Stains In Love
Just Want to Be Me

“Will Brother Ane promise me one thing?”

Stella's question made Ane stare at her with one eyebrow raised.

“What promise, Stella?” ask Ane confused.

“I want Kak Ane to promise not to say anything about this to Kak Damar. I also want Brother Ane to act as if nothing happened in front of Garry and Feby,” Stella replied, then took a deep breath.

“But, Stella ...”

“Sister, I know that doing this looks like I let their affair go. But that's not what I meant. I want to take back the pain I feel. And to do that, I have to act like I don't know anything. For that, I also asked Ane to be ordinary in front of Garry and Feby. Does Brother Ane want to?” pinta Stella's.

Ane took a deep breath, trying to control herself so that she could do what Stella asked.

“Alright, if that is what you want,” Ane replied in the end. “Come, we exit the room before anyone looks for us both.”

Stella nodded.

They walked out of Ane's room into the living room. Garry and Feby chat with Damar and Bella. Ane's heart is sliced as she recalls Garry and Feby's affair. However, he tried as hard as he could to hide his pain.

“Kak, it looks like I will go straight home,” Stella said.

Ane glanced in the direction where Stella's eyes looked. He understands that Stella must have been hurt so much if she had to see Garry and Feby in the same room for so long considering how the two men betrayed her.

“Yes, it's okay. Brother understood, kok,” reply Ane.

Stella approached her niece and said goodbye to the little girl.

“Bella, Aunt Stella go home first, yes?” pamit Stella's.

Bella put on her pouting face, pursed her lips while folding her hands in front of her chest. “I, ‘kan, still miss Aunt Stella. Why Aunty wants to go home quickly?” tanyakanya.

“Sorry, Bella. But, Auntie has a sudden affair.”

“But ...”

“Other times Auntie will definitely play here again, Bella. Or do you want to take a walk to the playground?” persuade Stella.

Hearing ‘taman play’ Bella also turned enthusiastic. His face was no longer sour.

“Will Aunt take me to the playground?” ask Bella.

“Of course.”

“So, Aunt can go home, ‘kan?” ask Stella.

Bella nodded. “Good. Provided Aunt keeps Aunt's promise to take me to the playground.”

Stella chuckled, then nodded. After that, Stella said goodbye to Damar and went outside.

Outside, while waiting for a taxi, the sound of hurried footsteps made him turn his head. Garry was running after him. Stella smiled faintly. If only he had not known about Garry and Feby's affair, he would have been happy. But now what he felt was disgust and annoyance.

‘For what did he catch up with me?’ stella's inner self, then stumped.

“Stella, do you want to go home?” ask Garry.

Stella nodded.

“Come, I'll take.”

“Tapi—”

“But what?”

Stella shakes. “No. All right I'll go home with you,” Stella said at the end. He was forced to agree to Garry's invitation because he did not want Garry to suspect.

Garry drove Stella home.

On the way, Garry again mentioned about Stella's new appearance. Garry was very anxious when he saw Stella who had returned beautiful as before.

One thing about Garry, he doesn't like his girlfriend to be the center of people's attention. What's more, if the one who looked at Stella was another man who might have intended to approach Stella. Therefore, during dating him, from the beginning Garry always asked Stella to dress up simple and perfunctory. She did not like to see Stella dress up much less wear fashionable clothes in front of people.

“Stella, I still don't understand why you're changing your appearance. Don't you also like to look simple?” ask Garry.

Stella glanced at Garry, then snorted. “It's not me who likes simple looks, but you, Gar,” reply Stella. 

“But, all this time you never mind looking simple. After all, you are already beautiful even without makeup and clothes like this. You don't have to dress up to look beautiful, Stella,” explains Garry.

Stella grunts. No matter how Garry explains, he still will not change his appearance to be simple anymore. Stella won't let Garry control her. He had already convinced himself not to be swayed at persuading the man again.

“It would be wrong if I wanted to look like the real me? I'm tired of constantly looking the way other people want me to. I want to go back to being myself,” explained Stella in a landslide.

Garry remained silent. He realized that this was the real Stella and all this time he was the one who asked Stella to look simple.