REPLACEMENT MEN Season 2
NOT EX

Flashbacks

POV Maira's

Jogja, 2003

Since the arrival of the new student, we are like twin stars in school. Competing to be the brightest. Although sometimes one of them dims when the other shines. Always, in turn.

Riantama, unknowingly the competition then made me keep my distance from him. Not because he was being unkind, just that I viewed him more as a competitor that was worth avoiding. And maybe at that school, I was the only girl who was cold to her. Yes, Riantama aka Tama, besides being smart is also handsome. Above average height, an oblong face with a split chin, as well as seductive dimples as she smiles or laughs. He meets almost all the criteria of idol boys that teenage girls crave.

Tama's own attitude also seemed cold to me. At first, he was warm and often joked. But maybe because I didn't respond too much, he was bored for a long time too. Slowly drifting away and further creating distance between us.

One day a sassy haired girl in a slightly tight blue uniform skirt pulled me into the school toilet. Noni, a crazy girl for a child our age that looks as gibb his eyes. Her crying broke when we were in the toilet.

"What's up, Non?" my question, while stroking his shoulders.

He hugged me tighter. His shoulders were cringing in my arms. For a moment I let him be. I was a little confused, how to deal with it. Me and Noni are not at all familiar. She was a popular girl at school. Not because of her intelligence, but because she is beautiful and sensational.

"Tama, Mai ...," he said later as his cries began to subside.

My forehead wrinkled. "Tama, why?"

"He sent me!"

Jem!

Even Tama was with him I don't know. Is that the distance I create between me and her?

"I don't want to, Mai. He just cut me off for no reason. We were just a month old. Huhuhu ...!"

Huh, love monkey boy! rukkukku in the heart.

"Patience, Non," comfort me as a stale base.

Noni suddenly released a hug, then looked at me fixedly. His eyes were a little strange. I care about it.

"Mai, will you help me?"

Both of my eyebrows are linked. "Help?"

Noni nodded.

"What help?"

"Please talk to Tama. Ask him why he sent me!"

"But ... Why don't you ask yourself?"

"He kept avoiding me. All my letters he didn't answer. He won't see me either."

I'm restless. "Why me? I'm not familiar with him. We rarely even talk!"

And I'm not familiar with you either. Why are you suddenly asking me for help? I continue in my heart.

In the end I also shed. Noni's seductive persuasion, I can't resist. I can't stand tears often. So, that afternoon after school, I approached Tama who was still busy putting the books into the bag. By then the class was empty, we both lived.

"I want to say," I said opening the word.

Aghast looking at me. Maybe this is strange for him, because we rarely greet each other. A moment later he returned with his busy tidying up the books.

I pulled the chair in front of him and sat facing him. "Why did you killusin Noni?" many naive.

She's staring. One corner of his lips was pulled upwards, revealing an understatement expression. Then as if he didn't care about me, he grabbed his backpack and walked out.

I inflamed it made. I chased him to the classroom door. "Heh, wait!"

He stopped his steps and turned towards me. "What?" ask her in a slightly fierce tone.

"Why did Noni break up? Poor him, cry disappointed!"

He grunted annoyedly. "Huh, don't get busy meddling in other people's business!" snapped

I was flabbergasted and speechless. I let him pass from the front without me preventing him. Next to guess, my face was red withstanding embarrassment. I hit my head regretting the stupidity I had done. I shouldn't have interfered. Who me?

Since that incident the distance between us has widened. I don't want to say hello to him at all. Even intentionally avoiding. But strangely enough, there are unpleasant rumors. They said Tama likes me. What cheap gossip is that?

Said Dian, one of my closest friends, Tama broke up with Noni because of me. Tama never stopped talking about me in front of Noni and made the girl annoyed. Instead of regretting it, Tama decided.

"Who said? You don't spread cheap gossip!"

"Say Noni herself!" dian answered with a convincing look.

Maybe it's because of the rumor that Tama likes me. But I was too busy studying for national exam preparation. I didn't mind a single bit of those rumors. I guess so too. He was always cold, indifferent and did not respond to our friends' banter.

"I want to talk!" said cold.

Then she pulled me out of the hall, leaving the party party. We walked to the back of the school. There's no one there.

"Congratulations, you got the highest score." Tama opened the conversation. Unlike usual, his tone sounded friendly.

"Thank you."

"Where do you want to go?"

I mentioned one of our favorite High Schools. "Where are you going?"

He took a deep breath. "I'm moving to Jakarta."

"Your parents moved in again?"

Papa Tama TNI officer. He often changes tasks. That's why a year ago Tama moved to my school.

"Yes, but papa moved to Makassar."

"Trus, why are you going to Jakarta?"

"My grandmother's mouth. I'm in high school, there's no way I'm moving. I have to settle in one place."

"Oh."

He looks a little agitated. Repeatedly rubbed straight hair sideways. His eyes try to avoid my eyes.

"So, what did you bring me here for?"

With a trembling hand Tama took something out of her pants pocket. A blue envelope was given to me.

"What's this?"

"Read if you're home!"

Then he quickly turned around and ran away from me.

I wonder if I opened the envelope. A letter.

Maira,

I'm sorry if I've been leaving a bad impression on you for a year. I-i didn't mean...

I want to be friends with you, like everyone else. But somehow it's so hard to do. It feels so awkward to be around you. I don't know what it's called, but my chest is pounding violently when I'm with you.

Maira,

I thought getting close to another girl would take away my feelings for you. But I was wrong. Eventually, I had to hurt Noni.

(It's the answer to your first question about why I decided on Noni)

Maira,

I want to continue my schooling in Jakarta. Maybe we won't see each other again, or maybe we'll meet again. I hope, one day if we meet, each of us has grasped success. And I hope, at that time I can pay for my bad attitude towards you all along.

Pardon,

and thank you for all the memories that I don't know what they're called.

Tama

The deg!

My heart suddenly went down. My hands were shaking with the paper. I don't know why I suddenly feel so lost. Though a moment ago when Tama said he wanted to go to school in Jakarta, I was ordinary. But when I read her honesty, my heart was touched. Mix it up, between regret, happiness and disappointment.

I immediately ran forward. I'm looking for Tama among the kids celebrating graduation. But I can't find. They said Tama had come home. And that was the last time I saw Tama. Furthermore, I never heard from him again. I slowly forgot about him and the story I didn't know what his name was.

***

Maira smiled considering the incident earlier this afternoon. An unexpected meeting, after all this time.

I feel like I'm no stranger to Captain Rian.

Look into Captain Rian's sparkling eyes this afternoon, still lingering in Maira's memory. The man looks very happy to be reunited with Maira. But they don't talk much. In addition to still trying to keep a distance considering the status of each, Maira was also in a hurry to go home because the day was already late in the afternoon.

Maira repeatedly shook her head while smiling to herself. It was as if he still could not believe that he could be reunited with Riantama. This forces him to re-examine his past memories. Not a memory of the former, but quite inherent in the memory.

(connect)

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