The Times New Romance

Chapter 23: The Beloved Doll

Chapter 23

Beloved Doll

{}

Zayn didn't find Ayna anywhere. He tried to find the girl who did not usually skip college. Zayn's illness recurred three days ago until he had to be treated in intensive care. His heart condition worsened because Zayn did not take his medication in time. Even in a hurry to escape, Zayn often forgets to bring his medicine. Zayn can't take medicine. There is a set time to launch the performance of the heart that pumps blood throughout his body.

Zayn forced himself out of the hospital after he was transferred to a regular hospital room. He did not heed Soraya's orders that forbid Zayn to go to college, Zayn always felt himself healthy and able to do anything even if it was not the case.

Zayn who did not attend the first course, but appeared in the second course surprised the class a little. Pras and Hari bombard Zayn with a question, but the guy just focuses on looking for Ayna who is not visible in class. Though all said that Ayna attended the first course.

"Where was the last time you saw Ayna?"

Pras shook his head, making Zayn sigh in disappointment. Zayn who was about to leave class after the course was over suddenly stopped as soon as Hari held her shoulder. "What?" ask Zayn.

Hari looked at Pras who nodded. Hari returned her gaze to Zayn. "Lo should know, Zayn. Ayna's been bullied in class since you didn't go to college."

***

Zayn couldn't believe what he was hearing. He set foot trying to find the girl to seek justification for the story told by Pras and Hari that Ayna was accused of stealing class cash. However, Zayn did not find Ayna anywhere. He returned to the hospital without seeing the girl's face, without having time to argue and question the girl. He couldn't find Ayna.

"Zay! You want to make mama die young?" please Soraya as soon as Zayn goes into his VIP ward. Soraya was already standing with her eyes puffy and Erik in a neat suit, who seemed to have just finished work, was trying to calm his wife down. "Where are you going? You still have to rest. You can't run around like this. You're making mama worry, Zayn."

Erik stroked the shoulder of Soraya who started crying. He looked at his silent son with the same face as his glass. I don't know what's on that guy's mind, which Erik certainly can't stay silent. "Where are you?" asked Erik firmly.

Zayn sighed for a moment before calmly answering. "From college, Pa."

"You just got out of the ICU and drove yourself to college? What makes you a dissident, Zayn. Papa Ngizinin you go to college if you can take care of your health and take regular medication, but what? Your doctor says you're often late for medications that worsen your health condition." Erik sighed for a moment before continuing, "From now on, just study at the kayak house first. You can join an open-air college program that does not have to go back and forth to campus. You can get as many degrees as you want even if you study at home."

Zayn. His jaw tightened together with a tightly clenched hand. His heart felt squeezed which made his chest tight. His legs felt limp until Zayn stood up. He almost lost control of his body, but he tried to stand up straight. Then he looked at Erik, his father.

"Papa doesn't understand." Zayn said raucously. A single tear just slid down next to his cheek. A drop of tear that somehow stored the size of what a wound in it. "Not the title I'm looking for."

Zayn turned his gaze towards the window of the ward that displayed the expanse of the city that was covered by the twilight sky. Zayn carved a smile. A mocking smile for himself that was nothing more than a beloved doll of his parents who had to survive with suffering. Zayn's heart had been broken for a long time knowing he could do nothing but trouble. Zayn wanted to do something proud for himself as well as his parents. At least Zayn can tell the world that he is not his parents because he is able to do one activity alone by relying on himself.

Zayn said word for word. His chest tightened when he spoke. "I just want to, once, live a normal life like a kid my age, Pa. I want to feel the feeling of walking, running, talking to many people even friends and hostile to others like papa who has a good and bad relationship with colleagues in the office. I also want to fall in love with someone like Papa who loves Mama and vice versa. I just want to feel how to live like someone else who lives, not be your favorite doll."

"Don't be stupid, Zayn!" Erik began to ride black when Soraya was more and more as he cried. "Papa mama love you. We care about you. You do have hope for yourself, but my mom also has hope when she has you, Zayn. So please-"

Erik's words were cut off when Zayn interrupted him, "I want to go to sleep. Let me rest, Pa. Zayn's tired."

Erik sighed furiously as he led Soraya out of her son's room. Zayn lay with his eyes closed. Zayn has lost the trust of his parents. His parents would not allow Zayn to continue his studies, but Zayn still had one hope.

Little hope is a deal with Faza. As long as the deal is still going on, Erik has no choice but to allow Zayn to go to college to maintain a good relationship with his best friend and hide Zayn's true circumstances. Papa and Mama do not like the condition of Zayn who is sick known by many people in order to maintain the good name of the Abhicandra family.

Zayn will have to keep the deal at all costs.

***

Ayna smiled as she watched the bracelet wrapped around her left wrist. Nata's black bracelet as a good luck charm to Ayna. He said this is a kramat bracelet that Nata has been wearing since Junior High. Nata only lends it to Ayna to get stronger in the midst of the class chaos that is still heating up.

Ayna's smile faded as soon as she raised her head. The man in black was standing in front of the building as if he was waiting to welcome Ayna. Zayn's white skin looked paler with dry lips not as fresh as the first time Zayn set foot on the Blue Campus. His gaze I looked at the stupefied Ayna.

All the words were upset, worried, sad, also curious where Zayn had been all this time, yawning out of nowhere as their eyes clashed. Zayn slashed a step leaving one tile distance. Ayna had to look up at Zayn who was slightly looking down at her face.

"Sorry." Right after Zayn said the first word, Ayna turned her gaze to her shoes. The girl felt unable to stare at Zayn's dark iris. "I know what happened to you, but I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

Because you're just a braggart, Zayn. Only Nata cares about me, the inner Ayna. "Yes, continues?" resounding.

"What do you want to say to your accuser? I'll finish everything. We're looking for the culprit." Zayn grabbed Ayna's hand which Ayna tepis straight away, leaving Zayn flabbergasted.

"No need, Zayn. You don't have to waste any more time."

Ayna did not understand what Zayn was saying. Ayna tries to dodge and steps past Zayn entering the building. But Zayn chased after him and blocked Ayna's two hands. "Why are you avoiding me again?!" zayn's jolt makes Ayna flabbergasted. "Why do you think you're a gini, Ayna?" Zayn's eyes were reddened. Chest squeezed.

Ayna saw people starting to notice them. Zayn looked like a little boy whining. Ayna tries to pull her hand from Zayn's stranglehold, but Ayna makes her wrist hurt. "Many see, Zayn." Ayna pressed her voice.

Zayn spread his gaze around. For the first time, he did not like the attention that people poured out on him because he only needed one attention that was very difficult to achieve. Zayn takes Ayna out of the building to the campus park.

"Why? Is it because they hate you because you put me on the same deck? What have they done, Ayna? Who would dare macem-macem with you?" cecar Zayn is no longer able to stem his emotions.

On the other hand, Ayna chuckled cynically. All the words Zayn spewed would be meaningful before Zayn went missing without word. It's too late to care. Now those are just stale words. "Not them, Zayn, but you" Ayna said.

Zayn. Throat's choked. "What?"

Ayna started to stand up straight. He looked into Zayn's eyes, which were clenching, not understanding. "Since the beginning I have not felt at home in college and want to stop college, but you casually make a deal with my father to be my tutor?" Ayna laughed cynically. "It all started with you, Zayn. Your cause. You're the one who brought all the trouble dragged to me!"

Zayn. He retreated. His gaze fell to the ground, no longer focused. Why can Ayna say that?

Ayna adjusted her roaring breath. He sure did the right thing. He was very sure Zayn was the mouth of the problem. If Ayna manages to get out of this campus, maybe all the problems will not befall her at this time.

But unfortunately, it's all just bullshit. Ayna can't really fool herself. Because it's all just a distraction Ayna disappointed in Zayn because the guy did not keep his word. Ayna had hoped that the guy would really make everything safe when Ayna was with him. Now Ayna is mired in disappointment at the expectations she made herself and blames Zayn for everything. Because if Ayna doesn't blame Zayn, Ayna will start blaming herself.

"Thanks to your help, I know the subject matter even I can make a simple program that is ruled by the same lecturer, but sorry we can not continue anymore."

"What?" ask Zayn in disbelief.

"I want you to stop being my tutor."

Zayn's heart felt squeezed. Ayna is the only hope Zayn has. Zayn no longer had a bridge so he could breathe a sigh of relief out of the bars called the hospital ward. "Why, Ayna? Did I make a mistake? What-"

Ayna took her phone from the bag and immediately made a call to someone. He put the phone in his ear and looked Zayn in the eye. Zayn tried to guess who Ayna was calling, but he could not believe what she had in mind even though Ayna had confirmed it.

"Hello? Nata?" Ayna. Zayn's face hardened. "You want you to ever express your feelings to me? Answer me-" Zayn flabbergasted. "I like you too. We're dating now." Ayna closed her call and dropped the phone to her side.

"You-you?"

Ayna smiled with satisfaction as if this had no impact on her. Though deep at the bottom of Ayna's heart, thousands of needles felt pierced. "Why? Don't you like me being close to Nata? You hate me now, don't you, Zayn? So give it up. Stop being my tutor. Thanks to you, I'm not gonna quit college."

Zayn felt his entire nerve numb. Ayna's smile that appeared on the tiny face was tormenting her even more to such an extent. Ayna never had any taste in him. From the beginning, not a bit.

There's nothing more Zayn can say. He turned away with a step without looking back. It's final. Zayn has no hope anymore. Everything's been ruined. The world he saw was no longer as beautiful as what he wanted. Even his defeat. Zayn will stop being stubborn.

Behind Zayn's back, Ayna felt her legs tighten. He sat on a park bench nearby. Ayna's gaze was fixed on a girl who had been watching her since Zayn and Ayna had arrived here. He Ranya, who was smiling faintly, then left and disappeared from Ayna's sight. Ayna was tired of being the months in class, seeing Ranya watching, Ayna thought it was the right time to act so that Ranya would stop bullying her. But, why did his heart get slashed to see Zayn leave without a word?

"I've done the right thing, haven't I?" He looked at the black screen of his phone. His phone never made a call to Nata. He just presses the origin of the application and immediately locks the screen of his phone to darken.

Zayn left, not knowing it was a charade.

***

Zayn stepped up gontai. He doesn't know where to stand. His struggle quietly out of the hospital, ended in vain. No one else can save Zayn out of a prison called a hospital ward. There was no more love Zayn could feel. The girl refused it. He has fallen into the wrong heart.

Zayn walked towards the parking lot. His eyes narrowed slightly when he saw a man leaning against the door of the middle car wrapping his arms around a woman's waist. Zayn walked up to them. It looked as if the man had brought his lips closer to her, but his eyes caught Zayn's motion, which stopped him.

Nata smiled and let go of the woman and stepped closer to Zayn. "Zayn, are you back?"

Not an answer, Zayn immediately floated a kick lodged in Nata's stomach. Nata fell to the ground. The woman screeched in fear and left Nata.

"Suck!" peekit Zayn's. Zayn walked up to Nata and grabbed the guy by the collar to stand up. The fist that Zayn gave off was able to be fended off by Nata. Nata also returned Zayn's blow.

The inevitable fight.