ARSHAKA
Zara Zeavananidya

Moving on is hard for me.

When the people you have to forget are still scattered in your life.

Actually it does not lead to forget, because it is difficult, I mean more lead legowo with circumstances.

Not long ago Erick broke up, rumors that say if he was close to Jeanne more often heard by me. And now I watched with both eyes open and I saw it in a hundred percent conscious state, where Erick held Jeanne's hand as they entered the canteen. Then the college kids who caught them cheering while asking for PJ (tax).

Don't ask me how I feel right now, just shadow it like a wound sown with salt flakes. Grievous.

"are you okay Bi?" whispered Karin beside me but her eyes still looked at a pair of lovebirds who were smiling casmaran at one of the cafeteria tables. Not far from our position.

What I had been struggling to devour soto noodles after fulfilling the schedule of taxation lectures, my eating activities became stopped at the scene that made my eyes sting suddenly.

I realized I couldn't expect more. Erick has found the mooring of his heart, which is Jeanne.

And I myself, still walking in a place enjoying the pain in the chest cavity, I began to be unable to.

I grabbed my carry-on bag on the table, then stepped away leaving Karin who was screaming for me.

***********************************

Sitting alone under the tree of the campus yard quite managed to calm my heart and mind.

While enjoying the melodious music really very fitting.

Then the roar of the wind blew freely past me, for a moment I was tickled but made me fall asleep.

Then there was something bothering in my ears, making me wake up and clack up.

"you?!"

Not yet my sadness subsided to see Erick and Jeanne, now I have to swallow the annoyance of hitting a figure I don't want to see.

"hi's beautiful,"

It didn't take him a while to sit next to me, and then he put out a white plastic containing some sweet foods.

"i bring chocolate, said the person eating it is best suited to relieve badmood."

Also he took out a white Rose Flower in his grasp.

"kok you can be here? You skipped school? delict me with some cynical questions.

Seeing him face me, I thought back to my conversation with Leo. After I came home after walking with him a few days ago, Leo immediately raised a few questions to me:

"when did you know Arshaka?"

"what is your relationship with her?"

"do you think brother can be close to him?"

"sister, isn't she the same?"

The last question made me think so hard that my forehead creased inward.

Until Leo says something to me again,

"don't let brother get too close to him, let alone until brother has feelings for him. Leo please don't,"

"you know me that he's acting like a sister!"

Leo's words were imprinted on my head, plus the rumors I heard from the college kids all along about him, made me think that he wasn't an ordinary High School kid.

Then Arshaka smiled, "want to meet my sun,"

"then," I began to glance at the Flower that was still held by him. "who is the Flower for?"

"make you." he replied.

"for what?" ask again.

"usually girls like flowers. The flowers smell good, I just bought them across the building," he said, pointing them at me. I did not intend to reach for it, but I observed the flower with great expanse.

"just love someone else. I don't need it" I refused to the point.

"what do you need, certainty? Don't worry, I don't like to waste time giving away empty reassurance."

I turned both my eyes panted after seeing him chuckle in amusement.

"everyone knows, all flowers of all kinds are beautiful. But I prefer the Rose, because it's full of thorns all over this stalk..."

"...and the flower is like you. Well-favoured. Then the thorn is like me, which will guard and protect you from anything that makes you hurt" he said calmly as he stared fixedly at the white Rose.

I was fixated for a moment, then immediately cleared my throat briefly to neutralize my fast-paced heartbeat.

Suddenly I became melted myself, I hurriedly distanced myself so that there was a little distance between us.

But he moved closer to me, eroding our distance.

"what the hell is close?" the more I moved away he moved as close as possible. Makes me even more upset.

My intention was to get up, he had already blocked my movement by holding my shoulder.

"Bi, uh,"

There was a pause for a while and our gazes met.

"the yuk's girlfriend,"

Spontaneously I blinked, then immediately shook my head. She was crazy all of a sudden asking me to be her boyfriend.

I clucked, "don't be weird!"

"i'm not weird" he said.

"if it's not weird, you can't ask me to be your girlfriend. You're still in High School, too-"

"what's wrong if someone likes you?"

I thought for a moment, though,

"no," I said.

"do you mind if the one who likes you is a high school boy?"

I suddenly found myself confused as to what to say.

"ti-no, but.mak-i mean-"

"no need to think about it,"

He smiled again, showing his white teeth. Then he stood up, confirmed his white hoodie and spoke again,

"you don't like me or anything, I won't give up near you."

**********************************

I should have been home.

I should have slept in my soft mattress.

I should have slept in my dream.

But I had to postpone it, because Karin asked me to meet her somewhere foreign.

Karin asked me to come by myself using an online taxi, he said that if I accompanied her he would take me home.

But I think I should really be home.

And here I am. Stopped in the wide, deserted highway area, many wild weeds, but it has been crowded by several young people my age.

There are people I know, and there are people I don't know.

When I looked for the figure of Karin, I even found the figure of Erick who was busy chatting with campus children.

Accompanied by Jeanne by his side. With her PD Erick embraces Jeanne's shoulder as a sign that they do have a special relationship.

I breathe heavily. Before long my eyes found Karin approaching me.

"are you crazy to go to a kayak gini place?" before Karin explained I had already vented my frustration.

"why ask me to come to a kayak gini place?" add me again.

"my friend Bi, I want to watch Romeo race cars."

"what??" I let out a cry inviting the gazes of some people, Karin closed her eyes in embarrassment to be seen.

I told you a little Karin's story. He's been close to Romeo for a month. But Romeo has not given any certainty.

But Karin herself did not mind that, because she could also be free to be close to others.

Although I think they like each other, but I saw them deliberately put a thin boundary that makes me not understand where their relationship will be taken.

Back with me, looking at the highway area that would be used as a wild race made my body shiver.

I said wild race because this place is not the F1 race circuit arena that I watch on tv.

Several cars of various brands lined up neatly in the corner of the street area, also seen there are some people who gathered, maybe they are the owner of the car that will do a wild race.

Including Erick. I saw Erick's car in one of those rows.

Then before long there were 3 new cars coming, making the crowd glued and cheered the joy of watching their arrival.

3 The car stopped in front of the row of racing cars, then one of the drivers came out to show themselves.

I looked up at someone who just got out of his car. That person is Arshaka.

I looked at her presence with a look of disbelief, and only realized that Ashaka had a contrasting and dominant aura, not looking like the high school boy I know today.

His curly hair is neatly styled, wearing a shirt wrapped in shirts, legs lined with skinny jeans plus glasses that he just released to make the women here gape in awe.

Romeo and Samuel were there. 

People look happy and enthusiastic to see their presence, I just want to go from here.

It was enough that I felt tired of meeting him these few days, I felt myself plunging into the forbidden area.

I still want to live a long, healthy life always and facilitated the same fortune God.

So I decided to leave Karin. But before long I followed Karin, she prevented me from waiting for her until Romeo was up.

I told you that I'm not comfortable here, seeing Arshaka is also here my mood immediately take down.

Come on, it's the weekend. I want to pamper myself by being alone in my room and enjoying the music on my phone.

"christian, Bi. Just moment. What time do you think I'm here?" rengek Karin clenched her hands together, begging me to accompany her.

"watch on instagram live. Or IGTV, get Romeo to get people to record his activities."

"jeez Bi," Karin sneered at his forehead. "this is not a public-watched content. Please Bi for a moment, I promise you this I'll bring you home."

I'm lazy, I'm upset, but I can't bear to see Karin pleading with me like this with her face in the air so that my heart would melt.

But Karin succeeded. I had to make a decision to agree to his invitation then he smiled with satisfaction and immediately pulled me again to sit in the audience seat that had been provided.

It was seen that several people had gathered at the arena point, including Arshaka. I'm guessing he'll race there.

Before this wild race started, I saw Erick and Arshaka standing face to face. From a distance I knew they were talking about something serious. Before long I saw Arshaka smiling cynically, his smile that made my eyes widen did not understand.

Arshaka's cynical smile widened warmly, I realized that Arshaka had seen me sitting here staring at her.

Rushing I turned my eyes away, but it was useless, because he stepped closer to me.

"you're here,"

I have not yet returned his words, trying to avoid his gaze as well as the gazes of those who are centered on us.

"i didn't know you could be here. Don't you come here on purpose to see me match?"

I still don't want to look at him. His size pisses me off.

"what if we bet?"

I looked up after he told me the bet. Still haven't said a word to him, but after he saw my eyebrows raised he spoke again,

"if I win, tomorrow we'll update all day. Deal?"

"but-"

"lt.aaa.." Arshaka interrupted my words.

"look at me Bi. I'll definitely win."

Arshaka smiled, then his gaze shifted to see Erick who was also looking at him sharply.

Before Arshaka left, he still had time to stroke my head gently.

The roar of the machine began to sound filling the arena. I can see Arshaka's car and Erick's car next door.

Seeing the Queen's Race cue spreading a chess flag, the car sped across the highway.

My eyes focused on seeing Arshaka's car in black. My heart was too fast to see Arshaka's car had darted far past the other car.

Looks like the race car has disappeared I caught a hand by biting my finger, then my gaze noticed the side of the highway that will be passed.

Heartbeats increased when Arshaka's car began to show itself, his car sped up and roared loudly buzzing our ears who watched this game.

As explained before the start of the race, the riders must pass the crossing as much as 3x, whoever first crosses the white line marked the finish line is the winner.

In the second round, I saw Erick's first car through the crossing, followed by Arshaka's car and other cars.

Now is the deciding round. I'm getting less and less waiting for the results of this race, who will win this race.

"well, Arshaka's car showed up."

Karin's words made me stand up. Arshaka's car shows up and Erick's car follows behind him.

Both Arshaka's car and Erick's car were speeding each other.

Approaching the finish line, their cars are seen running parallel to each other. Up at the finish line both me and the crowd did not know who won because their cars were seen simultaneously crossing the line.

Seeing results like this, I feel heavy hearted. Either I want Erick to win, or Arshaka.

Then the judges decided their judgment, that the one who won the race was Arshaka. Judging from the footage they documented, the hood of Arshaka's car first crossed the line.

"Arshaka won Bi!" sahut Karin gaped happy. I nodded with an empty look.

But my heart feels relieved.

This confused me to digest the strange feeling that stifled my chest. 

I hope this is just my feeling.

***********************************