Rejection

"You and Panji."

It took about ten seconds for Laras to be able to pull back the focus that suddenly scattered.

"Me?" She asked again. Hope he just misunderstood.

"Yes, you are with Panji." Iwan answered calmly. There was a smile on the man's face. As if he was satisfied with this.

"Why me? I don't know Panji, how can we be engaged? Don't be silly, Uncle. I just want Randi, I don't want anything else!" Laras eyebrows began to dip. Her heartbeat began to feel faster than usual.

"Laras!" Yuni flinched. She nudged Laras arm with her elbow.

"Look, Laras." Satya takes over to speak.

"Neither Me, Widia or Panji already know about your current situation. So, when I decided to agree to this matchmaking, it means that we are willing to accept you no matter what the circumstances." Satya spoke softly and calmly. Hope Laras can accept all this without any anger at all.

"What? Do you agree? When did I ask for an arranged marriage? I never wanted to be matched with anyone because I have a boyfriend!" Laras said firmly. Her eyes stared intently at everyone.

"Laras?! Watch your words!" Yuni now dares to pinch Laras' arm.

"Is Auntie the mastermind behind all this?! Oh, or did Aunt or Uncle really want to take care of me because they wanted to be arranged with him?!" Laras was really angry. She even pointed at Panji with her index finger.

Yuni immediately pushed Laras hand away to stop pointing at Panji. "Don't make me embarrassed, Laras!"

"No! I don't want to be sold to you guys. Don't think I'm stupid because I don't know your rottenness, okay! I know that Aunt only wants to sell me under the guise of matchmaking so that Aunt's company can get big investors from Om Satya, right??!"

Yuni clenched her jaw. She glared at Laras. "Hey, idiot! Are you think I want to use my company's name to cover up your disgrace?! Just so you know, this was all your mother's request before she died. You should be aware! You have no value as a woman anymore. You are no longer worthy even to be side by side with Panji. But see? Panji's family even still wants to continue your matchmaking even though they know that you are broken!!"

Plak!!

A hard slap landed on Yuni's cheek, Laras was the culprit. "Watch your mouth Auntie!!"

"Dare you slap me?!!"

Plak!! Plak!!

Yuni replied with two slaps on Laras right and left cheeks. She stood up, staring intently at Laras. "What do you want?! I've accepted you at home, consider you a family member, looking for solutions to your problems, but this is the answer?!! You don't know manners, do you Laras?!!

Laras looked down. She tried hard to suppress her mounting emotions. Holding back all the urges where she wanted to push Yuni and hit her head on the sharp corner of the table.

"Why are you silent?!! Answer! Come on, slap me again! I'll make sure your life is more chaotic than now, Laras! Or do you want me to send you to hell to catch up with your mother?!"

Enough already!

Laras couldn't stand to hear Yuni's screams and curses. So without a word, she stood up from her spot, immediately ran in any direction to avoid Yuni's screams who kept calling her name.

"LARAS!! WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO!!"

Out of the restaurant area, crossing carelessly and being rewarded with loud curses by road users. Laras doesn't care, all she wants is to leave Yuni. A woman like a devil who always blames herself. Laras head is still dizzy, but grateful because now she is not crying anymore. Maybe Laras couldn't stop trying to stick her long nails into her arms. But at least Laras didn't cry. And people will not think of Laras as a madman who escaped from a mental hospital.

"Huh!!" Laras exhaled heavily as she sat down on a worn out park bench.

"Damn! I left my cellphone." She cursed when realized that her cellphone was still being confiscated by Yuni. If only she had brought a cell phone, she would definitely call Nindy to pick her up. The woman must have also wondered why Laras had not been contacted since the incident at the police station.

The sky in Jakarta is still bright, very bright even. The scorching sun made Laras skin burn a little. But it doesn't matter, she doesn't want to leave this park. Park with deserted visitors. Very suitable for her who needs calm herself.

"Randi, I thought you were the one who would come to be matched with me, in fact it wasn't." Laras spoke to a gold drawstring bracelet she was wearing. The bracelet was given by Randi as a birthday present for Laras yesterday. Too bad, haven't used it yet, but the person who gave it has disappeared.

While diving into her cloudy mind, Laras felt someone sitting beside her. When she turned around, Laras gasped. "You?"

"It's no good daydreaming alone in a deserted garden." Laras snorted seeing Panji who spoke but did not look at her.

"Why are you here? You must have been told to by aunt, right?" said Laras.

"Don't be mean to your own aunt." The man still didn't look at her. He just stared straight at the expanse of weeds ahead. With his warm and calm eyes, Laras could see that Panji was a patient man. The proof, in his tone of voice, was not the slightest hint of emotion even though Laras was already annoyed with himself.

"How can I not? She is my aunt, but she wants to use me only for her own benefit. She must have set me up with you so that Uncle Satya wants to be a permanent investor in her company. It's the same as selling me, right? No wonder auntie suddenly appeared and wanted to take care of me when my parents died. Apparently, there were many implied intentions from her kind attitude. Indeed, Yuni's aunt was not a good person. Neither my mother nor I had a good relationship with her." Laras described her frustration. It's stupid if Panji is angry, it's actually good because Laras still wants to be alone here.

There is no response from Panji yet. He was still staring ahead, but when the man turned and looked at Laras with a calm look in his eyes, at that moment Laras felt a warmth. "Laras?" He called.

"You know? Our arranged marriage was not at the will of your aunt or uncle. But the will of your late mother. She had planned this long before she left. And I, have known you for a long time. Maybe you don't know me, but I know you well. So, please, accept this matchmaking, huh?"

"Why should I?"

There was a pause before Panji's answer that made Laras' heart feel like it was going to burst. "Because I love you."