Chapter 21 : Pride, Everything We Have.

The small clock on the wall was ticking very slowly.  Even so, everyone in the room could hear it beating.  As if it was the only living creature here.

 Deandra was silent in the tension that engulfed him.  In front of this young man, was a husband and wife.  The husband looked worried.  Not to his son who always keep his own head bowed, but to his wife whose expression was unreadable.

 "Are you the culprit?"

 "Clarisa..."

 Dirga tried his best to calm his wife's heart.  Starting from rubbing the back to calling out his wife's name softly.  Hope the woman filters again every sentence she will say to their child.

 "I don't need an explanation Deandra.  What I wants is just honesty from your mouth.  Are you really the culprit?"

 Deandra could hear such a cold voice.  Much colder than the voice of the investigator who questioned him ten years ago.

 "You don't believe me?"

 "Depends on your answer."

 His hands that were cupped together tightened.  Deandra even hardened his jaw thanks to the answer his mother gave.

 "Not me.  I didn't even know her that close until I could lay my hands on her.  The one who impregnated Erika, or even killed her.  Not me."

 Dean noticed that at this moment his voice was shaking slightly.  I don't know if it's emotional or what.  But it's definitely not fear.

 "Even in this world you don't trust me, do you?"  His mind laughed so sadly.

 A thousand negative thoughts filled Deandra's head.  He was ready, even if his mother would start swearing at him, he was completely ready to accept it.

However, what Clarissa did after so long of silence was beyond anyone's expectations.  Instead of saying anything in response to his son's denial, he got up from the couch.

 Clarissa took a piece of paper from her clothes pocket.  Unfold the paper, then place it on the table right in the middle of them.

 "Now sleep.  We have to get up early tomorrow."

 After saying that, Clarissa left.  Followed by Dirga who looked worried.  Almost as if he is the housewife here and not his wife.

 The living room was filled with silence again.  All that left was Deandra and a piece of paper in front of him.  If he could, he would love to turn away from the paper.  But curiosity forced this young man to reach, then read it in silence.

 Dean was hardly surprised when he saw what was written on it.  It was a summons sent directly by the principal of Nusa High School.

 "Devan... I hate it when your bad premonitions come true."

 Sad laughter accompanied the paper which was gripped until it was almost shapeless.  What will happen next?  Dean was tired of even guessing.

***

 'How are things over there?'

 'As expected, Suck.'

'Not surprised though.'

 'Then what now?'

 'It's okay.  It's just okay, I have one request for you.'

 'What else this time?'

 Deandra's finger movements stopped for a moment.  A smile was etched on his lips as he read the last message on his cell phone screen.  A second later, the fingers dance again.

 'You will love this one.'

 He sent it.

 "Dean?  You ready?  Come on!

A tap on his right shoulder made him look up.  After receiving a smile from his father who had already left him, Deandra rushed over.

 "Oh yes!"

He put  his right shoe in a hurry.  After making sure the house door was locked, Dean rushed to catch up with his father and mother who had already gotten into the car.

 "The car that time?"  said this young man while wearing his seat belt.

 Crisp laughter sounded from the driver's seat.  Dirga scratched his neck awkwardly, while glancing at his son from the rear view mirror of the car.

 "Well, my boss is a good person anyway."

Dean laughed equally awkwardly.  Meanwhile Clarissa was silent.  With her arms folded across her chest, the thirty-seven year old woman kept looking out the window.

 The journey to school feels very long.  All of that thanks to the awkward and cold atmosphere created by the only woman in this small family.

Deandra kept thinking, he tried to find every possibility that could be the result of his mother's distrust of him.  But none of this occurred in the minds of this young man.

 Fed up with heavy thoughts that don't yield any results, Dean decides to keep himself busy with his own cell phone.  A few minutes later, they arrived.

 The loan car is parked carefully.  The three of them got out of the car and were immediately greeted by several eyes looking at them from a distance.

 Not wanting to waste time, Clarissa walked straight to the principal's office.  Of course, like it or not, her husband and children have to follow.

 What happened next was as expected.  Almost the whole school gathered in front of the principal's room.  Trying to eavesdrop on the conversation inside, even knowing that this has nothing to do with them.

 "Please sit down, Mr and Mrs Wijaya.  Deandra too."

 The headmaster spoke kindly.  The bald man seated himself comfortably, as if what they discussed next was no problem.

 The Wijaya family sits in a row.  In the midst of them, was the only son who kept his head down.

 For the first time in a long time, Deandra could feel fear again.  That fear was even able to make this young man look like a criminal on trial.

 With his head down like that, anyone would not hesitate to believe their guesses against him.

"So... Let's get straight to it, sir, ma'am.  I'm sure that you already know the reason I invited you here.  This is related to the matter that Deandra has recently been involved in."

 The headmaster twirled his words.  Making the three people who were forced to listen to it started to feel dizzy.

 " ... And because we are worried that this problem will affect the good name of the school, it is with a heavy heart that we have decided to cancel Deandra's scholarship.  At the same time as possible, dismiss Deandra from Nusa High School."

 In the end, the headmaster got to the point.  A second after hearing that, Deandra immediately turned to the woman who had been sitting silently by his side.

 As expected, there is a lot of disappointment there.  Even if the woman didn't look at him, Dean could tell how hurt his mother was at this news.

 He didn't like the sight.  Deandra didn't want to just stay silent and let his parents accept mistakes that he didn't even do.  Because of that, with all his courage this young man opened his voice.

"Sir, I"

 "My son is not the culprit."

 Deandra was silent.  Just as Clarissa stepped forward in her stead to speak.

 "Excuse me?"  The headmaster frowned.

 "Deandra admits that he is innocent.  My son is not the culprit."

 "Mom?"  Deandra blinked in confusion.

Clarissa had no intention of making compromises.  She wasn't trying to make sense of it, she just wanted to confirm that Deandra was innocent.  Because right now, that belief was what filled this women's heart.

 "Clarisa?"

 For a moment Clarissa's consciousness was pulled back by Dirga who touched her hand gently.  The questioning look her husband gave made Clarissa realize that she had spoken something difficult to understand.

 "Deandra was taken to the police station yesterday.  Straight from school, and do you know what happened to my child?  No.  Even I don't know.  But one thing is clear, Deandra was not treated well there.  Even if he has not been proven guilty they dare to touch him.  And now, the school also wants to expel him?  What kind of ridiculous justice is this?"

 As much as possible Dirga did not let go of his wife's grip.  Even though Clarissa continued to speak at length and was full of emotion, Dirga just wanted to sit back and make sure his wife didn't cross the line.

 Meanwhile, Deandra was flabbergasted.  It was still hard for him to believe what he had just heard.  His mother believed him.  Really, really believe him.

"Whether he is guilty or not, this problem still affects the good name of the school.  We can't do anything here either.  The fact that Deandra was involved in trouble was indisputable.  The news has spread everywhere."  This time, the principal looked irritated.

 It seemed that Clarissa's words had succeeded in disturbing the bald man.  His attitude was so not as friendly as before.

 "At the lightest, we can give you a one-month suspension.  Only so that the problem subsides and Dean can only return to school.  But because of that mistake, Dean has tarnished his own good name.  So the scholarship will still be revoked."  he said again.

 This little family again made silent.  What the principal said was not a solution.

SMA Nusa is one of the highly ranked schools that only two types of people can enter in this city.  First those who excel, and secondly those who have money.

 Back then, Dean walked in with the money.  But ever since his parents went bankrupt, he fought tooth and nail for a scholarship.  Even though he wasn't good at studies, he managed to get by in sports.

How could Clarissa have the heart to see her child lose everything she had fought for for that one year?  But above all, he was even more unable to accept this situation.

 Not giving a chance to compromise, Clarissa got up from her chair while holding Deandra's arm who looked like she was in deep thought.  Breaking his son's reverie by dragging him straight to the exit.

"We go home!"

 "Loh?  Ma'am?  Wait a minute!  Then how about school?!"  Dean tried to pull away to hold his mother who was almost at the door.

 "You're out.  We are looking for another school.  Mother won't let you go to school where they think you're a criminal."

 "Clarissa!  Calm down!"

 Dirga panicked, Clarissa was angry, while Deandra was really confused.

 Should he accept this?  Her school, her friends, everything that suddenly returns to her will suddenly be taken away from her.  Will he ever shut up and just accept it again?

 No.

 Of course not.

 "Mom wait a minute!"

Clarissa had just touched the doorknob when Deandra finally managed to force her to stop.  The young man was even holding him with both hands.

 "I don't want to move from here."

 Dean said it so firmly.  Of course what he found afterwards was a protest from his mother.

 "You want to stay here?!  After all that humiliation?!"  Clarissa raised her voice.

 Their gazes met.  Two pairs of eyes that looked so much alike.  Anyone who saw it would agree if they were told that Deandra got those pair of proud eyes from her mother.

 "Yes!  Because I know I'm innocent, and that you really believe in me.  Please give Dean a chance to prove it!"

 "Deander!  Do you know what situation this is?!  Mom has never told you right?!  The only thing left of our family is pride!  We can't let it get stepped on!"

 "EXACTLY BECAUSE OF THAT!!"

 His screams brought silence.  Not only the mother in front of him, Deandra was even able to astonish the principal.

 "Precisely because of that… Please let me… Give me one week.  I will find the culprit, then clear our family name."

 This time, Deandra sighed.  But because of her earlier screams, she had managed to make everyone listen to her every word.

 There wasn't much that Clarissa could say.  Just like there wasn't anything he could do.  This woman had been transfixed, in the presence of this young man she had been made aware.

 He hadn't been paying attention lately.  Apparently, since when, his son has become so big and responsible.

 Ironically, the maturity that flashed before her eyes made this thirty-seven year old woman feel a little lonely.

 To be continued....