Chahaya dan Surya (BOOK 2 OF MUTIARA TRILOGY)

Love in a Hopeless Place

Meanwhile in the Neo Renegades' headquarter, Ara and Prince Surya are waiting nervously. The excruciating time of not knowing where they or even what time it was, has taken its toll on both of them. Ara is continuously drifting betweeny w sleeping and awake. On the other hand, Prince Surya finds himself unable to close his eyes.

"I wonder if Topan has made it to Garuda," said Prince Surya, breaking the ice-cold silence between them.

"I think they are probably still on their way. I remember it took quite some time to journey from Garuda."

"I see."

"But don't take my word for it. I mean, who am I to say? There isn't even a clock here to calculate the time," said Ara, hopelessly.

"Don't be too hard on yourself. I am just wondering. It is torturous for me to be so..powerless."

Ara sympathizes with the crown prince. She genuinely does. She can imagine how excruciating it must be for him, being locked in here while his country is under a threat. She, herself, feels isolated and helpless.

"The truth is. I am worried about my father and my friends in Rama." Ara allows herself to be vulnerable for the first time since arriving in Garuda awhile ago.

Prince Surya does not say anything, allowing Ara to pour her feelings out without being disturbed.

"I don't know if I will ever see them again. I wonder if they know I have been missing," she continues.

"I doubt it, Ara. I think not many outside of Garuda knows that you and I are missing."

"How about Guntur? Do you think he has been going back-and-forth to Rama to visit since escaping Garuda?" she asked again; her eyes are empty, starring at the ceiling.

"I am sorry, Ara. I don't think I have the answer for that either."

Ara does not answer immediately. She allows herself to drift in the emptiness and loneliness.

"I have lost almost everything, you know?" she said, not entirely sure if she was in fact saying it to Prince Surya or to herself. Regardless, she needed to hear it for her to feel that this is, in fact, a reality.

"I guess that makes the two of us," answered Prince Surya.

"Is it bad that I am sort of glad that I have you here with me?" she said, very softly, afraid that it would anger the prince of how selfish she has sounded.

Prince Surya does not answer, which worries Ara. She sits up on her bed and says,"I am sorry if I was rude and selfish. I shouldn't have said that."

It is painful for Prince Surya to imagine how broken Ara is right now. Her life has not been easy. It has never been. The fact that someone he loves is that sad makes him feel upset.

"It's okay to be selfish at times. I am not mad," he answered.

Ara begins sobbing at his answer. He does not try to stop her nor does he try to console her. Prince Surya thinks that it would be best for Ara to let her emotion out. Besides, nobody except him could hear her here.

"Thank you," she said between her sobs.

"Take your time, Ara. I am here."

Ara cries even louder upon hearing his answer; which startles Prince Surya.

"Did I say something wrong?" he said, a little panic that she is now crying-almost-uncontrollably.

"I am just so glad that..."

He patiently waits for her to calm down so she can finish her sentence. But stubborn Ara insists on telling him how she feels.

"I am so glad that you are here. You don't know how much I have come to like you," she said at last.

There was nothing from the other room. The only sound in that empty hallway is Ara's cry. She barely can hear him breathing.

"Well, say something?" she said, sounding desperate.

"I am not good at it. I am not good at love either. The truth is, I don't know how," he said, appearing to be as defenseless as Ara is. The weakest he has allowed himself to appear.

"I am not good at it either. But I think we can learn together," she said, being much calmer than she was minutes ago.

Prince Surya smiles as he stares into the wall that separates him and Ara.

"That sounds good to me, Ara," he said.

Ara is also smiling, starring at the wall and letting the last drop of tear falls of her eyes onto her freckled cheek.