Beautiful Monster
Trust me

"Ignacia's my lover, why did you order?" Rajendra whispered coldly. Isn't it his job to give her what she needs? It seems natural that Rajendra is upset that someone else is taking part in his role.

"You're still afraid if Ignacia turns away from you? Have you not been in a long relationship all this time? Can't you trust Ignacia?"

Rajendra chuckled furiously, "I believe him. But if you keep teasing my role, do I have to shut up?"

...*****...

After the double date was over, Ignacia did not go straight home. He wants to talk to Rajendra for a second. Rajendra takes Ignacia to a diner not far from Ignacia's dormitory for dinner. He should immediately cool off by enjoying the rest of the day with his beloved.

"Ignacia, I want to go to the toilet for a while. Can I leave my stuff to you?" Rajendra got up after getting the nod from Ignacia.

Rajendra finished his natural call, washed his hands, and looked at himself in the mirror. What was this flat face that Ignacia had seen all day? She must have been too childish to show her disinterest in the show Ignacia had done with her friend.

When it was about to come out, Rajendra's steps came to a halt. Looking at Ignacia who was alone in the midst of the crowded place to eat. The girl simply stared at their food that had already come without touching the cell phone. His hands were kept under the table. It was obvious that Ignacia waited patiently for herself.

"Can't you trust Ignacia?"

Rajendra does not believe in his lover. Rajendra has always felt only fear. Rajendra certainly believes in Ignacia if the girl will not turn away, will not look for another heart patch behind her. But fear always comes. Fearing Ignacia could no longer be with him because of his negligence.

The thick-browed man exhaled a long breath, calmed himself, trying to smile. Seeing Rajendra walking over, Ignacia immediately looked at him and smiled broadly. His eyes seemed to say, 'you've come too' at last'. The look of the eyes that welcomed Rajendra's arrival.

"You're still afraid if Ignacia turns away from you?"

Seeing Ignacia's honest gaze, Rajendra could not answer Bahri's question anymore.

Ignacia told me about her feelings when I listened to Car Crash on the radio this afternoon. He honestly said he remembered what Rajendra did on the peak night. Ignacia glanced at Rajendra at a glance and then back at his food, continuing to tell him happily.

"Maybe a little impressed, but I always remember. Thank you for protecting me that night, Rajendra. I really appreciate it."

...*****...

"You know, Ignacia is the kind of person who falls in love with the little things that people like to do. And if she's already in love, she most likely will never leave." Bahri picks up his drink also belonging to Danita, leaving the rest of Rajendra to carry.

"Don't you feel that you know too much about your old friend despite having a boyfriend?" cynical Rajendra. The two walked together to approach the two girls who were already waiting there.

"What do you think I've been through to get to this point? With Danita." Bahri replied that he was no less cynical. Even the look in his eyes showed firmness.

...*****...

Rajendra opens the door for Ignacia, letting her girl out first from the diner. Ignacia thanked him and waited for Rajendra to follow him. Hands of intent joined together.

"I'm sorry that today I upset you, Rajendra. Danita and I kept each other's lovers a secret until they met on a double date. I never knew if Danita's boyfriend was Bahri. Someone you never liked before."

Ignacia did not dare to turn her head, she slightly lowered her head to hide her fear. Rajendra could have shown his feelings at that time because Ignacia brought up something bad. The first meeting Rajendra disliked.

"I want to try to do a double date because..," Ignacia continued her words because she did not get any response from Rajendra, "...I've always wanted to know what it's like when I can date you without feeling bad. One close friend of mine who has a lover can't be sniffed because she never even says anything to other friends."

The long-haired girl stepped at a normal pace, keeping her pace in order to stay in tune with Rajendra. "But after I tried it today, it didn't taste as I expected. I'm not disappointed, it's okay. Maybe I'm too happy to have a friend like Danita without looking around. Without knowing a secret."

Rajendra remained silent, staring at Ignacia without any intention of interrupting the expression of the girl's heart. That way Ignacia can keep it open. Did Ignacia realize it? His tone sounded even sadder.

"I ruined your visit, I'm so sorry." A small crack appeared from Ignacia. Rajendra stops and checks on the girl. Ignacia's eyes glazed over with slightly quivering lips. Did Rajendra make her girl cry again?

"I'm really sorry." In one blink of an eye, the defenses Ignacia had built finally collapsed. His face was wet from the clear grains that were coming down so swiftly. Ignacia lowered her head, ashamed of herself for not being able to control her emotions.

"No, no," said Rajendra, "you are not wrong. There's nothing wrong here." He took the girl into his arms, patting Ignacia's back gently to make her stop. Once again Rajendra fails to be someone who should be able to take care of Ignacia.

Ignacia sobbed, trying to hold back the voice but there was still a small sobbing heard. "I'm afraid you're mad at me because Bahri showed up" Ignacia said, "I'm afraid we're going to fight again like we used to. I'm afraid you're upset and give up on me."

Rajendra tightened his embrace, he seemed to have put trauma on his beloved girl. His anger that day must have been so intense that Ignacia cried. "Where might I give up on you, Ignacia. In fact, because there's a presence of people like Bahri, it makes me really want to continue with you to shut down that we're still okay."

The night was getting late, the road where the two poured out their hearts became increasingly quiet. The air is cooling. Rajendra let go of his embrace slowly, looking at Ignacia's already very wet and flushed face. She held both hands to warm the girl.

"I'll take you home. Are you feeling better?" He stared at Ignacia's two beads. Look at Rajendra's actions. The pretty eyes of the girl were blocked by the feeling of sadness. "If it's less, I'll hug you again. Until you feel better."

Ignacia was about to stop crying, but Rajendra's remarks nullified her intentions. Ignacia again cried, whatever was on her mind, her feelings even felt mixed. Jadinta Ignacia immediately hugged Rajendra without permission, continuing to cry but without a frenzy.

"I must be so scary when I'm angry that you can't forget it. I'm sorry to worry you, Ignacia. I'm sorry I can't make you feel safe with you" Rajendra said.

...*****...

On the way home after returning the car, Bahri planned to immediately drive Danita back to the dormitory. But there is a change of plans until now both can be in the minimarket to eat snacks. Guess who still doesn't want to go home and spend time together. There is no boredom Danita met Bahri.

"She wanted to spend time with me. But you're playing on a cell phone" Bahri said.

"I'm sorry. I sent a message to Ignacia, asking her if she had reached the dorm." Danita put her phone in her pants pocket, picked up potato chips and ate them.

"You're very attentive to him."

"Do you know why I want to take care of Ignacia?" Danita turned her head, seeing Bahri shake her head. "That ignacia doesn't say much, I see it as someone who's quite reclusive. Such a reason that makes me want to keep paying attention to her."

Bahri sipped her drink slightly, looking at Danita with a strange look. He still doesn't understand why Danita wants to make sure Ignacia is okay even though Rajendra is in town. Rajendra must have made sure the girl got home safely to her destination.

Silent, both of them were drowning in their respective emotions. Bahri is busy thinking about the fate of Ignacia after what she told Rajendra while in the cinema. Is Ignacia no longer crying because of the man she likes.

Then Danita thought about whether her double date plan worked or not. Everyone enjoys it or not. Can she do another double date if Ignacia pleases? Maybe invite Nesya too if she already has a lover.

Danita felt something vibrate in her pocket. When I checked, someone called. "My mom called, wait a minute." The girl got up, took a few steps away before connecting the call.

Bahri certainly will not try to listen. He held up the potato chips on the table, checking if he should open the other alley later. It's okay to eat a lot of snacks after a long day. There is also a half price promo for this snack.

There was a moment where Danita turned her body for a while, looking at Bahri with a smile while saying something on the phone. After that he will return to his original position to make the one being stared at feel a bit strange.

After the call was turned off, Danita sat down next to her boyfriend. She complains that her mother does not believe her feelings about Ignacia. Danita once explained, but her mother said Danita's feelings were nonsense. Danita was disappointed, but not so disappointed.

"It's okay, I trust you."

"You're the only one who believes me, Bahri."

...*****...

Finally in front of the dorm. Ignacia took her hand off Rajendra's arm, standing in front of the man. The bead of Rajendra's black eyes is stern. "Aren't you right to not give up on me after what happened today? You're really not going to leave me?" ask Ignacia to make sure.

Rajendra who was stared at so also chuckled with anxiety. He ruffled Ignacia's long, gently unraveling hair. "Where could I possibly give up on you, Ignacia? The longer, the more I can't leave you. Don't think bad. I'll stay with you."

"And do you believe that I will not give up? Do you believe that I won't betray you?"

Rajendra nodded slowly.

Ignacia smiled, her feeling relieved. He could see the sincerity from his lover's eyes. Ignacia stepped closer, on her tiptoes to kiss Rajendra's cheek and bid him farewell.

In front of the boarding gate, Rajendra's smile aimed at his lover disappears along with Ignacia's disappearance from his sight.

How now? Ignacia is not alone in this city. There is Bahri who apparently also lives near here. Will Ignacia get back close to her old friend? Rajendra's role will not be shifted just because the two are not in the same place right?

Along the way back to the hotel, Rajendra thinks how he can keep Ignacia's heart without fear of being outmatched. Rajendra believes strongly in Ignacia, strongly. But still. Rajendra harbors a little fear.

...*****...

There was a rumbling sound from the end of the call. The sound of the wind when Athira brought her mother's phone that had been charged to the owner who had just finished dinner. Vaguely Ignacia could hear the voices of her father and two younger brothers joking about the events at Arvin's school.

The house must not be deserted even if Ignacia goes far.

"Ignacia" said the mother, "where all day? Don't tell the house people."

Ignacia did not talk about her activities with Danita because she was afraid that her mother would think things out. His mother even gave a lot of advice in making friends during college and what things should not be shared with just anyone. It was so long that Ignacia herself remembered only one or two.

The feeling of the first child is happy, so he told me if Rajendra visited his city and they just finished dating. Go to the Botanical Garden for a picnic, watch a good movie at the cinema, then have dinner last night. Anyway Ignacia does not add elements of Danita or double dating in the story. It was also about her crying.

"Great Garden?" Beo his mama, "Garden in your town? Is that the Botanical Garden?"

"Y-yes, why?" Ignacia was made nervous by the question of sharpening the mother. Looks like her mama is moving places, there is the sound of your footsteps hurriedly coming into the call.

"Do you not know if there is a myth in the Botanical Garden? He said if there are couples who come there, their relationship can end. You guys didn't fight, did you? Ignacia, mama remind you not to break up with Rajendra. You have been building relationships for a long time. It's a pity if it suddenly runs aground in the middle of the road."

What did your mother say? A myth? Ignacia never believed in such a thing. Where there may be a break up after having fun in a cool botanical garden and have fresh air.

"No, we're fine. Mama take it easy, I won't let Rajendra go the way you want. Just trust me." Ignacia spoke with great confidence. Yeah why break up if Rajendra also says he won't give up?

But the worry about thinking Rajendra would leave made Ignacia's proud smile disappear. That myth will never come true, right? Myths like that are only made to scare, right? Someone broke up after enjoying time together.

"Oh yeah, how's mama doing?"