Chapter 4 WITH OTHERS

"Rea, how long are you going to stay with me?"

"Well, I'm your girlfriend. Like I'd be with someone else."

Those words were a lie. Rea betrayed him. It was heartbreaking. Rakan didn't know what had really happened, but one thing was certain, he was familiar with this feeling.

Rakan rubbed his face roughly and turned towards the window. His heart was racing, and memories flooded back. Moments when they made promises together, only to have to let go of each other.

It was all nonsense. Look at this. Not even a week had passed since their breakup, and Rakan's heart was feeling the same pain again. She left, but Rakan couldn't let her go. It was too difficult.

Rakan looked around, observing people who seemed happy, except for himself. It was true, when we're sad, others seem much happier in our eyes. Even a cat eating scraps appeared happier than him right now.

"Comfort is a trap."

Maybe what people said about that statement was true. Many had proven the truth of this saying.

The same went for the young man sitting there, sipping his strong coffee. He daydreamed, then snapped back to reality, then daydreamed again, and repeated the cycle.

Rakan had been doing this for almost twenty minutes. His mind, body, and heart were in turmoil. He didn't know what to do.

Comfort zones were indeed enjoyable, but behind that pleasure lay something deadly, especially when it was comfort in the wrong place.

Rakan still loved her. His heart's voice was starting to disturb his activities.

How long was this going to last? Finally, it was clear. His brain started to interrupt. But his heart couldn't lie. Yes, but the situation prevented him from using his heart.

Don't be too stubborn, heart; it's time to use logic. He was aware of that. Rakan smiled, hearing the debate between his heart and his brain.

"How long?" He asked softly to himself. A question that had been asked frequently lately by Jack and Bagas.

For the past few months, it felt like oxygen had trouble entering his body. Sometimes Rakan wondered if the amount of oxygen on Earth had decreased. The oxygen was fine, but his heart and brain didn't want to cooperate.

It had been almost a week. Rakan realized that this slump was temporary. It didn't mean he regretted meeting her. Meeting her had been one of the almost perfect happiness he had ever felt.

Then he started his phone. Silence. There was nothing important there, just notifications from group chats with his friends. Rakan was tired. These weren't the notifications he wanted.

Was it wrong for Rakan to hope? To hope for a message from the girl who used to be at the top of their chat, annoying him all the time.

Rea. Rakan was waiting for that. But sadly, it seemed like he was hoping too much.

It felt strange. But maybe, over time, the young man would get used to this new habit without her.

Occasionally, let Rakan hide his longing in a cup of strong coffee. In silence, black, and filled with prayers for her.

The watch on his wrist chimed at exactly eight o'clock in the evening. Thirty minutes were spent pondering in a cafe, a silent witness to his parting with Rea.

Coincidentally, that night the atmosphere was quiet, the moon shone brightly, and the night breeze blew through the window, making the air feel cold.

Rakan's thoughts drifted somewhere that night. He felt uneasy.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of a door being opened. His attention was drawn in that direction. Shortly after, he caught sight of a tired-looking girl entering, carrying a large bag.

Rakan was momentarily frozen. He gazed at the girl's tired face. A desire to approach her welled up within him. But what could he do? His shoulders slumped when he noticed a guy entering and sitting with the girl.

They were Rea and Farras. Seeing that made Rakan's jaw tighten. His hand, placed on the table, clenched tightly. His veins were visible, a sign that he was restraining something that was brewing inside him.

Rakan's sharp gaze remained fixed on Rea, without relenting. The girl gave a forced smile. Unluckily, Rakan hated that smile. Swear as he might, he wanted to punch someone right now.

Rakan's teeth started grinding, and the sound might have been audible throughout the room.

"Darn it, Farras," he muttered when he saw the guy playfully ruffle Rea's hair.

Rakan took a deep breath. Slowly, he started calming himself down. His clenched fist began to loosen. His recent action had been inevitable. Fortunately, he managed to prevent it. Otherwise, he might have already exploded at their table.

Rakan sipped the delightful aroma of a cup of strong coffee. Even that drink tasted bland compared to before. Perhaps Rakan had forgotten the taste of that cup of longing.

The night had grown late, and the coffee was gone. Desperately suppressing the tightness in his chest, Rakan stood up and left the cafe. He walked listlessly to the parking lot.

The guy sighed in frustration. His already fragile heart became even more fragile, now coupled with a sense of suffocation. He hurried to his private vehicle and quickly drove away from the cafe's parking lot.

"Come on, Rakan, you can forget her from your life!" he exclaimed, pushing that thought as he sped down the night's streets. Encouraging himself to rise from disappointment.

***

"Announcement for Rakan Alister Bagaskara and Rea Shaenette Lesham from Class XII Science 1, please come to the teacher's room immediately."

"Once again, announcement for Rakan Alister Bagaskara and Rea Shaenette Lesham from Class XII Science 1, please come to the teacher's room immediately."

The sound echoed from a microphone in the teacher's room. Rakan, hearing his name, immediately got up from his seat and prepared to go to the teacher's room.

Meanwhile, other students whose names were called remained unmoved in their seats. Their friends looked puzzled as they glanced at Rea.

"Rea, they're calling you," Rafa said, shaking Rea's arm. She had her head resting on the table with her hands supporting her head, looking as if she was asleep.

However, Rea didn't move. Again, Rafa furrowed his brow. He got up from his seat and walked over to where Rea was sleeping.

"Rea, are you asleep?" He brushed the strands of hair covering her face.

After a while, her eyes, which had been shut tight, slowly opened. Rea raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doing, Fa? You're disturbing my sleep," she responded irritably.

After changing her sleeping position to face the other way, her bag also became a makeshift pillow.

Rafa sighed and returned to his seat.

"Rea, wake up, you're being called to the teacher's room."

Rea changed her position to a sitting one. She looked at Rafa, who was now taking notes in his book.

"Why?" He responded with a shake of his head.

"Is it important? I really don't feel like going," Rea complained with a yawn. Rafa didn't respond.

"Why don't you represent me? Just tell them Rea is feeling lazy." She then prepared to go back to sleep. But something interrupted her plan.

"Once again, a call on behalf of Rea Shaenette Lesham from class XII Science 1, please come to the teacher's room now!"

"Ugh, they're so persistent," she grumbled as she left her seat and disappeared behind the door.

"Where are you going, Rea? Both the teacher and Rakan have been waiting for you," her mother scolded, looking surprised.

Both of them were now staring at her with inquisitive expressions. Correction, it was Mrs. Intan; Rakan looked at Rea with an unreadable expression.

"I was sleeping, Mom!" Rea replied casually, then shifted her gaze elsewhere. Seeing her ex in the same room made her even lazier than before.

Mrs. Intan shook her head at the habits of her student. She knew Rea's character well.

"I called you here to discuss your National Science Olympiad training schedule," Mrs. Rani interrupted her sentence, looking at both students. "Can you make it after school?"

"We can, as long as it's not on Wednesday. We're afraid it might clash with our extracurricular activities," Rakan replied.

Mrs. Intan nodded in agreement and then turned to Rea.

"How about you, Rea? Can you make it?" Rea nodded in agreement.

"Good, since you've all agreed, the training will be every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. I'll give you Saturday and Sunday to study together so that if one of you doesn't understand something, the other can help explain the material."

"Any questions left?" Both students remained silent.

"Alright, if there are no more questions, I'll conclude. You may return to your classes."

"Alright, Mrs.," Rakan replied and got up, leaving the teacher's room. Rea followed.

On the way back to the classroom, Rea quickened her pace, with only one goal in mind now-sleep. She continued walking without noticing someone was watching her.

The next moment, someone grabbed her wrist.

"Whose house are we going to tomorrow?" Rakan asked while still holding Rea's wrist.

Rea, feeling annoyed, waved Rakan's hand away.

"You think I want to study with you? No way."

She paused.

"Especially with you? I'm really not interested."

She left Rakan behind, who was now looking at her departure with a sigh.

"Your attitude hasn't changed, Rea. Your ego is still sky-high."

To be continued...