Cecilia sat beside Arkan. Precisely under a large shady tree.
Cecilia was busy wiping her tears that had not stopped flowing.
The normally cheerful girl, for the first time in front of Arkan—her best friend. Today. She cries. Arkan just to be surprised to see it.
Because Cecilia doesn't usually cry. Even if the world is destroyed, it can be predicted that Cecilia is the one who will keep smiling until the end of her death.
Cecilia is like the sun that always shines. She gave warmth to the surroundings, including Arkan. Cecilia always brings joy wherever she is. No doubt, Arkan always felt comfortable around her.
It was really hard to say no, if the people close to Cecilia wouldn't smile.
The people who were close to Cecilia would always be infected with her excitement. That is for sure.
Arkan remembered the first time they met. They had been friends at this noble school for almost three years, and had always spent most of their time, alone.
In the past … Arkan always kept quiet and was engrossed in looking at the scenery around the school building. If he is bored, he will read a book or spend his time listening to music through earphones that are plugged into his ear holes while leaning against a large tree in the park. Precisely, in the garden behind the school building.
Which is now, the umbrella for the two of them. A big tree that has become a historical place during their study here. The place where they both remember.
Arkan very clearly remembers how Cecilia used to approach him by asking what book Arkan was reading.
Arkan was really surprised at that time.
A woman, boldly approached him. Arkan got excited too, he thought Cecilia was deliberately approaching him with the intention of making an approach so that the two of them could date. In the past, Arkan thought of Cecilia as a woman who wanted to highlight him.
Yes, it usually is. Noble ladies who want extra money. They prefer to find shortcuts by dating and profiting from their girlfriend's money and even willing to sell themselves.
Arkan knows the dark side of the world of the aristocratic school where he is educated. And maybe, almost every noble school was like that, Arkan thought.
That time, Cecilia asked him. "What's the title of the book you read?" Cecilia smiled, acting friendly.
It made Arkan uncomfortable with her presence at that time.
With a frown, Arkan studied Cecilia's face who looked very brave to her. Arkan didn't answer Cecilia's question, and instead he closed the book he was holding at the time and showed the book cover so Cecilia could see firsthand what the title of the book Arkan was reading at that time.
Without the slightest shame, Cecilia immediately took the book that Arkan was holding at the time and she immediately chatted about the contents of the book. Cecilia had already read it, so she knew the contents of the book, while Arkan was just about to read it.
And from there, they began to close. Until now. Arkan hope, this closeness continues. If possible, forever.
But today, Cecilia's usual cheerfulness was seen by Arkan. The joy that for three years has always colored Arkan's life. Now, it's like being swept away by the waves.
Arkan actually already knew that Cecilia's life had been full of endless sorrow and suffering.. She was able to hide it well. A woman who has a strong character like a rock.
Cecilia always talked about her beautiful childhood. She never talked about the happiness of her teenage years, and the years that followed.
And that was because Cecilia's happiness in the family never existed. After her mother died and her father remarried.
Her father gave Cecilia an evil stepmother and two stepsisters who also never fully loved Cecilia as part of their family.
Her father's wealth was undermined by her stepfamily. Making Cecilia always live a simple life without demanding too much from her father who had not known that Cecilia's life was like hell since her father brought her new family home.
But that was what made Cecilia different from the others. Arkan likes Cecilia who always acts as she is.
She is still beautiful, even without makeup. She always had an alluring charm with the sincerity that was in her.
She is a strong figure who teaches Arkan a lot about the harshness of life that must be passed with a smile.
And without Cecilia knowing, Arkan already knew who Cecilia really was. Arkan knew everything about Cecilia's life because Arkan told people to spy on Cecilia's life for a full twenty-four hours.
But for what just happened, Arkan didn't know about it. And only found out when Cecilia told him earlier.
Cecilia said her stepmother took all of her father's wealth. Including all the treasures that should belong to Cecilia.
Cecilia's father died a year ago, and Cecilia still lives in the same house with her stepmother and two half-sisters.
It's clear, the past year has been a part of Cecilia's life story that can really make her life miserable. Even Cecilia was almost raped by her half-brother. Luckily Cecilia was still protected by a blessing from God.
And what surprised her again, was her stepmother showed her a will which she said was written by Cecilia's father. And the contents of the will said that all of Cecilia's father's property would be inherited by her stepmother completely without leaving anything for Cecilia.
In fact, the house they lived in was supposed to be Cecilia's wholly-owned.
Cecilia doesn't know how her stepmother forged the letter because Cecilia doesn't believe her father did that.
And at this time, Cecilia was really helpless because her stepmother had sold the house that had been Cecilia's shelter. Memories of the house with Mom and Dad.
Cecilia could not contact her stepmother and her two stepsisters. They deliberately cut off communication with Cecilia after they managed to sell the house and earlier, the new occupants of the house had already cleaned Cecilia's belongings because they were going to occupy it soon.
And it was also reported that her stepmother and his two stepbrothers moved out of town and her stepmother would soon remarry there.
Outside the city, who knows where the location is.
Cecilia didn't know where her stepfamily had gone. All Cecilia knew they left this town.
Cecilia was still crying after telling the chronology of what she had experienced. Arkan is saddened by it all.