment and would disappear as soon as he fell asleep.

***

Zayn walked leisurely towards class. The watch he threw away was found in the place where he left it. The machine on the watch is capable of detecting abnormal heartbeats. Zayn noticed that his heart rate was moving slowly, although it was still in the normal category.

He walked towards the engineering department building and stopped when his eyes found Ayna and Nata walking together while chatting. Zayn's jaw reflexes tightened with a hardened fist. There was a rumble that instantly crept across his chest. Are they that close?

Nata and Ayna endlessly shared a smile and told each other stories. They seemed to be busy chatting until they were unaware that someone had been watching them since. Zayn's black watch showed a sudden heartbeat soaring drastically. His heart rang so fast that Zayn felt pain.

Nata whose attention fell on Ayna also turned his gaze to Zayn who was standing in front of the engineering department building. Nata put his chin up hinting at Ayna there was someone waiting for him. Ayna turned her head and was flabbergasted to see Zayn surly, not as usual.

Zayn soaked his dry throat as he walked up to them. He could not let Ayna near Nata. However, Ayna suddenly grabbed Nata's arm when her gaze met Zayn's. Ayna smiled very thinly. If Zayn hadn't noticed, Zayn probably wouldn't have noticed Ayna smilingly doing that.

Ayna also turned to Nata who frowned in wonder at him, "Nata, we will meet in the cafeteria, yes!"

Nata raised next to the eyebrows. He felt strange with Ayna's attitude that changed suddenly. However, seeing the hopeful look of the girl, Nata agrees to her request.

"Thank you, Nata." Ayna smiled and waved at Nata who galloped away turning the direction.

Zayn felt his chest tight enough that his legs staggered from being unable to support his body. Something felt forced from him. His chest was also painful, but he tried to stay and hold back the look of his face so as not to show a look of pain. That girl or anyone else on campus, can't know Zayn's true condition. Zayn would not let those pityful gazes be present on their faces all. Zayn wanted to be considered normal like most.

As Ayna glared from before Zayn entered the building, Zayn turned his face away shrinking in pain. He was trying to endure this incredible pain. This taste was different from the pain that Zayn used to feel. This taste is more painful. This feeling is more excruciating. Because it was not only his physical pain but his heart.

And now Zayn understands, he's stuck to his own game. He really likes Ayna Nabila.

***

Ayna smoothed her tanned hair in the bathroom. He smiled, looking at himself in the mirror. Not a form of self-admiration, but he is proud of his achievements to make Zayn not bother him today.

The guy looked moody in class did not even issue a speech when the lecturer was teaching. His white skin grew pale despite Zayn insisting that he was not ill when asked by his classmates. Ayna should have used this method sooner to expel Zayn from her life.

Ayna was sure that Zayn would eventually give up and be lazy to teach her because he never listened to the man's words. Ayna must be close to Nata in order for Zayn to resign as her tutor sooner.

Ayna came out of the bathroom with her cell phone clinking. He read the incoming message while walking.

Nata: Sorry, I have an extra hour. The power will not be able to eat with you Ayna.

Ayna: Gapapa. Relax Nat.

Nata: How about if you take me to buy a gift for my mom's birthday?

Ayna pensively for a moment. Something felt slipping into his chest hearing the words mama. Longing for his mother immediately peaked then without much thought again he agreed to Nata's invitation. After all, Ayna had to fight this feeling in order to get used to it quickly when someone was talking about their mother.

Ayna: Okay.

Ayna turns off her phone screen and is shocked at the person who is suddenly next to her.

"Who?" ask Zayn flat.

Ayna swerves. "It's none of your business" he said. Ayna walks followed by Zayn.

"It's my business that you're chattan with Nata" Zayn said with a bland smile. Zayn is back as usual. Back sucks and likes to do it as you please. Though Ayna was not satisfied not to be disturbed by Zayn.

Ayna let out a rough breath and then ruffled her waist to look at Zayn who had to look down at her. "Yes, that's Nata. Why?" reply Ayna defiantly.

Zayn grinned and snatched the phone from Ayna's hand. The girl screamed in surprise, "Zayn! Balikin!"

Zayn runs being chased by Ayna. Zayn fiddled with Ayna's phone as the girl kept shouting calling her name. Zayn stopped and turned around and thrust a cell phone at the girl whose breathing became so continuous after chasing Zayn with her long legs.

"Save my number" he said before Zayn walked off to class.

Ayna also checked her phone again who knew there was other data playing deleted by Zayn. Coinciding with that, an unknown number called him.

"Hello? Who is this?" ask Ayna. The girl waited for a few seconds, but only sighs from across the street that she could hear. "Hello?"

"I'm guessing you're not going to obey me. Cepet simple number or I'm aduin you even play same guy instead of college!"

The phone was also turned off unilaterally. Ayna groaned, "Basic Zayn is crazy!" it's in the middle of the classroom. Ayna also lowered her face when the students in the class turned their heads curiously towards her. Ayna walked quickly. He hurried into class. Just blame Zayn for making Ayna humiliated.

***

Nata invites Ayna to buy a gift. Ayna manages to escape from Zayn who is busy working on group assignments on campus after college. Zayn had asked Ayna to wait for him. Of course, Ayna did not comply.

"Do you like your mom's birthday?" ayna asked while looking at the colorful tote bag that dazzled Ayna's eyes. His shopping soul grimaced considering that Ayna did not bring more money.

Nata nodded. He tried to pick up one of the bags and examine it, but he could not understand why it could be liked by women. He also kept it back. "I'm an only child, so mommy would cry if her son did not want his birthday gift. What about you, Ayna? When is your mom's birthday?"

Ayna gulped the saliva which became bitter. He refused to discuss this. The memory of her mother, Ana, dying in the hospital, suddenly drowned in her head. Aware of Ayna's face changing, Nata looked at Ayna in sympathy. "I was wrong, huh?"

Ayna nodded and then shook her head. "Oh? No, Nat. I just wanted memories with my mom. My mother died when I was in second grade at High School."

"If you may know, why did your mother die? It hurt?"

Ayna nodded. Unknowingly, clear circles clumped up in his eyeballs. He tries to get rid of the sad memories that always make it crowded, but the memories are not easily erased even though Ayna really wants it. Ayna sighed for a moment before replying, "My mother died after heart failure surgery, Nat. At that time, the mother who had high blood suddenly had a heart attack. I don't know what caused it because when I got home, my mom fell on the floor. I called Dad and it turned out we were late to take Mom to the hospital."

Nata held onto Ayna's shoulder which started to shake. "I'm sorry, I don't mean."

Ayna nodded then pulled the two corners of her lips. He tries to convince Nata and himself that he is okay. "Father. My mother would be sad if I kept beating myself."

"Your mother must love you, Ayna. She managed to become a mother because she has taken care of you until it is this beautiful," entertained Nata who made Ayna grimy.

Nata let out a long sigh and started pointing at the bag around them. "Which bag do you like?"

Ayna cringing. "Why me? Isn't this a gift for your mom?"

Nata chuckles. "I don't understand the taste of girls. So you're the one who chose."

Ayna rubbed the corner of her watery eyes then started to surround the shop. So far there is no bag that he feels fit to be presented to Mama Nata. He is afraid that his taste is not suitable and Nata's mother will be disappointed. So Ayna chose carefully.

They finished approaching each bag, but none of them caught Ayna's attention. Nata chuckles as Ayna frowns in disappointment at the doorstep of the shop where they first took a look. "Wanna go to another store?" tawar Nata's.

Ayna. He was not happy with Nata who even so long waiting for him to choose.

"Come, I also don't want to give gifts that people don't like."

Ayna grimaced, but nodded later. They also visited another shop. Ayna was again faced with hundreds of branded bags. He took a short walk and found a white bag in a simple style. Nata who followed him noticed Ayna who lingered on looking at the bag. Nata also immediately folded his lips to hold back laughter seeing the reaction of Ayna who rounded his eyes to see the price priced dibandrol for the medium-sized bag. Crazy, almost spend my pocket money a month if this.

"Why, Ayna?" Nata's words disperse Ayna's daydream. The girl rubbed her nape while chuckling awkwardly. Ayna immediately brought her lips closer to the guy's ears.

"We go out" whispered Ayna. "Here's his stuff, Nat."

Nata laughing. "It's okay, Ayna. The gift should be special. So you picked that bag?" Nata pointed at the bag that had locked Ayna's gaze. Seeing Ayna nod small, Nata wrapped the bag.

***

"I'm sorry, because of me you buy expensive things," said Ayna felt bad. He instead came to trouble instead of helping Nata. "I was wrong, right? You don't like it, do you? You-" Ayna's eyes were rounded when Nata's big hand smothered her mouth suddenly.

"Whispering, Ayna. You've been apologizing since we left the store."

Ayna. He doesn't like to be burdened with this kind of guilt, but Ayna doesn't know how to fix it. Nata and Ayna cross into a car parked on the side of the road. Ayna, who was not focused on crossing, because she kept thinking about solutions, almost got hit by a car that suddenly turned the corner. If only Nata did not immediately pull Ayna's body, the girl was lying bathed in blood on the asphalt.

Ayna squealed stifled. His heart felt a great jump almost out of place. He was surprised not only because of the incident that almost happened to him, but because there was no longer a distance between himself and Nata. Ayna is in Nata's arms. At this close distance, Ayna was able to hear the heartbeat of Nata that was no less driven than Ayna's.

"You're all right, Ayna. You're okay," Nata said in her gasping breath. Nata's frightened tone made Ayna's heart sliced.

The girl was silent. Tongue's cow. He couldn't say a word. Nata still hugged him tightly as if he did not want to let anything go of him. And in this case, Ayna is something of that.

"Sorry, I still think about the gift you bought. You're tired of muters, but you don't like the gifts I choose. So I'm not focusing on the cross."

Nata breathes rough. He did not believe in the reason this girl had almost put her life at risk. Nata distanced Ayna's body without taking off the girl's two shoulders. The tight grip on both shoulders of Ayna seemed to force her to return Nata's gaze. The guy's forehead shriveled in implying anxiety. "Listen, Ayna Nabila. I love the gift you bought. I like whatever your choice is. I like that we spend time together. I like talking to you. I love seeing you again after Junior High. I like you, Ayna Nabila."

Ayna. The second seemed to slow down as his entire nerve relaxed. Nata's confession he never expected.

***