"I'll take you home?" Angga questioned their destination after walking out the door.Night followed day, and ended in the afternoon. Even standing up, Maureen's knees were very tight, but she didn't want to look weak due to the slicing sensation in her intimate parts.Although the tempo of Angga's play was relatively slow, it still left painful blisters. Whereas other couples seemed to be fine despite doing it repeatedly. [What's wrong?]"How?" Angga repeated his question.The elevator they entered went down to the ground floor, until they turned into the two-wheeled parking area. Only then did Maureen answer, "No, I'm staying at Ben's place.""You guys--""Just friends." Maureen emphasized the relationship that she had already mentioned to the man before Angga guessed further. "He wouldn't be as brave as you to ask me... well, you know, like we were last night."She did not say more, especially about the secret contract he had with Angga's best friend.Angga nodded her understanding.
Maureen had been complaining of boredom ever since Darren left her in the sprawling compound that looked more like a Balinese villa. Each small detached building served a different function, one of which became Maureen's room as he carried her in after fulfilling his passionate desires on the passenger seat of the car.Darren doesn't even bother to dress her as she falls asleep in his arms. The mature man Maureen once adored in the past continues to savor every encounter of their skin. The light touch was just a gentle caress, to the tugs that should have invited desire.However, Maureen is too tired.Angga drains her energy and sleep, and Darren doesn't tolerate it. Not only was every joint broken, but hers was still hot and sore from the painful repetitive friction."I'll be back later." Darren's heavy, seductive voice signaled that morning had come again.Time in Maureen's world the past few days had seemed to race by, too fast for her to feel fully rested.During their night toget
"Ririn, please ...." Darren sat on the edge of the bed, opposite Maureen. He had his back to her, head down, looking out the open window and the vitrine blowing in the wind. "I can't see you with anyone else."His words sounded soft and sincere. Ever since they met again, Darren had wanted to ignore Maureen. However, seeing the woman facing harassment beyond her consciousness after showing herself off, Darren was upset beyond belief.Maureen continues to give Darren the hope he needs from Iqlima at just the right moment, then hangs things up in a mess.Darren doesn't understand Maureen's willingness to keep moving from one man to another. How much more does the figure behind her want to enjoy the word freedom?"You're just looking for my body." Maureen curled up, covering her exposed intimate parts as much as possible. The blanket was so far out of reach that she had to pull at the edge of the sheet to hide under it despite her wetness."More than that, Rin." Darren removed his shoes
“I just found out that Kokoh can be this bad.” Matthew's hands were clutching the top of his head, his steps going back and forth at a short distance every time he finished throwing a punch at one of Darren's subordinate drivers that Angga remembered.“What about before?” Angga-who had come because Ben had interrogated him as the last person with Maureen before she was taken-didn't believe that Darren had a good impression on people. He himself had gone through tough negotiations surrounded by bouncers to stop Maureen from leaving.“Mr. Darren is known for his loyal employees. No woman bribe has ever worked, even if most of them are in big projects.” Ben said as he lifted the back collar of the driver's shirt.“It's hard to be the one who has to keep secrets, sir.” Seeing how much of a beating Matthew had taken to get the information, Ben slipped him a fold of money he thought would be suitable for medication before the three of them left.Opening one's mouth about a superior's crime
“The doctor said it's just tiredness, Bi.” Iqlima continued to resist every time Darren took her hand from the edge of the emergency room gurney. She didn't even want to look at the man's wrinkled face that looked at her with pity. “Go home!”“You fainted, Ima!” Darren pressed, squeezing the grip of the woman who was still his wife. The veins in his temples were sticking out with every word. “Your coworker said you were bleeding, not menstruating!”“Bi ....” Iqlima tried to turn her back to Darren, hiding the flow that spread from the edges of her eyelids.However, Darren managed to hold Iqlima's shoulders so that they could talk to each other without breaking their gaze."What's so hard about telling me you're pregnant?” The back of his hand wiped away every visible tear.Don't know how many minutes passed just to read the situation between the two of them. Darren wouldn't have questioned if Iqlima hadn't told him. They were no longer young people who needed to be bribed with advice,
Much better. Even though the crushing was still felt, Maureen was no longer as weak as before. She could open her eyes wide and enjoy the diffused light in the room.Not wanting to lift her head yet, she turned her head to the left side and found a man placing his right cheek right in front of her face.Almost surprised, Maureen greeted softly, “Hi ....” She realized that the fingers intertwined with the man's were attached to a forked IV needle, one for electrolyte fluid, the other connected to the periodic release of medication from a large injection.The man nearby winked, then jumped to release his hold on Maureen and quickly stood up from his chair. “Hi, need anything?”For Angga, being so close to Maureen after a full night of vulgar scenes, everything felt awkward. He had to hold the back of his head many times every time he met Maureen face to face.Their relationship was just a one-night stand, nothing more. Why would Angga expect more?“No,” Maureen's answer almost made Angg
"Do you really live here alone?" asked Maureen after going through the sliding door typical of shophouses opened to their full width.The parking area in front was spacious, about five meters uphill from the main road. Meanwhile, the first floor showed an empty room like a former clothing store, leaving headless statues and iron rails on the walls."Yes, my sister sometimes drops by when she's not on regional assignment." Angga pushed the sliding door again in the opposite direction until it closed after making sure the two people with him had entered."Where did the stuff go here first?" It was Ben's turn to ask. As Ben recalled, the room used to be full of various types of clothes and tended to be stacked like a warehouse because the owner was no longer trading."Selling at a loss. It was enough to pay for medical school admission." Angga didn't sugarcoat his family's economic situation, of course education came first when he and his sister couldn't continue the family business. "Co
In the predominantly white room with various wooden ornaments including the massive window frames, there is no sound other than the intermittent sighs and continuous pounding of a pair of humans without any covering on the bed.The woman squatted over the man holding her waist, pressing deeply into the object entering her snatch, then lifting her buttocks high until the long object was almost released, then repeating the same motion.The long hair behind her continued to swing in various directions at random. Her body was already very wet with sweat, dripping from her tired face that was forced to shake by the hand holding her."Uncle, please .... It hurts ...." She begged, but wasn't sure what for. Wanting to stop, her body continued to seek relief from the growing tingles down there.He did stop moving her waist up, but his grip on her hips swallowed his manhood with great force. The twitching sensation he felt seemed to suck away his entire reality, he felt catapulted by the ultima
An impromptu visit that I didn't expect, it turns out Angga told me our wedding date so Matthew and Ben came, of course with their spouses. Maybe they're on vacation?Then the arrival of Darren who followed alone with a line of food service workers was enough to confirm that they intended to hold a small party without the host's permission.I only saw him after changing into a looser floral overalls that allowed me to breathe. The dress was too tight although it still didn't cover my pregnancy at all."You weren't invited, but you came." The satire I said wasn't funny at all, but they still laughed when I returned to the center of the conversation with a bottle of champagne ready to open."Ow! How cruel, Sister." Matthew snatched the fun out of my hands and quipped back, "Alcohol is not for pregnant women.""Damn it!" I cursed in annoyance, only to be met with an instantly infectious laugh.Angga had just followed me to where I was standing. He handed me a glass of avocado juice and a
"Maureen!" I faintly heard Angga calling my name, then it was replaced by the echo of air bubbles in my ears.I thought I could die here or wake up somewhere else. In fact, when I gave up, a stream of water replaced the blast of air on my face.I was still very much conscious, just afraid to open my eyes and face reality. The chill of the early spring air washed over my already wet skin along with the pressure behind my shoulders and behind my knees. It was warm on the right side, but instinct demanded that I find a grip.Angga, who I first saw, was also wet. His slender neck becomes the target of my trembling grip. This time, I'm afraid of being dropped.From this vantage point, his parted lips along with the angular movement of his firm jaw create a charisma of their own. Could Angga possibly hide the cruelest side of a warrior like him?Fool. I should have remembered that everyone has a dark side, a poison from their own life experiences. They only need to choose; oppress or be opp
Maureen demanded an explanation, before we had even had a chance to change?She and I had just arrived in our room, barely stripped to the surface of the fabric that covered the entire bed. Dusty, full of sawdust and mustiness. We should have taken down all the protective covering before attempting to use the room.Yes, almost.Just being alone with her could heat up the temperature around us. It felt like breaking free from all the coverings and letting instinct take over.Then, Maureen's question threw everything off. "So..., did you make a deal with Grandpa?"I was still in front of her, on top of her body while supporting myself using the elbows perched on either side of Maureen, avoiding the pressure on her stomach. Our lower waists were already attached as our legs slipped over each other.Argh! She messed up the appetizer.The look of rejection forced me to roll over to Maureen's left side, following her to gaze at the room's ceiling covered with sheets of bright albasia wood. T
Deciding to get married was not on my life list at all, especially under the age of thirty. What's happening now?Just a few months ago I turned twenty-five and within minutes had signed the marriage certificate. Everything I've been through has been beyond expectations, pregnant and married?Still in my simple wedding dress-just a white lace-covered overalls that didn't hide the size of my belly at all, I noticed Angga's figure when dressed officially like now. A clean-cut face and freshly cut hair refresh Angga's look with a black suit overlaying the white suit inside.Even though it was only a few days ago that I saw his face full of bruises, the main reason I made the choice and said yes, so that he wouldn't have to do such menial work anymore.What was I thinking at the time?"Not like this again!" I shifted the conversation from Angga's request to the cause of the bruises on his face, again he said about marriage.Des he really want to tie me up in a commitment? So what, I can't
I was almost desperate as I repeatedly checked my phone screen, waiting to hear from Maureen's friends about her whereabouts in the last two days. Maureen was unreachable, her phone dead.I don't know how many cans of beer I've consumed since returning home from last night's brutal game. I could have killed someone out of disappointment with myself. I felt like a failure.The phone screen lit up, but it wasn't someone I wanted to call. Maureen's sugardaddy was listed there. I deliberately gave him a name like that, so he'd think twice when he needed help. I still couldn't make peace with the past between them.Just glancing at the message display outside, without opening the messaging app, it was clear that each word indicated the address. No pleasantries or greetings.That's funny. He asked me to come there?A few minutes after putting the empty cans into the trash bag, an incoming call echoing the voice of a prominent rapper distracted me. Darren seemed genuinely intent on asking me
"Aren't you in college or doing something?" Uncle Darren was already babbling this early. Even the sky outside the window when he drew the curtains wasn't fully lit yet even though the alarm clock on the nightstand read seven o'clock. "Really, Rin, I'm confused to see you just lying in your room these days."A few days? I've only had a mattress this soft for two days. The sheets were soft and didn't rub against my skin. This time I can somewhat agree with Angga's previous insinuation about our ... well, lifestyle.The only choice is for me to give in and try to lower my standards, or for him to raise his income. Fix, yeah, I don't want to get married yet.In the last month of living together, I can't keep giving in to the future that Angga offers even though everything can be distracted with sex or Netflix and ignore everything.But, how to talk about it? Our fights would only continue to end with unification. I hated that."Why did you wake me up, Uncle?" I squirmed and kicked off th
"Uncle ...." I moan, feeling the ludicrous touch that traverses the skin. It descends from the arrangement of bones that make up my shoulders, collarbone, and then cupping the wedge of the neck divider of the body-wrapping overalls.From where he stood, Uncle Darren must have clearly seen the puffs that were getting denser as a result of his actions. I reflexively tilted my head to the right side, letting his warm breath caress the recesses of my neck without being covered by hair."You're always delicious, Rin." Uncle Darren's whisper sounds lulling behind my earlobe. The mint-scented exhale and woody-herb traces were replaced by the wetness of a taste bud that was beginning to venture out.Some seconds were fun to savor, but the next, what I was doing was more like an escape to get recognized. It felt like being a traitor.The corners of my lips twitched, realizing Uncle Darren wasn't doing anything more than that. Even though I liked the way he treated me, I still couldn't deny tha
"Move on, Is." Angga was seen patting the woman's cheek. What is her name? Isma? I could hear Angga talking casually through the barrier like that. "Anyway, stop following me."I was close enough to hear their conversation. It was just a stack of boxes at the turn of the foyer facing the exit of the supermarket.At first I thought Angga was still asleep because all my voice messages and calls had gone unanswered. Well, I should have sent a short message about going shopping before going home and asked Angga to ignore my request.Turns out he was in this place and met a 'flower snake' like that Isma. She really used to be a campus slut, right?Angga just told me about his habit of fighting in the arena just to buy time with Isma in the past. No wonder Angga didn't complain about getting a woman like her to support him.Well, I guess any man in Indonesia would always think of ways to get a virgin, but he chose the hardest way by capitalizing on feelings. Including me.Are there still peo
"Raka!" Isma waved from where she was pushing the shopping trolley towards me.Even though this monthly shopping business is usually the part of Maureen who understands best, but this morning when I woke up, there was already a note stuck to the refrigerator door. Correction, noon. I even got home early in the morning after last night's battle."Please, you do the shopping," accompanied by a heartfelt emot, a very long shopping list with special notes, and her black card. Including an incoming message on my phone explaining why Maureen was in such a hurry. Company research."Shopping too?" asked Isma after aligning the trolley she was pushing with mine. She even took the note I was holding and nodded, as if she understood.Why did we have to meet here, anyway? I'm even more uncomfortable with Isma around."Feeling better?" She still asked after returning the shopping list along with a few things taken from the shelves in the left row to my cart."When was the fight?" I arranged each i