PoV - ARKANA

"No! Sva, that's not the story!" This is already the third time I've shouted about the same thing. If that's not the true story, which happened last night.

Right.

I came, knocking on the door of Svaha's boarding house. With no shame I let my crying voice wake her neighbor up of the room. Maybe they had thought that I was a ghost that supposedly inhabited the area near here. On certain nights, she walks around the village crying, asking to find her missing head.

But I don't care. My chest feels tight, also dizzy from drinking half of a bottle of wine by myself. I have one more bottle in my bag, in case Svaha wants to open her door for me dan listen to my story.

And when she finally opened the door, I barged inside without permission. Even to ask about her girlfriend, is it a good time? Cause when I sat on the sofa, I realized that she was only wearing a pink towel to cover her ****** and half of her thigh.

"Geez Arkana, I told you that's the truth! What do we do now?" she said frantically.

It's 15 minutes since she wakes up. She walking around next to her bed. She even put her clothes on in such a hurry until and she didn't realize that she was wearing them backward.

"What should I say to Laung? What should I say to my girlfriend?" she wasn't making any difference out of me. She said the same damn thing even more than 3 times now.

The fact that we woke up without a single cloth stick to our bodies is so embarrassing. So we accusing each other after.

"I know you started it." I said, "Because you're a lesbian!"

Svaha will never accept that "You already drank when you came. And, maybe, Laung, he could not satisfy you!"

"Having sex when you're drunk is a myth, Svaha. You're not that drunk, you must be the one who started it."

"You listen to me once again, you came, you kicked my girlfriend out,"

"She got mad, and then she left."

"That's not the point. My girlfriend left, and you talked a lot, I drank, you drank. We drunk." She spoke really fast while pointing her finger.

"Stop,"

"No. You listen to me, I do remember everything!"

Then the sound of knocking on the front door and making our breaths bated.

"Is that your girlfriend?" I ask Svaha. Maybe that girl wasn't that mad anymore, she comes back to finish what they already start last night.

Svaha walked towards the door and peeked through the cracks. Hurriedly she came back, "Laung." She said, then she took all my clothes that were still scattered on the floor, rolled them up carelessly, and carried them with one hand, she used the other one to drag me out the back door.

"I do respect your relationship with that boy, now get out from my room." She whispering, with a very low tone.

"But, we're not done yet," I said.

"Later, we finish it later. I can't pretend that no one in this room, that I am not here."

"Sva," Laung calling up my name from across the door.

Me and Svaha looking at each other. I shake my head trying to tell her not to say a word.

"Yes!"

"Stupid," I said.

"I am not a liar. Hurry up, go."

And Svaha closes the door. She lets me here outside, without wear any clothes yet.

Well, about me and Svaha. We were friends since elementary school. Her mother knows mine. My mother knows hers. However, they often throw gossips at each other. Meanwhile, Svaha and I were inseparable. To this day, we are listed as final students in the same study program.

Svaha is the key to freedom, whatever I do as long as in Svaha's name my mother would allow. Because Svaha is a smart girl. Because Svaha and I both don't have a father. Come from that sad background, Svaha favors girls. And I'm looking for a father figure.

No one, not a single thing has ever threatened our friendship. We're not fighting over a lover. We are not fighting for positions in extracurricular groups, because I like sports, and her, Svaha doesn't like anything other than listening to music and reading.

Nor have we ever had any problems related to our sexual orientation. Although the entire campus was suspicious of what we are, it soon ended when they found out that I was dating the volleyball team captain, Laung.

Indeed, Svaha disagrees with my and Laung relationship. But Svaha respected my choice. I couldn't be more grateful for that.

I think that happened to her too. I'm a good friend, I guess. I don't judge her because she's a lesbian. Why should I? it's the 21st century. Would be good if we could love other people, isn't it? Men and women are the same, some are annoying, some are gossipers. Just the same anyway.

Yes, it's really scary at first, knowing that someone we know since childhood has a different orientation from another. But if having a lesbian friend is scary, Svaha is the opposite. She was always there when I feel sad, she was always there when I needed money. Ahaha, if she wanted to harm me, she had a lot of chances.

Well, about last night, I don't know.

I was sad.

And I probably drunk.

I forced her to drink with me.

And it's none of her faults because drinking alcohol always makes people drunk.

Until that, I better wait for a good time to be able to catch up about this with her. There shouldn't be anything that ends our friendly relationship. Not that easy.

PoV - SVAHA

We've been friends since childhood. We've been friends since we knew friends don't leave each other. Friends must defend each other. Friends are the ones who can remind you about wrong or right. Friends should be there in difficult times and not mind when we want to have fun alone. Friends are like-minded. I will bear her sorrow, she will bear mine.

Friends should always know that humans are not always born good, or just bad. Friends know that kindness is a goal because everyone wants to be treated well.

And my friend, Arkana. Never be someone else. She never tried to be me, and I was never her.

Our meeting started when we no longer remember the first time we played with dolls together. Our mothers are friends. As for dad, we both don't have one.

Arkana's father passed away a long time ago. My father left my mother because he felt he was not ready to be a father.

So, Arkana looked for that figure from the man she was dating. Meanwhile, I believe that women are more responsible for their feelings.

So far, nothing has interfered with our friendship. Everything was smooth—almost without any misunderstandings. We don't fight over girlfriends, we don't compete in the class.

We don't argue about irrelevant things and prefer to take things lightly. Isn't life already complicated enough? And having friends will make the hassle a little less.

Except for last night.

It was the first time during our friendship that Arkana really made me defend my opinion.

Because I remember what happened.

I had just finished taking a shower when she knocked on my door.

"You heard that?" asked Cantra, my girlfriend.

I concentrated, "Yeah, maybe the next room. They've been fighting a lot lately." I responded nonchalantly, then kissed her neck.

"No. Wait. I think that's your door." Cantra removed my lips from her neck so she could hear more clearly.

I sighed, "Do you want me to check? What if it's Arkana?" I asked.

"So what? What does she want? Are you guys hiding something?" Cantra asked, wanting to act normal, but she couldn't.

"You're jealous."

"You guys are too close"

"We've been friends since childhood, of course, we're close."

"You like her."

"No."

"Don't lie."

"I won't spoil anything we have now. And, she's not like us. My mother will hate me."

Then Cantra snorted, "At least she should be nice to me."

"She tried."

"Nope, she didn't try at all. She never seemed to appreciate me."

"Because she's Arkana. She's not me who always taking care of other everybody feelings."

"Okay. Now open that damn door. And tell her that you were with me."

"Shouldn't we just pretend like we're not in the room and continue this?" I begged again. Hugging Cantra and kissing her shoulder. I know, dealings with Arkana will never last.

Then the knocking on the door got louder and louder as the sound of her crying started.

"Uh, I'll open the door," I said inconsistent. Just worried. She could be in big trouble.

I grabbed a towel to cover myself and ran to the door.

"What is it?"

Arkana didn't answer but burst in. The smell of alcohol wafted through the air, she sat down on the sofa.

"I'm with my girlfriend." I felt bad but had to explain, just as Cantra had taught me earlier.

"Drink with me," Arkana sobbed. But her sentence is still clear. And forced.

I then sat next to her. "Are you all right?"

"Of course not."

Arkana took out a bottle of wine from her bag, stood up, and staggered inside, looking for a glass.

Soon Cantra came out fully clothed as when she came.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Home."

"Why? We're,"

But Cantra had already left.

Knowing something was wrong, I looked inside for Arkana.

And yes, she was already lying on my bed. Hugging the wine bottle.

"Arkana, what did you say to girlfriend?" I patted my best friend's cheek.

"Sva, Sva!"

I was shocked by the booming voice of Laung.

"Yes?" I asked frantically.

"Arkane. Do you know where she is?" Laung repeated his question.

"Don't you have a cell phone?"

The man was confused by my question.

I raised an eyebrow, affirming my point, "Can't you call her?"

"If she answered my phone I wouldn't be here." Laung was getting annoyed. "Your shirt is upside down," he added.

I checked my shirt, remembering about Arkana suddenly made my cheeks blushing.

"Did you two fight?" I quickly distract myself.

This time he bowed, then with a theatrical movement, he sat down on the sofa.

"Want me to get you a drink?"

"Thank you."

I rolled my eyes, "Wait a minute," I turned to get some water.

But someone barged in.

"Laung," Svaha called the boy. Her breath hitched.

I can't say anything but watch the romance drama in front of me.

Laung looked to convince himself that it was Arkana who had come. "How did you know I was here?"

Arkana glanced at me, considering that her sudden appearance would get us caught off guard. I glared at her shaking my head.

"I always know where you are." Arkana boasted, she took Laung's hand then kissed his cheek.

I sneered from where I was standing.

"Well, now Arkana has appeared. You guys need to get out of here," I said.

Laung came out first after saying goodbye. Before following her boyfriend, Arkana approached me.

"I will be right back."

"I can't, Cantra will be here soon."

"Then when are we going to talk?" Arkana urged.

"I'll tell you later. Okay?"

Then she nodded, she hugged me, then kissed me on the cheek like we used to do before we parted.

Only, this time it made my cheeks red.

PoV ARKANA

Laung just got into the car. He closed the door violently. Then turned to me.

He studied my face. Swallowed his saliva once, to hide his anger. He tried it. But I saw his sharp eyes, shining like they were going to eat me up any minute.

"Where have you been?" he asked in a low voice.

I sighed, facing forward, "I'm at my mother's house." I said.

"All of a sudden, you went to your mother's house?"

"Suddenly I miss my mother. Then I went there."

Laung nodded his head. As if distracting himself, he started the car engine.

"But you can't tell me!?"  he shouted. Pounding the steering wheel like crazy.

I gasped. Shocked and scared at the same time.

"I apologize. Okay? Don't be angry." I persuade. Trying to win his heart by leaning on his shoulder. "I am sorry."

He doesn't move. I turned to him, kissing his unshaven cheek. "Let's go home."

Still not making a sound, now I rubbed his chest.

"Next time, when you are going back to your mother's house, tell me. I don't mind taking you."

I nodded.

He kissed my forehead, then my lips, before he change his mind.

"We go to my house."

I said yes, buckled my seatbelt and sat quietly until we got to his house.

Laung got out of the car, waiting for me to quickly open the door. Then he carried my hand into the house.

"Where are your parents?"

"They've gone work." he answered.

I scanned the house. Sitting on the sofa in his majestic living room.

"Let's go to my room, or do you want breakfast first?" now he changed his intonation to be softer.

I smiled, "I'm so hungry. Maybe we should have breakfast first?"

Laung looked at me, "Later, we'll have breakfast later." He caressed my cheek. Then pulled my hand up the stairs, to his room.

He sat me on the edge of his bed. Then took off my jacket. Arrange it in caps stock near the door. He took off his clothes too.

"Hm, Laung?" I called.

Laung approached. Sitting next to me with his bare chest. He kissed my neck.

I walked away, "I don't want to."

"We've been dating for six months."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I want to. I'm not ready, Laung." I touched his face. Caress him gently. "We can do it another time. I'm tired Laung, I'm hungry anyway."

Laung blinked. Then nodded as if he understood.

Unfortunately, what he did next was just the opposite. He pushed me. Unhook my jeans.

I refuse. Push him with my feet.

Laung bit his lip. Curious.

"We have to talk, Laung." I looked at him. Laung's shoulders rose and fell.

"We can talk later."

I shake my head, "Now."

"You want us to break up?"

"It is not like that," I answered. Confused about where to start.

"That's good then," he said coldly. "Now take off your shirt before I rip it off." his jaw hardened.

"Laung, I've never done that."

"Or you don't want me to know you've done it." I find that sentence hard to believe.

I opened my mouth, "Wow, what is that, Laung?"

"You're having an affair maybe? Or you don't really want me to know that you've done it with someone else. So you don't want to do it with me." Laung paced.

"Laung," I called. But he ignores me.

For me, this talk would be pointless. "Then I'll go." I stood up, took my jacket, and put it on.

"If you think so Laung, so it is what it is. Next time when you can get rid of your unreasonable thoughts. We can talk." I went to the door to open it.

The door is locked. And the key is not there.

I turned around again. "Open the door. I want to go home." I tried very hard not to get ignited. All things can be said well. I think.

Laung patted the edge of the bed. Tell me to sit down. I do not want to.

"Sit down first. If you want me to open the door."

I gave up. I sit next to him."What do you want, Laung?" I asked patiently.

He rubbed his chin, after a sigh, he finally spoke."Sleep with me."

"Sleep? It's still early, Laung."

"I have not slept. I've been looking for you all night. It's a holiday."

I looked at him. "Okay. But I need to go to the bathroom, first."

Laung nodded. He stood up, took the key from his pocket, and opened the door.

I stepped outside, he followed behind, "I know where the bathroom is." and Laung stopped.

I walked down the hall, into the bathroom. Take out the phone and turn it on. While on the phone I turned on the tap.

"Damn," I said. Svaha didn't pick up my call. I tried again. And again. Svaha didn't answer. "Okay, Arkana. Now, how about you save yourself?" I talk to my reflection in the mirror.

I slowly opened the bathroom door. On tiptoe through Laung's room towards the stairs. When I got there, Laung was waiting. He sat on the third step.

"Not that fast." He said.

I backed away, he chased. Catching me immediately, pushed me against the wall until my head was dizzy from hitting it.

"You're hurting me."

"You tried to run away."

"Psycho."

"I can be gentle. But you rejected me." Laung raised his hand. Large cloth shears got stuck in there, soon he was going to cut my shirt.

"Okay. Okay." I said, holding back my panic.

Laung smiling.

I returned to his room. Before getting into bed he suddenly hugged me from behind. Unhook my pants. Bring it down fast.

After that. I just close my eyes. Let him do what he wants.

"I could have reported you to the police." I threatened after getting out of Svaha's rental room.

"You won't do it," Laung said.

"I can."

"What do you want to tell them? My boyfriend raped me? What if they laugh instead?"

I choked, "Svaha will believe me."

"She's not a cop. And she wasn't there." Laung hugged me from behind. "I'm your boyfriend. You are mine. I will not hurt you. As long as you're not stubborn."

Laung led me into his car. Before starting the engine and leaving, he kissed my forehead. From where I sat, I saw Svaha peeking out of the window of her rented room.