Part 4 - Alone?

Teenagers naturally need the right people to listen to them. Whether it's sad, complaining, or all the little things that she thinks are fun to tell. But Elsa didn't know that. Let alone the little things she found to tell. Like a cat that suddenly appeared while she was riding his motorcycle, a dragonfly that suddenly got into his helmet, dying and then died instantly while riding his motorbike, or the shape of a very beautiful cloud that day.

It seemed too insignificant in the eyes of his father and mother. I don't know what's important about them. She kept questioning those things. Now and then I keep looking for which ears are good to hear without but. Looking for and looking for even though what is sought is often the opposite. She is looking for.

***

"Elsa, I'm playing!"

One of his school friends wanted to see her. Confide. Somehow it seems, someone longs for a pleasant ear--but is asked to be a listener. Elsa kills herself.

"I'm annoyed, Yes. How about it or not? When I talk to a friend, but she has the heart!"

"Shhh, calm down. Here's a drink." Elsa handed him strawberry juice--even though it was her favorite drink.

"Thank you. You are indeed a good friend!"

"Ah, you said that when you needed it, didn't you?" she joked.

"It's true. Even though when I talked to him, I promised I wouldn't get a bucket. But instead, I have the heart to gossip again. It's getting worse. I'm really tired," she complained.

"You already know that. Why are you still talking to her?"

"Yeah, I just found out she was like that, Elsa. Think good. Trustworthy. A bucket!"

"My favorite psychologist says - those who are truly your friends are those who have good ears."

"You don't know anything, Sa. What's it like?"

"Yes, like psychologists. They will try to hear well first. Before saying A and B. Although I don't know how to detect someone who has such pleasant ears."

***

Elsa is still looking. Humans with ears that are pleasant to hear. How to detect it, without having to tell first? Is it from his eyes? Her smile? but again she saw. Eyes that look shady--not necessarily a good shade. Not one of the main characteristics--has a pleasant ear. They'll pretend to hear--but behind those eyes, there's a mine full of traps. It turned out that his eyes almost resembled Father's eyes. Full of sparks. Smile. Even a smile can't be used as the main criterion - she has ears that are pleasant to hear.

We meet--those who smile sweetly--often pretend to have ears that are pleasing to the eye. But the goal is only to see his smile. They are full of desire to be praised. admired. It is admired that they can have pleasant ears. Maybe once--they could, but the next? Everything that is not from sincerity--will die as the quasi-purpose is owned. They are not the owner of a true ear-pleasing to the ear.

"Elsa, don't daydream! I still want to tell you," whined Nia and her friends.

Elsa's heart felt like it was about to explode. But with him, all the sorrows were muffled again. Seeing his friend's story of being let down--perhaps it was solace. Perhaps it was better to hear--than to tell her about his mother's and father's eyes. His friend's story--too trivial with everything she killed from his soul. But she didn't care.

After all, still being able to hear the voices of friends in the afternoon, it's much better than hearing the raging fire in my father's eyes. She doesn't care. Truly, countless times--she killed herself. While his eyes continue to search. Which human has those pleasing ears, Lord?

***

The next day, she still had not found that pleasant ear. She is again an ear for the fire in Father's eyes and Mother's tears.

Elsa heard it from her room. The incident was just one of many that never left his ears. There is one longing from him. Namely looking for a pleasant ear. Keep looking. Hope what you are looking for is not the other way around. But that's really what she's dreaming of right now. Do you have those pleasing ears?

Elsa sobbed. She continued to sit hugging his knees. Raise your head from time to time. Look at the walls of his room. Which is so cold because it has never been warmly greeted. Which was so hot, because Mom and Dad had never seen her cry. Elsa only needs ears.

"Where did you go, Alvin? Ah, didn't it rain that night that I left you? Why ask where are you?" Elsa muttered.

Since the meeting at the coffee shop, Alvin has been absent. To be precise, since it rained that very night. As if swallowed by the time that comes and goes from nowhere. He didn't even talk even if it was just a little. Everything was suddenly bitter. Nothing is as sweet as coffee, there is only bitterness in the heart.

Elsa brought various questions, until she didn't know where to put those questions. On the side of the road with a shady tree? In the courtyard of longing? She didn't know herself. Memories fell instantly. Wet eyes, growing longing on the cheeks of his face.

***

POV: Alvin

This house is Mother's choice. Chosen because the stones missing. Swept by various times. Because of Mother, then this house is also Father's choice. Painfully built. I was born: Alvin Mahardika. You must have guessed who my father is, right? Yes, Mahardika. Complete, Rudi Mahardika.

"Son, why don't you go to school. As long as you keep studying,"

"Why is that, ma'am?"

"Because school is only one place to learn. Life is where you learn."

Alvin still remembers, this morning Mother said it two hundred and seventy-three times. Yes, he said that because he always wrote it down in his diary.

Alvin understood the sentence so deeply. Only with his mother, does he feel the meaning of life more. His father did not fully understand. The wish of the only child. Alvin did some desperate things. A man with a firm face but not so sure about his actions. However, he seemed to be just following his inner restlessness.

***

One afternoon, he accidentally saw a child begging on the street. He asked the boy. His compassion is so deep. He found the child dropped out of school. Alvin seemed unable to remain silent when he saw the suffering of others. He also decided not to go to school for three days. Meet the boy, and take a closer look at his life.