Shana rubbed her eyes, startled awake by the gentle clinking of plates. She sat up to see her mother preparing lunch for her and her boyfriend. Dirgan had become a frequent visitor to their home, a stark contrast to their initial dating days in high school when her mother strongly disapproved of their relationship. Now, however, her mother was fully supportive, even delighted by his presence.
Shana sighed as she observed Dirgan sleeping in an awkward, stiff position on the sofa, his muscular arms folded across his chest. How had he become so distant? The carefree high school student she once knew seemed to have vanished, replaced by a more serious and reserved man.
His uniform stretched and straining against his now more developed physique, seemed to barely contain him. Although Shana knew that Dirgan's father, the school principal, could easily afford to replace it, he hadn't done so. Gently, she stroked his cheek, and he slowly opened his eyes, a lazy smile gracing his lips.
"Sleep tight, your neck will hurt," she cautioned, remembering his tendency to complain about stiff necks in the past. She also recalled his temper tantrums, once blaming her for spraining his ankle during a basketball game, claiming she had distracted him.
"Stroke it again..." he murmured.
"Hm?" she questioned.
"My cheek," he repeated. Shana glanced at her mother, who was returning from the kitchen. Noticing Dirgan's eyes fluttering closed, she gently stroked his cheek as he sighed contentedly.
"Are you in trouble?" she asked, concerned by a subtle shift in his demeanor. Dirgan had been unusually attentive and affectionate during his recent visits, a stark contrast to his previous aloofness. Shana worried that she might be misinterpreting his behavior, that perhaps he was simply trying to make up for lost time.
"Yes. A lot," he admitted quietly.
Shana felt a pang of apprehension. She hoped she wasn't deluding herself. Could this change in his behavior be genuine, or was it a temporary facade? She dreaded the thought of facing the old, volatile Dirgan.
"Mom has to go to Dad's office," her mother announced, returning with a lunch bag. "Eat with Dirgan after he wakes up. I've prepared some food.
"What are you cooking, Mom?" Shana inquired as she watched her mother prepare lunch. She noticed that all the dishes her mother was cooking appeared to be quite spicy, a family tradition that Shana and her sister had inherited. However, Dirgan, despite his imposing physique, had a low tolerance for spicy food.
"Alright, thank you very much, Mom," Shana said, walking her mother to the door. Her mother, a dedicated and resourceful woman, relied on food delivery services to ensure her husband's meals were safe and nutritious. A previous poisoning incident had instilled a deep-seated fear in her, prompting her to continue preparing his meals despite his long working hours at the police station.
Shana and her sister, Sirena, understood their mother's dedication and accepted her absence. They were both independent young women. Glancing at her watch, Shana noticed it was already one in the afternoon. Dirgan, who had only consumed a handful of almonds, must be hungry.
"Do you want to order food? Mom made everything spicy," she offered.
Dirgan straightened, reaching for a glass of water. "I don't like ordering food. It feels impersonal," he explained.
"How could it be impersonal?" Shana scoffed, slightly annoyed by his insistence on homemade meals.
She checked the refrigerator, finding only eggs and carrots. Her mother hadn't had a chance to go grocery shopping yet. "There are only eggs and carrots. Do you want an omelet?" she asked.
"It's fine," he replied, entering the kitchen. Shana quickly washed the carrots and began slicing them, determined to prepare a simple meal, regardless of whether he enjoyed it or not.
Suddenly, Dirgan wrapped his arms around her from behind, startling her. She instinctively tensed, ready to push him away. An unsettling atmosphere had descended upon the room, and Dirgan's gaze, intense and almost predatory, sent shivers down her spine.
"You didn't ask about my problem," he said, his voice low and menacing.
"I-I'll ask, don't do this," Shana stammered, nervously trying to dislodge Dirgan's arms from around her waist. His embrace was too intense, too intimate for someone who had just woken up. But his grip only tightened, pinning her against the kitchen counter.
"I've been wanting to ask this since yesterday, but your circumstances didn't allow it. I think now you're feeling better, and I'm growing impatient," Dirgan explained, his voice low and intense. Shana could only stare into his eyes, feeling trapped and overwhelmed by the sudden shift in his demeanor.
"You, cheating on me, Shana?" he demanded, his voice laced with suspicion.
"No," she denied, her voice trembling.
"Why do you look so nervous?" he pressed, his gaze unwavering.
"Because you're too close..." she murmured, feeling a surge of panic.
"Look at me," he commanded, gently but firmly grasping her jaw, forcing her to meet his gaze. Shana struggled to maintain her composure, feeling disoriented and overwhelmed. She hadn't fully recovered from the trauma of Intan's death, and Dirgan's sudden possessiveness was unsettling.
"I-I think I need to rest..." she mumbled, feeling faint.
"Look at me!" he repeated, his voice rising slightly. Shana's breath hitched as she finally met his gaze.
"You're so doubtful... So, is what they said true?" he pressed, his eyes searching hers for any sign of deception.
"No," she insisted, her voice rising.
"Don't lie to me! You think just because I wasn't at school, no one was watching you?" he accused.
"I didn't do anything wrong, Dirgan!" Shana cried out, the pent-up emotions of the past few weeks finally erupting. Dirgan's accusation was the final straw. She was still reeling from the trauma of Intan's death, and his possessiveness was adding to her distress. She felt suffocated, trapped in a relationship that she never truly consented to.
"I did date someone else, yes. But I don't consider it a betrayal. Our relationship, if you can even call it that, was never defined. You were the one who was always distant, always demanding my attention while giving me nothing in return," she declared, finally meeting his gaze with defiance. "I'm not cheating, and you have no right to restrain me. I never felt like we were dating, Dirgan."
To Be Continued...