Beautiful Monster
Home Front

The afternoon went on as usual. People will reprimand each other the class residents who must carry out the obligation to clean the class after school. But certainly not the usual reprimand that can if heard up to the next class.

Language kids always have the power to just remind those who are pickets.

There are those who lift chairs to the table, sweep, clean the board that holds a lot of mathematical formulas in the last hour, also do not forget those who are fad to disturb those who clean the class.

Amid the chaos of the afternoon, Ignacia and Nesya were sitting in front of the class while waiting for the school to start to quiet down. Going home when everyone else is also home is not a good idea. The school will be crowded, the parking lot will be a little jammed, also everything feels so crowded.

"It seems after this we can go home" whispered Nesya.

The bespectacled girl directed her gaze in all directions, ascertaining what people were really already on their way out of school. But instead of listening, the girl he was talking to noticed something else.

Ignacia's eyes were fixed on a tall man who was chatting with his female friends. I don't know what they're talking about until Rajendra smiles like that. Perhaps something more interesting and important than the message Ignacia sent Rajendra. The man hasn't even read it.

"What do you see?" Nesya asked.

His eyes followed where the clear bead enticed Ignacia. Nesya could immediately know what was going on. If it wasn't Ignacia who was jealous, maybe this girl was being sidelined.

"If it's like this, I want to be her friend, '" muttered Ignacia then decided to look at Mipa 3. "He was with his friends more often than I was. But maybe I wouldn't be able to get close to him if we were just friends. On the other hand, it's possible that she has a lover that she looks after so much."

Nesya looked at her strange friend, "What are you talking about? If you're friends, maybe Rajendra will come after you. By the way why didn't Rajendra come home? Isn't he the one who really likes going home from school?"

Ignacia shrugged her shoulders not knowing. Someone from the class said that Rajendra was busy talking about the PPKn task. It felt like Ignacia was coming and bothering the man. Want to see the reaction he will get, or maybe what word Rajendra will say.

"We'd better go home, Ignacia. Being here for too long might not be a good idea."

Nesya seemed to be able to feel if her friend was in a bad mood. Especially after seeing Rajendra, his emotions will be shaken even more. A sensitive Ignacia cannot be made okay if it is left unchecked.

Ignacia got a helping hand from Nesya who wanted to take her away from where the two were sitting. The school is getting quieter. They should leave before the back gate closes. If it is closed, people must lead their bikes from the side of the mosque to the front gate. A troublesome rule.

Several times Ignacia looked back, hoping to see Rajendra before he actually left school. But nil. The man would rather discuss something with his friends than look for the whereabouts of his lover. Ignacia is independent, but at least meet her for a while in the middle of your busy life.

"Come on, there's no girl as childish as you, Ignacia. In this era, you should be more mature because soon you will enter college."

On the way home, Ignacia's memories lead to a message she gets when her relationship with Rajendra only runs a year. Ignacia smiled slightly, she had a fight with Rajendra that day because Ignacia was busy doing things outside the city.

The school asked for it.

Rajendra said that he was enjoying his time with his female friends because Ignacia seemed to have no time to just send him a message. Though its position at that time Ignacia did not carry a charger cable. As a result, this girl must maintain the power of her phone by turning it off at any time.

Rajendra doesn't want to know. He was angry, maybe disappointed. Since the first Rajendra is more seen communicating with women, so gradually Ignacia has begun to understand and not think about the feelings of jealousy that may arise.

"Of course, they're just friends. Rajendra falls in love with all the women who accompany him. If all this time he could stay with me, what makes me doubt his feelings?"

...*****...

Messages from Kemala arrived on Ignacia's phone. She said the girl happened to be in the neighborhood of the Ignacia estate after buying a bouquet of flowers at a store inside the estate. There was something the girl wanted to say like that. Ask Ignacia to come to the park.

Kemala seems to have come alone. Ignacia saw no sign of the squinty-eyed lover here. Isn't this place too far from Kemala's house? I hope the girl is okay to get home.

"Yet" said Ignacia from a distance.

He could instantly recognize the narrow-eyed girl with the glasses pinned over her head. Hearing the call, Kemala put on his glasses again, looking at Ignacia who was slowly approaching. Sitting in a garden chair, next to Kemala.

"You're here by yourself?" Ignacia asked. He got a nod in response. "Going out alone is not good, Kemala. Better get someone. This place is not close to your house either."

"Well, how else? My boyfriend is taking a course so he can't take me. Tonight I plan to surprise him. Tomorrow he'll have a birthday."

Ignacia glanced at a bouquet of sweet foods beside Kemala. "Your love likes sweet food?"

Kemala.

"I want to tell you something, by the way. I was confused whether I wanted to say it or not. Because if I tell you, I'm afraid you'll get hurt. But if I don't tell you, Rajendra himself will never say."

Ignacia gave her focus to Kemala. "Tell me. I'll try not to be disappointed."

"So a few days ago I went to a Thai Tea store with my girlfriend. In front of him, it was like seeing Rajendra with a woman. I thought it was you, but when I approached, it wasn't. I was a little surprised because she was begging Rajendra to take her home."

Ignacia scrunched her forehead, "would she come home?"

"Rajendra. He said he had to do something or I don't know. I didn't hear it clearly because it was when my boyfriend asked me to talk. Rajendra then goes on his bike somewhere."

"I heard that this woman lived in front of Rajendra's house. I don't remember that." The last thing Kemala said caught Ignacia's attention. The girl looked at him as if asking Kemala to continue.

"This woman's name is Sarah, she's Rananta's classmate now. I know his house didn't move in front of Rajendra's house. The one who moved house in front of Rajendra's house was a friend of mine named Feby."

Was Kemala the answer Ignacia had been looking for from Rajendra? "How's this Feby?" Ignacia asked as if interested.

"I'm not so close to him. All I know is that he's hyperactive, his personality is a bit crowded but friendly. Sometimes he would kick people if he was upset. Maybe because he was a karate kid."

Ignacia chuckles. Rajendra probably won't want to make trouble with this girl.

"Look Rajendra. I can get an answer without waiting for you, "please Ignacia inwardly. Now he's one step ahead to see if Rajendra's friends are more interesting than him or not.

"You have a photo of Feby, Kemala?" Ignacia asked.

Kemala pulled out his phone, looking for photos in the gallery. Shortly afterwards he showed a photo of a female friend of Kemala in his class. One of them is called Feby. Someone with sharp eye angles.

"Oh so apparently. Thank you for showing it to me, Kemala."

"certain. I happen to have this photo."

"Oh yeah, don't misunderstand Rajendra and Sarah, Kemala." He turned his head while keeping his phone back in the small bag he was carrying. "Sarah and Rajendra were friends since childhood. Even their parents seem to know each other. They're friends, neighbors, so don't get me wrong."

Long ago Ignacia knew who Sarah was. But not with his attitude towards those around him. Dianti never discussed it because they are also rather close home. They were even an elementary school. Diane obviously knew him.

Ignacia will not be jealous. Ignacia was sure she would not be replaced by an old friend.

"Aren't you the one who could have misunderstood, Ignacia? They look close. Though in the end Rajendra doesn't want to drive Sarah home."

"Important Rajendra didn't bring Sarah home. Rajendra's a good man." Ignacia rested her body on the back of the garden chair.

"Is it because you've been dating long enough? You don't seem jealous and trust Rajendra." He stared curiously, "you're not jealous of what I just said? You don't mind if Rajendra gets close to his old friend?"

"If you read a novel, it's like opening the middle of a chapter. We don't know the beginning or the end of the book. So just take the important part that can be trusted. After all, a woman like Sarah has a lover."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because we have Rananta."

He chuckled, as if he knew the meaning of the words of Ignacia. It is true that if they have Rananta who is happy to share stories about his friends. But still with a not-so-personal topic.

...*****...

Feby's.

Ignacia stared at the ceiling of her room as she lay down on the bed. In his right hand was a novel that he stopped reading for a moment. "Her father and mother even agreed to go and go home to school with Rajendra. Did Rajendra's mother forget that Rajendra still has me?"

It could have been. Ignacia did not dare to come to Rajendra's house no matter what.

Sarah.

If it's that girl, she's pretty. Reportedly Rajendra once liked the girl. But unfortunately before expressing his feelings, Sarah first dated someone else. Ignacia should thank Sarah. That way Ignacia can win Rajendra's heart.

Ignacia won without a fight.

"I have one male friend alone is already a problem for Rajendra. But he had so many female friends around him. I don't care what you're talking about, but why should your attention be on them? You are mine."

Ignacia stared at the door of her room. There was a faint sound of someone approaching. Maybe it was his father or his mother. Because her voice did not sound like the steps of Athira or her two younger brothers.

"Sister." Apparently it was his mother. "You want some corn? Mama made a lot. If you want, go out and get a bowl. Oh yeah, there's a good movie on tv tonight. Let's watch together in the living room."

Sounds interesting.

Ignacia and her mother watched in the living room coupled with the presence of Athira who was busy listening to music and drawing portraits. While on the other side of the living room there is a father and his two younger brothers who are busy making masterpieces from ice cream sticks.

"If a man doesn't want to take his girlfriend home, what does it mean?" Ignacia asked in a soft voice so that the father would not hear her.

"If for those who already have a partner, then of course to take care of the heart of his woman. If you don't already have a partner, it's probably because they're not close. The man will not let others sit on his bike like the people he likes or the people he is really close to. Just like your father. Only his family's in the fucking bell."

Pretty reasonable. Ignacia was not satisfied.

Why would Rajendra be the one Sarah asked to help? Where did Sarah's lover Ignacia saw that time go? The guy who's ready to take him home even if he has to go back to school to do something? A good man and put a lot of effort on him.

Rananta can't lie. Sarah really already had someone by her side. And if they broke up, Rananta would most likely say it to Ignacia who had already asked before.

...*****...

Unpleasant sight was obtained Ignacia in the morning. He finds Rajendra chatting with a woman. Should I talk in front of class? Rajendra just came. Why not let him put down his bag that looked heavy?

After the chat was over, the girl went towards another class while Rajendra entered her already crowded classroom. Ignacia won't be able to see him in a few hours. Especially if Rajendra has to do a lot of things.

May Rajendra's female friends remain at the safe limits. Especially for Sarah who is the male neighbor and Feby who lives in front of Rajendra's house. As for the two neighbors, why should they be asked to go together?

If it was Ignacia, Rajendra would probably be very angry and would not even talk to her for weeks. But fortunately Ignacia got this position. He still has self-control and not to the point of kicking people.

"Would you come with me to the cafeteria to buy a drink?"

Ignacia would not reject Nesya's invitation. He was tired of being in a noisy class. A short walk to the cafeteria is not a bad thing.

"Febys!" Sounds like a Kemala sound. Ignacia automatically turned and saw Kemala talking to the woman called Feby earlier. Ignacia sharpened her eyes to see more clearly.

"He's a person like in the photo. Rajendra's housemate." Ignacia. There was a small smirk on the corner of his lips that no one knew about. Even Nesya was not aware that Ignacia stopped and looked towards Kemala who was done with his affairs.

"Is there a problem?" Nesya asked. Ignacia shook her head, following her distant friend a few steps away with her.