Rizka's Mouth

After Panji's departure, what Laras felt was empty. It was as if a part of her was missing. I don't know what it was, maybe a piece of her heart or half her breath. Oh, or maybe Laras is getting addicted to Panji? Just like she had felt when Randi started to enter hee life. If it's true, Laras should be grateful. Because soon, the love she has for Randi, will switch to Panji.

But, Laras was afraid. Fear of risk for the big decisions he took.

What if after getting married Panji was rude to her? Not as gentle as they were before marriage? Or what if Widia and Satya will continue to ridicule her for carrying a child who is not Panji's flesh and blood?

Laras felt a lot of fear. To the extent that it seemed, she had no intention of making a decision. Can it be like this forever?

Panji who was kind and gentle to her. Widia and Satya also treat Laras equally well. Laras is afraid that if they share the same house, Laras will get hurt again. She was afraid of flying so high that he forgot that there was a deep abyss waiting beneath her.

Laras is too afraid to restart a relationship that involves love. Because from her experience, she has never found a sincere man. Even her own father had been rude, treating here like an animal.

Laras let out a long sigh. Tonight she was supposed to be doing her homework, but all she did was open the bedroom window, letting the night breeze into her room quietly. Then she sat down on a chair, looking at the outside in silence.

Her mouth was silent, but who would have thought that inside her head was so very noisy.

Laras has eliminated this habit. The habit of letting herself drift away in murky daydreams. Because, the last time she did, she ended up in the hospital for unknowingly slashing her own arm until blood was pouring out of it.

"Mom, daddy gave me too much pain that I always suspected men. According to Mom, should I accept Panji?" Laras asked through the stars in the sky. Hope the star is kind enough to convey her message to her mom in heaven.

Laras cell phone rings, a short message appears on the screen.

From Panji.

[Don't sleep late.]

Laras smiled faintly reading it. Even when she was away from Laras, Laras could still feel her attention here. It was as if Panji was beside her.

The night ended with a 'yes' reply that Laras sent to Panji. Because after that Laras fell asleep after staring for a long time at Panji's photo posted on her WhatsApp profile.

***

"I told you, didn't I? I can do it alone without having to do a survey. This is the modern era, you just have to share it on social media so the people concerned know that we need his answer." Laras said firmly to Rizka.

"Yes, it's true. But if we go directly to the field, we can see the situation for ourselves. So, if for example there are questions that are out of context, for example about market conditions on certain days, we can answer them." Rizka refuted Laras' opinion.

The five of them were in class. Even though the course was over, they were reluctant to go straight home. The time before sunset they use for discussions about unfinished tasks.

"What did I say earlier? We can search the internet. About any day the market is crowded, about the market conditions on certain days like you said. You just make us waste energy to go directly to the market. Besides, other groups don't either there are those who go directly to the field. Only our group is like this."

"You don't compare it to other groups." Rizka was still gaping. She really doesn't want to be blamed for anything, including her own mistakes.

"I'm not comparing. I'm just saying, this task doesn't require documentation or something else. Because what we need here is a way out of the problem of marketing techniques."

"Yes--"

"Stop!!" Nindy interrupted. She was quite tired of hearing the debate between Laras and Rizka. Neither of them wanted to give up. Both stubborn.

"I'm tired, yes, with your pounding. I'm tired, I want to go home. So, enough discussion ends here, we will continue tomorrow for distribution of presentation scripts. Come on, Race." Without waiting for approval from the others, Nindy pulled Laras' hand so that the woman stood up from her place.

"I suspect, yesterday you suddenly came home without our permission. You just told Riri that you weren't feeling well. Are you not feeling well or do you want to meet your mistress?"

Having an affair. Who? Surely what Rizka meant was Panji. Of course Laras got angry.

"Heh?! Don't you pretend to know about my life. Don't you ever try to guess my life path. About my relationship with Randi which ran aground, what's your business? Who am I? Who are you Randi? What right do you have to manage the relationship? Our?" Rizka was silenced by a piercing question from Laras. She was really fed up with Rizka who was always curious about her personal affairs.

At first Laras was not bothered by it, but as time went on, Rizka became more and more annoying. She spreads rumors that he cheated on Randi. Whereas the real fact is that Randi left her, even though Laras is pregnant with Randi's child.

"Shut up, right? You think I don't know, because of your cheap gossip, I'm said to have cheated on Randi. In fact, it was Randi who left me for no reason. So, watch your stinky mouth. Do I need to educate my mouth? Shall I buy mouthwash so it doesn't stink?"

Everyone is silent. Even the few people who were left in this room were also silent to hear Laras' narrative. They are all shocked. Laras was angry, and this was the first time he had silenced someone. Couldn't reply to her.

"Alright, Ras. Let's go home. Don't worry about Rizka's mouth. She really has a bad mouth, likes to talk to people from behind."

"No, I won't stop until you apologize to everyone. Tell them one by one that what you said about me cheating was wrong."

"I don't want to! I'm too lazy to take my words back. You don't have to panic if the rumors are not true. It will subside on its own."

Laras shook her head as she squealed in annoyance. "I'm not panicking, but I'm sick of it."

"If the news isn't true, that's fine. We can't lead people to make assumptions like you want." Rizka is still annoying. Laras wanted to throw the laptop in front of her face.

"I don't want to know, if you don't do what I ask, I can confirm one thing. Your video as a sugar daddy companion will go viral within a week from now."