Aster Veren
Episode 123

- Kalea

After asking permission from the Tirta pact, I was finally allowed to rest in the UKS with Aster.

"Lea?" Aster's voice made me turn to him, "sorry." He then immediately put on his gloomy expression and made me frown in confusion.

"Why apologize?" I asked to make our eyes meet. I saw the light in Aster's eyes dim, hiding his purple bead beauty.

"That ... I shouldn't have forced you to swim just now, I should have–"

"Wait!" I cut his words.

What's he thinking? My mind is trying to look at his gloomy face.

"I'm fine, really." When I understood the situation between us.

Aster must have felt so worried when he saw me not focus on swimming earlier. Moreover, I had lost consciousness, fortunately Aster quickly pulled me to the surface. If not, I don't know what will happen to me next.

"No, Lea's not okay. I can see it clearly." He said to make me feel surprised, I never imagined Aster would say such a thing with his angry expression trying to hold back his puddles of tears.

"That ...," I muttered in confusion myself, I don't know if my head is clashing with each other right now. I don't know if I should calm Aster first or calm my heart first? Because right now, I feel mixed feelings because of remembering the past.

... actually Aster, the reason I was afraid of swimming was because there was once someone who died because of me. I know he died because his physique was weak, but ..if that day he never thought to save my cat and plunge into the river. Maybe he could live longer, right? But because of me .... My pillow while squeezing the blanket that covers my legs.

I wanted to say what I was thinking right now to Aster, but those words were stuck in my throat.

"It's okay Lea, if it can't be told it's better not to be told. You just take a break," Aster said as he grabbed my right hand and rubbed it gently.

***

"Lea! Honey are you conscious? Doctor!" Shouting papa while running out as I opened my eyes, I noticed the white painted ceiling that was getting clearer and switched on the blue window curtain. The waving curtains in the wind carried the distinctive aroma of the hospital that was just smelled by my sense of smell.

"Hospital?" Mumbles.

Ega! My inner self awakens with memories of the moment I drowned with her.

"Papa, Ega–" I stopped as I heard a commotion in the next room.

"No! The doctor must be kidding, right? My daughter couldn't possibly–" The sobs of a woman caught my attention.

"Relieve!" The next thing surprised me.

"Dear?" I muttered wondering what I just heard, "meaning? this is–not my friend Ega, is it?" I immediately got up from my lying position, trying to shake off my bad thoughts.

Then with curiosity that began to accumulate, I decided to check the next room while pushing the infusion stand in front of me.

"Huhu ... Egaa, hiks." The cry of a woman I know. Who else if not Ega's mother.

Slowly my shoulders slumped when I saw the figure of Ega lying helplessly on the bed with her pale face. My chest suddenly tightened, even unconsciously my tears began to fall.

"No way," I murmured faintly, "Ega ..," I continued as I walked over to him.

"Tan–tante's? Ega?" I asked while looking at her mother Ega who was still sobbing in her husband's arms.

I hesitantly touched her face carefully, "cold ...."

"Lea?" Papa's voice doesn't really care about me.

"Hiks, Ega?" My murmurs could not hold my sobs anymore, "huwaaa Egaa! Wake Ega!" My cry broke when I realized my friend wasn't breathing.

"Darling?" Papa immediately hugged my body tightly, trying to calm me down.

"Papa, Ega hiks, huwaaa .. Why does Ega have to go? Why did God call Ega? Why isn't Lea called too?" Ocehku on the sidelines sobs my tears.

"Ega hiks ...," I murmured in tightness.

"Lea? Wake up Lea," Teo's voice woke me up from my nightmare.

"You okay?" He asked as he grabbed my face and wiped my tears.

I dream? My mind is still sobbing while rising from my lying position.

"Drink." He said as he gave me a glass of water, "what did you dream of crying like that?" He asked after I finished drinking the water he gave me.

"Where's Aster?" I tried to shift the subject while wiping out the rest of my tears.

"He went to the principal's room, it seems like the conversation this morning wasn't finished yet." The answer is not to take his eyes off me.

"It's okay Lea," he continued to suddenly hug my body and pat me gently on the back.

"It's all just a dream, it's okay." He said again in a low, soft-sounding voice, still patting my back softly.

"... thank you" I said after remaining silent long enough to understand my current situation.

Apparently Teo was worried about me.

"Actually Teo," I said hesitantly.

"Yes?" He answered while releasing his embrace.

"... i dreamt of my old friend." I clearly.

"Dear?"

"How do you know his name?"

"I heard you deliriously saying his name while crying earlier, which is why I woke up." Clearly, while rubbing his neck.

"O–oh,"

"You miss him? Or dreaming of something bad about it?" The question sounds careful.

***

- Esther

"What's wrong with your face?" My father's voice roused me from my daydream. I'm currently in the principal's office with my father.

"Why my face?" I asked back while rubbing my cheeks with both palms of my hands.

"It's so ugly." The answer annoyed me, could father say my face is ugly with the expression of the wall, "does anything bother your mind?" Further asked.

"Hah~ was actually Aster feeling guilty towards Lea for forcing her to swim together. Even though Aster knew that Lea was afraid of swimming," I explained after sighing deeply.

"Then?"

"Lea was drowning" I replied in a low voice.

"really?" Dad asked me to make me nod.

"Lea is in the UKS now." My speech.

"... I think he can overcome his trauma, it turns out–" muttered my father immediately cut off when the question about Lea appeared in my head.

"Do you know why Lea is afraid to swim?"

"He once drowned in a river with a friend. Then his friend died, maybe because of that he got scared of swimming." Obviously dad made my eyes widen in surprise.

"Be–really? Te–his friend died? Papa know where it's from?"

"Victor told me. But basically the physical child is already weak from birth. But you heard Lea always blames herself for the passing of her friend" said the father, holding his chin.

"So that's why Lea doesn't like swimming?" I felt guilty for forcing her to swim with me.

However, Lea must be afraid when she sees her reflection on the surface of the water that does not know how deep the water is, right? But ... Why does Lea blame herself for her friend's death? Inner wondering.

"Sorry to have you waiting" said uncle Justin entering the room followed by uncle Ian and a beautiful woman beside him. Disperse my reverie.

"Why did you come here?" Ask me if I look unfriendly.

"Of course it's because I have business with Justin, if there's no way I could have come here?" Answered uncle Ian while confirming the suit he was wearing and returning father's sharp gaze.

"By bringing your wife here?" Ask dad again, squinting his eyes.

"Ya–"

Dad's relationship with uncle Ian never looked good huh? My mind could not help but smile amusedly at the sight of the expression of the two.

"Hallo Aster," said the woman beside uncle Ian who had been standing in front of me while grabbing both hands.

Wh who? Is she Carel's mother? Inner wondering.

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Thanks for reading...