Orchid

It was a middle of August, a sunny day and the wind blew slowly, give a brand new day to Kamila.
The day was her first semester in University. She studied in Surakarta State University and took English
Literature as her major. She lived in dormitory with her roommate also classmate, Ayumi. On the other
hands, Kamila was an independent girl, because her parents so idealist. She studied in Single Sex School
since she started her first study in Elementary School. It made her social relationship is so less, she never
talked with a boy until she was seventeen. Her parents never permit her to hang out with her friends,
she only stayed at home after school, didnt go anywhere. Everything that happened to her was changed
when she entered to study in University.

“Mila, look at the boy who wear blue jeans and wear glasses, he is so cool, isnt he?” said Ayumi so
excited.

“I dont know.”

“What!!! Dont you ever meet a boy before? How could you dont know that he is handsome? Every girl
in this class knows that he was the best, but you? OMG, Mila, wheres the world that you have been
living? Huh?.”

“What do you mean?” asked Kamila with innocence face.

“Ah forget it, it doesnt matter.”

After a few moments, there is a boy approached Kamila, he wanted to talk with her, but as soon as
possible she move from his chair.

“Whats the matter? I only want to know your name, and become friend with you, but how could you be
so arrogant, treat me like Im a bad guy!” said Sam with a loud voice.

“Dont disturb my friend!!!” said Ayumi.

“Oh, thats your friend? Haha, tell her, she is like an alien, so fuddy-duddy!” said Sam with an evil face.

“Whos the hell do you think you are, shut up your mouth!” said Ayumi while hit Sam with her bag.

“Ouwww, what the..!!!”

After hit by Ayumi, Sam moved her chair into back seat.

The lesson started and will finish at 14.20 oclock.

Day after day, Kamila became usual with her daily activity in her campus and her dormitory. She enjoyed
her life and finished her first semester with a great score.
One day on January, in her second semester, there is a boy named Alan sent her a message to ask about
group assignment. First she felt adore because Alan was very polite to her. It appeared on his word style
when he typed a message. Even she didnt know which one Alan is in the class, but she was fall in love
with him before she knew him. After that moment, Kamila always thought about Alan. Its hard for her to
know him, because she was very quiet in the class, the only friend that she had is Ayumi. One day, she
decided to ask Ayumi, who Alan is and which one of her boyfriends who had name Alan.

“Yumi, do you know the boy who has name Alan?” asked Kamila slowly.

“Alan? Hmmm, let me refresh my memory, tututut, searching for Alan.” said Ayumi with putting her
hands on her head is like someone who has telepathy power.

“Im serious, Yumi. No kidding me, please”.

“Haha, Im sorry, Mila. But, its like a miracle for Kamila Orchidae to ask me something useless like that.
Kamila that I know is someone who always focuses on her study, and she has no time to think about a
boy. Are you sick?” said Ayumi tempted her.

“You know me so well, Yumi, but I need to know this.”

“Yeah, I think that you are serious at this time, tomorrow I will show who he is.”

“Pinkie swears.”

“Okay, darl.”

The next day, Ayumi showed her who Alan is. It was true like what she imagined was. Alan looked so
cool, he was tall, and has a cute smile even if he only quiet. After that moment, Kamila feel deeper in
love with him and for the first time she decided to be closer with someone. Actually it was hard for her
to communicate with a boy, because she never. She tried so hard to make Alan pay attention to her.
Kamila became so friendly and she was so cheerful in her second semester because she felt more alive
by loving Alan.

One day in the middle of March, something bad happen to her. She stalked on Alans social media, and
by stalking she know that Alan has a girlfriend. For the first time, she felt broken, didn’t want to keep
alive.

“Yumi, whats it? I feel so empty, I cant feel anything. Am I still alive” asked Kamila with flat expression.
“No, you die yesterday when you know the truth if Alan has a girlfriend. Is that you want I answer?”

“Yumi, Im sad, why dont you make me feel better.”

“Because, Im your best friend, I dont want to see you live like this.”

“So, what I have to do, Yumi, you know that I feel like I was hit by shooting star!”

“He only has a girlfriend, theres any possibility to make theyre apart.” said Ayumi with holding Kamilas
shoulders.

“What do you mean, Yumi? You want me to break their relationship! It was so cruel!”

“No!!! I mean you still have a chance, because they dont get married yet, so there is a possibility for
them to break up.”

“Oh, are you sure with that, Yumi?”

“Trust me and I will help you to be close with him.”

“Yumi. You are the best that I ever had.” said Kamila with hugging Ayumi.

“I know.”

Ayumi always supported her to go forward. Kamila who didnt know who true love is, tried hard again to
make Alan love her. Without her knowing, Alans girlfriend knew her effort and noticed her to keep away
from Alan. Kamila was ignored with her notice and he kept moving forward for Alan.

Whenever Kamila wanted to give up, Ayumi always support her. Kamila always listened up to her
suggest without any refusal, because only Ayumi, the one who always stayed beside her. Kamila tried
again and again until one day she heard that Alan broke up with her girlfriend. First she heard that she
thought it was her turn to stand beside Alan, but actually a few months later Alan was in relationship her
best friend Ayumi. Kamila was speechless with that, and she felt so hurt more than before. Ayumi tried
to explain to her.

“Mila, Im so sorry, it is out of my control, I try to make him close to you, but…”

“Just leave me alone at this room.”

“Dont hate me, Mila. I cant hide my feeling. I try to make him close to you for sixth months and I feel
comfort with him, so do him.”

“LEAVE ME ALONE!!!”
On that day, there is no one who knew Kamilas anger included Ayumi. She was only silence in the class
and her dormitory. It happened for a few months. She felt so alone, didn’t has someone to be trusted.
She seemed still alive but her soul was gone, she couldnt feel anything.

One day, she called her mother in Jakarta and told everything, she said that she didnt have a spirit to
continue her life and her study. Her mother only said slowly, “Do you know why we give you name
Kamila Orchidea? Because you are our orchid, and you are not as easy as that to be fallen, because take
a very long process to see the beauty of an orchid, dear, its your turn, its your process”.

After she called her mother, Kamila realized that she has to start her new life, she become friend again
with Ayumi.

“Yumi, forgive all of my mistakes, Im sorry Im so cruel with you. Im sorry for breaking up our friendship”

“No, its not your mistake, Mila. This is all my mistakes. I shouldnt have a special feeling to Alan. I should
have to press my feeling. I know you love him more than you love yourself. I should have known it, Mila.
Im so sorry.”

“It doesnt matter now, Yumi. The most important is our friendship, I want you to be my best friend
anymore, I need you. You are the one who know me so well. I think its not fair if I break up our
friendship only because a little things, I mean something is not important like this.”

“Mila, I couldnt say anything. Dont you know Im shy to look my face in the mirror every time? I always
feel sorry by doing this to you.”

“Its Okay, Yumi. Forget it and lets brand new day. Brand our fourth semester in the University.

“Thanks a lot, Mila.”

Ayumi was surprised because for the first time, Kamila ask her and want to talk with her. She was so
happy and after that day, Ayumi told to Kamila that she was broke up with Alan and now she was in
relationship with anyone else. After that event, Kamila studied hard to finish her study and got her title
as Bachelor of Art before time that was decided.

In the other hands, Kamila still loved Alan so much, although she knew the consequent of that. The
consequent is to be unwanted and always kept her love in the deep of heart. She kept it until she
graduated from her school.

“Congratulations, Mila. Now, I have to call you, Senior Kamila Orchidae.”

“Thanks, Yumi. Now, you also have to be senior like me as soon as possible.” said Kamila with laughing.
“Oh, maybe it is only in my dream to finish my study earlier, I feel so tired.”

“Dont talk like that,Yumi. Ill always support you.”

“Yeah, I know it.” said Ayumi with hugging Kamila.

“Oh, by the way, Mila, may I ask you something?”

“Whats it?”

“Still you love Alan, Mila?”

“As you know.” said Kamila with smiling.

“But, why do you forgive my mistake a long time ago? You know that its a big mistake.”

“Loving someone is not a mistake, Yumi. The mistake is when we force our feeling to someone who
doesnt want making a relationship with us.”

“Dont you hate me, Mila at that time?”

“Do you want me answer it honestly?”

“Yes, I have already to hear the truth. Please, tell me.”

“It is impossible if I dont hate you, Yumi. I hate you so bad, but I miss you so bad. I love you as my best
friend, and my love for you is same with my love for Alan. I dont want to lose both of you. Its why I
decide to keep my love for Alan in the deep of my heart, and come to you anymore.”

“Mila.” said Ayumi slowly with crying and hugging Kamila.

“How could you become so great, Mila, how could you have mind like that.”

“Because my mom tell me why my name is Kamila Orchidae.”

“And why it is?”

“In Arabic name Kamila means Perfect, and Orchidae is Latin name means Orchid. The full name of my
name means A Perfect Orchid.”

“Still I dont get it, Mila.”

“An Orchid is a symbol of love and struggle. An orchid needs a long process to be blossom. It same with
me, to forgive you and accept my destiny needs a long process. I ever want to kill myself, I ever want to
drop out from campus, and I ever want to kill everyone around me. Its my difficult period, Yumi, I
grateful I can face it and become like this now. In the other hands, an orchid needs other plants to live
but it doesnt disturb other plants living, just like me and I need you to live, Yumi. More than you need
me.”
“Oh, Mila, Im speechless. Its truly right, youre a perfect orchid.”

“Thank you for coming into my life, Yumi.”

“My pleasure, Mila.”

After she got her title as a Bachelor of Art, she worked as a translator in Jakarta Enterprise and married
with her partner, named Ahza. She lived happily in UK, and she make her first love to Alan is everlasting
on her written. Nowadays, the novel “Behind the story of Alan Poe” is well known. The novel had been
translated in 30 languages and is read by people around the world. A Producer of many famous movies
interested to make the movie of Alan Poe. After his name became popular, Alan recently has known that
there was a girl who loved her so much. Alan wanted to meet her and say thank to her, but Kamila only
said that “Thanks for give me a chance to love you even you dont know me. You teach me many things
even you didnt realize it, I love you but I shouldnt stay beside you only to prove that I love you”.

Cerpen Karangan: Khusnul Makrifah