We, From The First
#12. Nana and Nana

"Lady!"

Aira immediately stopped her footsteps as she listened to Nico's voice calling Nana's name right from behind her. Instantly Aira's heart was pounding. I can't deny Aira, that she misses hearing Nico call her by that name again. He once did, calling Nana's name to Aira out of deliverance. And after that he did not do it again. It was a simple thing that made Aira feel still distant with the figure of Nico until this moment.

Aira looked back. But it was only a misunderstanding that he finally got. Aira froze in place.

Turns out he was mistaken.

In front of her eyes, from a distance not so far away, Aira could see Nico smiling so gently at a girl who was walking towards her while reaching out her hand. The chubby-faced girl welcomed Nico's helping hand and held it tightly, letting their five fingers interlock.

They walked side by side and looked very compatible with each other. Even anyone knows, that the girl who walked by Nico's side now loves Nico so much. His eyes said that firmly and straightforwardly.

'This man is mine!'

That's one sure sentence that can be read from every move of the girl's body, and from how she looked at Nico's eyes. No one can argue. None of.

It was Nathusya Aruna. The cute girl has been dating Nico since she was in X class. And since the first time the girl mentioned her name as 'Nana' during the School Orientation Period, Nico had already liked her. Nico's feelings reciprocated, as it turned out that Nanalah liked him more and openly showed his feelings for Nico's cold figure.

If more attention, anyone will agree if Nana has a character that is almost the same as Aira. Their appearance is equally simple. Their height and body shape are the same. Even when Sheryl first became acquainted with Aira, she already felt that Aira and Nana had a lot in common, and unhesitatingly proclaimed that Aira was a beautiful version of Nana, she said, while Nana is a cute version of Aira.

Aira felt as if her heart had just been watered by a bucket of cold water. He was then pushed back without being able to define his current feelings.

Stupidhead! That's how Aira curses herself all the time. Three months of living with Nico, how could he not realize at all that Nico already had someone by his side? His naive thought that Nico was still waiting for him, as he had been waiting for Nico all this time, made Aira even more miserable.

Nico's rejection when he first came, Nico's awkward attitude when he was nearby, Nico's vigilance all along on him, as well as the reason why Nico could not call him 'Nana' again like he used to be, Aira just understood why now.

Aira gains her cheerfulness and self-confidence again since reuniting with Nico after so many years. Then after this, would Aira be able to look at Nico in the same way? What awkwardness that began to erode, will re-emerge between them like the beginning of their reunion?

Right now, Aira still did not have any shadow of that prihal. Aira only hoped that she could at least pretend to be normal when she faced Nico.

Aira must not be found out that she is heartbroken.

...****...

June, 2010 (New Student Orientation Period High School Compliant Work)

"My name is Nathusya Aruna. You can call me Nana."

Lothawat! The girl reminded him again of Nana who used to be his childhood love.

For the days that followed, without ever having crossed Nico's mind, Nana continued to approach him and tried to attract Nico's attention. Nana isn't even shy about showing Nico affection in front of Nico's friends.

"Nic, I like you! We're dating, huh?"

It was Nana's first emotional expression on Nico after 3 months of being a freshman at Patuh Karya High School. Nico, who, despite having been interested in the girl from the start, certainly did not immediately say 'yes' to the sudden declaration of love. Nico just ignored Nana. But Nana did not give up.

Semester 1 is over. Nana has expressed her feelings three times. And in that third phrase, Nico could no longer dodge. The stubborn girl had already managed to melt his heart.

"I like you too. But that's because you have a name and personality that's almost the same as my first love."

Nico admitted honestly what he really felt about Nana over the past six months. And Nico did that, because he didn't want to lie to Nana in the least. And with that honesty, Nico hoped that Nana would step down and stop chasing him. But what Nico found later, actually overturned his expectations.

"No problem. I will make you like me as me, not as your first love. It may take a long time, but it still doesn't matter."

The answer Nana gave made Nico more and more inexhaustible with Nana now. But just like Nana, Nico doesn't want to give up just yet. Nico continued, though,

"some day, he could've come, and I could've wavered."

Nana seemed to think, then grimaced before finally answering, "i'll steal you from her."

"if I had stayed shaky, and preferred him more?"

This time Nana was silent for quite a while. Unknowingly, Nico was the one who had managed to shake him now.

Nana took a long breath. His eyes on Nico started to weaken. His self-confidence which had increased to a thousand percent, now decreased to one percent. Slowly, but trying to keep sounding convincing, Nana gave her final answer, hugging tightly the remaining one percent confidence she still has.

"If so, what can I do? The choice is only two, I'll snack with the girl, or. take you off." Nana answered half-jokingly, which finally managed to make Nico laugh a little.

Nico reached out his right hand before Nana, then said,

"Come. dating."

^^^To be Continued...^^^