City M
Thump!
Eyelids with irises as beautiful as the ocean opened slowly, staring in a daze at the ceiling of the room that felt foreign to her eyes.
The owner of this ocean iris rolls her eyeballs left and right, as if scraping the memory of last night, the bad night she passed with a sad cry as a cover.
She raised her hand to block the mischievous sunlight hitting her face. No wonder she woke up, but she was grateful that in the end she didn't dream any further of her bad experience.
Emh…
The dizziness that suddenly struck when she was about to get up from lying down made her groan. She held her head and felt the heat on her forehead.
Is this the effect of last night's rain?
She could only ask in heart. Without being able to utter a word, her throat hurt.
Again she circulated her netra and found the room that felt strange. But she knows that this room is also the one that protects her from the rain and the cold of the night, and the cruelty of the man who almost raped her in groups.
Ah! That is true.
What would happen if someone didn't help her then? Will she be okay and still be able to feel the warmth of the sun that hit her face like this?
Or…
Creak!
The sound of the door opening made the woman suddenly turn around and found a woman who was staring at her in surprise.
"Oh! You're awake?" asked the woman as she approached someone sitting on the bed with a tray in both hands.
"Emm…, you are…."
"I helped you last night, of course," said the woman, continuing to hang someone she had let sleep in her bed.
"Ah! Sorry, I shouldn't have forgotten you. Last night I-
"It's okay. I see, things will be like that when…. Yes, you understand, right," interrupted the woman, stopping her explanation in an uneasy tone, when she saw the gloomy face of the woman she helped last night.
Err…., stupid me, she continued to herself.
"Ah! Are you hungry? I bought garlic bread, just as simple as that," added the woman trying to divert the conversation when she remembered her purpose in coming to the room.
She also put the tray in her hand and took the wrap she had just bought, then held it out to the woman who was staring at her in silence with tears in her eyes
Wait ! What is it?
"Hei! Why are you crying? Why?" the woman asked frantically.
The woman who was crying immediately wiped her tears quickly, then looked at the helper with a shake of her head.
"No, I think it's because of my dizzy head."
"Oh! I think you have a fever, because it must have rained last night. But don't worry, I've bought you fever-reducing medicine. After breakfast you can drink it, okay?"
A nod was accepted by her, causing her to smile and again extending her hand to the woman she was helping, who looked at her without accepting her outstretched hand.
"So, I'm Geana Fransiska. You can call me Gea. And you, what's your name?" said the helper who introduced herself with a question back at the end.
The smile that Gea described was sincere, especially with the cheerful tone that wasn't made up, making the other person suddenly stop crying. But, silently watching and judging with her intuition.
She looks sincere, she thought.
"My name is Gretta Gri- Gretta Fernanda," she said, introducing herself with a quick reproach when she inadvertently wanted to mention the name of the family who had abandoned her.
Yes, she is Gretta who last night was helped by Gea from the 'gangbang' incident, with reckless capital and thin courage.
But luckily, Gea was able to make the four men run away.
Geana who heard Gretta's hoarse answer nodded slightly. She then patted Gretta's familiar shoulder and smiled back.
"Nice to meet you, Gretta. After this you can rest again or take a shower and come with me to watch television, okay?" said Geana gave a choice.
"I…, I don't have any clothes to change," Gretta replied in an embarrassed squeaky voice.
Geana suddenly chuckled, then patted Gretta's head like an older sister patting her sister's head lovingly. Thus, the new Gretta felt a warm tap on her head suddenly fell silent and looked at Geana with her eyelids blinking slowly.
"Ha-ha-ha…, I'm the one who asked you to take a shower. That means I'm also responsible for what you use," said Geana with an amused chuckle. "That's it! The important thing is that you eat this first, then take a shower and after that you can wear my clothes in the closet there. It's free," she continued explaining.
Gretta stared in disbelief at the kindness Gea had given her. How can anyone be good to someone the first time they meet. Did this woman in front of her have a certain meaning?
Because to be honest, as long as she lived with the Grinson name behind her, no one had ever been sincere to her, if not produced something in return.
Geana, who understood Gretta's gaze, chuckled again as she got up from her seat, then stood next to Gretta who followed her movement.
"Ha-ha-ha…, you take it easy, Gretta. There's no other reason why I'm good with you. I'm sincere to help," said Geana "But it's up to you, I wouldn't be surprised if you think so, because it's honest, there's nothing good in this cruel world," she continued, her shoulders shrugging.
"I don't mean-
"I see, Gretta," interrupted Geana quickly. "You do have to be careful. However, not everyone who intends to help has good or bad intentions. It all depends on the person," she continued explaining.
"But you helped me. There's no way you're mean to me, especially if you bother giving me a ride to sleep and eat like this," Gretta said without daring to look at Geana who was still standing next to her.
"Then thank you for believing in me," said Geana quickly.
She patted Gretta's head again who immediately raised her face, looking at Gea with teary eyes.
Gretta loved this warm pat and she was comfortable with it.
Gea…
"Don't be a crybaby in this cruel world," said Geana, looking at Gretta seriously who could only blink. "Ah! You better eat quickly and then take a shower. After that, accompany me to watch television, okay?" she continued changing the subject.
"Um…."
"Wokey, I'm out."
Gretta nodded in agreement without thinking about what Geana said. She also stared silently at the back of the woman who helped her, then returned alone when the bedroom door closed tightly.
Slam!
Phew…
Gretta sighed after Geana left, then lowered her gaze to her hand which was now holding a packet of garlic-flavored bread like Geana said when she gave it. She also glanced at the nightstand, where there was a glass of water and a packet of medicine that she knew was a fever reducer.
If usually in the morning she would be given a delicious breakfast, this time it was bread that completely tasted that she didn't like, whether she had to eat it or not.
She realized that starting yesterday she couldn't act arbitrarily anymore. And again, she felt that what she disliked would be her friend from now on.
Yes, for example, garlic bread will become her favorite food as a reminder of her new life.
I hope I can live a better life after this, Gretta thought in between chews.