14. Indifferent

"What do you think? Is listening to music more enjoyable?" asked "the best fort" to the girl who just sat to her seat. It was the first class she joined as a student of design after she abandoned it for months.

"Yes…but all the songs played are yours. Why ?" She was surprised realizing that he did it on purpose.

"Hahahaha… yes I did it". He smiled widely.

"How could you?" she glanced at him. He had been watching her for some time without her awareness. And it was not only him though. Some students secretly look at her. It would be hard for another girl, especially on the first day. But she got used to with such treatment. People liked to talk behind her anytime she walked together with Hendra. So, for her It was just kind of Déjà vu.

Why did they get much public attention? It was simply the two were hot topic to be discussed by the public. One was due to his sudden leave from the artist management, and the other was due to being dumped by her husband.

Such a heartbreaking life story? Most people thought so. But not by the two. They led their life as normal. They both realized such public perception was very capable to kill someone's character. So the best way to survive from such situation was to totally ignore what others thought about them. 'Whatever you think about me isn't my business. My world is mine with or without your help'. A survival principle Aruna learned from Damar And Damar learned it from Pandu, his manager.

Both of them were sitting together and supporting each other now.

"I'll be here until your classes finish"

"No, you don't need to. You have no language class here"

"That's not important. I'll stay here until you complete your lessons"

"I said I don't want to"

"Common, I know you need a friend here. Let alone Dea isn't here. She has different classes"

"Go now"

"No, I don't want to". Aruna started feeling uneasy.

"I said go" she lowered the mobile phone that man put on his ear and put it on his hands.

"I don't care. I'll stay here". He insisted.

"Damar!" suddenly she called his name with a serious face expression.

"Yes?" he gaped looking at her expression.

"Go. Don't pity me. I don't like it"

"I don't"

"Enough! Don't lie. Go!"

"Aruna, I…" a lecturer showed up by the door before he could finish his words. And he finally walked out.

* *

"How can I help you? Have you been waiting here long?" a graphic design lecturer was tidying his papers from the table. He just came from another class and he saw Aruna was waiting for him nervously

"No, Sir. I just came some minutes ago" Aruna replied.

"Wait. You are Aruna, aren't you?" she nodded.

"I was looking for you yesterday. Your friends told me you missed the classes for some time"

"That's right, Mr. Robin" She admitted.

"I wanted to recommend you for an ads design for a soft drink product po'ari. That international company was looking for a young and talented designer who could manifest their concept with interesting design, fresh and original. I knew you would fit the big three".

"I'm sorry Mr. Robin". She smiled to see his enthusiasm

"I finally chose another person. And as I had predicted he only fitted the big ten" his expression was disappointed.

"And now, what can I do for you?" he added.

"I bring with me all the assignments from this 1st semester". She took out all the papers she arranged neatly in her folder while telling him her hopes to be allowed to take the final tests. She needed it or she had to retake all over in the next semester. She was a talented student with pretty brilliant ideas. Because of something she had to stay few steps behind her friends. She also had sad experience.

"I'm sorry Aruna. I know you have a brilliant talent in design. But if I allow you to take the tests of the last semester that means I break the rules" his smile did not make her heart warm. It made her even more miserable.

It sounded even worse because he was the last lecturer she lay hopes. All others had given her the final decision, impossible.

A student who was active in the first meeting sessions and skipped so many unattended would be impossible to take the final exams.

"If I allowed you to take the tests, that would mean I acted unfairly to other students. You missed so many meeting sessions. You must take the price it costs." It was the last word of a sociology design lecturer she met previously.

"You must know that being present in my class and listening to my lectures are not the same as taking the lectures online or get the notes from your friends. You don't get the same feels. That's why I won't give you another chance. I feel that you have wasted my time and energy I have spent to you by standing in front the classroom and explaining the materials to the students in there." Aruna apologized to that communication psychology lecturer.

"If from the beginning you had given us clear information about your being absent for so many months due to certain disease, I would have understood. Too bad you didn't give us clear information. Even though you had tried to complete the assignments through your friends' information, it didn't mean automatically you had rights to take the final exams. Please respect my decision." A lecturer of pictogram design and corporate identity gave her the same reasons.

Aruna could not do much. Anytime she went out from the lecturer's room, They gave her almost the same reasons. None accepted her proposals. She gave up. She had worked hard to finish all the assignments for the last week, assignments which were supposed to be completed for 6 months for normal students. She did not get enough sleep nor eat properly. In fact, all her hard work turned out for nothing. She walked slowly and limply toward the parking space.

"Sir, that is Miss Aruna. Do you want to meet her now?" Hery told his master who was busy with his phone.

"Let's follow her first. She won't feel better if we come to her sight right now. She would pretend to be happy, and that's not good for her" Hendra received information from his wife's guards through chat group that she would meet some lecturers today. And it seemed none granted her proposals. She could be very disappointed at the moment.

Hendra followed that red matic motor ridden by his wife. The car ran slowly behind that motor with some reasonable distant. He realized that he really had ruined her youth and her future.

_Where is she going? This is not the road to her home_