Eric Yudhistira was brought out by Aunt Tumini from the room. They can still clearly hear the commotion from inside the room. The sound of falling objects and the sound of glass breaking.
Eric's eyes filled with tears as he was right in front of his father's bedroom door. He slowly touched the door. Tears welled up when he heard the words spoken by his father.
"YOU FUCKERS! WHY YOU PRISON ME LIKE THIS, HAH? I'M NOT CRAZY! GIVE MY DRINK NOW!"
It was suffocating, hearing those words spoken from the only place he depended on. Eric realized this was all his fault. If only he was an adult. If only all this time, Eric had not been a burden to his father. If only his father didn't have an unreliable son like him.
"Eric, are you all right? You can go to school now. Let your father calm down first!" said Aunt Tumini softly. She was stroking the black mane of the teenager in front of him.
Eric nodded. He could not ignore his obligation to seek knowledge.
"Take care of my father, Auntie! I'll be going straight home this afternoon after finishing my part-time job."
Eric bowed before he walked out of the house.
Aunt Tumini saw Eric's back which was getting further away.
"You shouldn't have gone through all this, Son!"
Aunt Tumini sympathizes with the tragic fate of the handsome teenager. Eric's mother had died when Eric was a child. During this time, Eric only lived with his father, and in the past few months his father's attitude had changed.
It all started with the dismissal of Mr. Reno Yudhistira from his job. Mr. Reno had an accident at work, so his leg is now limping.
No one wants to hire Mr. Reno because of his limitations. Mr. Reno often gets drunk and often takes all his anger out on his son, Eric Yudhistira.
***
"I'm trapped in your eyes. Every time I look into your eyes, there is only my image. Can I wish if you were born for me?"
Silence for a moment.
The young girl's words did not get any response from her interlocutor.
"I will always be by your side. I hope you only see me. Can you do that, My Eric?" the young girl continued.
"Heh?? If I keep seeing Alice while she's walking, could I hit her?" Eric replied, so innocently.
"Gosh! It's not like that. 'Looking at me' means I want you to only see me as the only girl for you, Eric. Do you understand?"
The teenage girl who was called 'Alice' let out a rough breath. Alice must be extra patient with his friend who is too innocent and very insensitive.
The young man in front of him only nodded once. His friend didn't usually talk that warmly. Usually Alice always raves about how handsome the artists from other countries are.
However, even so, Eric was happy to have such a close friend like Alice.
"Alice?"
"Hmm?"
"You watched the drama 'Our Promise' yesterday?"
"Ahahaha of course. What are you talking about, heh?" Alice replied.
"Hmm, that's right. I remember there was a scene like that in the drama. You must have quoted it, right?" said Eric, smiling mockingly.
Alice flinched slightly. She didn't think that her efforts to look romantic had to fail like this.
Alice scratched the back of her neck.
"Hehehe caught, huh?"
Eric laughed. At least when he was with Alice, he could forget about his problems for a moment.
Even though Eric's heart is actually fragile, Eric will try to be okay in front of the girl who has been his friend since childhood.
"Eric?"
"Hmm?"
"Midterm break is just around the corner. Where do you plan to go on vacation?" Alice asked as she grabbed Eruc's wrist.
From earlier, Alice saw the strangeness in Eric. Even though Eric looked happy, his cold and sometimes trembling hands couldn't lie to Alice. There must be something to hide from this friend.
"Eric?"
Again, Alice called out to her best friend when she had received no response from earlier.
"Eric?"
Silence. The only sound that could be heard was Eric's breathing.
"Eric Yudhisthira?"
"Oh, yes?" Eric half jumped when he heard his full name spoken by Alice.
Alice just smiled gently. Maybe not the right time to interrogate her best friend. Alice pulled Eric's head to rest on his small shoulder
Eric looked up for a moment, looking at Alice. For some reason, his eyes were sore right now. No matter how much Eric tries to be strong, it can't be denied that right now Eric needs a place to lean on.
Eric's shoulders began to shake. Soft sobs were heard. In the end, Eric sobbed into Alice's shoulder.
If a man cries, it's not because he's weak. But it shows that the man still has a heart.
Alice said nothing. Alice gently stroked Eric's arm, comforting the teenage boy who had been her best friend.
"I-I hate myself, Alice! I hate my weak self," said Eric in the midst of his sobs.
Alice tightened her grip on Eric even more. Alice also gently stroked Eric's head which was still on his shoulder.
"It's okay, Eric. You can look weak when you're with me," Alice said softly.
***
"THIEF!! HOW CAN THIS CLASS HIDE A THIEF!!"
"GET OFF YOU!!"
"SCUMBAG!"
"YOUR INSIGHT LOOK HAD HIDEN YOUR EVIL BEHAVIOR!"
"DISGUSTING!"
The vile rumors had been uttered by Eric's classmate.
Eric sat in the corner of the classroom. His body was shaking. Eric's clothes were dirty from his friends' attacks. Some threw at Eric using trash, bundles of paper, milk boxes and much more.
"STOP THIS!" cried a young man in the doorway. It was Rafael who currently came and approached Eric in the corner of the room.
Rafael is Eric's and Alice's best friend too.
Rafael helped Eric to his feet, and cleaned the clothes of his underclassman, who was his best friend as well.
"Are you okay?" asked Rafael, lightly shaking Eric's shoulder.
Eric nodded. Eric cleaned his dirty clothes.
Rafael's sharp eyes were fixed on everyone in the class.
"What are you all, huh? You guys behave like criminals!!" shouted Rafael at the whole class 10-F. He is in class 11-F. So, the whole class fell silent when Rafael came in the middle of the commotion.
One of the short-haired youths came forward. He's chewing gum right now.
"Oho, it turns out that there is a hero who protects the thief late," he said.
When he was right in front of Eric, the young man spat his gum right into Eric's cheek.
"HEY! HOW DARE YOU!!"
Rafael pulled the collar of the young man's uniform. Rafael punched the handsome boy in the face several times.
"FUCK YOU, BIMA!" shouted Rafael, still punching Bima in the face.
Bhima did not fight. The commotion only stopped when a teacher entered the room.
To be continued....