An Injured Boy & An Ice Cream Girl II
"What... What do you mean?" Said Aaron, he was starting to get nervous.
"Getting my memory again." Said Mai.
Aaron swallowed hard, this was what he was most afraid of.
"That's not a good idea," said Aaron.
"Why not?" Said Mai.
"If you force something when you're not ready, the consequences can be even worse," said Aaron.
Of course, Mai could be shocked when she found out that the child she was looking for had been nearby.
The girl was silent, looked thoughtful and Aaron hoped Mai would cancel her plans.
"Why don't you consult your doctor?" Said Aaron, who tried to find another solution.
"I'm sure she has a better way to help you get your memories back." Said Aaron again.
Mai was still silent and Aaron waited impatiently.
"Aunt Puspa won't want to help." Said Mai, she finally spoke.
"I thought you wanted to help," she said again. There was a disappointed look on her face.
Aaron sighed. I really wanna help you, Mai but it's not that simple. - thought Aaron.
Mai thought Aaron would immediately agree to her request. All this time the man had always helped her, listened to her strange stories, and sometimes helped her put together the puzzle of her past which is still a mystery, but his words just now sounded like a subtle refusal. Why? - thought Mai.
"I never miss a consultation schedule and I always take my medicine but that's not what I need," said Mai, she spoke again.
"I'm not sure I can help you," Aaron said with a shake of his head, his face serious.
Mai gasped. Why doesn't Aaron want to? All this time Aaron had always helped her, why now refuse her request.
"You offered to help at that time..." Mai said quietly, trying to remind her.
"Sorry... I was too pushy huh... I think you weren't just making small talk at that time," she said again, there was disappointment in her sentence.
"I thought you were different, but you're all the same." Said Mai again.
Even though Mai already had a plan, she had already thought about this. She wished Aaron could help her.
Ever since her mother told her that her dreams were real, since Aaron didn't mind hearing her story, an idea popped into Mai's head.
Mai felt that her parents didn't say everything, neither did her aunt and because Aaron had said he could help with all the medical knowledge he had, Mai had high hopes for him. And this idea of a vacation in Bandung is a great start to reveal the truth.
"I have a right to know what happened at that time. My aunt, my parents would know the truth but they wouldn't tell me even if I asked and begged. This is important to me, I have to get those memories back. And I think I know someone who can help. But it turns out I was wrong." Said Mai while frowning.
Gone is the hope. Aaron also behaves like her aunt and parents. Mai was annoyed and then noticed the strange looks of her friends, making her realize that maybe she was overdoing it. It's just a vacation, but Mai considers it an important mission to restore her lost memory.
"Sorry, I'm overreacting. I suddenly got this ridiculous idea. Forget it," she said awkwardly and turned to pick up her bag that had been placed on the chair. Apart from feeling annoyed and disappointed, she also felt ashamed.
"I want to go home," she said to Ivani.
She had lost the mood to watch Thomas play music, and she didn't care about the holidays either. Ivani tried to hold it but Mai slapped her best friend's hand away.
Aaron looked at Mai who looked disappointed and annoyed. He took a deep breath. His senses told him he should ignore the girl's wishes but his heart said otherwise, he couldn't bear it.
"I'll help you!" Said Aaron.
His decision immediately made Mai stop her steps. The girl turned and looked at him with sparkling eyes. Her lips pulled into a wide smile.
Damn it! Now I'm in trouble. - Aaron slightly regrets his decision.
"Really? Seriously? Not lying, right? Promise?" asked the girl, as if to make sure.
Mai's attitude is like a child who is happy when her request is granted.
"Yes... Yes..." said Aaron with a nod of his head.
Mai ran to Aaron and then stopped right in front of him, still with a smile on her face the girl immediately hugged him briefly making Aaron surprised as well as the people around them.
"Thanks, Ron. You're really good," said the girl who seemed oblivious to what she had just done.
Aaron stared at her then smiled. There was a strange feeling he felt when he saw the girl's shining gaze as well as the cheerful smile on his face. It was even more strange when the girl hugged him shamelessly earlier.
Messy... What Am I doing exactly? - thought Aaron.
Aaron realized that by agreeing to Mai's request, he was playing with fire and he might be burned to the ground.
"Ok... We decided to go on vacation to Bandung!" shouted Eddo concluding, breaking the silence after witnessing the interaction between two human children who didn't seem aware that they were alone.
"I'll tell Danny the news," said Riven, who immediately took out his cellphone.
While his friends looked happy, Aaron felt miserable. Getting Mai's memory back, it's easy. All he had to do was tell her everything, everything that happened 12 years ago. He remembers everything and stupidly promises to help Mai regain her memory.
Aaron hoped that someone would kill him right now or just push himself down because he was on the brink now. He didn't know what was worse than facing his past with Cynthia or his past with Mai.
On the other hand, Mai is happy because she has a way to get her memories and get rid of her trauma. She ignored Ivani and Nica's strange stares that demanded an explanation as to why she could hug Aaron like that just because she was too happy.
-----
"What are you doing?" Riven said while patting Aaron's shoulder who was seriously watching streaming video on his laptop.
"You know..." said Aaron who was a little surprised when he opened the headset he was wearing. He didn't even notice Riven's existence. Suddenly his cousin was in his room. He didn't even hear the door to his room open.
"Blue films?" Riven asked nonchalantly even though he knew exactly what Aaron was watching. Shows about health that do not interest him.
"Damn it... I'm not you!" said Aaron. Riven chuckled.
"Yes, you are a pious man, kind, not arrogant, smart, cute when girls say, when in fact---" said Riven.
"What are you doing?" asked Aaron, direct.
If it bothers like this, usually Riven wants something. Riven sat on Aaron's bed, took a bolster, and placed it on his thighs.
"I'm worried about you," Riven said.
"Hah?" Aaron said while looking at Riven with a strange expression.
"You're sweet," Aaron said again while blinking his eyes mischievously.
Riven threw the bolster he was holding in Aaron's face, Aaron dodged and laughed.
"I'm serious," said Riven.
"You're in trouble, right?" Said Riven, he straight to the point.
"So tell me what's bothering you?" Said Riven again.
Aaron shook his head and smiled then returned to his laptop.
"I'm fine, Riv," he said then.
"Ron, please... I'm your brother. At least you can tell me what's going on. You know the problem will be lighter if you share it with other people." Riven said.
Aaron was silent. He couldn't lie to Riven. Riven is the one who knows him best, he has nothing to hide from Riven and vice versa. Aaron sighed, maybe they could brainstorm.
"Well... There was one," said Aaron.
"About Cynthia?" Riven said.
"Nope... This was different," said Aaron.
Riven also frowned when he found out that Aaron wasn't just upset about his ex.
"What else is bothering you?" Riven said.
"Did you still remember about my accident in Bandung 12 years ago?" said Aaron.
Riven frowned.
Wow, that's been a long time, kids never talk about this again, how come all of a sudden... Is it because they're planning a vacation in Bandung? - thought Riven.
"That's why you don't want to go to Bandung? Are you traumatized?" Said Riven.
It's just the trauma for now. - thought Riven.
But Aaron is not the type of person who is easily traumatized, Aaron is the type of stubborn child who doesn't know the word tired.
"Not traumatized. Even if there was I wouldn't have experienced it," said Aaron.
Well, that's right, it's impossible.
"I... Don't get it," Riven said with a confused look on his face.
Aaron took a breath.
"I don't know where to start," said Aaron.
"And I'm even more confused," said Riven.
Aaron sighed again.
"Alright...Here we go...I made a mistake 12 years ago regarding that accident." said Aaron.
Riven was silent still looking confused and Aaron continued his story,
"I... lied to both father and grandmother. I was the cause of the accident not... the girl," said Aaron.
"It means?" Riven asked, he still didn't seem to understand.
"Just like we know... I had an accident while playing with a girl I don't even know her name. I hit my head and I suffered a mild concussion, was unconscious for 2 days and... My father sued the child's family for negligence." Aaron said, Riven nodded as a sign that he remembered the sequence of events.
"And when I woke up, I met them. They came... To apologize to me and I... I blame them." said Aaron.
"It was their fault... You almost died. I remember when we were told you had an accident and we rushed to the hospital and then I saw you didn't move... With the tools on your body... It was creepy." Riven said.
Aaron smiled bitterly.
"What if it's not their fault? What if it's mine?" Aaron interrupted.
"What are you talking about?" Riven said.
"I told my father that the child was in the wrong, she made me fall. But that's not what happened. She was the one who fell that time. I pushed the swing too hard. She told me to stop but I didn't t. I thought it was fun. I laughed but when I saw her almost cry, I know what I did was wrong. I tried to catch her when she lost her balance but we both fell. She's fine. I got hurt. I was afraid if everyone will blame me. My dad would be really mad. I couldn't tell the truth. I lied." Aaron sounded sorry.
Riven stared at him for a split second and then began to speak again after he had overcome his surprise.
"You just a kid and you just play. Sometimes things like that can happen. I can understand. That's a long time ago, Ron. Forget it," said Riven who understood and comforted his cousin.
"I wish I could. You remember how my father reacted to that incident. He sued them, not only telling them to pay for my treatment but suing them legally. I remember when Rara said they were imprisoning the child's father. Don't you see, Riv? One lie and I ruined someone's life, that girl and her family. I ruined their lives." said Aaron.
"Oo... Okay... I get it... Sean, your dad is a bit too much." Riven said.
"He's terrible," said Aaron.
"He's your Dad, he only defended you. He would do anything for you." Riven said.
"Yeah I know but he... No... I'm the terrible one. I'm the bad guy." Aaron said, he realized what he did was worse than what his father did.
"I feel guilty... I feel bad..." Aaron said again.
Riven also patted his cousin's back as if that would relieve Aaron's guilt.
"Didn't grandma free the guy then?" Riven said.
"Yeah... I asked for it but I also asked grandma not to tell dad the truth," said Aaron.
"Then the problem is solved, right. You didn't ruin someone's life." Riven said.
Aaron nodded slowly.
"No... It's not over yet," said Aaron.
"What do you mean? Okay... I don't understand. We have a vacation plan to Bandung and you bring up what happened a long time ago. What is this about? Are you afraid to go to Bandung? Wait... Are you afraid to meet them? Are they still there? ?" Riven said.
"Yeah... They're still there," said Aaron.
"Ooow... I don't think they'll recognize you. After all, we don't necessarily meet them." Riven said.
"I... met that girl and... I ruined her life," Aaron suddenly said.
"You did? When?" Riven said, he looked surprised.
"The past few months," said Aaron.
"Wait... Are you serious? How do you know it's her? You don't even know her name." Riven said.
"Indeed... I don't know or maybe I just don't want to know. I want to forget about it first and think it's not important but that kid... She... Remembers everything... Okay, not all... She still doesn't know me and you know why I said I messed up her life?" Aaron said, he asked back.
Riven was waiting.
"She had trauma from that accident," said Aaron.
Riven frowned. Trauma? So the traumatized girl was not his cousin and Riven gasped when he felt something was wrong with this story.
"And the latest news is ....she asked for my help to remember the incident so that she can recover from her trauma." Said Aaron, he spoke the words slowly, hoping that Riven would find a connection to his story.
"Oh my God!" Riven reacted after a few seconds.
"Finally! You get my point," Aaron said, he breathed. He felt a little relieved because he had told him what had been bothering him for a long time.
Riven also tries to connect Aaron's story with things that have not happened recently, especially the incident in the studio when Aaron refused to go on vacation to Bandung and there was someone who wanted to go there too but not for a vacation but wanted to find out about her forgotten past, remembers everything and the girl asks his cousin for help.
"That little girl... Mai?" asked Riven.
Aaron nodded.
Riven was just silent as he looked at his cousin, still in disbelief.
"No way! Are you sure? How do you know?" Riven began to deny.
Riven remembers the first time he met the girl, during the college student orientation where Mai fell and screamed hysterically at the sight of her blood. Riven knew that the girl had a phobia of blood and later the girl was also said to have PTSD. She also had an accident in Bandung.
"It's a similar story," Riven muttered.
"Not just similar, Riv. That's her," said Aaron.
"But... This is impossible. How come?" Riven said.
Aaron shrugged.
"I think God is punishing me," said Aaron.
"Oh, Ron, please... How do you know? You don't even know her name do you?" Riven said, he still wasn't sure.
"I read her diary book," said Aaron.
Riven's eyes bulged. Yes Aaron realized his actions were rude, he had to and it seemed he didn't need to explain how he was able to read Mai's diary.
"Well... There's also a photo in there. A photo of her when she was a kid. I never forget her face even though I try to forget her. I also asked her and matched everything up. It's her, Riv!" said Aaron.
Wait, is this the reason why Aaron is often seen being close to Mai lately. Riven initially thought that his cousin had started to forget his ex-girlfriend and switched to another girl, although he did not agree that Mai was that girl. Mai is too childish for Aaron. It seems that his cousin's taste is not that of a child. Thankfully, it's now been revealed why Aaron approached Mai.
"How could she be traumatized?" Riven asked again.
"She saw me motionless and covered in blood. I think that's where the hemophobia came from. Like a horror movie to her." said Aaron.
"And I blame myself too. I should have told the truth but I lied. I can't shake that image, Riv... When she looks at me and seems to expect me that I will tell what happened. I... turn my face away. She cries, she begged me but I... Ignored her. I even kicked her out." said Aaron.
The image of little Mai flashed in his eyes again. The little girl was scared and sad, she was too... Was scared but now Aaron was feeling bad.
He left the girl alone. in an unpleasant situation. He was the one who invited her to play, he was the cause of the accident and the little girl was the one who suffered the consequences.
"Okay...stop it!" Riven interrupted.
"You're starting to blame yourself." Said Riven again
"It was my fault," Aaron corrected Riven's words.
"It wasn't her... And all this time she's blaming herself coz she thinks it was her. She feels bad for me, Riv... She's traumatized because of me." Aaron said, he was starting to feel frantic.
The guilt he was trying to deny was now starting to be accepted even though it hurt him. It makes him feel bad well... He's a bad guy, isn't he?
Why wasn't he the one who was traumatized? Why the girl? How could she just forget about it? How could she be so heartless?
"What should I do now?" asked Aaron. Riven didn't answer but sighed.
"Relax... Calm down... We'll figure out away." Riven said.
"What will happen if she remembers everything?" said Aaron.
"Then don't help her," Aaron spoke to himself.
"Pretending not to know... Nothing's happened and run away... Again," Aaron said, he quipped to himself.
Riven was speechless.
"I can't do that. Not anymore," said Aaron.
Aaron remembered his grandmother's words when he confessed his lie and asked his grandmother to help him. She apologized then, apologized for being such a liar. His grandmother advised him, when he was little, did not understand. His grandmother asked him to never run from problems, to have the courage to face them, and especially to be responsible for every decision and action he chose.
'you are a man, don't be a coward' that's what she said.
"So what's your plan?" Riven said.
"I don't know," Aaron said with a shrug.
"But I won't run away from this one. I'll take responsibility. I'll make amends," he said confidently. Riven hugged him.
"I'll help you," Riven said.
"Thanks," said Aaron.
Aaron was relieved to have told Riven his problem and his resolve was made up, he wouldn't run away, he would settle his business with Mai.
"Ron..." Riven said before leaving his room.
"Hmm..." Aaron mumbled.
"You're not in love with Mai are you?" Riven said.
"Hah?" Said Aaron, his eyes widened, and looked straight at Riven.
"Whatever you are." He chuckled then.
How could Riven think that? - thought Aaron.
"You're too close to her," Riven said.
"I just wanted to make amends, Riv," said Aaron.
"I know but you have to be careful, the girl is easy to feel and who can guarantee your heart will not change," Riven said.
Aaron laughed. He thought what Riven just said was ridiculous. Riven thought like Rara when her sister met Mai for the first time.
"Take it easy," Aaron said with a wave of his hand. He couldn't possibly fall in love with a minor.
"I have a hunch Mai will cause you trouble," Riven said.
Well if this is probably true. The girl was going to trouble him but he had no choice.