Alina's face lit up when she met June in the hallway after her difficult subject. He noticed her immediately so he was the first to come.
"Alina, how was the first day?" June's opening question. Alina's smile widened even more because June's eyes widened even more even though he was wearing a reading glass.
‘He's really one of the hot professors on netflix shows — he'll think about it.’
"Alina?" June uttered because she noticed that Alina's mouth was just pitying and no words came out of it.
"Huh? Ah... It's okay Sir June, the subjects are a bit difficult in the third year. I'm still trying to adjust, it's a good thing and I've reviewed what was written in my old notes. It was also when I stopped. It's a good thing we found a way so that I don't have to go back to other subjects that can't be credited because I continued late. " Alina was apologetic.
She felt like her cheek was already red because June's eyes were burning so she just bowed.
"It's good then. All right, I still have class, I'll go ahead, huh? Be careful when you go home," June smiled and then glanced at his wrist watch.
"Also be careful, thanks for the motivation," Alina replied.
June passed by her but she followed him with her gaze until June finally headed to the 3rd floor of the campus.
‘You see, even with his back turned, he's still very handsome.’
She sighed and was about to continue walking out but someone suddenly questioned her, girls — those were also her classmates in the room earlier who were talking about a particular admin staff.
"He-hello?" she hesitated to greet them.
"Do you know Sir June? Because in all our lives, you've been the only one we've seen him talk to on campus, and he's really the first one to approach you," the woman said with a smile.
Alina nodded her head slowly.
"Wow, nice. Maybe you can give us our letters for him? Then, do you have Sir June's number?"
another woman repeatedly asked, she was tall, beautiful and looked like she came from a wealthy family.
"Oh, I don’t have and even if I have, I’m not allowed to spread his number without permission. I'll be ahead of you." Alina quickly avoided the women and she breathed a sigh of relief as they no longer followed her.
She first went to the library to do the prof's assignments for the subject she was having difficulty with. She wanted to stop thinking when he was in the mansion. In that way, she can still help Yayo and Kikay because she also doesn't want to make it difficult for the two of them at work.
Her brain became peaceful because it was so quiet in the library. She focused on taking down important notes, because the info enters her brain more if she writes it while memorizing it.
She had already spent half an hour in the library. She was enthusiastic about what she was doing and would have finished soon but the silence was broken because someone was playing edm music inside using a cellphone.
She winced. Alina was losing her concentration on what she was doing so she decided to stand up first and look for whoever was playing the music. She will beg for the librarian to stop the music playing. She went around every corner of the library but he saw no one there. I think the librarian left.
‘If so, where did your music come from?’
She was very scratchy and just went back to writing. When she finished at the library, Alina decided to go home. She was also tired somehow, fortunately, she was inspired because of June. But on the other hand, she still misses someone who has left a space in his heart.
She held her chest after she gasped for air. It's weird that he still thinks of Ricky. Especially when she sees a parked motorcycle, the moment he rides the motor with him is what she remembers.
‘I don't like him at all. Nothing as in nothing!’
***
Alina shrugged when she got home to the mansion. She lost her appetite for dinner because her elitist classmates upset her mood. Just a week ago since the class started, but she was already pressured by classmates and lectures. She sometimes feels like she wants to give up, but she still holds her heart because she doesn't want to waste Nanay Remmy's efforts. Aside from the burden that she might fail in her efforts, she also felt that her head was hurting and body was hot. She looks like she's going to have the flu.
She was about to enter the room and saw Yayo and Kikay making themselves beautiful. Aside from beautifying the colleagues, the luggage on top of the bed also grabbed attention.
"My lovely ladies, what's that? Why are you packing things and dressing elegantly?" Alina's opening question.
"We're going on vacation, with Madam— este Nanay Remmy," Yayo replied, just facing the mirror and trying to curl her hair.
"Nanay Remmy? Why do you call her differently?" Alina's two eyebrows met.
"Because she wants us to just call her Mom even though we always call her Madam. We're one family," Kikay replied with satisfaction, wiping lipstick on her lips.
"Vacation? Then you're still making yourself beautiful. It's not like you're going on vacation, maybe you're just looking for handsome people somewhere," Alina appealed, unconvinced.
"Nanay Remmy has a set-up as a dinner date with our lovey doves, she said she gave it to us as her only reward for our hard work," Yayo explained.
"Wow, I hope so, enjoy yourself huh?" Alina sincerely smiled at them.
She just lay down on the bed and let the two be busy. She also suddenly sighed because he thought he would be alone at home if they all left for the planned vacation.
‘Sadly, I have never experienced being alone at home and then I am drowning in my studies.’
"Alina, I'm sorry if we leave you. Nanay Remmy has a surprise for us," Yayo said apologetically then stroked Alina's hair. "What's the matter with you? Share quickly," Kikay said and approached Alina's bed.
Alina smiled sparingly at the two. "I only have classmates who seem to be annoyed with me but they can't show it directly."
"Why? How do you say they hate you?" Kikay asked.
"It's loud. They're annoyed because Sir June and I are close, eh I didn't do anything wrong. I'm keeping my distance because I know it's inappropriate to see that we're close. Then one time I heard them in the comfort room, they were laughing at me because I'm just a maid but I feel so bad, they mentioned my name while they were talking." Tears welled up in Alina's eyes as she recounted the discrimination she experienced at university.
"Who are those? We're going to ambush them outside!" Annoyance was obvious from Yayo's statement. She is affected when Alina cries because she knows she is weak, she's sharing the same sentiments with Kikay. They treated each other like sisters and promised to work together no matter what obstacles happened.
"Let it go. I've been close to others who were not elitists like them. I'll just take care of my studies," Alina said soothingly and hugged Yayo and Kikay.
"How come in the next few days you go on vacation and I'm alone, I can't let go of resentment," she whispered and still didn't let go of the two who also hugged back.
"All right Alina, I know you have something else to tell us, how about when you see Sir June? Are you still so head over heels for him?" Yayo asked.
Alina was shocked because she admitted that she was in a confused stage about how she felt about her first love. It's like your food expired unexpectedly.
"Hey, what's that?" Kikay, on the other hand, obviously wanted to know Alina's attitude.
"Can you be confused about your feelings for two men even if you haven't been their boyfriend?" hesitant, Alina decided to ask the question, because she also needed to be clear about what was bothering her.
Kikay frowned. "Maybe it’s normal."
"Wait, besides Sir June, do you have another crush? And who is he? Your classmate? Just recently had a crush right away?" Yayo asked in succession.
"That's Ricky for sure!" Kikay was second and Alina's eyes narrowed. "Am I correct?"
Alina frowned and nodded softly. It seems that her eardrums were broken because the two suddenly became separated and yelled louder.
"Did I mention that! And Ricky and you are better, he obviously likes you!"
Alina's heartbeat became abnormal due to Kikay's teasing. She doesn't want to assume but if Ricky really likes her, it's possible that she'll party with too much joy. But impossible, she heard no compliment from Ricky and his attitude was childish to her. From the very start, it's obvious that Ricky hates her.
‘Ricky is just a handsome guy. It's just his beauty is the only thing he has to be proud of and he's not like June so it's unlikely that I’m going to like him that much.’
"It's vague, I don't really like him," Alina said with difficulty while hiding her face with the pillow.
"Oh, you're still embarrassed. If you don't like Ricky, why do you always use his handkerchief?"
Alina's frown got worse in that part. She looked up at the two again. "Huh? What are you talking about? I don't have a handkerchief from him!"
"Nothing? That handkerchief you always use, Ricky has that. Try harder to deny more!" Kikay teased Alina again.
"He just left me to use it, I didn't get it back to him because he moved out from here," Alina said.
"Ah I know, because you were sweating so he lent you a handkerchief. It's so thrilling!" Yayo's fueling remark.
"Tse! Just leave and go on your dates!" She pushed the two away and still frowned.
"You're going to date too. All right, we'll just get dressed and lock the gate. Be careful here, we'll be back tomorrow morning, we haven't booked a ticket yet," Kikay replied with a smile and pulled Yayo out of the room.
"You enjoy your lovey doves huh?" Alina shouted before the two, who were excited about where they were going, finally got away.
She sighed and thought of Ricky again. The impact he has had is really different since he left under the mansion of Nanay Remmy. She still misses the young man and if she sees him again, she might hug him too tightly just to smell his scent. That scent, she missed it so much. She was shaken to lie on the bed with her head — as if being struck by a hammer in excruciating pain. She may be lacking in sleep so he prefers to close his eyes, in case drowsiness also visits him.
****
Alina repeatedly turned over on the bed because her body was getting cold even though she was sweating. Here it is, she was right in her assumption that she could stay with the flu. She forced herself to get up even though he seemed to be breaking her head in great pain. She struggled to walk outside her room, she immediately went to the kitchen to drink a glass of water. It could ease the heavy feeling of being sick.
But she did not succeed in his plan because he immediately fell to the floor. She also spent a few minutes on the floor before gathering strength to get up again. She was able to get up but she felt the surroundings spinning and it was dizzying. She kept on losing her balance until she fell down but this time— she bumped into somebody's arms. She felt shivers through her body, she felt familiar when she was caught by him. The kitchen was dark so she couldn't see if anyone had helped her.
But a fragrance gave a clue who that person was. She had just been thinking about the smell that she didn't expect to smell again. She badly wants to cling on him. Moreover, she wanted to scrape off his scent until no one was wearing its clothes. Hopefully that's just the root of the disease.
Alina was very close to Ricky's arm and he forced her to help her back into the room.
"Take some medicine, I'll just take you for a moment," said the young man who could trace the concern in the timbre of his voice. Ricky was about to stand up but Alina pulled the hem of his t-shirt so she stopped him.
"Ricky, why are you here?" Alina asked in a whisper. She was almost out of breath so she couldn't raise her voice. The roar of her heart also grew louder when she could clearly look at Ricky seriously.
"Alina, I'll watch over you now that everyone is gone. Nanay Remmy begged for it," Ricky explained and Alina just let him out of the room for a while.
Alina felt relieved somehow. It was the first time she had experienced being treated like a princess. She dreamed that June would do that but she didn't expect Ricky to do it. She was even more confused emotionally. It looks like Ricky is so different from before that the contents of his mouth are just exploding. This time, she saw Ricky's gentle side.
Ricky made her heart tremble, without her knowledge.
‘Am I already in love with him?’
***
"Are you okay?"
Ricky doesn't take his eyes off Alina even after she's finished taking the medicine.
Alina slowly nodded. "Thanks huh?"
"What did you do and did you get sick?" Ricky asked and arranged Alina's pillow so that she could sleep properly.
"Maybe I was stressed with my studies. I've changed and I have activities in other subjects," Alina replied gently.
"You should have called me," Ricky replied as he stood on the side of the bed. He will stay awake just to take care of her, that's how he is determined to take care of Alina.
It is true that Nanay Remmy left Alina in his care because they have not been at home for more than two weeks. No one else can be asked to watch over Alina except for him. If Kikay hadn't announced that they felt Alina was sick, he wouldn't have gone to the mansion first.
"It's embarrassing, you're busy and then you might not be able to relate to your studies," Alina justified and gently closed her eyes. She felt like her temperature was rising up everytime she caught Ricky staring at her.
"You know I can help, don't you? All right. Get some rest. I'll be out." He was about to stand up but he heard Alina mumble something he couldn't understand.
"Ric— uhm ..."
"Why? Do you need anything?" he asked and touched Alina's forehead to check if her body temperature was still high.
"Can you just stay here?" Alina pleaded. He then looked at Ricky who was obviously surprised at her plea.
"Are you okay?" Ricky slowly stood to the side — on Kikay's bed just next to Alina's bed.
"Yeah, it's okay. I'm scared to be alone," Alina said. "Do you want me to turn on that brightest light?"
"Don't be Ricky, I'll have a hard time sleeping when that's turned on."
He sighed. "Okay go ahead. Go to sleep, I'll wake you up soon so I can prepare your breakfast for you. It'll be a few hours in the morning again."
He stares at the wall clock, it's already 3 AM. He remembered that at that time he and Alina had quarreled like children who did not want to beat each other. So he spontaneously smiles when he stays awake at this time.
"I thought you were mad at me? Why are you so sane now huh?" Alina suddenly asked.
"I thought you were asleep, I'm not mad at you," Ricky explained and met Alina's critical gaze.
He blushed easily. How could Alina look at him like she admired him for a long time? Or maybe he's just feeling it because his eyes are dim because of the flu he's feeling.
"Why are you always teasing me? Are you angry? Are you annoyed?" Alina breathed a sigh of relief after voicing the question she had always wanted to ask Ricky.
Ricky just shook his head. "If you ask any more, I'll definitely leave you here."
"Okay, I won't ask any more questions." Alina closed her eyes again and just fell asleep. She was disappointed because Ricky did not answer the question.
Ricky stayed beside her for two hours, he did nothing but pass the time and just soaked his eyes in Alina. He felt tranquility while looking only at her.