Maya Adisti
Izin

"Where's your house?" Akash started the engine of his car.

I mentioned my home address, a village in East Bandung area which is located not far from the foot of Mount Manglayang. My house is right behind a campus that is quite large and famous.

Along the way, Akash and I didn't talk much. Akash seemed focused on driving while I was daydreaming, looking at things that seemed to move behind the glass. I agreed to Akash's request just for money. I hope this contract expires in a few months. So that I can be free soon and start a new life.

I looked at Akash and sighed. Akash is so handsome, I hope I don't fall in love with him for living together.

"Akash, why don't you put a time limit on our contract?" my many.

"meaning?"

"Yes, you should have written the deadline on the contract, how many months this marriage lasted. Three or four months."

"I don't know how long I can find Ruth and know what she's hiding" she replied.

"You want to find your ex?"

"Yes." Yeah."

I don't think Akash still wants to find the woman who clearly left him. You idiot, if that woman loves her she won't just disappear.

"Bas a slave of love!" muttered.

The distance between Akash's apartment and my house is quite far. It takes 45 minutes to use the car, even an hour more when plus jammed throughout the trip. Now that I just remembered, the distance between Akash's apartment and my campus was even further along the song. The Akash Apartment is in North Bandung while my campus has entered the Sumedang area, although it is still a border area. Imagine how far away I was.

"Bother! Akash your apartment is a long way from my college." I complained, looking at him with a clear face.

"Are you in college? Over where? What semester?"

"On UP. Thesis again," I replied.

"You went to college at UP? What majors?"

"Indonesian Literature."

"Can you drive?" Akash turned to me at a glance.I shook my head and Akash did not speak anymore.

A few moments later the car we were riding in came into the yard. I saw my mom standing on the porch, like she was just coming home because she looked like she was going to open the door.

"Akash are you sure you'll let me?" many doubt.

"I'm your husband Maya" he replied indifferently.

Without being reminded many times I knew I was his wife. Akash got out of the car and went straight to his mother and cheered on her, which surprised me was that Akash kissed her hand like his own. I stared at the side of the car door that was still open.

"May!"

Akash's call blew my mind, as I closed the car door and approached them. Mom looked confused but I gestured to tell us to come in.

Akash was sitting on my couch he seemed to be rolling his eyes across the room. Maybe for him who is rich this house is too simple. I went to the kitchen to help my mother make a drink but without speaking Akash pulled me to sit next to him.

Mother came back, she kept three glasses of warm sweet tea and a potluck snack, and she sat down with us. Akash and I grabbed the glass and drank it.

"I want to bring Maya to live with me, ma'am" Akash said.

His words made me choke. Oh, my God, can't he talk?

"What do you mean, son?"

"I understand mom. My mother did everything she could, I'm sorry for what my mother did. I also did not know my mother acted to that extent, everything happened against my will. So as an apology, izinka I take responsibility for Maya as my wife completely" Akash explained.

"But I can't let Maya go with a man she doesn't know yet." Mother looked at Akash seriously, I had expected that he would not give her permission easily.

Akash got up, calmed down and knelt right under the mother's feet, he held the mother's hand and looked at the middle-aged woman sincerely.

"Allow me ma'am, give me and Maya a chance to get to know each other better. I promise, I'll take good care of Maya. I'm not gonna hurt him. I'll definitely try to love her."

"No ma'am, I've talked to Akash before. And we had a deal" I replied.

Ah ma'am, I'm sorry your son lied. I do agree, but this marriage is only temporary. Seeing my mom's face become claustrophobic.

"When will maya move?"

"Tonight," answered me and Akash in unison. Mom looked very surprised.

"Sometimes you come to our apartment, you can stay there whenever you want" Akash continued.

There was relief on the mother's face after hearing that.

***

I packed my things into a sizable backpack. Clothes, laptop, toiletries, skincare and some books. It's hard to leave this room, even harder to leave mom alone.

"Don't carry too much of May's stuff" said Akash, who suddenly stood on the doorstep. I shook my head, deliberately not answering it because it held back tears that sped out.

I opened the drawer, grabbed the cigarette and the lighter and lit it. I changed my sitting position leaning on the closet, took a deep sip of my cigarette and exhaled the smoke high. I dropped Akash who was still standing and put his hand in his pants pocket.

"I don't smoke May" Akash said.

"You want to try it?" bargained.

The man shook his head and left me. I sat down, stared blankly at the ceiling and took a sip back at the cigarette I was holding. I never had high expectations for life, no matter what happens after I leave this house, I am ready to face it.

After dinner, Akah put my things in the car. On the porch of the house I hugged my mother tightly. Mom was crying. The middle-aged woman was indeed easy to shed tears.

"Don't cry ma'am, I'm just moving house. Not dead," I said.

Mom hit my back hard. "You yeah!"

"Later to go home often, right if to campus must be through here."

"Promise to May?" ask mom to make sure.

I nodded, Akash approached us and greeted mother.

"Nitip May, son. Please tell him to stop smoking," said the mother.

"Good ma'am."

Akash and I get in the car, the journey of a new life has begun.

"Akash can I smoke?" my many.

"At home you've smoked a lot Maya."

Akash turned off the car's AC and lowered the window, I took a cigarette out of my shirt pocket and turned it on. I exhaled his smoke violently. I saw Akash turn to me a few times and then take a deep breath. Maybe in his heart he felt very unlucky to get a wife like me, far from the expectations he expected.

If you knew Akash, a marriage like this I never thought of before. As a woman, I have my own views on love and marriage. But what makes me so sad right now, I don't have anyone to share.

I was blown away when I saw you for the first time, but seeing your determination to find Ruth, seeing the way you persuaded my mother I was scared. I'm afraid I'm in love with you Akash.

The car kept going, after finishing one cigarette I decided to go to sleep and wished this was all a dream. The damn sleepiness did not even come.

I took a cigarette back, but Akash suddenly grabbed the package and threw it outside.

"What are you doing!?" my protest.

"You're afraid of Maya?"

Akash's question kept me quiet.

***