25: C25 Chapter 25

C25 Chapter 25

“Please don’t touch her. It is me the one who you want, isn’t it? I’m here. Do anything to me that you think of being able to please your ego,” I confronted Angeline who glared at me. She hauled the collar of my shirt in an instant.

“Why do you want to sacrifice your life for her? Have you known each other,” I was about to reply, Angeline shut my mouth out, “Nina?” she continued.

“No.” I didn’t allow Nina to speak up. “I just don’t want you to hurt others because of me.”

“Wow... I feel touched!” She gibed me. She shoved me back to the ground. The other four students lugged Nina away.

“What will you do to her?” I chased them and tried to free Nina of them. It was useless. Their number overpowered me. They easily kicked me away. Helplessly, I watched Nina was pushed inside the storeroom. They locked her in there. “No, Please.”

“This is a consequence of betrayal. Who does she think she is to have a nerve stabbing me behind my back?” she sneered. “And you,” she strode toward me, “I need to finish what’s unfinished.” My butt slithered backward powerlessly.

In a sudden, she pulled my hair up. With less energy I had, I managed to get up and rescued myself from her brutality. It was in vein. She boxed her fist on my cheek and nose while pulling my hair off. It was way more painful when she hit my arms which were just recovered after the treatment I got in the hospital. She finally left with her gangs after knocking me down.

Strands of my hair dirtied the floor. I wiped the blood in the corner of my mouth with my fingertip. It tasted salty and bitter all at once. I carded my hair with my fingers and tied it into a bun.

It was still hard for me to get up for my ached body. So, I crawled to the door where those four girls caged Nina in it. Nina was crying and screaming for help. Fortunately, the key was still there. I reached the door handle, unlocked it and switched it open. Nina burst out in tears and fear that I could not interpret. I bet, in her whole life, she was never treated badly. Her parents, friends, and teachers always loved and cared for her. And it was because of me, she had been through hell today.

“Thank you.” Her word sounded bashful.

“Don’t mention it. You saved my life. I should be the one who say that. Thank you.” She neglected what I said and just went away. “Nina, I know that you are a good girl. I won’t forget what you have done for me. I’ll do anything for you,” I exclaimed. She stopped and turned to me.

“Never show your face in front of me, then.” Her words should have jabbed me. The fact was I felt nothing but her kindness and caring. She did not mean it when she said so.

“I’ll do it.” I was not sure whether or not she would catch my words as her back had vanished inside the lift that brought her down.

I trailed toward the lift which had swallowed Nina’s body. Waiting for a minute, it slid open. I got into it. This lift took me to the down floor with the pains which took over me. I grimaced.

“Ilana!” Vera was standing with her intent gaze at me. I slipped my hand behind my bag. “Are you ok?” She walked toward me. “You should have left the school at this hour, right?”

“Yeah, but the librarian asked me to help her put some ripped old books upstairs in the storeroom.”

“I see.”

“Do you join one of extracurricular activities out of school hours?” I asked her back.

“No. I am waiting for the pick-up. My mother hasn’t come yet.”

“Alright, I’ve got to go. Bye.”

“Ilana....” I turned around. “Take care.”

“Thanks. You do too.”

I arrived at home at 4 p.m. and found no one in the house. Changing my uniform, I was about to go when I heard a knock at the door. It was my mother with a package of food in her hands.

“Ilana, could you send this food to this address? Mrs. Ali’s employees are all busy. They got an order from one of the companies in Eastern Jakarta.” She handed me the food and a piece of paper where the address was written down on it. Reading the note, I grabbed my jacket and carefully took the package with me. The place was not too far. It could actually be reached on foot. Because I brought the food with me, I chose to take a public transportation.

After ten minutes, the car halted in the mouth of gate which led to the housing where rich people live. It was not the same housing where Reno lived. I could breathe out of sigh. The security guard directed me to the address with clear explanation. I just followed his instruction to get to the house.

It was way bigger than Mrs. Ali’s house despite not being as big as Reno’s. The towering pillars surrounded the building which stood in the center. The old man opened the gate for me. He greeted me genially me and let me proceed to the terrace. I was stunned by the house. The color of the skin was striking red. The tile was slippery so that I need to mind my steps.

I knocked at the door. Nobody replied. It was only the cat welcoming me with her meow. That fat pet mesmerized me. I approached her and stroke her soft fur. She rubbed her head on my jeans.

“Have you rung the bell, Miss?” It was the old man who talked to me.

“The bell? Where is it?” I asked innocently. It was not because I could not find it, but I had no idea what the bell looked like. Well, I never pressed the bell at Mrs. Ali’s door as she always welcomed me at her terrace every time I visited her.

“It’s on the wall, next to the door. Someone will open the door for you if the bell is ringing.” He explained. I did it as his instruction. A middle-aged woman greeted me from the inside. She let me in.

“Here is the food you order, Ma’am.” I told her.2

“Thank you. You may go now.” Before I turned back, I saw a silhouette of a girl I was familiar with.

“Vera.” I abruptly muttered her name. She was not alone. A man, around forty, wrapped his arms around her waist. He caressed her hair. They looked so intimate. They didn’t look like a daughter and a father, but a husband and a wife. Was Vera married?

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