Chapter 34: Chapter 34
Love, one word that can change a person completely. A word that has enormous influence. It controls your feelings, your thoughts and your actions. Something intangible but its existence can be felt. Something dangerous but also something that is very much needed.
Do you still remember how your first love was? Love that is manifested or may not come true but always thrills the heart when remembering it. People say first love will never last but first love can’t be forgotten either. It’s because first love is always stunning and teaches us so many things.
If you manage to defend your first love, then you are lucky because not many people manage to keep something so precious like that. Most people can’t defend it and neither can I.
***
“Stop staring at me and just paint properly. Did you come only to look at someone instead of painting? You’d better just leave if it’s just annoying. “ Said Alex irritatedly.
Alex also turned his head back and immediately continued the unfinished painting. He was very indifferent to Helena’s feelings and coldly gave his back to Helena after he insulted her and made her the center of attention.
Helena could only lower her head and did not dare to raise her head. She was very uncomfortable at the glare that everyone in the room gave her. They looked at her while insulting her and laughing at her. Helena really wanted to run away from everything but somehow she couldn’t move her feet.
No matter how much she wanted to go and leave all the humiliation behind her, but her ego was holding her back. All she did was stare at the door imagining how people would laugh at her once she left because it was clear that giving up was just a loser’s way. And Helena didn’t want to be such an easy loser.
The sound of the open door creaking greeted all the ears that were busy whispering and insulting Helena from mouth-to-mouth. The voice also caught their eyes until they immediately looked at the entrance simultaneously. They were curious about the person who was coming and as they thought it was Mrs. Gale. But there was one more person who came in and it was Natty who then sat on the chair in the front right in the middle where Mrs. Gale stood.
“Now, continue painting and if it finishes something, you can show it to me.” Said Mrs. Gale.
They went back to painting and acting as if nothing had happened. They pretend to be perfect at covering up the awkwardness of the atmosphere. If you saw them, you wouldn’t know that there was a big fight that happened before. They were acting so normal, and only Helena kept her head down and couldn’t lift her brush.
Time passed and the club activities were over. One by one they walked out of the room. Then Alex came out, and it quite surprised him to see Stellar crossing the art room. Even though it was just a coincidence, but somehow Alex felt something else. Especially when Stellar smiled and greeted him. It seemed like it was being planned like a cheap trick often used. But Alex tries to ignore that and seeks to think positively, be then smiles and greets her back. He did it just to be polite to his best friend’s girlfriend.
“You also paint?” asked Stellar with her sweet smile.
“Yeah, where’s Drake? Why are you alone? “ Asked Alex.
“Oh that ...” Stellar had not had time to answer the person in question Alex had shouted and ran towards them.
“What are you guys talking about?” asked Drake casuall
“Oh, nothing.” Alex replied casually.
“We just met and greet each other.” Stellar replied explaining.
Drake smiled and nodded his head as a sign that he believed that. Drake trusted Alex as his best friend, so he didn’t suspect the least. Stellar also invited Drake to come home with a sweet smile that melted Drake’s heart. Drake also invites Alex to go home together, but Alex refuses the invitation, arguing that he wants to run see Ruby.
Meanwhile, Helena was still sitting, waiting for everyone to leave first. She was very shy and didn’t want to run into anyone. Alex’s humiliation became a slap in the face of her pride because she was a person who was always proud of herself and no one had dared to insult her before. She who could ever do anything confident was now afraid of the stares of others and wanted to hide her face.
And when everyone had left, she saw Natty walking in front of her. Helena grabbed Natty’s hand and gripped it. Helena did not know that she had arrested Natty, who preferred to chase someone else. Or not, she always made Natty do everything she wanted. Like this moment she held Natty because she needed to be accompanied, even though Helena could see Natty’s shocked and confused refus
“Please accompany me ... I don’t want to be alone” said Helena with a sad look that Natty could never refuse.
Natty also followed wherever Helena took her, and Gale could only stare at those who walked away from her. Gale knows that right now she doesn’t have a dominant place in Natty’s heart, so she doesn’t grab Natty’s hand and snatch it from Helena. Right now she doesn’t have any rights yet, but she has a desire to have even created her stick in Natty’s heart.
***
Helena and Natty sat on a park bench. They didn’t have much to say, maybe because Natty knew and understood Helena so well that she didn’t need any words to explain. Helena just lay her head on Natty’s shoulder and cried. The wind blew and brought Helena’s tears, which rolled down her cheeks, making her cheeks dry again. Her tears disappeared without a trace and only left Helena’s eyes reddened.
A soft stroke on the shoulder is a comfort given by Natty. She used to tell a lot of scolding and even curse Alex to make Helena feel good. But now Natty is also speechless in a thousand languages. Even Helena could see it as if the Natty she knew had changed.
However, Helena couldn’t tell anything about it. She was just drowning in the sadness and heartbreak that Alex had caused. Yes, only Alex always filled her mind, even though Natty’s shoulder was always the place where she was aware and the strokes from Natty’s hand were ever warm and comforting for her.
Helena is senseless because she can’t see Natty’s feelings, even though Natty has clearly shown it. Even Natty was indeed more stupid because she always let herself fall in Helena’s game, which consistently drove her to fantasize. Allowing herself to be drawn back by the imagination when she just came to her senses. Always fantasizing alone, even though Helena always gave her a line called the friend zone.
“Hey, I’m sorry ... I think this time I will learn to love those who love me.” Natty’s words made Helena wipe her tears and then looked at Natty with a surprised look.