BLUE MOON'S
RED STAIN

Aria looked at me in annoyance. I know the cause. But I don't want to talk about it at all. Not because I don't care, but because my problems are bigger than his. My head was still unable to receive that information. Brian who was sitting next to him was also just silent not opening his voice. Sometimes he looks at his girlfriend. Then he wrote it back on his orange book. The previously unused whiteboard was full of black writing. Making my previous feeling okay suddenly upset. I hope I didn't get to class today.

            I still remember thirty minutes ago everything was fine. My weekly quiz values are also perfect as before. Until the sudden announcement of the task.

            “Next week we will practicum and quiz lessons today. You are free to choose your own partner.”

            “Prof.” One of the students held his hand. Make all eyes on him.

            “Do not we choose. It won't be fair. They definitely choose the best pair.” His eyes were staring at me cynically. Other students also agreed with his response. Rejecting his decision and forcing the middle-aged man who was sitting down to decide.

            The request is fulfilled and he makes sure every couple he decides will be fair. I'm on my own

doubt about it. He doesn't know us very well. There were how many classes he entered and how many students he met. There's no way he's gonna recognize us one by one. Sure enough, he immediately opened and checked the blue book on his desk. An attendance and student list.

            “Elisa and Maria.”

            “Aria and Albert.”

            “Brian and Mey.”

            “…….”

            Almost half of the class has already been paired. Everyone I know is paired. I am the only one who does not have a partner among them. Brian was still standing in front. Write the name mentioned on the board. Sometimes he is seen holding back laughter when he finds a partner who he thinks is unstable. Not according to his expectations. I saw him also get upset. Wish I'd pair up with a normal guy.

            “Nathan and ..” The face of the middle-aged man looks confused. Voice ceased. His eyes looked at the book he was holding. Up and down the head appears to move many times. He briefly lifted his head to look at the classroom, glaring; and finally looked back at the book.

            “... Zea.” His eyes were still looking at the book in front of him.

            “Nathan and Zea.” He was staring at me. His voice sounds clear. I feel like my heart has stopped beating. My head was throbbing, time stopped for me. I stared at him and Nathan took turns. Nathan just kept quiet. There was no expression on his face.

            This is where I am now with anxiety in my heart. Facing Nathan. I stood up from my seat. Leaving my seat and Aria still upset, I approached Nathan who was sitting speechless in his seat. His eyes looked at the evening sky that looked starting to blacken. The black shadows of the flying birds clearly filled the sky. A gust of wind seemed to hit his face. The window curtains are flying too

following the rhythm of the blowing wind.

            “Nathan.” My voice called out to him. My eyes are still staring at his face. He turned, our eyes met. Not making a sound, he just nodded looking at me standing up

in front of him.

            “We're together.” I raised my hand my finger towards him and I took turns. “You can? Your materials are there, right?” His voice seemed to disappear. Every question I ask is answered by a nod and a slit.

            He moved his head left and right. Refused to give me personal information. Annoyed by his attitude, I pulled out a book on his desk. I chose to write my ID for him. His sight looked surprised, yet he remained silent.

            “Save. If you don't come next week, contact me.” I returned her book and left her who was still sitting speechless. Classes have also started to empty, the other students have left the room and gone home.

*****

            I can't sleep. This afternoon still bothered my mind. Couple with Nathan, but the most upsetting is him refusing to give her ID. The multi-storey house I live in is already quiet. The guard who lives in my house is also resting. In this house I live alone, only a few guards who live help take care of the house.

            The big window in my room is still open. The wind blew in, flying the white curtain that covered it. I stepped up to my room full of white roses. A bamboo swing is located there. There are plant roots wrapped around the iron barrier balcony. I sit and occasionally move my legs, wiggling the swing forward and back. Enjoy a gentle night blowing angina.

            The moon was shining brightly, no clouds were trying to cover it. The stars in the sky also look bright. The large trees that adorn the courtyard occasionally swayed, following the gusts of the night breeze. The voice was still heard, but a little calmer. Not as pathetic as before. I live in a settlement that is not too dense, there are still many vacant land and hills. Not far from urban, but somehow no developer is interested in building a housing here. The houses around me, no one is awake. Only street lights and pages as lights, indicating residents have fallen asleep. A night of silence I always felt.

            Cellphone's ringing. A foreign number was seen on his screen. A number I don't recognize. I let him embroider just like that. It was almost midnight, and a foreign number called me. Three. Four. The same number keeps calling and many times. Curious and I chose to accept it, preparing to nag anyone who contacted me if I didn't have a clear purpose.

            “Hallo?”

            “Hallo? Who?” No sound at all. I looked back at my phone screen. Make sure the call is still unbroken. Once again, I listened to his voice and called out to the person who was

across phone. But there was no sound. The connection suddenly broke. A few seconds later a message came from the same number.

            Zea ?

            Wh who?

            It's me Zea. You'd forgotten?

            Wh who?

            Your number is not in my contact. Excuse me.

            I'm Zea. Luke.

            You remember me, right?

            I'm sorry Zea. I'm mistaken.

            I flicked my finger that wanted to type a reply. My eyes were stunned by the name on my phone. A name I always wanted to forget. A flash of the picture was immediately present in my mind. Smiles and laughter were still there. My eyes were suddenly wet, water flowing down my cheeks and wetting them. I don't want to remember. A clear memory hurt me but without my permission kept coming and refused to disappear. I put my phone next to my bed, a wooden table with a sleeping lamp on it. The voice came back from my phone, but I didn't give it up. Not wanting to know, I would rather drown my face behind my sleeping pillow. It was a sadness I should have forgotten.