Aster Veren
Episodes 109

- Carel

"You here?" Teo's voice surprised me who was focused on doing my homework.

I saw that he was already walking towards his bed, "why not go to the cafeteria?" Ask.

"If you're back, at least go to the cafeteria to see Aster. He looked worried when you weren't next to him, "It made me take a deep breath and stop my learning.

"I've eaten with my mother in the hospital" I replied as I turned my swivel chair to look at Teo.

"... whatever, I've definitely told you that Aster is worried about you."

"You didn't tell him about–"

"No!"

"Good!"

"But ...,"

"What?"

"Not so."

"You want to fight with me, right? Tell me what you want to say! Don't make me curious." I was upset by his nature of that one. And if he doesn't intend to tell me, he can keep his mouth shut until the end. But he intentionally lured me.

"Say!" My words full of emphasis made him sigh resignedly.

"... it doesn't seem like I need to say, good night." The disconnect irritated me, I quickly threw the thick book on my study table at Teo until he screeched.

"Sick stupid!" He said as he stroked his book-bound head.

"You deserve it!" My grunts continued to study.

***

- Esther

"Not finished?" The voice of Kalea who was lying on her bed, made me look at her who was watching me.

"A little more," I answered while showing my smile and scratching my back head which honestly did not itch at all.

"Sorry, because of me you're late for your homework." He said, "want me to help?" It made me shake my head quickly and stopped him from getting up from his lying position.

"It's okay, there are three more. Leah go to sleep first." Refuse me to feel bad if I have to make him rise from the top of his bed. And again, I can still do it myself.

"Well, when you're done, go to bed quickly. Good night." His words made me nod obediently before doing my homework again.

I'm really happy that Nadin has made up with Kalea. My mind recalls the curses of Kalea before she went to sleep, then turned to the image of the closeness of Kalea and Nadin in the canteen.

"Indeed, they're perfect if they're close together like that." I muttered again feeling the envy deep within my heart, for some reason I was afraid that Kalea would be closer to Nadin than I would be. Moreover, they used to be friends—good friends.

I quickly shook off my bad thoughts and went back to my homework, trying to get rid of my negative thoughts.

Tok, tok!

The sound of the door being knocked from outside, I quickly walked towards the door to open it. Because I already know who's always knocking on the door at 09:45 p.m. Who else if not the hostel?

I opened the door to my room and I saw that the hostel's mother had a friendly smile on me, "not asleep yet?" The question went straight into the room to check on Kalea.

"Not yet, still learning." My answer made the hostel mother look at my desk, watching the pile of books scattered there.

"Don't sleep too late, after you finish going to bed. I don't want to see you get sick again" she said, stroking the top of my head gently.

"Good ma'am." Just nod me before showing me my big smile.

"Then I go to the other room huh, good night Aster." He said before leaving my room.

I closed the door and locked it before continuing my studies.

"Nrn ...,"

The sound of a subtle groan along with my footsteps intending to return to my study table, made me reflexively stop my steps and look for the source of the sound I heard.

... What is Kalea's voice? My mind noticed the figure of Kalea who was asleep with her curled up position. It looks uncomfortable.

"Uhh!" His muttering made me step quickly closer to Kalea's bed when he saw the cold sweat on Kalea's face, he also continued to groan while hugging her stomach. His moans sounded even more agonizing, different from before.

"Lea?" Call me to try to wake him up.

There was a lot of sweat, and his body was warm. What is Lea fever? I continue in my heart.

"... Aster?" He said while opening his eyes.

"You sick of Lea?" I was worried when I saw her pale face.

"Your stomach?"

"Sick," he replied as he rose from his curled up position.

"Be–just lie down Lea, I'll–" I stopped when I saw the red stains on Kalea's white sheets as the blankets unfolded.

"Blood?" I was so shocked by what I saw, "Blood Le–Lea?" I made him pay attention to his sheets.

"This?" He muttered while grimacing.

"How's this? Why do they bleed? Pa–when Lea said it hurt in the stomach, then it?" I was panicked when I saw this strange sight. How not? It's a stomachache, but there's blood on the sheets.

"A–what's your stomach hurt?" I was panicking about what I was doing myself.

"Calm down Aster, I'm fine. It's probably–"

"I'll call the hostel mother and find a cure for you, calm down Lea! Hold on a second!" My words immediately ran out of the room after cutting off his words.

***

"Mother!" I screamed as I saw the hostel mother come out of Nadin's room.

"Aster?" He said when he saw me stop running right in front of him, and I saw Nadin had also lowered his head behind the door when he heard my voice.

"What's the Aster?" Ask.

"That's ... Lea," I replied as I caught my breath, "bloody!" I continued to make Nadin surprised as well as the hostel mother.

"Bloody?" Tanya Nadin immediately ran to my room followed by the hostel mother.

"Lea?!" Shouted Nadin as he opened the door of my room, he quickly entered the room followed by the hostess.

"Where's Lea?" Furthermore, the dorm mother confused me when I did not find Kalea anywhere.

"That's ..," I murmured, unable to give a definite answer, which was clear before I left that he was still sitting on his bed.

"What exactly happened?" Nadin asked when he met me.

"That was, after mom left my room. I heard Kalea moan in pain, she continued to hug her stomach tightly. Her body was also warm, and when I woke Kalea. Kalea also continued to grimace in pain." I remember everything I saw.

"That means–" said Nadin immediately cut by the hostel mother.

"Yes, as you think." Said the hostel mother while smiling at Nadin.

"As Nadin thought?" I was confused myself, what was Nadin thinking?

"Calm down Aster, Kalea's fine. He wasn't hurt. This blood is menstrual blood." Obviously the hostel mother reminded me of the reading books I read in the library.

Dibuku also explained that menstruation is the process of discharge of blood from v*gina that occurs due to the natural monthly cycle in the female body. And that's happening to Kalea right now?

"So Kalea?" I immediately got a quick nod from the hostel mother, complete with a thin smile.

"It's not wrong .. You're scaring me Aster." Nadin continued while examining the white sheets of Kalea.

"Ma–maf, I don't know." I felt ashamed of myself for making a scene.

"It's okay, now you know. So when you experience it later, you won't be surprised." The mother of the dorm surprised me, her words really annoyed me. It seems like he knows I haven't experienced that.

"Ba–how do you know?" I asked to shrink my tone.

"From your reaction," he answered adding a sense of heat on my face.

Clamps!

There was the sound of a bathroom door being opened from the inside and displaying the figure of Kalea coming out from there with her limp body. Then Nadin quickly approached her and helped her walk.

"Is it so painful?" Ask.

"Yes ... do all women often experience this kind of pain during menstruation? This is my first time." Kalea answered back asking.

Ba–even Kalea immediately know that she is menstruating? Why didn't I realize it? I'm even making a fuss like this, really embarrassing.

"really? Then ... Nadin you still have sof*ex?" Ask the hostel mother who had stood on the other side of Kalea and held her hand.

"Some, I'll take it!" He immediately ran to his room.

"Aster, can you get some warm water for Kalea?" The hostel mother asked me a quick nod and immediately picked up my and Kalea's small flask. Then without wasting any time, I immediately ran downstairs to fill up the drinking place I was carrying.

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Thanks for reading...