Ryanthi: Sweet Cake, Bitter Reality
● THIRTEEN: Jealousy

Ryanthi went down the steps in a hurry. He descended to the first floor and headed straight for the courtyard, to meet someone he deeply missed.

Outside, Arshan had been standing waiting for him. Welcoming with a big smile, when Ryanthi comes over. Without hesitation, the man grabbed Ryanthi's hand, held her tightly, then occasionally kissed her affectionately.

"I miss you so much" said Arshan with sparkling eyes.

Ryanthi smiled widely, revealing a pair of sweet dimples. He invited Arshan to sit on the terrace, between the steps of the stairs. They were close to each other, with the face of the spring that continued to decorate the meeting.

"How are you?" ask Arshan.

"Well," Ryanthi answered briefly. She had never been so happy when she met her boyfriend.

Ryanthi felt so lonely, for several days living in the residence of her father. No one was talking to him. Surya included. The girl was still keeping her distance from her father. Ryanthi still felt awkward. He had not even gotten used to having to call the man 'father'.

Surya often tries to be more familiar. However, due to Ryanthi's reclusive and somewhat reserved character, it was quite difficult for the middle-aged man to approach her in such a short period of time.

Ryanthi doesn't like to talk to new people. He will only open up to people he really knows for a long time. Arshan is lucky, for being the person Ryanthi believes in other than Farida.

Arshan did not get tired of staring at the beautiful face of the girl he loved very much. "You're more beautiful during your stay here" she said, making Ryanthi blush.

"During my stay here, I did nothing but eat, sleep, watch television. It feels so boring," complains plain Ryanthi.

Arshan laughed at the grievances of the girlfriend who felt funny. He knows what Ryanthi's character is. The girl is an active person. There's always something he's done. Now, Ryanthi complains about not doing any work. In fact, what he complained about was the dream of almost every girl.

"That means, here you become a princess?" goda Arshan again, who immediately repaid the pinch from Ryanthi.

"Everyone is working. So, I'm looking for my own busyness. Oh, aye. I've made a cake. You want?" bargain Ryanthi.

Arshan smiled sweetly. "No one can resist Ryanthi's cake" he replied proudly.

Ryanthi only considers Arshan's speech too excessive by rolling his eyeballs. The girl got up from her seat.

"Attent. I'll get it for you." he said as he moved in leaving the lover.

Arshan nodded. He watched the girl disappear behind the door. He was still sitting while playing his cell phone.

Not long after, a red sedan car entered the courtyard. A girl in black glasses in pretty sexy clothes came out from there. Her long, beautifully unraveled hair covered part of her shoulders. The girl stepped near Arshan, then stood in front of the man.

The girl kept staring at Arshan with suspicious glare. He even opened his glasses, revealing a beautiful parasa that this time was clearly visible. That girl is Vera.

Arshan stood up and looked back at him. There was admiration in his heart, which he painted with a smile for Vera.

"Who are you?" Vera asked in a spoiled and coquettish style.

However, Arshan did not answer directly. He just looked at the girl.

Vera seemed to know that there was someone who was admiring her beauty. He acted increasingly boldly, playing his hair in front of Arshan.

"I'm Arshan. I'm Ryanthi's girlfriend" replied the man.

Hearing Arshan's confession, immediately Vera's countenance changed. "Ryanthi's boyfriend?" reworked. "Lumayan too", thought the girl.

He then reached out his hand, intending to invite Arshan to shake hands.

"I'm Vera. Ryanthi's sister." The girl started looking mischievously at Arshan.

Arshan nodded with a friendly smile.

"Good day, Ma'am Vera," said the man, beginning to make small talk.

"Oh, well," Arshan replied.

Shortly after, Ryanthi appears with a plate of cake from inside. He was stunned to see Vera there with Arshan. Does Ryanthi have any right to be suspicious? Feels not. Ryanthi knew that Vera would not be interested in a man like Arshan. "Shan," he called slowly.

Arshan. He just realized Ryanthi's presence there.

Vera also looked. However, Ryanthi did not care about it. He immediately approached Arshan, then looked cynically at Vera. The clothes he was wearing back then really bothered Ryanthi. Moreover, Arshan occasionally seemed to steal a glance at him.

"The temple, Shan." Ryanthi broke their silence. Arshan looked over, then nodded.

"You're lucky to have a boyfriend like Ryanthi. He's very good at making cakes" Vera said, occasionally glancing cynically at Ryanthi. However, the girl smiled sweetly at Arshan looking misbehaved.

Meanwhile, Ryanthi only smiled faintly hearing the flattery from Vera. He knew that the girl was just pretending to say so in front of Arshan.

"Ryanthi is a great boyfriend" Arshan said. He glorified his lover with pride.

"definitely. I know that." Vera responded with a slightly forced expression. "Alright, Arshan. It's nice to meet you. I don't want to bother you anymore." Vera smiled mischievously at the man. He's back to making Arshan clumsy. Vera steps in, leaving Ryanthi and Arshan both on the porch.

Ryanthi and Arshan sat down. Ryanthi looked somewhat annoyed by Vera's presence. Therefore, he did not talk much. Her pretty face looked pretty too.

"He's the same age as you?" asked Arshan suddenly.

"Who?" Ryanthi pretends not to understand, even though he understands Arshan's people.

"He, um ... Vera." Arshan called the name of the girl annoying.

"Yes," Ryanthi replied briefly in a somewhat irritated tone. Lazy it feels to have to discuss about the spoiled girl who likes to show off her curves. "He's Maya's daughter. My father's current wife" Ryanthi explained.

"Oh." Arshan.

"Did he tease you?" Suddenly, a silly question came from Ryanthi's lips.

Arshan was surprised to hear such a strange question. "You mean?" He knitted his brows.

Ryanthi smiled. "Look, Vera is constantly smiling at you." Ryanthi begins to show annoyance at being jealous.

Arshan, who has experience in dating several girls, can understand Ryanthi's attitude. "Don't tell me you're jealous" she teased.

Ryanthi. He doesn't usually behave like that with Arshan. Ryanthi is never angry or suspicious, seeing Arshan familiar with his female friends. I don't know what's different about Vera. Ryanthi shook her head in an incomprehensible sign.

Arshan can't possibly be interested in a girl like Vera. The girl did not even know how to dress properly and politely.

The Arshan family are people who highly uphold adab. Both parents do not like if Arshan close to girls with behavior and striking appearance like Vera. That's why they agreed so much when Arshan was dating Ryanthi.

"I'm happy if you're jealous. People say jealousy is a sign that our partner is afraid of losing" Arshan said. "You're also afraid of losing me. Isn't it?" The man smiled confidently.

"I know what Vera looks like, even though we only met a few days ago. However, I will try to believe you" Ryanthi replied. He forced a smile, despite the turmoil he felt.

Ryanthi grasps Arshan's fingers. Something said the same thing from that guy. Arshan smiled, then kissed Ryanthi on the back.

"You think I'd be willing to lose a lover like you?" Arshan convinces Ryanthi of his loyalty and feelings.

"I don't know what you want or need as a boyfriend. You know that I .. we ...." Ryanthi. He was confused by the series of words he was going to say. Ryanthi chose silence, then lowered her head.

"I love you, Ryanthi. There is no other reason for that feeling towards you. I'm just happy to have a girl like you" Arshan said again, with a soft peek at Ryanthi's forehead.