Gue masih inget saat kejadian itu terjadi. Pertama kalinya. Kalo itu berlaku begitupula untuk dia atau enggak, jelasnya itu pertama kalinya untuk gue. Awal April saat kita semua kelas dua SMA, enggak asing lagi sama kejamnya dunia tanggung jawab siswa ataupun tertekan sama menakutkannya ujian yang menentukan dunia baru nanti, kuliah, part-time jobs atau bahkan kerja. Dengan kita, maksud gue adalah kelompok bermain yang kita temukan sejak SMP, beberapa dari kita bahkan dari SD. Kami menyebut diri kami sendiri sebagai kelompok Airecon. Cara nyebutinnya ya kayak air, yang biasa diminum, ditambah econ, kayak nama band tapi urutan hurufnya ditukar -maksud gua once-, Airecon. Mereka yang sok inggris biasanya langsung ngira itu nama berawal dengan cerita yang berhubungan sama pendingin ruangan, tapi enggak “sepenuhnya” benar.
and I'd love you long after you're gone.
sambil baca, denger ini ya
Alat komunikasi seringkali kurang dari cukup. Ratusan kali saat gue jatuh dan butuh seseorang, Puji Tuhan ya, ada media elektronik yang menyempatkan gue untuk menjangkau orang-orang terbaik gue, orang-orang yang di Jakarta. Tapi tetep aja kalo gue udah jatuh, di bawah kulit dan tulang gue, cuma kehadiran secara fisik yang saat itu bisa bantu. Karena gak ada pilihan lain, gue harus mandiri.
Jiwa ke-Indonesia-an gue ngga pernah pudar, sebelum pindah juga gue lebih sering menyebut diri gue warga yang bangga akan negara asal gue. Entah di manapun gue berada, orang siapa yang gue temuin saat itu, kalo mereka tertarik untuk mengenali tempat asal gue, sudah pasti dengan senang hati dan bangga, gue akan ceritakan mereka indahnya Indonesia. Dan bukan cuma buruknya Jakarta, yang seperti biasanya perspektif salah dari banyak warga asli Indonesia, menkonsentrasikan Indonesia pada Jakarta.
Gimanapun itu, yang bikin gue selalu homesick adalah budaya Indonesia yang gue hidupi di Jakarta bersama orang-orang di sana. Budaya seperti makan pake tangan, beli jajanan kaki lima dan ngobrol ramah dengan penjual, juga mengawali percakapan dengan orang sebelah yang sedang ngantri bus, ngeluh tentang macetnya Jakarta, angkutan umum yang ngejar kita sebagai penumpang, tawar-menawar, keluar pada malam hari hanya untuk mencari take-away (macam sebungkus nasi goreng, berbagai pilihan gorengan, dll!) atau simply ke Minimarket terdekat untuk jajan dan beli pulsa. dan, disorakin cowo-cowo jalanan saat jalan ke suatu tempat. #JakartaKeras! Tapi kota yang terlalu damai dan patuh peraturan seperti di luar negeri akan terkesan sangat membosankan kalo udah sempet hidup ala Jakarta. ;)
Tepat setelah 1 tahun+1 bulan+1 minggu & 3 hari di negara Teknik mesin, melewati keempat musim, melewati peningkatan berat badan yang menurut gue ekstrim, dan kebiasaan yang berubah, 12 Oktober 2015 menjadi hari paling lifechanging untuk gue.
Saat musim panas itu, gue dapet kesempatan dari Tuhan untuk mengunjungi tanah air.
”Selamat pagi vane.”
Angin dingin yang tiba-tiba masuk ke dalam mobil, suara gedebuk pintu mobil yang dibanting tutup, kuap, rintihan morning streches dan hasrat untuk berada di atas WC membangunkan gue dari tidur yang entah udah berapa lama. Awalnya gue butuh beberapa saat sampe sadar kalo ada yang nyapa, setelah itu gue juga sadar bahwa mobilnya kosong. Kecuali gue dan satu cowok di tempat supir.
“Bonjour monsieur,” gue sapa balik dengan suara yang cukup memastikan bahwa gue terbangun. Cuma ada satu orang yang bersedia nungguin gue saat yang lain sibuk, saat gue dipastikan tertinggal sendiri. Dengan kondisi setengah sadarpun gue bisa mengenali suara itu.
“Yang lainnya di luar, mataharinya baru aja naik, mau ikut keluar atau tunggu di mobil aja?” tanyanya. “Kita ngelewatin rest area beberapa saat yang lalu tapi anak-anak mau cari tempat agak sepi dengan view mantep buat nyaksiin ini. Liat aja cahaya dari jendelanya, vane.”
Dan saat detik itu gue terbangun dengan pemandangan yang mewarnai iris mata gue. Cahaya itu enggak seperti apa yang pernah gue liat sebelumnya. Gradasi warna yang lembut menyentuh satu sama lain, permainan molekul-molekul yang gemilang dan satu sumber cahaya besar yang bersinar. Matahari terbit pagi ini membangunkan gue mulai dari diri jasmani sendiri, adrenalin dan bahkan alam bawah sadar gue, yang tadinya asik mimpi di dunianya sendiri. Tanpa gue sadari juga, cahaya itu bukan cuma mewarnai mata gue, tapi juga mata satu-satunya cowok yang bersama gue di mobil saat itu, yang sekarang ada di sebelah gue dan sama-sama kehilangan kata-kata nonton keagungan Tuhan yang dicurahkan lewat lukisan langit di depan mata kita.
Gue beruntung bisa kenal sama Rivan. Kira-kira 30cm jarak di antara posisi duduk sila gue dan dengan badan dia yang nyender ke jok mobil depan gue. Alam bawah sadar gue kembali ngetok suatu pintu di otak gue. Fokus gue akan warna-warna yang terlukis di mata Rivan langsung buyar.
“Van.”
Dia dengar, dia senyum, tapi dia membutuhkan beberapa detik untuk nengok ke gue dan menjawab.
“Vane.”
“Mau pipis...” jawab gue, merusak momen. Sorry, but, gue juga kebangun karena keringet doang ngga cukup untuk mengeluarkan toxin pop-mie yang ada di tubuh gue.
They walked out the building hand in hands, fingers locked and he pulled their hands to his very own lips.
“You wait here. I’ll get the bike. You got your helm?”
“I’ll fetch them real quick while you get the bike.”
“Okay, I’ll be back.”
“I love you, now go!” she said to him, with the most comforting smile and let go of his hands.
“Happy Sunday, Raven!” the guy at the counter said as he gave her the helm.
“You have a blessed Sunday too, brother!”
She left the place and went back to find Jonathan ready at the exact spot he left her. He offered his hand and helped her to get on his bike.
“Ready?”
“Aye-aye captain!”
Raven and Jonathan left from church to downtown. Sundays has to be her favorite day of the week, being in the house of God, praising and worshiping Him, always next to a guy she loves. And gets to spend time with him afterwards.
“Here we are.”
“A bookstore? I thought we’re having lunch?”
“One must fill their head first then their tummy, dearest.”
“You think you’re so smart.”
“I don’t think, I know I’m smart.” He said, followed with pinches on stomach caused by Raven.
“You're lucky I love you.”
“Only because as much as I love you.” He said, pulling her head into him for a soft kiss.
“I don’t want to get arrested for Public Display Affection. We’re already at a bookstore so might as well make the best of it. Thankyou for bringing me here.”
He smiled and they entered the bookstore with his hands wrapped around her waist.
They separated as he went to the Sci-Fi section and she went to through racks of romance novels.
*LINE!*
“Oops!”
She giggled as people around her suddenly stared at where the notification sound was coming from.
What a great time to embarrass me. Who could it be?
Keyla sent a video.
Her smile reappeared and opened the chat to find a thumbnail of a couple having ice cream. She played the video and her smile widen as she saw who the two person on the video were.
“Ready?”
“Key, I think it’s already on.”
“Oh... Hehehe. Okay let’s say the sentence..”
“1...2...3! Happy Sunday Raven!!” the couple said at the same time.
“What did you expect the sentence was going to be, huh?”
“Do you really need to clarify how not-affectionate we are?”
“Yes.” the girl poked the guy’s cheek with the ice cream. “Oops, not sorry.”
“I’d force you to lick it off, if you were my girlfriend.”
“Well I’m not, sucker.” the girl said, then turned to face the camera again. “Can you believe how pushy this guy is, mate?”
Raven felt a hand placed on her shoulder and looked up from her phone.
“I expected this would be your whereabouts. What are you doing?” Jonathan said.
“Mate sent me a video of her and Allain, my writing buddy, recall him?” she replied, as she paused the video to talk to him.
“Oh yeah. What, are they finally together?”
She chuckled. “No, they’re just church friends who appreciates eachother’s existence in their lifes. Here, she was just about to explain that.” she showed her phone to him and pressed play.
“I can’t imagine all the things he’d make me do if we were in a relationship.”
“You know I’m not a needy person, Raven. Very understanding, accepting...” Allain said, facing the camera as well.
Rolling her eyes as he speaks, “And exactly THAT is what limit you my to only be my best friend.” Keyla added.
“And now I know that I don’t want more than that either.” Allain faced her again, stared for a while, then paid her back for the ice cream on the cheek she did to him before.
“Are you kidding me? On make-up!” Keyla turned to him again, dropped the recording phone on the table and went to get something from her bag with irritated scoffs.
Allain picked up the phone and recorded himself, “I don’t think I’d be able to handle her more than this. Although I’m probably in trouble now. Gonna kidnap her to a bookstore after this. Talk to you later, Rav. Have a good day and say hello to Jonathan from us. Bye!”
“You wait here. I’ll get the bike. You got your helm?”
“I’ll fetch them real quick while you get the bike.”
“Okay, I’ll be back.”
“I love you, now go!” she said to him, with the most comforting smile and let go of his hands.
He
walked away and she waited until his sight finally turned away from her
to the parking lot. She did a short soft giggle and went to the
depositing while passing by a couple of friends sending cheerful
greetings.
“Happy Sunday, Raven!” the guy at the counter said as he gave her the helm.
“You have a blessed Sunday too, brother!”
She left the place and went back to find Jonathan ready at the exact spot he left her. He offered his hand and helped her to get on his bike.
“Ready?”
“Aye-aye captain!”
Raven and Jonathan left from church to downtown. Sundays has to be her favorite day of the week, being in the house of God, praising and worshiping Him, always next to a guy she loves. And gets to spend time with him afterwards.
“Here we are.”
“A bookstore? I thought we’re having lunch?”
“One must fill their head first then their tummy, dearest.”
“You think you’re so smart.”
“I don’t think, I know I’m smart.” He said, followed with pinches on stomach caused by Raven.
“You're lucky I love you.”
“Only because as much as I love you.” He said, pulling her head into him for a soft kiss.
“I don’t want to get arrested for Public Display Affection. We’re already at a bookstore so might as well make the best of it. Thankyou for bringing me here.”
He smiled and they entered the bookstore with his hands wrapped around her waist.
They separated as he went to the Sci-Fi section and she went to through racks of romance novels.
*LINE!*
“Oops!”
She giggled as people around her suddenly stared at where the notification sound was coming from.
What a great time to embarrass me. Who could it be?
Keyla sent a video.
Her smile reappeared and opened the chat to find a thumbnail of a couple having ice cream. She played the video and her smile widen as she saw who the two person on the video were.
“Ready?”
“Key, I think it’s already on.”
“Oh... Hehehe. Okay let’s say the sentence..”
“1...2...3! Happy Sunday Raven!!” the couple said at the same time.
“What did you expect the sentence was going to be, huh?”
“Do you really need to clarify how not-affectionate we are?”
“Yes.” the girl poked the guy’s cheek with the ice cream. “Oops, not sorry.”
“I’d force you to lick it off, if you were my girlfriend.”
“Well I’m not, sucker.” the girl said, then turned to face the camera again. “Can you believe how pushy this guy is, mate?”
Raven felt a hand placed on her shoulder and looked up from her phone.
“I expected this would be your whereabouts. What are you doing?” Jonathan said.
“Mate sent me a video of her and Allain, my writing buddy, recall him?” she replied, as she paused the video to talk to him.
“Oh yeah. What, are they finally together?”
She chuckled. “No, they’re just church friends who appreciates eachother’s existence in their lifes. Here, she was just about to explain that.” she showed her phone to him and pressed play.
“I can’t imagine all the things he’d make me do if we were in a relationship.”
“You know I’m not a needy person, Raven. Very understanding, accepting...” Allain said, facing the camera as well.
Rolling her eyes as he speaks, “And exactly THAT is what limit you my to only be my best friend.” Keyla added.
“And now I know that I don’t want more than that either.” Allain faced her again, stared for a while, then paid her back for the ice cream on the cheek she did to him before.
“Are you kidding me? On make-up!” Keyla turned to him again, dropped the recording phone on the table and went to get something from her bag with irritated scoffs.
Allain picked up the phone and recorded himself, “I don’t think I’d be able to handle her more than this. Although I’m probably in trouble now. Gonna kidnap her to a bookstore after this. Talk to you later, Rav. Have a good day and say hello to Jonathan from us. Bye!”
“Allain!!!!!!” Keyla’s voice in the background was heard as Allain said his last words before the video ended.