We, From The First
#69. Escape
At night, after everyone fell asleep, Nico came out of his room wearing full sports clothes. All day Nico actually did nothing, he just languished in his room all day but his body felt very tired.
After learning that Aira and Rakha are involved in a dating scandal, Nico somehow feels her energy is drained. Everything made his chest tight when he realized he could do nothing, except just accept with a heavy feeling.
As soon as he came out of his room, his attention was immediately drawn towards the balcony. There, there were many memories he had gone through with Aira. Nico even steals Aira's first kiss on the spot. Nico sighed, then continued in his footsteps, trying as hard as possible to put aside all his heartbreak.
But then, Nico failed!
Because when he passed the playground that he used to go to with Aira, the feeling of tightness again tormented him. There he seemed to see a figure of himself with Aira who was sitting on a swing while laughing together.
This time Nico allowed his tears to fall.
...****...
"Ra, is your dating scandal Rakha really?" Sheryl asked in a phone call. His tone sounded panicked.
"What dating scandal do you mean, Sher?" Aira still didn't understand.
Since deciding to completely release Nico, Aira has never opened the internet or watched TV, which is the reason why Aira has no idea about her dating scandal with Rakha.
"So, you don't know yet? Haven't seen the news from before?"
After completing her chat with Sheryl, Aira goes online, and discovers that her dating scandal with Rakha fills almost every news portal. But despite being in such a situation, the only thing Aira thought about was how Rakha saa was. Aira is very afraid that the scandal will trouble Rakha to impact on the continuity of his career as a basketball athlete.
Aira hastily called Rakha, and immediately asked to meet at that time to make sure Rakha's condition. But who would have thought, Rakha actually took him to a house located quite far from the city of Harsa. They even traveled for two hours until they arrived at a house that looks quite beautiful with a fairly shady tree in the yard.
"Kha, I want to talk to you, why bring me here? What if we were followed by journalists? You tuh─"
Rakha immediately placed her index finger right on Aira's lips to make Aira instantly speechless with one strange nod in her chest.
"Udah, huh? Journalist business let me take care, you don't have to worry about that. Okay?"
"But, Khaaa─"
"Trust me, huh? Hmm?"
The house they visited at that time was the house owned by Evelyn Lim. Rakha deliberately brought Aira to his mother's house so that Aira could calm his mind after all the painful things he had been through so far. Rakha knows for sure, that for now Aira is having no one by her side after she takes the decision to pull over from the Nico family. That was why, bringing Aira to her Mama's house was the best thing for Aira that Rakha could think of. In that way, Rakha could spare Aira from some media trying to find information about her.
That way Rakha wants to protect Aira, the most precious girl in her life.
"This is my Mama's house. For a while you can stay here with my Mama. For now, this is the safest place for you, Ra."
"I'm worried about you, Kha. I'm afraid something might happen to you because of the scandal."
"I'm fine, Naira. I'm happy to be involved in a scandal with you, not with anyone else."
"Then, why don't we just be real so you don't have to feel bad about me?"
"RACHA!!" Aira's strangling loudly which immediately caused Rakha's laughter.
...****...
Nico was stuffing his clothes in a suitcase when Adryan suddenly entered his room and sat on the edge of his bed, and watched every move Nico made. In three days, Nico is leaving for America. His mother, who still could not accept Nico's decision, preferred to stay away from Nico. Regina doesn't want to feel the weight of letting go of Nico if she keeps seeing Nico's face before the day of his departure.
"Have you done with Nana, Nic?" Ask Adryan quietly after a long time of weighing.
Nico stopped his activities for a moment. Not long after, Nico shook his head slowly and said, "Nana doesn't want to see Nico anymore, Pa."
"Nico?"
"And Nico no longer wants to take Nana's life. It was enough for Nana to endure the suffering that Nico was supposed to endure all this time,
Nico doesn't want to make things worse."
After Nico closed his suitcase, he turned around and sat down next to his Papa. This time his view looked more serious.
"Pa, Nico has one request. Can Nico ask Papa for that?"
"What's that?"
Before giving his answer, Nico was seen sighing. For days he kept thinking about this, and not an easy thing for Nico until finally he could come to his own decision.
Although his heart felt heavy, although he felt he could not bear to see the face of Adryan who had been sincerely loving him, but Nico already had a choice for his own life. Nico desperately wants to let go of the heavy burden he has been carrying and begins to learn to live his own life as his true self. Nico doesn't want to forever hide behind his parents and live comfortably using someone else's name and identity.
"I want to go back to Alvin Dafandra instead of─" Nico took a moment's pause, "I want to go back to being Alvin Dafandra."
"Nico, you..."
"I may be the most ungrateful child, but I can't keep living to be someone else. I want to be the real me again. Please support me, Pa..." Pinta Nico with all her heart.
Adryan nodded slowly. He approached and hugged Nico.
"Papa allow. But you have to get this, Nic! Whether you are Calvien Nicolas, or Alvin Dafandra, no matter who you are, you will always be Papa's son. And whatever steps you want to take, Papa will always be there to support and protect you... Alvin's."
There is a warmth that runs through Nico's heart, which has lately been embraced by the cold when for the first time he heard his Papa calling him by name; Alvin.
He is no longer Calvien Nicolas. The boy came back to himself. Now he is Alvin.
^^^To be Continued...^^^