We, From The First
#43. Meet Evelyn Lim

Rio was standing in front of the stairs while folding both his hands under his chest. His eyes kept on the entrance, waiting for someone to arrive thirty minutes ago.

And exactly five minutes after, Rio's target was already in sight. He immediately adjusted his position, and put on his cold gaze. As soon as Bia got close to him, Bia just showed a flat expression, then hit Rio softly on the chest.

"Lo's gapain here? Just walk the street." Omel Bia was without any interest, and just passed by Rio.

Rio who was already feeling very cool this morning, instantly felt that Bia had crushed his expectations in a single blow.

"Bii, why am I not your type?"

The question that Rio threw out, was about to make Bia stop her steps. The question was also, which kept haunting Rio's mind all night. Since Bia said that Rio was not her type, somehow Rio felt like being dumped.

"Because you temen me, Yo." Replied Bia quietly after being silent for quite a while.

"Is it just that?" Ask Rio sanctions.

Bia this time turned around, and looked at the adorable young man seriously.

"Lo can read my eyes now, right?"

Hearing Bia's question, Rio climbed one more ladder in order to get closer to Bia. Feeling that it was not enough, Rio went back up one more ladder. Now the distance between them was only two steps away.

"Gue see, I mean more than that." Rio said slowly while looking at Bia's eyes without blinking, trying to read her meaning as carefully as possible.

Without Rio guessing, now Bia who went down one step, to make the distance so very close to Rio. Rio gasp. From the very beginning, this girl was indeed difficult to read.

"Yes. Whatever's on your mind right now, it's all right."

Not long after, Rio smiled so widely. He then touched the hand of Bia who perched freely on the handle of the stairs.

And Bia had absolutely no intention of resisting that touch. He accepted it with an open heart.

...****...

The semester exam is over. Class Meeting series has also been done. And this semester, Rakha again managed to get the first rank. But as always, it did not get the appreciation it deserved from his father.

Rakha is used to everything. That no longer affects him.

And on the last day of school this semester, Aira is seen sitting at a stop, waiting for the arrival of Nico who asks him to wait for her. It had been almost ten minutes Aira had spent waiting, but there was not the slightest sign that Nico was coming. Aira also checked her phone several times, to see if Nico was sending a message or not. But apparently, not a single message entered his phone.

Aira sighed softly. Nico is not usually like this.

When he came home from school, Aira had intended to go home alone by bus. But Nico who suddenly came out of nowhere, just appeared beside him and invited him to go home together. Moments after that, Nico received a phone call from Rio. That was when Nico asked Aira to go to the stop first and wait for him there. But until this moment, Nico did not appear.

Until finally, a black sedan stopped right in front of Aira. The car glass opened slowly, and revealed the figure of Evelyn Lim sitting in the back seat gracefully.

Aira who felt familiar with that face, immediately stood up.

"Naira Kelana? Classmate Rakha?" Evelyn asked gently while lowering her glasses.

"I—iya..." Aira replied a little nervously.

Where does Evelyn Lim know her name?

"Aira, can you come with Auntie for a minute? Somebody wants Aunt to talk about."

While capturing the hesitation on Aira's face, Evelyn again said, "it's about Rakha..."

Aira, who heard Rakha's name being carried around, suddenly did not know how to reject Evelyn's invitation. As if bewitched, Aira nodded as a sign of agreement. Right then, Evelyn immediately smiled in relief.

...****...

That was the content of the text message Nico had just received from Aira. Nico opened the message, shortly after Rio disbanded the meeting. After reading the message Aira sent, Nico tried to contact her. But alas, Aira's phone is in an inactive state. That certainly made Nico feel very worried about Aira.

"Yo, Nat, Nic, I go first, huh?" Pamit Rakha to his friends. He then draped his bag on his shoulder, and walked out of the Secretariat Room in a hurry.

Rakha's movements are quite suspicious, inevitably began to harass Nico.

About fifteen minutes later, Rakha arrived at the restaurant Aira was referring to. Once there, Rakha was a little confused. One question automatically lodged in her head; why did Aira also invite her to meet in a place like this?

Following the instructions that Aira gave, Rakha finally arrived at a table located at the very end. His position is right next to the window. And from a short distance away, Rakha can see Aira sitting opposite a woman whom Rakha suspects is her own mother.

As soon as Rakha approached, that very moment his suspicions proved to be true. That woman was right, her mother.

Aira looked at Rakha with an uneasy look. He seemed to realize, if he had just made a mistake that he should not have done. But how else? Aira was really being pushed around, and had no chance to dodge.

"Kha?" Lirih Aira slowly.

Rakha, who was able to catch the guilty look from Aira, immediately smiled at Aira so that she could calm down. Rakha's smile seemed to hint; 'Nothing, Ra.'

"Rakha have you come?" Imbuh Evelyn with a sense of pleasure that she could not hide anymore because she finally could meet her Son back.

Rakha sighed, without saying anything, he immediately took a position beside Aira.

"Kha, I'm waiting in front, huh? I think you need time to talk to your mom. Ranha is coming soon."

As Aira got up, Rakha hurriedly pulled the tip of Aira's jacket to stop her. While staring at Aira, Rakha shook her head, as if asking that Aira not leave.

Aira smiled so warmly, and threw a signal that everything would be fine. Aira then touched Rakha's hand which was still holding the tip of her jacket, then released it slowly.

"I'll wait there, okay?" Soft words.

Rakha this time is broken. He could no longer stand in front of Aira.

At the same time, Evelyn becomes convinced that Aira really means something to Rakha.

And from a distance, Aira saw Rakha and Ranha who were talking to Evelyn Lim. Rakha's face looked so solemn as she listened to her Mama speak. And Ranha too. In his heart, Aira hopes that everything will be fine and the problems between Rakha and Mama can be resolved soon.

Twenty minutes later, the three were seen ending their conversation. Ranha hugged Mama warmly, while Rakha, even from a considerable distance, Aira was able to catch Rakha's awkwardness when hugging her Mama.

Evelyn Lim held onto Rakha's face with both hands, then landed a kiss on her forehead.

Not long after, Rakha approached Aira.

"Let's go, Ra."

"Ranha how?" Ask Aira.

"Ranha same Mama. And... Mama herself asked me to make you."

Aira nodded slowly. And just as they were about to set foot, Evelyn suddenly said,

"Rakha, Aira, wait!"

Rakha and Aira looked back at the same time. At that moment, Aira was immediately greeted with a warm smile from Evelyn Lim.

"Aira, thank you for today, huh? Thanks to you, this meeting can happen and Auntie can explain everything to Rakha and Ranha."

"I don't think about anything, Aunt."

"Even though it means a lot to Auntie. After four years, Aunty can finally explain everything to Auntie's children."

Evelyn Lim is closer to Aira. After that, he wiped Aira's head very gently.

"Thank you for always caring about Rakha, huh?"

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