DRIVING ME CRAZY (ENGLISH)

CHAPTER 10 : Small Incident

"Gosh, Mikaela, what's wrong  with your lips?" Salma asked as soon as she opened the door for Mikaela.

Mikaela frowned, she hurriedly looked for the small mirror she always carried in her bag, and it was true, her lower lip was broken, slightly bruised red and blue like a bite wound. She was thinking so much that she didn't realize Darren kissed her too hard.

"I just found out, Aunt, when I was chewing my food, I accidentally bit my lip."

"You're in a hurry so you're not careful."

"Yes, but that's okay, it doesn't hurt at all." Mikaela smiled and put her mirror back in the bag. "What are you cooking today? I'm hungry." Mikaela continued diverting the conversation fearing that Salma would ask more questions.

"Rendy came here earlier, he bought us lots of meat."

"Is it true?"

"Take a shower first, I have prepared hot water for you. You must be very tired." Salma stroked Mikaela's shoulder gently.

Feeling the warm hands of the caregiver since childhood and the only person seh had now, Mikaela immediately hugged Salma. "Yeah, I'm so tired." she said meaningfully.

***

After finishing her dinner with Salma, Mikaela laid down on her soft bed, even though the bed was not as large as her previous bed, but why didn't Mikaela feel more comfortable sleeping in her bed now, not too big but right for Mikaela, she felt that she would not be lonely like before, when she slept in a very wide place alone.

Her brain digested what she had just experienced today. When Darren suddenly dragged her and said something that hurt her. Mikaela was not a cheap girl. Why did Darren think that she's a cheap girl? Mikaela was indeed guilty because she had left Darren and Daffa without a word, without any message. But she had a reason at that time.

Hershelf shaken. Not only because her father suddenly left her. But also because Darren told her to go to Daffa's side. Daffa who once loved her, Daffa was her first love, which later changed because of Darren's presence. Daffa's twin made Mikaela turned and betrayed Daffa's love.

Sounded cruel, but that's the feeling of Mikaela, Daffa came back late, Mikaela had fallen in love with Darren who was present in her life to replace Daffa who was in a coma due to her heart disease, without Mikaela knowing.

Everything felt complicated. Their relationship was complicated. And that depressed Mikaela. The incident happened when she was a teenager. A barrage of tests came to her, making her wanted  to escape from his world. And Rendy gave that opportunity.

Besides, Darren also never tried to find Mikaela. Mikaela was the one who always found out about Darren and Daffa, she was worried about Daffa, and she was very grateful when Rendy told her that Daffa had got the right heart donor.

And after that Mikaela tried her best to forget Darren, to go through her day, to continue her life when she got the news that Darren had a lover. Whereas Mikaela had never been Darren's lover. The man never said that he loved Mikaela.

A man who loves her would never give it to another girl. That was what Mikaela believed at the time, and Darren handed Mikaela to Daffa.

A drop of tears fell on Mikaela's cheek. She felt stupid as long as she still loved Darren. Why did she easily fall in love with Darren who already had a lover? Easily turned away from Daffa whom she knew first than Darren, whom she only knew for a few months? And now she had to meet that man again.

She had intended to meet him, but not now. She was not ready, Darren seemed to hate her.

Mikaela touched her lips again, remembering Darren's kiss that was very rude to her, it was very different when Darren had kissed her, even she still remembered her first kiss, the kiss that Mikaela did with Darren because she thought that he was Daffa.

Mikaela smiled faintly, remembering her relationship with Darren then and comparing her current relationship.

He chose to close her eyes to forget what had happened. Tomorrow was Sunday, and she already had an appointment with Tiwi and Rendy to go together. Any fun activities will cheer her up.

***

Mikaela left early for the bus. She headed for a shopping center not far from her apartment because indeed they promised to meet up there. Previously, Rendy had offered to pick Mikaela up but she refused because she wanted to go somewhere before their appointment.

Mikaela arrived an hour early because she wanted to go to an old bookstore in a traditional market close to the mall that she was going to. There were some books she wanted  to find that were not sold in any bookstore.

Every now and then Mikaela looked at the expensive watch Rendy had given her in birthday party two years ago, until now she had never changed that watch.

After walking a few minutes from the bus stop, Mikaela arrived at the bookstore she was referring to. She knew the place last Sunday when she was walking with Aunt Salma, but had not had time to visit it because of she was very busy.

The bookstore owner smiled at Mikaela as soon as she entered a very unique ancient building, Mikaela loved it.

"Can I help you?" bargained middle-aged man with a Chinese face greeting Mikaela.

"I want to find some old fiction novels, sir."

"What book are you looking for? My servant will help you here. Or you can find it yourself on the shelf over there." said the man who almost had all his white hair while pointing at one of the bookshelves near the entrance.

"Thank you. I'll look for it now." Mikaela replied. She stood near the large transparent glass in the shop that showed the view of the streets where cars were passing by. The road was very clean, with some shady trees planted on the edges and trash boxes that were provided a few meters along the road.

Not wanting to waste time, Mikaela immediately chose the books she was referring to. The used books in the shop were still in good condition, there was no significant damage and were still worth reading, only a few books looked a little worn. Not only looking for the book she intended, Mikaela also gladly saw several books that she found interesting.

Her attention was diverted when she saw a woman wearing a blue blouse, long-haired down who was standing at the edge of the road like she was waiting for something. Not because Mikaela knew the woman who was now turning her back, but a suspicious man behind her that kept Mikaela watching them both.

The shabby man occasionally tried to put his hand in the bag hanging in her hand and he pulled it back when she moved.

Mikaela's suspicion grew even more when the man managed to take a wallet from a bag that looked expensive was one pull.

Mikaela quickly put down the books she was holding on, then fearlessly ran to the man who began to leave the woman in a hurry.

"What are you doing?" Mikaela pulled the man's hand until the wallet he was holding fell.

The man looked shocked and angry at the same time, all eyes now looking at him who was caught red-handed stealing someone's wallet. He grabbed the fallen wallet and tried to run, Mikaela chased after him, Mikaela's hand quickly pulled his hand.

People flocked to them, some people recorded the action.

In panic, the man pushed Mikaela with all her might until Mikaela fell down.

"Aw." Ringika Mikaela looked at the man who had disappeared from before her. Luckily the man dropped the wallet he stole, Mikaela rushed to get it, but her wrists and fingers were hard to move. She sprained.

"Are you all right, miss?"

"Are you hurt?"

Some people helped Mikaela to stand up. Mikaela smiled, thanked them while still holding her sore wrist.

"Hey, are you all right?"

Mikaela looked to hear a voice that seemed to have heard her.

"Mrs. Caroline?" Mikaela just realized that the woman she was helping was just Darren's fiancé.

"Mikaela?" Caroline was no less surprised to see the person who helped her turned out to be her new fiance's secretary. "Are you hurt?"

Mikaela shook her head. "Just a little sprained." she showed his hand to Caroline with a smile showing her teeth. "But your wallet is safe."

"Oh my God, are you more worried about my wallet than your hand?"

"It will recover in just a few days."

"Come with me."

Caroline brought Mikaela into a cafe not far from the scene. She ordered drinks and some cakes while checking and massaging Mikaela's wrists and fingers.

"I'm a doctor."

"Yes, I know."

"You really sprained your arm, come to my hospital tomorrow, I'll treat you."

"I'm okay, maybe I will ask someone to massage it and my hands will definitely heal."

"Forgive me."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"All because you helped me, you sprain your hand, thank you."

"It's okay, it's all human's duty to help one another."

Caroline was still busy massaging Mikaela's hands. "Can you not speak formally to me? I really feel old. Just relax."

"Hmmm .. I feel uncomfortable, because you are my boss's fiance."

"I'm begging you. You helped me, we are friends now."

"Hmmm..."

"I'm older than you, just call me by my name."

Mikaela saw the sincerity in the eyes of Caroline. How could she refuse. "Alright I'll try."

Caroline smiled with satisfaction. "What are you doing here?"

"I was choosing a book in the old bookstore while waiting for someone. What about you?" Mikaela almost spoke formally with Caroline, but in a hurry she corrected it and tried to speak as casually as possible so that Caroline was not offended.

"Really? I'm also from the bookstore, my customer has always been there. I've been waiting for my driver to pick me up, I'll tell him to pick me up later."

Mikaela did not expect that women like Caroline also looked for books in used bookstores.

"What book are you looking for?"

"There are so many old books about medicine that I want to read that I can't find, so I looked for them there, even the owner knew me very well."

Mikaela listened carefully to Caroline's story, it turned out that the woman was very kind, not as she had imagined. The first impression when I saw Caroline was a graceful woman who was very cold. It turned out that Caroline was very friendly and warm. Not surprisingly, Darren fell in love with her.

It didn't feel like thirty minutes had passed since Mikaela's appointment hour with Tiwi and Rendy, she was cool chatting with Caroline. Mikaela patted her forehead.

"Jeez, I forgot something."

"What is wrong?"

"I have an appointment."

"But your hand still hurts. You should just go home and massage it immediately."

Mikaela confirmed Caroline's words, she should tell Tiwi and Rendy about her sprained hand. Maybe they would understand and canceled their appointment.

"I'll contact them first."

Caroline nodded as she finished the capucino ice in her second glass.

Mikaela had received several missed calls and incoming messages from Rendy and Tiwi. She forgot that he turned off the sound of his cellphone.

"Hello. I ..."

Before Mikaela had a chance to say something, she pushed the cellphone away from her ear while biting her lips slowly.

"I'm in cafe xxx now." he said then closed the cellphone.

Caroline raised her eyebrows, signaling the question 'who?' to Mikaela.

“Rendy."

"You are going to meet him?"

"Yes."

"Are you dating him?"

"No, we are just friends."

"Is it true?"

"Yes, I already consider him as my brother."

Of course Caroline did not believe that, Caroline saw them eating together several times and now they made a promise on a holiday. Wasn’t that like a date?

"What happened? Why did you get here?" Rendy rushed over to them. "And with Caroline?" he continued after seeing the woman who was with Mikaela was Caroline.

"Sorry to disturb your time, she helped me earlier." explained Caroline.

"What is wrong?" Rendy sat in front of Mikaela asking Caroline for more explanation.

"Someone had wanted to pickpocket me, and she suddenly came to help me."

"So, were you that all people talking about?"

"What do you mean?"

"I arrived and waited for her alone, because she didn't come, she worked overtime at the office, so I tried to contact her, but she didn't pick up, some people said that pickpocketing on the street and a young woman came to help." Rendy's story pointed to Mikaela with his chin.

"Yeah right, that's me."

"And sprained her hand because of that. Sorry." Caroline looked very guilty.

Rendy rose to approach Mikaela. "Is it true?" He watched Mikaela's hand begin to swell, then touched it.

"Aw, slow down." complained Mikaela.

"Sorry." he said worriedly then gently raised the hand. "And your lips? How come?"

"Ah, right, your lips also hurt, that pickpocket pushed you very hard. I'm sorry." Caroline looked down thinking that Mikaela's lips had been hurt by the pickpocket's push.

In her heart Mikaela was very grateful that she didn't have to look for an excuse, because she was sure, Tiwi and Rendy would definitely ask her that.

"Right, that guy pushed me so hard that my lips accidentally hit my teeth hardly because I was very shocked earlier."

Rendy sighed examining Mikaela's lips with her thumb which was then quickly diverted by Mikaela because she felt ashamed.

Caroline watched them with a smile.

"He loves you very much."

Rendy and Mikaela looked at Caroline, then Mikaela smiled too.

"You're right, I'm very lucky to have him as a brother."