Beautiful Monster
Caught Wet

Ignacia is no longer on tiptoes. The girl still ate her ice cream and said nothing. Even so, he cursed himself who peered through the shoulder and showed his face to these three guests who had come. Hah, he should just hide. Or it shouldn't even be in the living room.

"You're going to take Manila, aren't you? You guys wanna come in for a second?" Rajendra. His hands turned cold like the ice cream he was carrying.

"No, we'll just wait on the porch." Rajendra's male friend refused. There was clearly an intent behind her smile accompanied by the other two friends.

Since Rajendra has already finished his part, let the other three friends add a little detail. They'll take him to school Monday. Rajendra doesn't have to do anything.

"Then wait a minute," nervous Rajendra.

Ignacia was taken to the kitchen. Avoiding his friends who might ask questions. It was a pleasure for Ignacia to find herself being carried inside. He did not have to deal with his three friends.

"They won't be long, will they?" Ignacia asked.

"No. Just take Manila. You stay here until they get home. I'll take Manila paper in the room." Rajendra leaves his ice cream on Ignacia. The girl was still confused but only complied when asked to hold ice cream.

Rajendra came out with his blue Manila paper. Given it to the three friends who waited with a little chatty. His name is also a close friend. Even when Rajendra showed up, there was still a bit of conversation they had.

"Your parents aren't home It looks like, Rajendra." The three friends found the car that was supposed to be in the garage disappeared. The atmosphere of the house is very quiet and calm as if to explain everything.

Rajendra would answer, but someone cut him off.

"So those of you who say you're not dating don't mean dating outside the house?" Tempted a girl friend. Seeing Rajendra's slightly reddened and misbehaved face made him continue to flirt. "Our former MPK chairman prefers dating at home" he continued.

"Rajendra may want to make sure Ignacia stays safe, so they go on a date at home. Even Rajendra bought ice cream for his girl" another friend of his.

"Already, just go back in and enjoy your date. We'll keep this a secret and let you both."

The Manila paper had already changed hands. Rajendra's male friend pushed the homeowner's back into the house. Closing the door unilaterally and taking his two friends out of the house area.

Rajendra hasn't even said anything. They just left. Hah, Rajendra felt embarrassed and misbehaved because his friends teased earlier.

"Why?" Ignacia peeked out of the wall into the living room, in her hands were still two ice creams, one of which Rajendra then took.

"It's okay. Let's sit down."

Ignacia's heart was still beating. Just like Rajendra felt. The two were busy eating ice cream without speaking. Neutralize each other's heartbeats to avoid being heard.

"They won't tell anyone, will they? People can misunderstand and take it negatively." Ignacia looked worried. Maybe this is the reason why he felt nervous from last night until sleep was quite difficult. Apparently fate prepared Ignacia for this.

"Maybe not. I'm a little worried too."

...*****...

News spread by no one.

Ignacia only finds herself getting teased by the female friends of Rajendra's class when she is out of class. And so the friends in Ignacia's class also tease the girl. The theme is of course about Ignacia and Rajendra's house-style dating.

...Rajendra ⁇ ◝ ⁇ ◜...

^^^Rajendra, chaotic people |^^^

| I'm sorry, they are

| Sorry to keep you seduced all day

^^^I became a little scared now |^^^

| What's up? They're outrageous?

^^^^No, they just keep pestering me |^^^

^^^I feel uncomfortable with it |^^^

| I'll see you later

Ignacia was tired of confronting those who kept bothering her. If it's just a mild joke, it doesn't matter. But they just keep bothering him when Rajendra passes in front of the class or something. That's been quite disturbing, unsettling.

Nesya doesn't know why people continue to harass her close friends, but that obviously has something to do with Rajendra. Ignacia deliberately did not tell stories because she herself was reluctant to share them with anyone even though many people already knew.

Nesya only thought if her friends caught Ignacia and Rajendra wet who went home from school together to get to the front of the house or something. People did not tease Ignacia clearly until that was all Nesya got. He also did not intend to seek clarity from the concerned.

Ignacia looked unhappy.

"You?" Nesya thrust a candy at the one sitting beside her. From behind his thick novel Ignacia stared. "Eat this so as not to frown. People do that if something is interesting. So pretend you don't hear it."

"Thank you." Ignacia put the book upside down so that the pages would not close. Unpacked his candy and his trash was taken by Nesya.

"Just sit. I will also throw away my candy wrapper" said the glasses girl as she walked away.

Ignacia's gaze was fixed on the outside view. It felt like he had opened the book for too long and was not aware of the weather outside. It's been cloudy since morning and now it's sunny. It was refreshing like the rain that came in the afternoon with the sunshine.

"Oh, he's out, '" Ignacia muttered as she saw someone coming out of the third Mipa class. He's someone who invited Ignacia to study but instead she used to sleep yesterday. Hah, unfortunately Ignacia can not get better when asked to study while dating.

"I feel so bad. To you and friends who know our date."

...*****...

Rajendra meets Ignacia in her class after school. Some people have left class because the bell went off about twenty minutes ago. In the classroom there are only those who have the responsibility of cleaning the class. Nesya.

"The class is getting hotter" said a friend of Ignacia's sweeping. He is fond of insinuating Ignacia and her new lover. With so many people gone, no one bothers the couple in front of the class.

Ignacia checked her phone when she felt something vibrating in her pocket. It was a message from someone standing nearby. It seemed that Ignacia did not realize that her lover had typed something on her phone earlier.

...Rajendra ⁇ ◝ ⁇ ◜...

| Let's meet later tonight

| You look tired

| How? Let's meet you tonight

^^^Where? |^^^

| Park near your house?

| Maybe you need some fresh air

^^^Why should it be there? |^^^

| So I'm not late in returning you

^^^Sure, can be |^^^

"You exchanged messages?" Tegur Nesya who had been near Ignacia since when. He fixed the position of his glasses and still stared at Ignacia flatly. Not peeking, but the two looked like exchanging messages.

Ignacia just shook her head, pretending to press something on her phone while Rajendra had just kept her phone in his pocket. Ignacia doesn't want to lie. Just don't want to be straightforward.

The disturbance that day did not just get there. When Ignacia, Nesya, and Rajendra had to pause near the library to let Nesya send a message to another classmate, something happened.

The parking lot fence was closed because it was past the clock. So people have to pass the road next to the library and then turn to pass the front fence. Many people pass by on motorcycles. Rajendra makes sure Ignacia gets to the edge.

The horn sounds were heard alternately. Many people who incidentally is a classmate of Rajendra who turns on the horn loudly when going through the place where Ignacia and Rajendra are located.

Ignacia knows why they did it. It must be because there's Rajendra around. Surely they want to tease his lover who responds to their horrendous actions. Why should Rajendra respond to them?

"Children," whispered Ignacia quietly.

...*****...

"Where are you going?" Rafka asked. His eyes focused on the phone, but could still see the movement of his older brother who approached the front door in neat clothes. Her brother wouldn't have been that fiery if it was just inside the house.

"Meeting people for a while," replied Ignacia slowly then closing the door behind her.

Just a few seconds later, Athira came looking. She knows from Rafka if her sister goes to meet someone somewhere. He said just for a second. Just hurry up, Athira will chase. There's something he wants to ask you for dinner. But maybe Athira should not go.

"If Ignacia's sister comes, tell her to meet me in the room if she wants to have dinner" Athira's message, which her sister later accepted.

...*****...

"Ignacia," someone called. Raised one hand to give her a sign. The garden that night was indeed bright and there were a few small children playing cheerfully.

Ignacia changed the direction of her steps, approaching the empty swing that was beside Rajendra. Sitting there and exhaling a long breath. "I'm tired of people talking a lot about our relationships. Isn't something like that not important?" He complains.

"I mean what if we're dating at home? Not just dating they talk about. And dating at home they talked about too. I don't like being the talk of others."

Rajendra only listened, not intending to interrupt the sentence full of annoyed lover. His eyes were directed only to respond to the story of Ignacia.

"This is the reason why I always wanted to cover up our relationship, Rajendra," Ignacia settled Rajendra in, "the reason why I cover up the fact that we've dated and gone together. I don't like it when people get too excited about what we do. It makes me uncomfortable."

"Maybe if it's just a casual joke, I can take it. But if there's a lot of people attacking, I don't like it very much. Don't tell them anything about what I said tonight, Rajendra. I just want you to know what I'm feeling."

"I see," Rajendra replied, "I'm sorry for being the cause of my friends' childish behavior today, Ignacia. I shouldn't have forgotten that they'd come for our group assignment."

Ignacia shook her head slowly. Release eye contact. Turning to his feet that were treading the ground. "I don't want an apology. I just want to say what I feel. I don't need anyone's apology. This isn't something that requires an apology."

"But I'm making you uncomfortable, Ignacia."

"I told you I don't need it!" The sentence Ignacia sharpens. His eyes looked very dislike. But soon the girl flexed the water face, throwing the face in all the important directions not to meet the eye with Rajendra.

"I'm sorry. Maybe I'm sensitive because I'm tired. I'm sorry."

Rajendra understands. This blue hoodie guy dongker just nodded. He slowly grabbed something from the bag and thrust it at Ignacia. "I heard you like Fitbar. So I bought it to restore your mood. Also-"

There was one more thing Rajendra took from his pocket. Letting Ignacia take the Fitbar she offered in order to take what was to be given next. There are two pieces of paper in his hand.

"I want to take you away this weekend. Watching movies. It is a relaxing film, but it has a deep meaning. I read it in an internet review. He said this movie is good for someone who likes drama."

Is Rajendra serious? Ignacia was upset and wanted to complain a lot. But he just took Ignacia away? There was a sense of disappointment on Ignacia's face. This was not what he wanted to relieve the fatigue caused by those people.

"Yes, this is not a good time. But I guess this can ease your fatigue a little bit, Ignacia."

Silent. Ignacia didn't know what to respond to.

There is no harm in accepting Rajendra's invitation. This guy even checks reviews and buys tickets only with the genre he likes.

The girl looked at her lover, "of course. Lefs go. But I hope there's no other problem after this."

...*****...

Ignacia did not come to Athira's room even though her stomach was struggling to be fed. His mood was too bad to miss dinner. Just tell her she's as childish as the people who continue to tease her today. Who likes to be disturbed all day?

The sound of knocking is heard. Also a voice calls from Rafka to her eldest brother. She is asked by Athira who happens to know that her brother has returned for dinner. Athira could get angry with his father and mother if he did not do this. She was also responsible for keeping her brother who had unstable emotions.

The one in the room did not answer. His energy was depleted due to the deafening joke. The girl is still in her place. Lay down while looking at the ceiling of the room that is lighting vaguely. Only the desk lamp is turned on.

Rafka gave up after a few tries. Replaced Arvin who happened to be approaching to ask something. Arvin is also unable to get his brother to open the door until the careless Athira arrives. Just opened the door that happened to be unlocked.

The three of them saw the eldest brother as if he had lost some of his life. Ignacia sat on her bed. Looked at without expression. His face looked very weak but not pale. But really his movements are as slow as people who are sick.

"I'm bad" Ignacia told Athira. Even before his first brother asked why.

"People knew if I was dating Rajendra at his house and it spread to two classes. People keep pestering me every time Rajendra comes. I'm sick!" Ignacia continued without caring about the whereabouts of the two little sisters around Athira.