The First Curse of Love
48. Life Must Go On

Danny opened his eyes slowly. The first sight he caught was the white wall of the hospital which originally looked faint, now increasingly clear. His memory was rolling towards his last memory in the accident he had experienced. For a moment Danny sighed as he came to one conclusion; that he was dead.

Danny remembers very well, in the rest of his final consciousness on the night of the accident, he pleaded with the Life Owner not to rush to take his life, as he wanted to see Qiara once more. But, this is where Danny is now. On the boundary between...

"Danny, are you conscious, son?"

The voice belonged to his mother. Hold still... What Danny?

Danny's head, which had been facing the wall, now slowly turned to the side and found the figure of his mother who was staring at him while she was teary-eyed. There is one relief from his Mama that Danny can see even though his consciousness is not perfect.

"Ma—Mama?" Danny is soft.

Danny felt his throat choked and made it difficult for him to make a sound.

"Mr, Dean... Danny's conscious." Faradina's cry broke.

Not long after, Dean and his Papa get close to Danny. At that time, Danny could see Dean standing before him with a worried face that was not lost to his parents.

Danny wasn't sure what happened next, but he could see a doctor and two nurses coming in after him and check on him. After conducting an examination, the Doctor said that Danny was fine, all medical devices attached to Danny's body had been released. But for the next few days the doctor will continue to monitor his condition to ensure that Danny really recovers.

"What's going on?" Danny asked his parents and Dean.

After a car accident that almost took his life, Danny fell into a coma for one month. But today, one miracle has finally happened thanks to the unyielding struggle carried out by his family. Danny was aware of his coma. But of course, Danny who lost his consciousness for a month did not feel that time had gone that long. Danny just felt that the accident happened overnight. He did not know that it would take him a long time to regain consciousness.

"After the accident, you were in a coma for a month, Danny." Sadewa said with a haggard face. The usually strong-looking man seemed to lose his strength as long as Danny was unconscious.

Danny was surprised to hear his father say. Things still don't feel real to Danny. Even though the Doctor had confirmed his father's words, Danny still could not believe it.

"Then Qiara? A—what's Qiara not heard?" Danny felt both his eyes heat up when that one name finally came out.

"Qia dia—"

Before Faradina could finish her explanation, Dean touched her shoulder, as if to subtly ask Faradina not to continue her words.

"Po—mobile, where's my phone? I need to call Qia. I want to know how it is after a month." Danny searched his phone on the nightstand next to him, but could not find it.

"Your phone was destroyed in the accident, Danny." This time Dean raised his voice.

"Kak—"

Dean turned his attention to his parents and said, "Pa, Ma, you better go home to rest. Let Dean take care of Danny tonight. After all, Papa and Mama have been here for days."

"But—"

"Right said Dean, Ma. We'd better go home. Mama didn't sleep either." Sadewa hugged his wife's shoulder.

"Later if there's anything, Dean will be notified immediately. So don't worry." Dean once again tried to calm his parents.

After driving his parents outside, Dean went back into the room and saw Danny still sitting on the mattress staring blankly at the window beside him. Dean knew exactly what and who Danny was thinking about right now. For this reason, Dean sighed and walked slowly closer to his sister.

"For now, you focus on the same recovery process elo, Dann. During the coma, not a day Papa and Mama do not worry about you, not a day they pass without fear. They're scared, just in case you won't wake up, but I know that you're not that weak."

"Gue just wants to know Qiara's situation, brother. That's it." Danny's voice trembled, his eyes still glued to the window beside him.

Dean did not answer. Unbeknownst to Danny, he seemed to be looking for the right sentence to answer Danny's question.

"Gue know, I also want to know the state of Qiara now, your friends are the same. But, we all also know that wherever Qiara is now, he must want the best for you, Dann. Elo can imagine how hurt he would be if you knew you were this broken now? Hm?"

"Kak—" Danny who had been staring at the window now finally turned to look at Dean with a clear look. Her tears fell.

"Lo's job now, you just need to continue your life, Dann. Don't make Mom and Dad sad anymore. They have suffered enough for a month. Continue with your remaining plans, plans to continue S2 lo in America, be the best version of yourself lo. If not for yourself, do it for Papa, Mama and also... Brother." Dean already knows the side that makes Danny emotional the most, which is why Dean is trying to touch that side now.

"Life must go on, Dann. With or without her." Close Dean.

Dean's words are all right, but how can Danny live his life after he destroyed Qiara's life? How could Danny do it so easily?

"Qi, have you never been curious about my situation? Don't you want to know the same about me? Are you... How much do you hate me?"

...****...

"Gue shouldn't have given this to elo, Dann. But I think you deserve this. This is the last thing Qia left behind about you." Windy said as he put a USB on the nightstand, next to Danny's bed.

It's been the second day since Danny came to his senses from his coma, but he refused to see any of his friends except Windy. Only Windy is the only one Danny allows to enter his room and see firsthand his condition.

While Windy was sitting on the sofa, Danny was just standing behind the window with eyes that could not escape the outside view. Even when Danny only allowed Windy to come in, not a word came out of Danny for Windy.

"Qia has this video ready as a gift." There was doubt and fear in Windy's tone when it came to the word marriage.

Danny's tears escaped. Danny immediately wiped his tears, then coldly said to Windy, "gue wants a break, Win. You can come out now."

Windy got up from the sofa he had been sitting on. "Okay, I'm leaving now. You're cured, are you, Dann?"

Danny doesn't answer, and lets Windy out of his room just like that. Moments after Windy left, Danny walked up to the couch pushing his infusion stand. Danny grabbed the USB that Windy left behind and connected it to a large television in the room.

"My future husband, Papa of the little life now in my stomach, Danny Juan Adhitama, hay..." Sapa Qiara from the video with her one smile that always looks beautiful in Danny's eyes.

Danny who listened to Qiara's voice calling out his name instantly froze for a while before finally turning around and looking towards the television. On the big screen in front of him, Danny saw the figure of Qiara who was sitting on one of the sofas in his apartment.

"I don't know what wedding gift to you, so.... I love this only, huh? Yes, yes, I know you will say that I do not need to give anything, because my presence alone is the best gift in your life..."

Danny sizzled cynically listening to Qiara's words while grunting his laughter. But again his tears fell, like rain.

"...but I still want to give you this." Qiara then.

Qiara began strumming guitars in her lap and singing a song she had dedicated to Danny. During Qiara singing the song, several photos and videos of their togetherness from childhood to adulthood Qiara appeared in the video and made Danny's situation more emotional...

"My love, there's only you in my life

The only thing that's right..."

Memory after memory of his friendship with Qiara greeted Danny with a punch-tubi.

"Who made Danny cry?" Qiara spoke courageously in front of her 5th-grader, her upperclassman.

A little while ago Danny came to see Qiara in his class and complained that he had been bullied by one of the 5th graders. Qiara who did not accept seeing Danny treated like that looked very angry and immediately looked for the main perpetrator who had dared to make Danny cry.

"Adit! It was Adit who asked for Danny's money, kept Danny beaten to a cry." Said one of the children from his group.

Qiara stared intently at a boy named Adit and a stocky figure who was sitting at the corner. Without saying another word, Qiara approached and then hit her head.

"Don't bother Danny anymore!!" Gerak Qiara who was ready to make Adit cry so badly.

"My first love

You're every step I make"

Other memories come from their High School days;

The rain suddenly fell as Danny and Qiara were playing basketball after finishing their final exams. The school was quite quiet at that time and left only a few students who were busy doing exculpatory activities.

Danny also brought Qiara into the OSIS room to shelter. Upon arrival there, Danny immediately attached a blanket on Qiara's body so as not to get cold. Their uniforms at that time were both wet with rain.

"Wait a moment, Qi. I'm looking for a change of clothes. I think there's still some MOS committee shirt in the closet."

Before Danny stepped his foot, Qiara hurriedly intercepted Danny's wrist to hold him back. Danny also looked cold, how could Qiara just ignore him?

"Elo's cold, Dann! Here sit!"

"But, Qi—"

"Gue never argued, did he? So, what's wrong with this once you don't argue with me too?"

Danny finally complied and sat down next to Qiara. Qiara then close the distance with Danny and then divide the blanket for the two of them.

Minute by minute walking in silence until suddenly they call each other's names at the same time. Now, the situation between them had become awkward.

"Why, Qi?" Danny asked gently as he stared meaningfully at Qiara's pair of brown eyes.

Qiara was about to answer, but Danny's deep gaze rained down on him making Qiara's brain suddenly dead-end.

The sound of rain out there is getting louder. The seemingly driven Danny slowly brought his face closer to Qiara. As soon as Qiara closed her eyes, Danny gently pressed his lips against hers. It was the second time they kissed, but their startled reaction was still the same as before.

Danny clasped Qiara's right hand, and slowly felt their heads move in the opposite direction.

"And I, I want to share

All my love with you

No one else will do

And your eyes

They tell me how much you care

Ooh, yes

You will always be

My endless love..."

Danny fell into a sitting position while supporting his head with one of his hands. The cry then broke without Danny halau. More so when photos from their childhood filled the screen accompanied by their sweet memories that burst into Danny's head.

Danny missed their childhood and teenage years. The times where Danny knew that he just wanted to make Qiara laugh, instead of giving her wounds and tears.

"Two heart

Two hearts that beat as one

Our lives have just been

Forever...

I'll hold you close in my arms

I can't resist your charms

And love, oh love

I'll be a fool for you I'm sure

You know I don't mind

You know I don't mind

'Cause you

You mean the world to me

I know, I know

I've found, I've found in you

My endless love"

^^^(Lionel Richie & Diana Ross, Endless Love)

"Qia, I miss you, I want to see and hug you." Omit Danny with a so strong sobbing while resting in the midst of the ruins of his heart and regret.

...****...

Two months later...

Two months passed, Danny's condition had fully recovered. Danny even followed Dean's words asking him to continue with his life no matter what. Departing from that, Danny decided to continue his S2 studies in America, as the original plan.

During these two months as well, no one had ever dared to mention Qiara's name directly in front of Danny. Danny, too, no longer asked about Qiara's whereabouts. It was not that he gave up on Qiara, Danny was just tired of asking and hoping in people who were even reluctant to answer him. Danny had arrived at one acceptance; it could have been Qiara who had arranged for all of them to say nothing to Danny. And for Danny, as long as Qiara lived just fine, that was more than enough.

"Gue go, yeah, Win. Take good care of yourself." Danny's surprise to Windy, who was at the time, drove him to the airport with Dean, Arga, Alisha, and of course Celine, who recently did not talk to Danny too much.

Windy hugged Danny while patting him on the shoulder several times, "study hard, and pass more quickly so you can go home too." Windy said with encouragement.

This time Danny turns to Arga, "Ga, take the other one, okay?"

Arga just nodded. After hugging Arga and Alisha simultaneously, Danny was ready to hug Celine, but then he paused when he saw Celine was just silent while looking at her flatly.

"Gue go, Cel. Okay, huh? And... Greetings to Bang Ray." Again Celine said nothing and just nodded in response.

For the last time, Danny hugged Dean.

A few moments later, Danny had already entered the plane. He pulled out a necklace hidden under his clothes. The necklace was Qiara's engagement ring which he still secretly kept. Danny deliberately draped it so that it could be closer to his heartbeat.

"Hide as best you can, Qia. As soon as I find you later, I make sure you will no longer be able to escape."

^^^To be Continued....^^^