Source
“Ini mulai berefek ke karir kamu, Ra.”
Afra tersenyum. “Aku mulai bersosialisasi lagi dengan teman-teman lama kita … terlalu banyak orang baru di sekeliling aku … ini bisa jadi saringan, siapa yang benar-benar jadi teman aku … tapi heran … kenapa beritanya engga berhenti-berhenti ya?”
“Karena kamu sosok yang menarik.” Rafka menghela nafas. Semua yang ada pada Afra, sangat bernilai tinggi. Hanya menunggu sebuah percikan, untuk membuatnya jadi legenda di dunia yang lebih besar.
Afra melihat beberapa ibu muda membawa anak balita berdatangan ke tempat itu. Dia melihat ke bagian dalam. Sedang ada pesta ulang tahun rupanya. Tidak lama kemudian, anak-anak berlarian keluar dengan teriakan-teriakan keras.
“Ra ... ada yang mau aku omongin sama kamu,” ujar Rafka lirih.
Afra tersenyum melihat Rafka resah. Tidak biasanya Si Periang, seperti kehilangan kata-kata seperti ini. “Bukannya dari tadi kita sudah ngomong?” ujarnya untuk mencairkan suasana.
Rafka meminum kopinya. “Ini masalah pribadi.”
Afra kembali tersenyum. Perhatiannya sedikit teralih, melihat beberapa ibu yang duduk di meja depannya, heboh memanggil anak-anak mereka. Mencium pipi masing-masing anak, hingga meninggalkan bekas lipstick. Setelah dicium mama mereka, dengan cepat mereka kembali ke dalam. Sebuah perasaan haru menyelinap ke hatinya.
Afra terkejut melihat seorang anak laki-laki terjatuh membentur mejanya. Reflek dia menghampiri anak tersebut. “Kamu engga apa-apa?”
Seorang ibu muda menghampiri mereka. Dengan cepat membangunkan anaknya. “Mana yang sakit?”
Anak itu menggeleng sembari tersenyum lebar. Dia bangkit berdiri, menyusul teman-temannya yang sudah masuk terlebih dahulu.
“Jangan pegang anak saya! ... saya tidak ingin anak saya ketularan keserakahan kamu!”
Afra tertegun.
Rafka membantunya berdiri. “Bangun Ra … ayo, kita pergi dari sini.”
Afra menoleh ke arah ibu muda yang tadi menghardiknya. Wanita itu sibuk berbicara sambil berbisik-bisik pada teman-teman semejanya. Orang-orang mulai memperhatikannya.
“Engga perlu … maaf, aku kehilangan konsentrasi tadi … kamu mau ngomong apa?”
Source
Tiba-tiba ponsel Rafka berdering. Dia memperlihatkan layar ponselnya pada Afra. Investor yang mereka tunggu-tunggu dua minggu terakhir, akhirnya menghubungi Rafka.
“Sekarang?” tanya Rafka dengan alis berkerut pada orang yang menelponnya. Dia melihat Afra dengan pandangan bingung. “Maaf saya … “ Rafka melihat Afra menarik kemejanya, “… maaf, sebentar.“
Rafka menjauhkan ponsel.
“Pergi aja Raf, tenang aja aku engga apa-apa … kita sudah nunggu orang ini lama kan?” cetus Afra tenang
Dahi Rafka mengernyit. “Terus kamu gimana?”
“Aku bisa pulang sendiri.”
“Engga apa-apa Ra. Aku bisa buat janji di waktu lain.”
“Jangan … kamu sudah kerja keras, untuk proyek kali ini. Lagi pula, aku beneran engga apa-apa kok.” Afra memaksakan senyum di bibirnya.
Rafka menghela nafas. Tidak ada gunanya berdebat dengan Afra sekarang. Dia mendekatkan ponsel ke telinganya. “OK … saya segera meluncur.”
Afra melambaikan tangannya. Mobil Rafka dengan cepat menghilang dari pandangannya.
Source
Dia melihat ke langit. Gerimis sudah berhenti. Tarikan nafas panjang memenuhi paru-parunya dengan udara bersih. Baru beberapa langkah berjalan, sebuah mobil berhenti di sampingnya. Jendela mobil diturunkan. Wajah Hoshi dan Mamanya muncul.
“Ibu,” Afra tersenyum seraya menganggukkan kepala.
Mama Hoshi membalas senyumnya.
“Masuk Ra! Aku antar,” ujar Hoshi.
Afra akan menggeleng, ketika dari ekor matanya, beberapa orang mulai mengarahkan ponsel mereka ke arahnya. Dengan cepat dia membuka pintu mobil Hoshi. “Kebetulan sekali“
“Ini bukan kebetulan,” Potong Hoshi tenang. Dia memberikan ponselnya pada Afra. “Mama yang memaksaku menjemputmu.”
ENGLISH VERSION
Source
"This is beginning to affect your career, Ra."
Afra smiled. "I started socializing again with our old friends ... too many new people around me ... this could be my filter, who really be my friend ... but I wonder ... why the news do not stop?"
"Because you're an interesting figure." Rafka sighed. All that is on Afra, is very valuable. Just waiting for an explosion, to make it a legend in a bigger world.
Afra saw some young mothers bringing toddlers coming to the place. She looked inside. There was a birthday party apparently. Soon, the children ran out with loud shouts.
"Ra ... there's something I want to talk to you about," said Rafka quietly.
Afra smiled to see Rafka restless. It's not usually the cheerful, losing words like this. "Not that we've been talking?" She said to break the ice.
Rafka drank his coffee. "It's a personal matter."
Afra smiled again. Her attention was a bit distracted, seeing some of the mothers sitting at his front desk, excitedly calling their children. Kissing each child's cheek, leaving a lipstick marker. After kissing their mother, they quickly go back inside. A feeling of emotion sneaks into her heart.
Afra was startled to see a boy falling against his desk. In reflect she approached the child. "Are you okay?"
A young mother approached them. Quickly wake up his son. "Which one is sick?"
The boy shook his head while smiling broadly. He stood up, following his friends who had entered first.
"Do not hold my child! ... I do not want my child to catch your greed! "
Afra was stunned.
Rafka helped her to her feet. "Wake Ra ... let's get out of here."
Afra turned to the young mother who had scolded her. The woman was busy talking while whispering to her friends. People began to notice.
"No need ... sorry, I lost my concentration ... what are you going to say?"
Source
Suddenly Rafka's phone rang. He shows the phone screen on Afra. The investor they've been waiting for, the past two weeks, finally contacted him.
"Now?" Rafka asked with a brow furrowed at the person who called him. He saw Afra with a puzzled look. "Sorry I ..." Rafka saw Afra pull up his shirt, "... sorry."
Rafka keeps the phone away.
"Go Raf, calm I am okey ... we've been waiting for this guy right?" Afra said calmly
Rafka frowned. "So what do you do?"
"I can go home by myself."
"It’s fine. I can make an appointment another time. "
"Don’t ... you've worked hard, for this project. Besides, I really don’t mind.” Afra forced a smile on her lips.
Rafka sighed. There's no point arguing with Afra right now. He held the phone closer to his ear. "OK ... I'm on my way."
Afra waved her hand. Rafka's car quickly disappeared from view.
Source
She looked up at the sky. Drizzle has stopped. A long breath filled her lungs with clean air. Just a few steps away, a car pulled up beside her. Car window lowered. Hoshi's face and his mother appeared.
"Mam," Afra smiled and nodded her head.
Hoshi’s mother smiled back.
"Get in the car, Ra! I'll take you, " Hoshi said.
Afra will shake her head, when from the tail of her eyes, some people start pointing their phones towards her. Quickly she opened the door of Hoshi's car. "It’s such a coincidence."
"This isn’t coincidence," Hoshi said calmly. He gave his phone to Afra. "Mother's forcing me to pick you up."
Bandung Barat, 6 Maret 2018
Warm Regards
Cici SW
Thank you for Curators @mariska.lubis, @aiqabrago, and @levycore, @jharyadi and all the novel lovers wherever you are
Yang jangan, terbakar api cemburu aja! Haha.
Besar ya apinya hehehehe
Kasihan Afra...Biar saya yang temanin deh...hahaha
Ya Bang ... lagi sedih, malah ditinggal sama orang dekatnya :)