The Mind II

"Nica... How can you be so heartless? What kind of cheap girl am I?" Ivani said with a frown.

Ivani also never just sticks with a man, unless he likes the man. Ivani is a girl who never gives up and knows exactly what she wants.

"After all... I'm getting more curious. What is Aaron like? Is he handsome, Mai?" she asked.

Finally, she wanted to know also what kind of man had made Ivani both in love and heartbroken.

"It's crazy, right. He's mine... You can't snatch it," said Ivani.

Mai also laughed amused. How could Nica take a man that Ivani likes? Nica's taste is different from Ivani's. After all, Nica has always looked more macho than the men around them. No man dares to mess with Nica, her karate moves can come out without warning.

"Yeee... He already has a girlfriend," said Nica with a reminder. Nica glanced at Mai, waiting for an answer.

"Mmmm... Handsome. Tall, white, Caucasian," said Mai. Plus it looks kind and considerate. Oops... No, no, Mai's heart is only for Thomas but... If only Thomas could pay more attention to her.

"Mmmm that's okay..." said Nica with a mumble.

Caucasian men are Ivani's type. She won't know why the girl prefers imported men to local ones.

"Don't worry, I won't take it. If I hear your story, he must be a soft, spoiled man, can't be relied on. Not my type," said Nica.

Ivani slapped Nica with a pillow, not accepting that Nica underestimated her crush.

"How are you, Mai? Are you feeling better?" Ivani asked by turning her attention to Mai. Lazy to argue with Nica.

"It's okay," said Mai with a smile.

"Really? Tell me," said Ivani again. She shifted her seat closer to Mai. Pulled one of the strawberry pillows up her thigh.

"Yeah... The bad dreams that I've been having are not dreams. They're all real." Said Mai, she started the story. Her eyes wandered.

"I know. You told me on the phone yesterday. But how come? I mean what happened?" Ivani asked more curiously. Nica who was next to her frowned at Ivani's response.

"You know that? How come you already know." Nica said, she glanced at Ivani with a sharp gaze.

"That's... Yesterday... Uh, two days ago. Ivani called me, so... I tell everything," Mai said explaining.

"Hmm... I see... Evil... Ivani was the one who was told. I always found out last." Nica said with pursed lips.

It's not strange, Mai is closer to Ivani than she is, it's just that sometimes Nica feels jealous too. For male friends, usually, Mai is closer to Thomas.

"Nica... Sorry... Next time I'll tell you first." Said Mai.

Mai gripped Nica's fingers, sincerely apologizing while Ivani with a mischievous look was pleased. It's nice to be prioritized by Mai over Nica.

"Yes... Yes... Yes, you have continued the story," said Nica. She felt a little annoyed but not angry.

"I once said I don't remember my childhood. It seems that something happened that time that made me not want to remember and chose to forget it. But my subconscious remembers it. That's why I always have bad dreams." Said Mai.

"Wait... Wait... Haven't you always dreamed of pushing a child down and getting hurt?" Nica said interrupting.

"That means...." Nica said with a shudder.

"Oh my God," she said. Mai smiled faintly.

"Well... Terrible isn't it... I harmed someone." Said Mai with a gulp. The tightness crept into her heart again.

Ivani rubbed Mai's shoulder slowly.

"There are two versions and I don't know which one is correct." Said Mai.

"What else?" Said Nica.

"In my dreams, I am the villain." Said Mai. Ivani shook her head, not liking the term Mai used.

"According to my mother, I was the victim." Said Mai.

Nica and Ivani looked at each other. They don't understand.

"All this time I always thought I harmed the child, I felt guilty even though I didn't know if it was real or not. I pushed him off the swing and he fell, his head hurt and he didn't move. I thought he was dead and got goosebumps when I thought I had become a killer." Said Mai.

Mai closed her face for a moment, took a deep breath, and continued her story again.

"My mom said I used to insist I didn't do it. I didn't push the kid. I denied it and felt pressured because everyone didn't believe me, they accused me including the kid." Said Mai.

Mai's face looks sad.

"No one saw what happened. It was just me and him. Which one do you think is right? Me or him lying?" Mai asked her best friend. Nica and Ivani looked at each other again.

"Wow..... That... makes me confused," said Ivani. Nica also nodded beside her.

"Me too... Just as confused ..," said Mai.

"So what about the child? Do you know who he is?" she asked. Mai shook her head.

"I don't know. My mom and dad also said they forgot. I don't think they want me to know. They still hide a lot of things from me because of my health." Said Mai.

It was strange when her parents said they didn't remember who the child was. The accident had disturbed Mai's life all this time, her mother and father couldn't forget too. They must know but don't want Mai to know.

"But he's still alive right?" she asked. Mai nodded. Ivani nudged Nica's waist as if to say 'you think Mai is a murderer'.

"My mom said he was alive but he had a concussion and was unconscious for 2 days, I hope I can see him again." Said Mai.

"What do you want to do?" Ivani said confused. If she was Mai, she didn't want to, it would be the same as opening an old wound. Just let the past stay in the past.

"He's the key to my past. Apart from me who can't remember anything, he's the only one who knows the truth. And I hope he doesn't lose his memory as I do." Said Mai.

"You know where he is. You don't even know who he is," said Nica.

"Your mother and father also don't want to open up. This is difficult," Ivani said, adding.

"That's true. My mom just said she came to Bandung for a vacation, he's not from Bandung, maybe he's from Jakarta." Mai said with a shrug.

"I remember his face, it's the only thing I'll never forget," said Mai again.

In her head again the image of the child's face, his brown hair, and eyes, an innocent smile like an angel, his crisp laugh when they played together, and finally his motionless body and head covered in blood. Mai immediately got goosebumps.

The child is like a ghost, always shadowing Mai. His face was imprinted on the girl's mind. She will never forget.

"What's he like?" Ivani asked. Both hands cupped to her chin.

"Mmm.. seems a little older than me. His skin is clean, his hair and eyes are brown, his eyes are big round and her lips are cute." Said Mai.

"We're talking about a boy or a girl," said Nica.

Mai also smirked, the child is indeed 'beautiful', like a doll.

"You mean he's not from Indonesia?" Ivani said, her eyes rounded and shining.

"Yes, the way he talks is also not like Indonesian people." Said Mai.

"It's difficult then. Who knows he doesn't live in Indonesia," said Nica.

"What if he lives here?" Ivani said with a guess.

"He must be handsome, he's the same age as us right?" Said Ivani again.

Nica rolled her eyes, it must be because of Ivani's comment. At one point, Ivani thought the boy had turned into a handsome man.

"Mmm, 2 years older than me," said Mai, she answered innocently.

"Like Aaron? Isn't that right, Mai." Ivani said with a smile.

Nica couldn't stop herself from hitting Ivani's head anymore. Why is the child in Mai's dream associated with her crush? Ivani immediately chatted and Mai laughed amusedly and then fell silent.

Like Aaron? Yes, that child is the same age as Aaron. Both Caucasians, hair and eyes are also brown. Maybe that's why Mai felt familiar when she saw Aaron for the first time.

Aaron reminded her of the boy. Shouldn't it be...? Ah, how could it be, where there is such a coincidence. How could she think that the child in her dream was Aaron? It was creepy and weird.

"Eh, how about we go to the mall?" Ivani said suddenly.

It has become Ivani's habit, who sometimes likes to come up with impromptu ideas.

"C'mon, to relieve stress. We eat, watching movies, play games, shopping, whatever," continued the shoulder-length curly-haired girl.

"I want ... I want," said Mai quickly accompanied by a nod of Nica as well.

And it has also become a habit for Mai and Nica to never mind or just obey all of Ivani's impromptu ideas.