20 Years Adrift
Chapters 1. An Unintentionally Meeting

A drizzle descends on the city of Jakarta. A car traveling at moderate speed tends to be slow across slippery roads. It was getting dark but the city streets were getting crowded.

Although the speed of the car is very slow, but Affan felt very surprised and stepped on the brakes suddenly when he saw someone who suddenly passed.

"Astagfirefull!" his screech while holding his shaking chest.

Affan pulled over his car and paused to relieve his nervousness.

Not yet lost his surprise, outside his car a girl who passed by was banging on his door. Affan's forehead is wrinkled. He felt familiar with the girl in the high school uniform.

Seeing his frightened face, Affan opened the door and asked him to come in. Not long after, a man came running from the same direction as the girl.

"Please don't tell me I'm here, sir!" The girl lowered her head and hid behind Affan's suit she had originally placed next to her wheel.

Affan's dark car glass makes it difficult for someone to see the driver and passengers in it. The man looks dizzy and goes back to running after not finding the person he was looking for in Affan's car.

The girl felt relieved after seeing the man completely move away and did not return there again. Now he noticed the face of the man beside him who was none other than the father of his friend.

"Of Affan!" The girl was surprised and looked embarrassed. Because of the rush to escape she did not have time to use her hijab. Aware of that she immediately wore it even though her hijab was wet with rain water.

"Astagfirefull!" Affan again beristighfar when he saw a scene that he should not have seen. He turned his face away and waited until the girl finished wearing her hijab.

"Ma-sorry, Om. I ... I made this suit wet," said the girl as she spread Affan's suit in front of her.

"It doesn't matter Aira. The suit is also dirty and should be washed immediately. What the hell happened to you? Why are you running in the rain? And ... and .. who was the one who was chasing you?"

Affan's many questions made Aira difficult to answer. He looked confused and did not know which question to answer first. The remnants of fear were still clearly drawn on his face.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I'll take you home. It's not good for girls to be outside these nights."

Looking at the Aira residence, Affan guessed that the girl did not want to answer his question. His parents must have been very worried if he didn't come home soon, he thought.

Affan watched Aira from the rearview. He did not dare to look at her directly. From the reflection of the rearview mirror he could see clearly if Aira's tears continued to flow even though he did not sound sobbing.

'It looks like something is wrong with Aira. I don't want to interfere in his problems, but seeing him like this I don't have the heart either.' Affan looks agitated.

Affan always carries mineral water in his car. At the red light he picked up a bottle and gave it to Aira.

"Thank you, Om."

Aira was indeed feeling very thirsty. Even though he saw that there was drinking water in front of him he did not dare to take it. She was grateful that Affan finally gave it away without being asked.

"Together."

Affan returned to his car after the traffic light turned green. He turned around and turned to Aira's home address. He had already memorized his residence because several times drove Faya there. Faya is her daughter who is Aira's classmate.

After dropping Aira off, Affan returns to drive his car home. However, just a few meters away he was walking, he saw Aira's bag left behind in his car. Affan returned his car carefully.

A very sad sight was seen before him. Aira's parents looked very angry at her. They threw Aira's bags, clothes and belongings out. Aira stood and cried alone because her parents had entered and closed the door of her house.

Affan got out of his car and walked over to Aira. His arrival made Aira startled and immediately wiped away her tears. Again the girl was silent. Perhaps his heart was fragile and unable to tell a story at this time.

Aira picked up her belongings and walked up to the door of her house. I hope the owner will feel sorry for him.

"Om, Auntie! Forgive Aira, Om, Auntie!" call Aira while knocking on the door in front of her.

'Om, Auntie? So they're not Aira's parents? So Aira hasn't lived with her parents?' Affan frowned in wonder. Not knowing what was driving her, she did not want to leave Aira alone.

****

Connect ....