Little Story About You
19: THAT FEELING HAS NOT CHANGED

In the garden of the courtyard beside the hospital, under a medium-sized tree, but the leaves were so dense, there was a long bench. Abel was in front of that bench at the moment.

After leaving Ibram's room ten minutes ago. Abel paced with a chaotic feeling while biting the tip of his nails because he kept thinking about his behavior and Ibram who lost their minds. The most embarrassing thing was when the father of the man actually found them in an inappropriate situation.

Abel was almost like a madman every time he remembered that ugly moment. Suddenly she ruffled her hair, she suddenly screamed, suddenly her gaze was blank with a depressed expression.

Especially at this time Abel is still waiting for any news or information from Ibram who is talking to the man's father. Abel is really very embarrassed at the moment, and maybe he will not be able to deal directly with him again.

Time has shown the thirteenth minute, Ibram is still not visible from inside the hospital. Abel's getting crazy thinking about everything. He was confused to describe his own feelings now.

Abel stomped his legs, restless, from the pacing, sitting, standing, to sitting again on the bench, still Ibram did not appear. Even up to an hour had passed and made his strength feel as if he had waited longer, still Ibram had not come.

“They talkin whataa try until one hour gini.” Abel said it was getting more frustrating. I swear by anything, if he doesn't hear anything from Ibram today, tonight he won't be able to sleep normally.

But suddenly he saw a pair of shoes someone met with a pair of the ends of his shoes. The sight immediately made himself smile broadly lifting his head. He was convinced the owner of the shoe was Ibram. Unfortunately, as soon as he lifted his face, Abel had to swallow the bitter hope, because the reality that happened was not someone who was on his mind at the moment.

His smile slowly faded, but even so, he still tried to carve out a smile for Ray. “Kak Ray is here too.” He followed Ray's movements sitting by his side.

“What are you doing here?”

“Create check up last time. What's up, Brother Ray?”

“So I can't come here, huh?” I heard a disappointed voice from Ray.

Lately every step and movement of the girl is almost always monitored Ray directly. This is from the day Abel started acting up and ignoring himself. The main thing that provokes his anger is where the presence of someone who is very disturbing his feelings. It was as if Abel no longer needed himself after the presence of the man in the girl's life. That fact makes him feel disturbed to admit Abel subordinates himself now.

Abel. His voice broke Ray's mind. “Bby. That is, what purpose did Brother Ray come for?” Abel responded patiently.

Ray looked back at Abel. “You have time today?”

Abel was pensive, his gaze was fixed on the hospital building, which still refused to show the figure of Ibram. He thought that instead of not responding to Ray and instead creating chaos again, he decided to welcome him. “There. Where are we planning?”

Ray smiled at Abel's response. The man got up from the bench and stretched out one hand to Abel, so that the girl would welcome his words.

“We leave.”

Abel looked at the man's hand that was still outstretched in front of him. It invited a faint smile on its lips as it hesitated to welcome. But his doubts were immediately read by Ray and the man immediately cupped his wrist. Abel briefly gasped and intended to take it off, but was undo for the sake of calm between them.

While Ray had been on guard if Abel refused his hand, he had already tightened their wrist grip faster. But Ray was relieved after seeing no resistance from Abel. The man smiled thinking about it.

“Where are we going Kak?” Abel asked again to voice his question which still left a curious inside his head. Now, he could only look at Ray's back. Even though they went hand in hand, Ray was still one step ahead of him.

“You have a task today. Special tasks.” Ray spoke mysteriously.

“Haa? Special assignment? Meaning?” Abel's confused.

“This policy you know yourself. Consider it a surprise.”

“Ooh.” Abel nodded, then his gaze unintentionally fell on the main door building of the hospital. Because of his position and Ray was already in the parking lot preparing to get into the car. Suddenly Abel's footsteps stopped, as soon as Ibram was standing there looking at where Ray parked the car. So did he. Abel reflexively took his hand off Ray.

Ray seemed to turn around to rebuke Abel's attitude just now. But once aware of Abel's gaze far in the other direction, Ray's facial water slowly turned tense, without the need for him to look, he could already guess someone inside Abel's eyes at this moment.

“Abel, we walk now.”

“But Ibram,” before Abel actually took the step of leaving Ray first, Ray had already cupped back his wrist faster. Ray's actions just restrained his movement to go to Ibram's place. “Kak Ray.. I'm going there, to Ibram.” Ask him by pleading.

“Ngot able.” Ray said that with a stiff face, he was obviously unhappy and forced Abel into the car.

“So I'm waiting for Ibram there.”

“Tadi. Not now. You promised to come, right?” Ray finished his sentence full of pressure, deliberately to make the girl depressed over his promise just now.

“Pliiiss. Just moment. We have to talk.” Pinta Abel pleaded.

Ray still insisted on his stance. He did not heed Abel's request at all. In fact he acted another way, close his lips to Abel's ears, to make the girl immediately lowered her head. “You don't want the doctor to be hit again, you have to recede!”

Abel jerks. Unknowingly she bites her lower lip, anxious, hearing Ray's threat just now. So, inevitably he complied and nodded with force.

Ray smiled with satisfaction. Then he looked at Ibram for a moment, to deliberately show off to Ibram when he scrambled the top of Abel's head. “Ayo.”

“Iya.” Abel's voice was barely heard. Once again Abel took a look at Ibram's place, before he finally left the hospital. The incident is similar to his feelings at that time, when he left Ibram in the Thousand Islands. Without any words.

***

Thirty minutes later, Ray's car, carrying Abel, arrives at a jewelry store. The place where Ray and Cindy placed an engagement ring order on the jewelry designers there.

Ray gets out of the car, followed by Abel. As soon as Abel sees Ray approaching a stranger in front of a jewelry store, Abel soon realizes that he is Cindy. The two hugged in a moment's pause, before simultaneously turning to look at him.

With a slow step, Abel also stepped slowly as if forced to approach, both of them− greeted him with joy, especially Cindy. His cousin immediately hugged himself with a sense of pleasure that emanated from the face and gesture of the girl.

“Finally you also received our invitation. I'm relieved. I feel like I'm turning back to the old Abel.” Cindy was still in their arms.

Abel smiled faintly. “Iya.” His response was short while staring at Ray at a glance.

Ray's existence really made Abel uncomfortable and depressed in any situation. The man did not give him any space of freedom a single second from him. So Abel seems to have to be careful for his own comfort and freedom from now on.

“Suk, yuk? You have to give us a good engagement ring advice. I'm the same Kak Ray has been connected with the same jewelry designer yesterday, there are three pairs that have been fixed. We just can't figure out which one of them. You should help anyway.” Cindy light is further away. It seems he really hopes Abel is willing to help.

“Emang I can help that? I am still public.” Reply Abel indifferently.

Cindy nodded firmly. “Lo is good at mixing and matching your own clothes. So I'm also sure, you have good eyes for surein ring right for us.”

“Ooh.” Abel mangosteen. “No guarantee anyway. That's a shirt not a ring. Mostly when talking about the eyes, they can also often be wrong.” He said rather fiercely. That sentence was more audible to vent his annoyance.

“Gue sure kok lo can.” Cindy stressed. He remained patient, despite Abel's cold demeanor. Then Cindy embraced Abel, they entered together into the jewelry store.

***

“Abel, how? Which do you think?” Cindy rebuked Abel who was engrossed in looking at the jewels in front of her at this moment. The girl made her seat closer to Cindy to be able to see the design of the three pairs of rings in front of her.

The first ring design, which is decorated with blue sapphire with a unique band like webbing. Then the second ring, which is a gold ring that Abel can not guess the number of carats, but shows a row of half-heart shaped diamonds in both, so it will appear fused when combined. On the last ring, only the front side of the leaves, as a sweetener, added five diamonds.

“Total diamonds it's customized the same month we fiancee.” Cindy said, answering a question mark that was clearly visible on Abel's face.

“Ooh. The third good thing, there is meaning right.” Abel final.

“Do you think?” sound of Ray making sure.

Abel glanced at Ray. “Iya.”

After agreeing to take the last ring design, they left the jewelry store with relief and joy approaching their respective feelings.

But Abel has not removed Ibram from his mind since then, so he decided to return to the hospital. He had already thought of his own way there, without needing to invite Ray's attention.

“Kak Ray take you home. First you. Last Abel. Call us neighbors. No pa-pa, right, baby?” Ray said as he opened the door for Cindy in the steering wheel seat. The movement along with the other hand held Abel's hand for a moment, as the girl was about to open the back door. Once Cindy is inside, Ray just carries out his goal. Open the door for Abel.

Without saying anything to Ray, or just saying ‘thank you’ to the man, Abel quickly got into the car.

On the way home, Abel still chose to silence and look outwards, although Ray and Cindy seemed engrossed in talking, sometimes even involving himself. Most Abel only respond with a smile and short and short words, a kind of ‘iya’, ‘nggak’, ‘possibly’, ‘ooh’. Just that extent.

***

At Cindy's house, Abel had met her aunt and omnya, or Cindy's parents in their yard. The two still behave the same to him, warm and soft, much different from his mother and father when welcoming Cindy to come to his house. Cold and stiff.

“Abel is healthy right? Aunty hasn't seen Abel in a long time. You are rarely here.” Tanteenya conveyed his sadness lately. Especially since the tension in their family.

“Cindy sure, this abis Abel must be diligent to our home again, Ma.” Cindy immediately responded with a confident and detached voice.

“About trying, Auntie. Starting Monday, Abel went to work again. It's been two weeks also Abel break.” Said explain. Although in fact the two weeks are not worthy to be called “rest” because Abel is more often outside the house. Creating other fun activities that he made himself.

The aunt took off the smile, meaning that Abel saw guilt in the smile and face. “Tante is sorry if the attitude of Aunt and Om, also Cindy, may have offended you all this time.”

“Many things Aunt.” Abel said that he made the face of his aunt and her parents, Cindy and Ray, look shocked.

Abel was enjoying those shocked faces right now. But he quickly changed his face. Slowly his smile seemed to be imprinted on his lips. “But it's over. Abel sorry about everything.” He said afterwards, immediately showing relief on the faces of the people in front of him now. Though his intention was only joking, but instead failed, because it was considered to be a serious thing.

“Salam samapa you. Om can not see our brotherhood rope is finished because of this problem.” The sound of his voice conveying his longing to the sister─papa Abel.

“Iya, Om. Abel deliver later.”

After that, Ray and Abel say goodbye to Cindy and the girls' parents. The three take off Ray and Abel until Ray's four-wheeled vehicle disappears from the end of the road.

***

“You like that doctor?”

Suddenly, Ray's voice breaks Abel's mind which is still not separated from Ibram. He was thinking of a way to keep Ray from watching him, but he didn't realize that his unrest could be read by Ray earlier. Even his silence was clearly implying.

“Iya?”

Ray nodded, his face hardened as well. “That's enough to be your answer.” Said the man, even his hand grip on the steering wheel tightened. Unknowingly, his other hand was on the clutch and stepped on the gas pedal deeper, making the needle spidometer darted quickly moving upwards.

Abel looked at Ray who was focused on looking ahead. “Why? Normal right?” said relax. What to worry about when women are attracted to men? Isn't that why God created Eve, because Adam needed friends, lovers and spouses so as not to be lonely. For Abel it is not a problem that must be discussed.

With Ray.

At the words of Abel just now, it has a strong effect that disturbs Ray's mind instantly. The man stepped on the brake until it made a sharp squeak, almost making Abel's body thrown forward if his hands did not immediately reach the dashboard.

Abel immediately looked at Ray annoyed. “Sister Ray can not slow down?!” she said with an angry tone. The girl jumped hard afterwards, as Ray hit the steering wheel hard. The man looked at him with unusual sharp eyes and a burst of anger that Abel did not understand.

“You dare yes now.” Ray said it was along with teeth that were clapping violently.

“Where is the harm in passengers asking drivers to be careful?! Where?!” abel's voice is rising.

“You're wrong! Wrong!!” Ray hit the car driver many times.

Abel held his breath watching the bursts of anger from within Ray at this moment. His eyes widened in shock with anger that seemed to have been long harbored by the man.

“What does Brother Ray mean? Abel did not understand. Speak clearly. Not angry is not clear like that.”

“What is that need?” ray's voice was muted, even Abel could see the man's hands clenched so tightly that his books turned white. It seemed clear that the man was holding back desperately his anger that was about to explode.

Abel could not stand it. He doesn't want to stay near Ray. It seemed implied clearly a great fury in the eyes of the man before him at this moment. “Sister Ray changed. Not someone Abel knew. Abel is lucky, not Abel in Cindy's position now.” He said with a trembling voice holding back the cry.

“YOU!”

Abel did not know that a clear layer of his eyes had fallen down and down his pale face. Although he looks strong and dares to challenge Ray, his body says something else. As soon as Ray witnesses the great anger in her along the way, her weakness as a woman comes out without her will. It made Ray seem to have just realized, that his actions had gone too far. The man felt regret, due to his barely controlled emotions, he could lose Abel once again.

Ray opened the seat belt from himself, he eroded the distance between himself and Abel, then carried the girl slowly into his arms. Drowning the girl deeply which somehow made her even more tormented hearing the cry break out. The tiny body shook in her arms, creating a suffocating pain within her, even a tightness that made her even more guilty.

“Sorry. Please don't put this up.” Ray's voice was so soft on Abel's head. Gently pecked the top of Abel's head many times and calmed the girl down. Now he cupped the girl's pale and puffy face, looking at the pair of eyes that had been deeply touched.

“Kak Ray.” Abel's voice raspy. Look back at Ray's eyes that have changed completely. Replacing with anxious and gentle eyes.

Making both of Abel's hands move without an order to circle around Ray's waist, drowning himself in the embrace as the man had done so often. Back to feel the warmth and comfort that is still stored tightly in his heart, namely his love for the man.

***