Chapter 3 In class

The days after Aulia found out about her pregnancy passed with anxiety. Every time Aulia stepped onto campus, she felt the shadow of the secret they kept getting closer. As usual, he had to maintain his appearance so as not to be suspicious, even though his body was starting to show signs of change. Her stomach was still flat, but Aulia was starting to feel the mental burden increasing.

In class, he tried his best to stay focused on his lecture. However, there are times when Aulia's mind wanders, thinking about the baby growing inside her and how the future of the two of them will be formed. Aulia realized that there was less and less time to keep this situation a secret, and as each day passed, she became increasingly afraid that this secret would be revealed on campus.

One day, when Aulia was in the library to finish her thesis, she met Dita, her close friend who was also busy writing her thesis. Dita is one of Aulia's few close friends, but even to Dita, Aulia does not dare to reveal her marriage to Mr. Bima.

"Lia, you look pale. You must be sick?" Dita asked suddenly, touching Aulia's arm worriedly.

Aulia smiled faintly, trying to cover her anxiety. "Ah, maybe I just didn't get enough sleep. This thesis is really draining."

Dita nodded, understanding. "Yeah, I feel that way too. But, you have to take care of your health. Don't fall ill, especially now is a crucial time."

Aulia just nodded again, then pretended to be busy reading the book in front of her. In his heart, he hoped that Dita wouldn't notice anything strange about him. After a while, Dita said goodbye to go back to her own place, and Aulia felt a little relieved. However, the anxiety did not completely disappear.

Secret Meeting

In the evening, after all campus matters were finished, Aulia returned to her apartment. Mr. Bima had gone home first and was waiting for him in the living room. They always made time to talk every night, discussing what happened that day and how they would move forward with their lives.

When Aulia sat next to Mr. Bima, the man looked at her carefully, as if trying to read her mind. "How was your day, darling? Is something bothering you?" he asked softly.

Aulia took a deep breath before answering. "I met Dita at the library earlier. He said I looked pale, and I was afraid he was starting to get suspicious."

Mr. Bima frowned. "Did he ask further?"

Aulia shook her head. "No, he's just worried. But I feel uncomfortable constantly having to hide this. I'm scared, sir. What if someone finds out?"

Mr. Bima took Aulia's hand and held it tightly. "I understand your feelings. But we must remain calm. I promise, we'll figure out a way to work through this. Maybe we need to start thinking about how to tell the people closest to us, but in a way that doesn't cause a stir."

Aulia was silent for a moment, contemplating her husband's words. He knew they had to make a decision soon about how to reveal their marriage, but he also knew that doing so would carry great risks.

"Should we tell Dita first? "Maybe he can help us," suggested Aulia slowly.

Mr. Bima considered the proposal. "Maybe that's a good idea. But we must be absolutely sure that he can be completely trusted. I don't want this secret to spread any wider than it has to."

Aulia nodded, agreeing. They decided to think about it more carefully before taking action.

Increasing Ordeal

Several weeks passed, and the pressure Aulia felt was getting bigger. Her stomach was starting to show signs of pregnancy, although they weren't very clear yet. However, he felt like everyone on campus was paying attention to him more than usual. Every time she walked in the corridor or sat in class, Aulia felt as if there were eyes watching her.

In the midst of this pressure, thesis guidance with Pak Bima became increasingly difficult. Mr. Bima, who is usually cold and firm, begins to show signs of concern on campus. He smiled less and less, even when no one else was around. The atmosphere between them became increasingly tense, and this began to cause speculation among other students.

One day, while Aulia was waiting outside the lecturer's room, she heard whispers from a group of students who had just left guidance. They spoke about Mr. Bima in low tones, but clearly enough for Aulia to hear.

"Mr. Bima looks different lately, doesn't he? "More serious and fierce than usual," said one student.

"Well, maybe he has personal problems. Who knows? "But we have to be more careful, he's getting stricter now," answered his friend.

Aulia swallowed hard, feeling nervous. Are they starting to get suspicious? He didn't know for sure, but the feeling haunted him all day.