Along the way mom kept scolding me. The woman even vowed to find a mate for me as soon as possible. I hope that the remark is just because of mom's irritability to Reza. Because in my entire life I just want to love that beautiful eyed girl no other woman.
I put my body on the mattress, staring at the phone screen, hoping that Reza would contact me and apologize to me for the incident that happened this morning. However, until the evening came, the girl didn't contact me at all.
'Doesn't Reza love me? Then what does it mean by the love he often says to me. It should be me who is angry at this time to him. Not him.'
I sucked my hair into a mess. "You stubborn!" I said softly slamming my phone on the mattress.
If until tomorrow morning Reza does not also contact me, then it is certain, I will attend the school where she teaches tomorrow.
------
The sun had risen, its soft rays felt warm touching the pores of my skin. Since dawn, I have said goodbye to my mother to return to my job in Bojonegoro City.
"Mom, Bagas is back to work! Mom doesn't have to think about anything!" I said to the woman blankly. Afraid, if he was still thinking about Reza's rude remarks to him yesterday.
Mom nodded." You don't have to get close to Reza anymore. Mom is no longer willing if Reza becomes her mother's daughter-in-law. Let it be, the proud woman became an old virgin and no one married," Mom said irritably.
I kept quiet not flinching, if mom knew letting go wasn't as easy as loving her.
"Yes, mom! mom, don't forget to eat it. Later, on weekends Bagas will definitely come home again to see mom here." I clasped mother's hand tightly. A sad and disappointed look was still visible on her face that was no longer young.
After saying goodbye, I immediately spurred my dirt bike to split the forest-filled road to Bojonegoro City.
At 7:30 in the morning, I was already on the grounds of the junior high school where Reza taught. I saw the woman on a metic motorbike with round lights on the front of the bike driving slowly up to me who was already waiting at the gate of the school.
Reza stopped the bike, then opened the glass of the helmet she was wearing slightly upwards, until I could see her red lips and both flushed cheeks.
"What's the matter you're here?" she said. The red lips pursed and looked even smaller.
"I want to apologize for yesterday's one," I said softly, I had a sad face for Reza to feel sorry for me and forgive me.
"No need to apologize, the point is that if you still want to be with me, like what I have said to you, you have to buy me a house and you have to wait for me to be a civil servant first," Reza said looking at me seriously.
"Yes, I understand!" I said accordingly. It feels like I'm not ready if I have to lose a woman as beautiful as Reza. Not necessarily with my face like this, I can get an even more beautiful woman than Reza. It feels impossible once.
"Instead of you thinking about getting married, you better think about how to make me a house," Reza said in an annoyed tone.
"Yes, baby!" I pinched Reza's nose little, until the woman was accusing with an adorable smile.
"It hurts you know, Bagas!" She said rubbing his high little nose.
"Let it go! That's a punishment for those of you who like to get angry," I retorted in a joking tone.
"I'm angry because you're the one who asked for marriage all the time!" Reza ranted with an annoyed. "Try it if you don't, I won't be angry!"
"Yes baby,I'm not going to do that anymore. I'm sorry!" I said with a wagging face. Reza smiled a little and I pinched his high nose again. Then she laughed again. Makes me even more excited.
"Alright Reza, I relented. It's okay, all I'll do for the sake of our love," Bagas said.
_____
"Reza, I have to go home to purwodadi!" Say goodbye to the girl who is spoiling on my lap. I stroked her long hair that was so soft.
"Then, you'll be back when?" asked Reza waking up from my lap.
"Why,you miss?" I replied jokingly. Reza's face flushed instantly.
"Ehm,No, I don't miss!" Reza retorted taking her gaze away from me. It must be that she was embarrassed to admit it.
"Alright then!" I replied.
'I still don't understand the way this beautiful girl thinks, at a time when women want to be married soon. But she actually likes this kind of relationship.'
I took a deep breath, then blew a small blow on Reza's ear, making the girl with flowing hair immediately open the palms covering her face, and then laughed cheerfully because of the restlessness.
"Bagas, amused!" protested Reza.
"Really?" I retorted in a joking tone.
I didn't care, I kept teasing Reza until the girl laughed with satisfaction.
-----
"What? Arranged marriage?" snapped me.
I took a deep breath, my chest suddenly felt tight at what mom had just said. I hope she's just kidding.
"yes, are you still expecting that arrogant woman?" Mom raised her tone with an angry look at me.
"Mom, haven't I told you before, Bagas' love is only for Reza!" I explained wagging.
"Bagas, what if Reza doesn't become a civil servant? Aren't you getting married either?" the mother replied rising from her seat with a fierce look.
I was silent unmoved, I observed the woman who placed the plate that still contained half the rice on top of the dishwasher.
Perhaps her appetite had disappeared because of my attitude of indirectly rejecting the arranged marriage.
Mom again dropped her body sitting on the dining table chair right before me. "Bagas, you are the mother's only child. Mom is old, look at mom's hair is full of gray hair, right?" Mom pulled gently on her strands of white hair and then showed them to me. "Mom just wants you to get married, have a household. So someone takes care of you. If mom dies later, mom can rest easy there." Mom was nagging with an annoyed face.
The woman wiped the corners of her eyes that had been wet with a sad face.
I silently did not answer, if mom had cried, there was nothing else I could do but shut up and take mom's orders.
"Indeed, who wants mom to match with me? Is mom sure she's a good girl?" I replied in a deep voice.
My face was downcast. If I didn't belong to my only mother, I would have lived my mother's running forcing me to get married as I am today.
Mom moved her face closer to me, her gaze now turning into a twinkle. Her wet cheeks had dried up, it seemed that mom had already wiped away her tears after hearing my answer.
"She's a good boy Bagas,she's a devout girl of worship. Anyway, it is very suitable for you and what makes mom happy, she wants to accompany mom to live here. So mom is not lonely anymore if you are in Bojonegoro," said mom enthusiastically.
Mom seemed to really hope that I would marry the girl of her choice.
I took a deep breath, filling my lung cavity that felt heavy to breathe. My brain kept thinking how to keep me from losing Reza, the girl of my dreams.
"How is it? You agreed, right?" the mother asked curiously at my answer.
"Okay, mom, Bagas will obey mom's request, but there are conditions!" I looked fixed on my mother's face. The soft strokes had indeed filled her face. No wonder she needs a friend in this simple house of ours. Moreover, it was my job that forced me to be far away from mom. It must have made him very lonely living alone in this house.
Continued...