A Clue

The rain that poured down the earth was over, Green had been hiding her  entire body under the blanket ever since. If she was anxious, Green would do that, sleep all day long. Green had closed her eyes shortly after Alta hung up the call, and until a day ended, Green had not moved from her beloved mattress, she remained idle.

 The sound of footsteps approached to the bedroom window, Green sharpened her hearing, wondering who the figure was behind it.

“Who's there?” asked Green with a little bravery.

Green saw the clock was 1:00 in the morning, she was more than four hours asleep. Green ventured to open the window, but she didn't see anyone.

 "Anyone there?" Green asked again as she opened the window. Since her mom was gone, she has lived alone and has had many similar experiences, Green has never been afraid because her life's biggest fear was the loss of Melan—her mom, and he has been through a tough time.

“Green, it's me,” Said someone behind the window..

“Ser, what are you doing this late? Comin.”

“No Green, it's just avminute, something very important I will tell you.”

“Oke then, let's talk inside,” Green offered again. Green was about to leave the room to open the living room door, but Sera refused it.

"Let's talk here, Green." Finally Green relented, and she let Sera talk to her through the window, as the woman requested.

 "Green, Alta now is not he was" said Sera.

 Green can see the serious expression when Sera said it. "Sera, what do you mean by that?" asked Green who didn't understand what Sera mean.

 "Don't be so trusting, not even your closest one."

 "Sera, I don't know what you mean." Green was getting confused, she had not got  the point.

 "After this, you're going through so much, you have to be strong."

 "Sera..."

 "I just want to say that Green, I'm leaving."

"Sera..." Green shouted, she woke up from her sleeping. The sweat was pouring down her neck and temple. Serah—her close friend who passed away from kidney disease came to her dream, and it's been long time Sera didn't greet her in a dream, and this time Sera came up saying something Green didn't understand. Green took a glass of mineral water over the table and gulped it down. Afterward, she turned to the window which was still closed. In contrast with the dream clock that showed 01.00 a.m., Green could see the clock on her bedroom wall showing off at 3:00 a.m.

“Sera…” Green memanggil nama itu dengan suara lirih.

 "Sera..." Green called the name on the dial.

 Long ago, Green and Sera were close friend. Sera lived a short distance from her home, and ever since childhood they went to the same school and played in the same place all the way to high school. Sera was the only one who knew hidden love of Green to Alta. Green always told her everything, including her interest in Alta. However, ever since Alta had a girlfriend, Green has been burying deep her love. Until eventually, Alta approached Green a few months before Melan passed away.

Since the 10th grade there has been a hemodialysis, Green has always encouraged her, her spirit of life was also high, even Sera looked happy, it did not look like she's been suffering from serious illness, Green and Sera were like sister who always encouraged each other. Until finally, 2 months after Melan gone, Sera followed it. Certainly, it was a terrible blow for Green, losing a mother and a best friend nearby was the most painful thing she ever felt.

 Before her death, Sera told Alta to take her role and accompany Green as always, and Alta agreed. In a hospital room with various respirators inside of Sera, Alta promised to take care of Green, a promise that stayed in her mind.

Green cried hysterically as Sera let out her last breath right in front of her eyes, and Alta held her close and tight. Green's world seemed to stop at the time, she felt that her life no longer had any meaning. Green felt that the scholarship he had received was worthless, because Melan's desperate effort to get Green to continue her study and sent Green to many course places was gone, and her friend, Sera had promised that she would go to the same university and she had gone.

That's when Green and Alta began, Alta kept his promise to Sera, they went out. When Alta decided to continue his education in a different place and take on a long-distance relationship, Green refused it because she did not want Alta leave her too. It took long enough for Alta to convince Green that nothing would change despite their distance, but Green finally understood and accepted Alta's decision. Green kept her heart just for Alta, until now.

Suddenly, the tears cashed over when she recalled memories with Sera, something said by Sera made her heart grow even more restless. "Ser, is that a hint from you?" asked Green sobbing.

 What Sera said in her dream kept turning in her head, the thought of Alta hugging her tight when she felt so vulnerable made Green want to reject all the negative thought  about Alta, including what Sera said.

 "Ser, you miss me, don't you? That's why you found me, I promise I'll see you tomorrow, wait for me," said Green smiling at her photo with Sera in a high school uniform.

***

"Cherry, you think by drinking everything is all over?" Said Langit with anger upon finding Cherry driven by a friend who was heavily intoxicated, since staying apart from hee parents, she was becoming very to control, especially when the woman came to know the night world.

 The man who was sending Cherry home was sent away by Langit, he was carrying her up to the room.

"You don't have to be a hypocrite, I know you like to drink, too, right?" Cherry slurred, she laughed and looked down at Langit with a look of contempt.

 Langit lied Cherry on the bed, then he'd take off the high hells she was wearing. "Kak, Zein cheated on me, he loved another woman Kak." Cherry was still buzzed, Langit who was about to leave her  stopped his pace, decided to listen.

"Zein's cheating on me by dating with Violet, you know her, right? my best friend from high school, you know I decided to study here, away from mama and papa was because of her, I want to be with her, but she steaks my boyfriend, Kak, my first love. I haven't dated in ages, Zein is my first love Kak, but my first is cheating on me with my own best friend. Can you imagine how sad I am right now?"

 Langit gently stroked his sister's head, but this was the cause of his sister to be so drunk,  betrayed by her friend and boyfriend at the same time.

"I'm really frustrated, bro, Zein was the man I loved since the first year I went in Collage, I've given everything I have Kak,, hoeekkkk hoeeekkk." Before Cherry had even begun to finish her sentence, she spewing out her entrails, Langit quickly carried her sister to he bathroom, letting her sister finished her vomit there.

Looking at the dirty bedsheet made up of Cherry, he moved quickly to replace that dirty bedsheet, bad thoughts ran into his head. What was cherry gonna say? Including what? Have Cherry and Zein done something they shouldn't do? questions came over his head, tomorrow he'll try to speak up and ask Cherry.

 "Brother, Langit..," shouted Cherry from behind the bathroom.

 Langit  immediately went to the bathroom, Cherry was very mess,  the woman was sitting on the floor, her perfect long hair that usually is always beautiful left unkempt. Without a second thought, Langit returned to put her sister over his arms.

 "From now on, Violet is no longer a friend moreover close friend, she have stolen Zein, my friend is only Green now," Cherry said in her brother's arms.

“Green, what is the woman doing?”

At this moment how could he think of Green, and quickly he shook his head and lied Cherry on the bed. Langit looked down at Cherry with a compassionate look, inside he asked,  "what has zein done to her sisterr?" right now Langit would love to meet and hit the man who had hurt his sister. But, he couldn't bear to leave Cherry alone. Langit covered cherry's body, gently kissed the woman's forehead then turned off the light and went out of the room.

Langit returned to his work room, spending time there until drowsiness attacked. Langit used to write at night, he thought it was quiet times. That's what Langit was doing right now,  he was preparing a new novel. His fingers began to dance over the keyboard, his eyes focused on the screen, he concentrated on his writing accompanied by a cup of coffee on the table.

 The night was growing late, Langit held on to his position until the sound of Cherry shouting threw everything away. "Please don't, don't.""

 Immediately Langit ran to the woman's room, he lit the cherry's lamp, seeing that she was still asleep with sweat on her forehead. Langit came closer to her and patted Cherry gently on the cheek. "Cherr, it's your brother."

Cherry opened her eyes and woke up in surprise. "Kak Langit." Her roaring breath indicated that she has had a bad dream, Cherry immediately embracing Langit  tightly. "I'm scared, Kak, I had a bad dream."

 "Don't worry, you have a brother here," said Langit as he strode his sister's long hair.

 "Kak, can Green stay here tonight? I'm afraid to sleep alone," Cherry asked.

 Langit didn't immediately answer, he saw the clock on his wrist, "it's 03.00 in the morning, Cher, Green had slept, anytime Cher".

 Cherry's eyes stared on the clock that was on her able, it was true what Langit said, it's early morning and Green seemed to be asleep.

 "I'll bring Green to stay here tomorrow, Kak, and set up a task. It is okay, right?"