LOGINOn the same day I was admitted into the hospital for my pregnancy, my husband, Charles Page, received 108 missed calls on his phone. It was from Sue, his mentee, a girl who had cancer. I asked if he was going to pick up, and he replied impatiently, "All she does is call me all day! Doesn't she have any other family? She's so annoying." Later, that very girl posted a photo of herself on the hospital rooftop, wearing a white dress. The caption said: [If I jump down from here, will I become a butterfly in my next life? Maybe then, everyone won't hate me.] Charles only glanced at the post before chuckling mockingly. "What does she mean, turn into a butterfly? Is she delusional?" But after that, he grew visibly restless, before rushing out and not returning all night. That night, I hemorrhaged and was taken into emergency care. When the nurse asked if I wanted to keep the baby, I looked at the empty space beside me and answered calmly. "No, I don't."
View More"Aduh!"
Baru saja aku melangkah terburu-buru di lobi fakultas sambil memeluk erat tumpukan draf skripsi, tubuhku tiba-tiba terdorong mundur dengan keras sehingga draft skripsi yang aku bawa jatuh di lantai.
Rasanya ingin sekali aku marah-marah. Maksudku, siapa sih orang yang jalan di tempat umum tapi matanya terpaku ke layar ponsel? Apa dia pikir lobi kampus ini milik nenek moyangnya?
"Kalau jalan tolong lihat depan dong, jangan..."
Protesku terhenti saat aku melihat sosok yang tinggi, tegap, dan wajahnya... astaga, tampan sekali!
Rahangnya tegas, hidungnya mancung, dan tatapan matanya tajam di balik kacamata berbingkai tipis itu. Dia mengenakan kemeja biru navy yang digulung sampai siku, terlihat rapi dan berkelas, sangat kontras dengan penampilanku yang kucel karena kurang tidur.
Pria itu tiba-tiba berjongkok dan memunguti kertas-kertasku yang berserakan. Dia berdiri, menyodorkan tumpukan kertas itu ke tanganku dengan wajah datar.
"Siapa namamu?"
"Na-Nara, Pak, Nara Anindya."
"Oke, lain kali hati-hati."
Setelah mengucapkan kalimat itu, dia melenggang pergi begitu saja, meninggalkan aku yang masih bengong di tengah lobi.
"Nara! Kamu kenapa berdiri di situ kayak patung selamat datang?"
Tepukan di bahu membuatku berjengit kaget. Fika, teman sekelasku yang paling update soal gosip kampus, sudah berdiri di sampingku dengan wajah sumringah.
"Aku habis tabrakan tadi, Fik. Sama cowok nyebelin yang main hp sambil jalan," jawabku sambil cemberut, merapikan letak kacamata baca dan kuncir rambutku.
"Ah, lupain aja soal cowok nyebelin itu. Kamu tahu nggak? Hari ini katanya ada dosen pengganti buat mata kuliah Ginekologi. Dengar-dengar sih orangnya ganteng banget, Nara! Katanya dia dokter spesialis terkenal yang mau melakukan riset di kampus kita. Dingin, kalem, tipe-tipe
sugar daddy kaya, tapi maskulin banget sumpah!"Fika bercerita dengan mata berbinar-binar, tapi hanya menanggapi seadanya. Jujur saja, pikiranku masih tertuju pada pria di lobi tadi.
Sayang sekali wajah setampan itu harus dimiliki oleh orang yang tidak tahu sopan santun.
"Iya, iya. Semoga saja dia nggak galak ya, Fik. Aku lagi nggak mood dimarahin dosen," sahutku pelan.
"Tenang aja, Nar. Kalau dosennya ganteng, dimarahin juga aku ikhlas kok! Yuk masuk, keburu telat!"
Kami pun berjalan ke ruang kelas dan…
Ternyata, firasat burukku benar-benar kejadian.
Saat pintu kelas terbuka dan dosen pengganti itu masuk, aku nyaris jatuh dari kursiku. Pria yang berdiri di depan kelas dengan aura sedingin kutub utara itu adalah pria yang sama yang menabrakku di lobi tadi!
Namanya Pak Argan.
Begitu dia memperkenalkan diri dengan suara baritone-nya yang rendah, seisi kelas, terutama mahasiswi, langsung senyap. Mereka menatap Pak Argan dengan tatapan memuja, seolah-olah dia adalah idola K-Pop yang nyasar jadi dosen.
"Nara, lihat deh! Itu kan dokter spesialis yang aku ceritain. Ganteng banget kan? Sumpah, aku rela deh disuntik tiap hari kalau dokternya kayak dia," bisik Fika sambil menyenggol lenganku.
"Ganteng apanya? Jutek gitu kamu bilang ganteng?" balasku berbisik, masih menyimpan dendam kesumat gara-gara insiden tadi pagi.
Selama kelas berlangsung, Pak Argan menjelaskan materi dengan sangat detail, cerdas, tapi cenderung kaku karena dia tidak menyelipkan lelucon sedikit pun.
Tatapan Pak Argan menyapu seluruh ruangan seolah sedang mengabsen dosa kami satu per satu. Dan sialnya, beberapa kali tatapannya berhenti di arahku, membuatku buru-buru menunduk pura-pura sibuk mencatat.
Begitu kelas berakhir, seperti dugaan, gerombolan mahasiswi langsung merangsek ke meja depan, tapi Pak Argan menanggapi mereka dengan dingin. Dia membereskan barang-barangnya tanpa menoleh sedikit pun pada kerumunan itu.
"Saya buru-buru. Kalau ada pertanyaan, kirim via email." Dia berjalan membelah kerumunan, lalu menuju pintu keluar. Namun, saat melewati mejaku yang berada di dekat pintu keluar, langkahnya terhenti.
"Kamu anak bimbingan Pak Chandra, kan?" tunjuknya padaku.
"S-saya, Pak?"
"Iya, kamu. Ke ruangan saya sekarang. Bawa draf skripsi kamu. Saya mau lihat sejauh mana progres bimbingan kamu dengan dosen sebelumnya."
Tanpa menunggu jawabanku, dia melenggang pergi, meninggalkan aku yang diam membeku dan seisi kelas langsung menoleh ke arahku.
"Nara! Kamu kok bisa dipanggil ke ruangannya? Kamu kenal Pak Argan?" tanya Fika heboh.
Aku hanya bisa menghela napas panjang, meratapi nasib. "Duh, kayaknya dia dosen pembimbing baruku, yang gantiin Pak Chandra cuti berobat."
"Aku ikut nemenin kamu ke ruangan Pak Argan, boleh?"
"Fik, aku ini mau bimbingan, ga ke mana-mana," pelanku, lalu mengemasi barang-barangku di meja. "Yaudah aku berangkat dulu, takut ntar Pak Argan marah kalau aku telat."
Sesampainya di ruang dosen paling ujun, aku melihat Pak Argan duduk. Dia hanya memberiku kode untuk meletakkan draf skripsiku di meja dengan jari telunjuk, lalu membolak-baliknya dengan wajah datar tanpa ekspresi.
"Oke, Nara. Saya sudah baca sekilas." Dia menutup draf skripsiku dan meletakkannya di meja, lalu menatapku dengan jemari bertautnya di atas meja. "Jujur saja, skripsimu kurang layak."
Jleb.
Sakit rasanya.
Aku tahu, aku bukan mahasiswa jenius, tapi aku selalu rajin mengerjakan tugas. Dibilang mengecewakan secara langsung begini rasanya sakit sekali.
"Relevansi topik kamu dengan perkembangan medis era sekarang sangat kurang. Datanya usang, pendekatannya terlalu konservatif, dan yang paling parah, novelty atau kebaruan dari penelitian ini masih kurang kuat. Kalau kamu paksakan maju sidang dengan materi ini, saya jamin kamu akan dibantai habis-habisan oleh penguji."
"Jadi, saya harus bagaimana, Pak? Saya harus ganti judul?" tanyaku lirih, menahan tangis.
Pak Argan menyandarkan punggungnya di kursi, lalu menghela nafas berat. "Begini saja, saya sedang melakukan riset mendalam tentang gangguan seksual. Saya sarankan kamu ambil topik yang bersinggungan dengan itu. Coba kamu cari referensi tentang hiperseksualitas."
Mataku membelalak kaget. "Hi-hiperseksualitas, Pak?"
"Kenapa? Kamu kaget? Itu fenomena medis yang baru-baru ini terjadi, Nara. Banyak penderitanya menderita dalam diam karena stigma masyarakat. Kamu teliti aspek psikologis dan dampaknya. Kalau kamu setuju, saya bisa bantu bimbing kamu sampai lulus semester ini."
Aku hanya bisa merenung, mengingat topik itu terlalu vulgar untuk gadis polos sepertiku yang bahkan pacaran saja belum pernah. Tapi, tawarannya untuk membimbing sampai lulus sangat menggiurkan karena aku butuh lulus secepatnya!
"B-baik, Pak. Saya... saya akan coba cari referensinya," jawabku pasrah, lalu pamit pergi.
***
Malamnya, aku menyeret langkah gontai menuju kamar kos. Begitu masuk kamar dan melempar tas ke kasur, mataku tertumbuk pada selembar kertas tagihan yang terselip di bawah pintu.
Surat peringatan tunggakan uang administrasi kampus. Angkanya membengkak drastis dari semester kemarin karena denda keterlambatan. Aku terduduk lemas di lantai. Kepalaku pening memikirkan dari mana aku harus mencari uang sebanyak ini dalam waktu singkat.
Selama ini, aku mengandalkan royalti dari menulis novel di platform daring untuk biaya hidup dan pengobatan Ibu di kampung.
Dua novel terakhirku gagal total.
Rating-nya jeblok, pembacanya sepi. Editor bilang, tren pasar sekarang sudah bergeser. Pembaca ingin cerita dewasa yang panas, liar, dan penuh gairah. Sedangkan tulisanku? Datar, kaku, dan terlalu biasa.
"Gimana aku bisa nulis adegan dewasa kalau pegangan tangan sama cowok aja nggak pernah?" gumamku frustrasi.
Beban di pundakku rasanya makin berat.
Uang kos bulan ini harus dibayar karena aku sewa per enam bulan, biaya obat Ibu tidak bisa ditunda, dan sekarang skripsiku harus diulang dari nol dengan topik yang membuatku merinding.
"Arghhh! Kenapa sih, hidup kok susah banget!"
Tanpa sadar, tanganku meraih bantal guling di kasur dan melemparkannya sekuat tenaga ke arah dinding sebagai pelampiasan emosi. Guling itu menghantam dinding rapuh kosku dengan keras, tepat mengenai poster boyband Korea kesayanganku.
Kreeek...
Poster itu robek, plesteran dinding di baliknya rontok, dan... tunggu dulu.
Ada sesuatu di sana.
Karena penasaran setengah mati, aku mendekatkan wajahku ke dinding dan mengintip melalui lubang kecil itu. Rupanya dinding pembatas antara kos dua jutaanku dan apartemen mewah di sebelah memang sudah lapuk.
"Aaaah, Argan... slower, Baby, agak sakit... ahhh!"
Gadis itu benar-benar nggak punya rem, desahannya lepas banget kayak lagi karaokean di kamar mandi, tanpa peduli tetangga sebelah.
Lalu, terdengar suara balasan dari prianya. "Sht up, Baby, a-aku, aku mau…"
"Ba-Ba-Baby! Oh my God... aaaah!"
Namun, mataku seketika membelalak lebar saat melihat ada dua sosok manusia yang sedang bergulat panas di atas ranjang king size di tengah ruangan itu. "Mustahil. I-itu… itu kan, Pak Argan?"
After our divorce, I was left completely unburdened, finally able to put all my energy into my work. Within a year, my small studio, comprising fewer than thirty people, had grown into a full-fledged company with an office downtown.On moving day, many friends sent flower baskets to congratulate me. Among them was a simple bouquet that didn't stand out, addressed from Charles.To be honest, I hadn't even thought about the man in ages.Many of our shared friends were aware of what had happened between the two of us, and joked openly about him and Sue at our celebration that night, their downfall being the talk of the table.Just as I expected, Sue's gambler father and her lazy, freeloading brother had continued leeching off the two of them like vampires, bleeding them dry. They assumed that someone as capable as Charles would be able to quickly bounce back, even after giving everything to me during the divorce.However, they didn't expect the method by which Charles chose to exact
For a while, Charles and I were neighbours.The year Charles was sixteen, his father, who was a professor, had an affair with one of his graduate students.Charles' mother was a housewife who'd given up on her career for his father. When she discovered his betrayal, she was crushed, unable to accept what had happened.Heartbroken for his mother, Charles stayed by her side through it all.Then, his father's mistress became pregnant. To become his father's wife, she started provoking Charles and his mother every chance she got. At that point, his father had already stopped coming home, living outside in the villa he'd bought for his mistress. The mistress, knowing that she was supported by Charles' father, sent intimate pictures of her and his father daily along with a stream of vicious messages.Meanwhile, Charles' father threatened to expose his wife to the media if she didn't quietly leave the marriage with nothing to her name, saying that he'd cut off all financial support for
Sunlight streamed in through the window, bright and warm, yet Charles shivered as if he were caught in a snowstorm. His expression became so dull and lifeless he looked like he was dusted over with gray, and he looked so heartbroken he was about to cry.I cast my gaze towards the floor, irony flashing in my eyes, before handing him the divorce agreement I'd prepared beforehand. "Sign it. Then, let's arrange a time to settle everything between us."Charles' face went pale, and he was unwilling to accept the papers. Like a child desperate to undo a mistake, he said, "I'm sorry, sweetheart."He stumbled over to me, his eyes filled with sorrow. "Does it hurt…?"I didn't bother replying, only stepping back and increasing the distance between us once more. "Even if it did, that's got nothing to do with you. See you two days later at the courthouse, nine in the morning."After that, I turned and left."Sweetheart, don't go!"Charles wanted to chase after me, but Sue pulled out the ne
"The baby's dead."At those words, the entire room fell into dead silence.Charles stared at me in disbelief. "Did you abort the baby just to get back at me?!"I couldn't feel anything in my heart but bitter irony, only replying with a scoff.Sue, frightened and pale, spoke with a teary voice, "Don't blame her, Charles! She must have done it because she was jealous… It's all my fault! I'm the reason you're fighting!" She turned on the waterworks, her entire body trembling. "I'm the reason why the baby's gone… Please, blame me instead! It's all because I'm sick… I-If I wasn't sick, you wouldn't need to take care of me…""How could it possibly be your problem? Don't say that!" Charles' tone softened, filled with pity as he tried to soothe Sue, before turning to look at me, his eyes glazed over with frost. "Anne, how could you hurt our baby all because of some made-up feud you have with Sue? Is this your way of getting back at me?!"It's all my fault for spoiling you!"His expres
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