Chapter 52: Chapter 52

"The reason I've been away from you for the past three days is because I'm embarrassed to see you, Nez, I'm too embarrassed. You know, I really had no intention of making you disappointed, hurt, and cry like that night." His grip tightened even more as the boy paused his words to take a deep breath. He looked deeper into Inez's eyes. "You know, Nez, I even hated myself when I realized I had hurt you. And I need time to meet you, and I think you don't want to meet me either."

Inez was attacked in silence. She locked her mouth, her gaze not leaving Cakra's face. Inez's heart was already beating fast. She repeatedly bit her trembling lips ...

"Nez, I actually wanted to come to your party that night. I really remember coming, and I also promised you. But my grandmother couldn't let me stay that night. She told me to come to your party, but she was sick, and I couldn't bear to leave her."

Swallowing harshly, he said again, continuing his sentence. "You know, maybe apologizing won't fix the disappointment and hatred you already feel. But I don't know what else to do. I'm sorry about that night, I really didn't mean to. I'm sorry."

Cakra's trembling voice and a gaze that implied that the guy was really very sorry made Inez's heart feel touched. No, it wasn't his fault. Until finally, one teardrop fell from Inez's eyes.

Inez immediately hugged Cakra very tightly. "Cakra, you're not wrong." Inez mumbled in between her sobs. Both of her hands wrapped around Cakra's neck, and Inez cried harder. "You're not wrong, I'm the one who's wrong with you."

"Nez ..." Cakra stroked her back with slow and gentle movements.

"I'm the selfish one, I should be the one apologizing, not the lazy one. You have every right to be angry with me. I shouldn't have spoken so harshly to you at that time. I should have given you a chance to explain. I'm sorry." Inez continued to sob. "You were never wrong, if only I gave you a chance to explain, I wouldn't be like this, Kra. I'm selfish and stupid, I'm upset with myself. I'm sorry." Inez continued to cry out for forgiveness.

Cakra let go of Inez's embrace, then smiled slightly. Cakra cupped Inez's face, his thumbs then moved to wipe her tears.

"Inez, don't cry."

"I'm selfish."

"You're not wrong, you have every right to be angry with me. I'm the one who didn't keep my promise, it's my faul. You ..."

"It's my fault, it's me!"

Cakra let out a long breath. "Alright, let's not think about this anymore, okay? Do you want to make up?"

Inez nodded. "I do."

"Maybe it's both of our fault. I didn't keep my promise, and you didn't give me time to explain. Then, we both just avoided each other. Even so, I still feel very guilty."

"I want it not to be like this anymore. Can we forget about this?"

Cakra smiled and nodded enthusiastically. "But don't you cry anymore?"

"Yes, I won't cry." Inez hurriedly wiped her tear-stained face. "How is it? It's gone, right?" Inez chuckled softly.

"You used it, Nez," said Cakra softly.

Inez realized what Cakra meant. Inez's smile grew, she touched her hairpin. "Yes, this is a gift from you that I rejected."

"You look beautiful wearing it. It's just like what I imagined before. Thank you, Nez."

"Thank you, I love your gift. I'll wear this all the time."

Cakra and Inez looked at each other, their smiles had not faded since before. And without them expecting it, Zidan and Ghea were watching Cakra and Inez from a distance.

***

"Nez, what is this?" Cakra didn't expect that Inez would surprise him tonight. At first, Inez called and told Cakra to get out of the house because Inez was outside, Of course, Cakra quickly followed what the girl said.

Cakra was surprised because Inez didn't say anything about wanting to leave her house. Not to mention, there was something that made Cakra blink his eyes.

"As a token of my gratitude to you for forgiving me, is that okay?" Inez smiled at Cakra.

Cakra's mouth opened slightly. Her lips suddenly felt dry. "Nez, I already told you that I'm sorry. And I've forgiven you. Why do you have to use all this?"

Inez shrugged her shoulders. "Well, then consider it alms," Inez replied casually, smiling broadly at Cakra.

And Cakra could only remain silent, he didn't know what else to say.

"Let's bring it into the house." Inez shouted to two men who were carrying various kinds of kitchen supplies.

There were two bags of rice, several liters of cooking oil, two boxes of eggs, and various other kitchen needs that could not be mentioned one by one because there were too many.

"Nez, this isn't necessary," Cakra said to Inez. Cakra swallowed, staring at the two people who went back and forth into his house to put the groceries.

"Your grandmother will like it, it's okay. I'm sincere, I just want to help you. Isn't that okay?"

"Yes, you can, but..."

"Hustt!" Inez placed her index finger on her lips, hissing softly at Cakra to shut up. "Alright, let's not talk about it anymore. Just accept it, fortune can't be denied."

Cakra couldn't move, he just stared at Inez for a long time without blinking. For Cakra, Inez was too much. But that girl really couldn't be denied. Inez had been too good to him.

"Neng, it's all here." One of the men approached Inez.

"Already?"

"Yes, all the things that I asked for have been put into the house."

Inez reached into her pocket, took out her wallet, and took some money from there. "Oh yes, this is for you."

Uh, no, I brought the goods here at the request of the store, so you don't need to pay." The man replied.

Inez shook her head slowly and said, "No, just accept it, I'm sincere."

"Ouch, I feel bad." The man accepted the money. "But thank you."

"I'll split it with my friend."

"Yes, I'm ready, so can I go home?"

"Yes, please."

Cakra glanced at Inez, who was standing beside him. "Nez, I don't need all this," he said again, because he felt really bad.

"You don't need it, your grandmother does," Inez replied casually, punctuated by her big laugh.

Cakra had no intention of arguing anymore because it would be useless.

Inez was stubborn.

***

With his body frozen, Cakra stared at the madness in front of him. He held his breath, his gaze unwilling to look away from the information of a person who had demonized his name. Cakra swallowed his saliva harshly, and once again he read the writing on the paper attached to the school board.

Reading the writing, Cakra really couldn't understand the mind of the person who did this to him. That person is really lacking in work. Cakra looked back at the school board.

He smiled wryly when he saw a photo of him and Inez posted there. In the photo, Inez was giving Cakra a cellphone, and Cakra remembered that incident.

Under the photo, there was a caption that made Cakra a little emotional.

CAKRA ASKED TO BUY A CELL PHONE FROM INEZ!

Then another photo was seen there. Inez was seen at Cakra's house with various kinds of groceries. The incident happened not long ago—just a week ago.

CAKRA ASKED TO BUY GROCERIES FOR THE NEEDS OF THE HOUSE FROM INEZ!

That's what was written under the photo. Until the last one, a photo shows the situation in the hospital. The photo shows Cakra, who is receiving money from Inez. And Cakra remembered that incident too. At that time, his grandmother was sick, and Cakra had no money for treatment, he happened to meet Inez and borrowed the girl's money.

An inscription was again written there.

CAKRA ASKS FOR MONEY FROM INEZ!

HOW ABOUT IT GUYS! HAS THE ABOVE EVIDENCE OPENED YOUR EYES?  THAT CAKRA IS A BAD BOY AND LIKES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S GOODNESS.

CAKRA DELIBERATELY DATED INEZ BECAUSE HE HIMSELF NEEDED MONEY!

Cakra closed his eyes as tightly as possible, he didn't care about the students beside him who looked at him with various expressions. Cakra didn't care about them. He began to retreat, getting out of the way. Staying here only made him more emotional.

Along the way, Cakra tried to block out and not care about the scornful stares from others. He wasn't dating Inez because of that, they were wrong. But, Cakra didn't want to waste time denying it. According to Cakra, it would be useless. They wouldn't believe it, they'd rather believe something obvious, like the pictures of him and Inez in the School board.

"I think you're a good boy."

Cakra's steps suddenly stopped when a voice pierced his eardrum. He turned his head to where the voice came from and found three girls looking down at him.

"That's right, looking so quiet is even more creepy, isn't it?"

Well, that's how Inez got caught in his trap. I don't want to be used in a relationship."

The three of them laughed simultaneously while looking at Cakra sarcastically, before finally the three girls passed out of Cakra's presence.

Cakra sighed heavily and tried as hard as possible not to be provoked into explaining his anger. He must be able to control himself. He didn't want to get emotional. If that happened, he would be even more criticized for trying to cover it up.

Indeed, Cakra received everything from Inez, but he never asked her for anything. Cakra walked aimlessly to nowhere, he wanted to be alone and find a quiet place. Cakra needed peace. Every time he took a step and crossed paths with other students, Cakra always got scornful stares from them, there were even those who pointed at him openly. Once again, Cakra didn't want to get angry. The boy was just silent, locking his mouth even more tightly.

Cakra had thought that he wanted to go to the school rooftop, where it was usually quiet. But, when he was stepping towards that place, his hand was suddenly pulled back.

Cakra was surprised, and he immediately turned his body around. And now, in front of Cakra, was a boy with a sardonic smile on his lips. His hands were folded in front of his chest.

Turning his face away, he gave a long snort. "What's the need? I don't want to fight for who knows how many times with you, Yan."

Rian chuckled briefly, patting Cakra's shoulder repeatedly. "Relax, I don't want to fight with you either."

Cakra looked at Rian's face again. "So what? What's keeping you here? Do you want to cause more trouble?" He asked sharply, his voice full of annoyance.

Rian shrugged his shoulders. "How's my gift? Is it interesting?" he asked Cakra while raising his eyebrows. Then, Rian laughed.

At first, Cakra was confused by what Rian meant. He didn't understand, and his forehead furrowed. However, it wasn't long before Cakra understood what his half-brother meant. It was Rian who did all that to him.

Cakra sighed heavily. "At first, I suspected that you were the one who did all that. But, I don't have any proof that you did it."

"You shouldn't have hesitated. How is it? Are you surprised?" Rian laughed widely. "Doesn't it feel good to be pouted at by everyone? That's my gift to you, because you took Inez from me."

"I didn't expect you to do such insignificant things. Do you have nothing to do, Yan?"

"Lack of work?" Rian chuckled again. "If it makes me happy, why not? You can relax, I trust that you're not that theatrical with Inez. You didn't ask for anything, but Inez is loyal to you. I'm on your side, just relax. I support you."

"I don't care about those people, as long as I'm not wrong, I won't be afraid."

"Wow, how brave!" Rian laughed, and his laughter was even louder coming out of his lips. "Didn't you say that you wouldn't like Inez, right? But did you prove it?"

"I didn't make any promises about that. And people's feelings can change at any time," Cakra replied, before he finally turned around and left Rian in place.

***

With her chest rising and falling, indicating that her breathing was rushing, Inez immediately tore up the damning papers on the school board. Her heart was already beating fast, all the waves of emotions had gathered to form a colony at the top of her head. Inez's gaze was so sharp, she immediately formed the paper into a ball-like lump and threw it into the trash can.

Inez then turned around and looked at all the students in front of her with a glare that was ready to pounce.

"You're all idiots if you believe that damn news!" Inez spoke loudly, then she pulled Ghea's hand beside her, and dragged her out of the crowd.

Inez was very upset with what was posted on the school board. She couldn't control herself. Too much emotion made her want to swallow alive the person who dared to do this to her.

"You'll see, until I find the culprit, I'll give him a prize!" Inez spoke loudly while girdling her waist. Her breathing was still ragged.

"Nez, you calm down first." Beside her, Ghea tried to calm Inez down.

Inez chuckled softly, and she looked at Ghea sharply. "After such bad news, are you still telling me to calm down, Ghe? I can't! I have to find the person!"

"But you should calm down first, Inez! Just go to the cafeteria first, order a drink to let your head cool down, and then you can think calmly."

"No Ghe! I can't, if you want to go to the cafeteria, just go by yourself. I can't come with you. I have to meet with Cakra."

Inez walked back at a brisk pace, leaving Ghea, who was still frozen in place. She had to meet with Cakra. To discuss this matter more precisely.

"Inez, wait for me!" From behind, Ghea shouted loudly as she ran after Inez.

Ghea managed to align her steps with Inez. "I'm coming with you, I don't want to go to the cafeteria by myself."

Without looking back at her best friend, Inez continued to move quickly. Inez's goal this time was to go to Cakra's class to meet him there. Maybe Cakra was in her class. It didn't take long to arrive, Inez was about to enter the classroom when she felt her wrist being grabbed by someone. Inez turned her face and saw Zidan standing not far from her.

Zidan shook his head slowly. "No need to go in, Cakra is not in the class."

"So where's your friend?" Inez asked quickly.

"I haven't found him yet, I'm looking for him myself," Zidan replied.

"I have to meet Cakra!" Inez exclaimed, she was about to turn around, but Zidan stopped her again.

"Hold on, Nez!" Zidan said, stopping Inez from leaving. When Inez turned to him, Zidan immediately continued. "I have something to tell you."

"I have to meet Cakra first, Dan, this is more important. Can we talk later?"

"It's about who spread the false information on the bulletin board." Zidan quickly spoke before Inez left. And Inez, when she heard what Zidan said, immediately widened her eyes and held Zidan's shoulders firmly. Next to Inez, Ghea was equally curious.

"Who is? Tell me right now!"

"Rian," Zidan answered shortly.