The Shackles of Love

The morning sun streamed into Trisya's room. Renata, her best friend, arrived at her house.

"I met Uncle Richard earlier. He asked me to bring you to his house. Your mom's birthday is today, right?"

Trisya yawned. "You go alone."

"Come on… It's been so long since you last attended Mama's birthday. It's just a small gathering, me, you, a few of Uncle Richard's colleagues, and some family members."

Trisya thought for a moment, her hesitation evident on her face. "What time?"

"Now… That's why I'm here to pick you up."

"Hm…" Her reluctance was clear in her voice.

"Come on, Trisya… Just make your mom happy for once."

"Why? She already has another child, doesn't she? Even though he's disabled?" Trisya's question was sharp, hinting at a deep, unresolved wound.

"Trisya!" Renata warned, her voice slightly raised.

"I want to sleep!" Trisya walked towards her room, slamming the door behind her.

Renata sighed. She knew Trisya's stubborn nature. She tried a different approach. After a while, she knocked again. Trisya opened the door, her face still cold.

"Okay, we'll go. You asked me to, so I'll go. I appreciate it, because you're my only friend."

"Naaah… That's the spirit," Renata smiled, relieved that she had persuaded her friend.

"I'll get dressed."

"Look your best, okay? So Mama will be proud." Renata joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Trisya opened her closet, choosing her clothes. She picked a pink dress and smiled faintly. Renata watched her closely.

"Don't take too long, Trisya. You're not going on a first date… It's your Mama's birthday," Renata reminded her, slightly worried that Trisya would take too long getting ready.

"Just wait, don't nag!" Trisya replied curtly, but a faint smile remained on her lips.

Renata sighed, looking around the room. Trisya's house was simple, without many decorations. Books and files were scattered on her work desk. Renata, accustomed to tidiness, couldn't stand the sight. She began to tidy up the books and files. A notebook and a piece of paper fell from the desk. Renata picked up the paper, but before she could look at it, Trisya appeared.

"What are you doing?" Trisya asked, her voice slightly suspicious.

"Your desk is messy," Renata replied, placing the paper back on the desk without looking at its contents.

"Just leave it… I'll tidy it later."

"It's okay," Renata said briefly.

"No one is allowed to touch my things without my permission!" Trisya emphasized, her voice firm.

"Sorry…" Renata felt slightly offended.

"Let's go…" Trisya urged Renata.

"Wow, you look beautiful… Mama will be so happy," Renata complimented, trying to lighten the atmosphere again.

"Hurry up, I don't have much time!" Trisya replied coldly.

"It's already evening, what else do you want to do?" Renata asked, slightly annoyed.

"Don't need to know!" Trisya replied curtly, then walked towards the car. It seemed that Renata was driven by Indra, Richard's driver, to pick up Trisya.

Renata grumbled but followed Trisya. The drive to Richard's house was only seven minutes.

Upon arriving at Richard's house, Ariana, Trisya's mother, immediately hugged Trisya.

"I thought you wouldn't come," she said, her voice trembling. "Thank you, dear…"

"Happy birthday, Ma… Hopefully you won't repeat the same mistakes," Trisya whispered, her words sounding cold, yet there was a hint of warmth behind them.

Ariana released the hug, her face looking hurt. Richard approached them.

"Let's eat first, Trisya… Renata."

"Happy birthday, Aunt," Renata greeted politely.

"Thank you, dear…"

"Come on…" Renata pulled Trisya's arm, trying to divert attention.

Ariana watched Trisya and Renata from a distance.

"Did I hurt her too much?" she muttered almost inaudibly. "The wound I inflicted… She used to cry whenever I scolded her… But after entering middle school, she never cried again when I scolded her. Her eyes always seem to hold resentment."

Richard approached, placing a hand on Ariana's shoulder. "That's why you have to control yourself… Don't scold Trisya anymore… She's grown up now. She's 25 years old."

"Sometimes my anger flares up when she just answers me with a flat tone. I know she calls me a toxic mother."

"Just don't show your disappointment in front of others. They don't need to know what's happening in this family, just hold back."

"Yes," Ariana nodded, trying to control her emotions.

The dinner was fairly warm, except for Trisya who seemed cold and silent. Robby, one of Richard's former associates, tried to lighten the mood.

"Delicious, Sis. Your cooking is unmatched," he complimented Ariana.

Ariana smiled. "Eat plenty."

"Your daughter is beautiful," Robby whispered to Ariana, his eyes glancing at Trisya.

"Thank you."

"Can I get to know her, Sis?"

"She's fierce," Ariana reminded him.

"I like fierce women, Sis," Robby laughed.

Ariana picked up Aldo, her youngest son who was disabled, and approached Trisya. "Come on, Aldo… Let's go to your sister," she said.

Aldo smiled broadly at Renata, but Trisya didn't return his gaze.

"Your sister is eating," Ariana said. She looked at Trisya. "Play with your little brother after this."

"I don't have time, I need to go home. I'm too tired from campus today," Trisya replied coldly, then put her food down on the table.

"I'm going home! Thanks for dinner!" Trisya left without waiting for a response.

"Goodness! What is that girl made of?" Renata couldn't believe it, staring at Trisya who had left. She sighed. The old wounds between Trisya and Ariana were still so deep.

***

The afternoon sun was starting to set as Trisya returned from the grocery store. A motorcycle stopped beside her. A man in a police uniform, handsome and strong, smiled.

"Good evening, Trisya…"

Trisya turned, slightly surprised. She didn't recognize the man. "Who are you?"

"Ah, beautiful women always forget about average guys," the man laughed amiably. "I'm Robby. We met at Aunt Riana's birthday party a week ago."

Trisya furrowed her brow, trying to remember. "Oh… Robby. I remember now."

"Want a ride home? I can give you a lift," Robby offered.

Suddenly, Ariana's car stopped next to them. Ariana rolled down the window.

"Robby…" Ariana warned, her voice a bit sharp.

"Oh, Aunt Ariana," Robby said, a little nervous.

"Don't bother my daughter, okay?" Ariana looked at Robby suspiciously.

"I was just offering to give her a ride home, Aunt…" Robby tried to explain.

"I don't trust you," Ariana said, still suspicious.

"Aunt Riana, come on. I'm a good guy," Robby tried to convince Ariana.

"Ah, your girlfriend from the neighborhood. Come on, Sya! Get in. Let's go home with Mama," Ariana diverted Trisya's attention.

"I prefer to ride a motorcycle," Trisya said, and immediately sat behind Robby, ignoring Ariana's protests.

"Hey!" Ariana protested, but Trisya was already comfortably seated on Robby's motorcycle.

"Mama, go home!" Trisya said to Ariana.

"Okay, okay. Be careful, Rob. If anything happens to my daughter, I'll hunt you down to your house!" Ariana warned Robby half-jokingly, half-seriously.

"Yes, Aunt… See you." Robby waved, then drove off.

Ariana smiled, watching the motorcycle carrying Trisya and Robby until they disappeared from sight. She felt a little relieved, but also a little worried. She knew there was a history between Robby and Richard, and she didn't fully trust Robby.

The ride with Robby was silent. Trisya felt the same tension as Robby. She knew Robby must have had a reason for approaching her.

"Where should I take you?" Robby asked, breaking the silence.

"Drop me off here…" Trisya asked Robby to stop on a quiet street, after making sure Ariana's car was out of sight. She didn't want Robby to know where her house was.

"What, not all the way home?" Robby was a little surprised.

"No need," Trisya replied curtly, her eyes watching Robby intently.

"Afraid I'll find out where you live and come visit often?" Robby teased, but he could sense that Trisya wasn't joking.

"Never come to my house!" Trisya warned, her tone firm. She didn't want anything to do with Richard's past.

"I wouldn't do anything inappropriate if I visited," Robby tried to reassure Trisya.

"I know. You wouldn't dare bother me because Papa could kill you," Trisya said, her voice tinged with sarcasm. She knew Robby was afraid of Richard.

"Yeah… that's true." Robby chuckled, but his laughter sounded a little forced.

"But before Papa kills you for bothering me… I'll skin you alive first!" Trisya threatened, her tone playful, but her gaze was sharp. She wanted to show him she wasn't easily subdued.

"Ouch…" Robby stopped his motorcycle. "That's a pretty brutal threat… like a psychopath's threat… Haha, sorry, I was just kidding."

Trisya got off the motorcycle without smiling, leaving Robby still chuckling.

"She's so cold…" Robby said. "Not a single smile."

Trisya immediately threw herself onto the bed as soon as she arrived home.

"Today was so tiring," Trisya said, putting down her phone.

The doorbell rang. Someone must be here.

"It must be Renata..."

Trisya got up and walked towards the living room.

"Hey..." Renata greeted her.

"You..."

Renata stepped in.

"I'm hungry."

"So?"

"It's not nice to eat alone, so I thought I'd eat with you here."

"I already ate at campus."

Renata sat down, placing a package on the table.

"Your mom brought food for me and for you."

"You can just finish it."

"You... You never appreciate your mom."

"Do you know Robby?" Trisya asked suddenly.

"Robby? That handsome traffic cop?"

"I don't know. I just met him. He said he saw me at my mom's birthday party yesterday."

"I think every woman in this area knows Robby," Renata said. "Besides being very handsome, he's also very friendly to everyone. The mothers probably hope he'll be their son-in-law."

"Playboy character!" Trisya grumbled.

"But why are you suddenly asking about Robby?" Renata asked.

"I met him on my way back from the supermarket."

"Then?"

"He offered to take me home, and I accepted. Because I didn't want to be taken home by my mom."

"You mean? You also met your mom?"

"Yes, she insisted on taking me home, but I refused... Robby appeared, so I accepted Robby's offer."

"Did he take you all the way home?"

"No, I asked him to drop me off on the way."

"You're weird..."

"I don't like people knowing where I live except for you," Trisya said firmly.

"Look, he's lucky. Robby asked me. He asked me to ask you if he can ask for your phone number?"

"It's okay." Trisya answered without expression.

"Do you know who Robby is?"

"No. I don't know him either."

***

"Robby is Ms. Tania's younger brother. I also found out after knowing Robby for 3 months," Renata's words kept echoing in Trisya's mind.

Trisya placed the bouquet of flowers on Tania's grave.

"Cia is here, Miss... I miss you so much."

Trisya wiped the tombstone.

"But you made Cia disappointed, Miss... You're not a good person..."

"What do you mean by saying that Ms. Tania isn't a good person?"

Trisya turned around, Robby was standing behind her.

"Robby?"

"Did I hear wrong or what? I heard you say my sister isn't a good person?"

"Your sister?"

"Yes."

"I didn't know Ms. Tania had a younger brother."

"You know my sister?"

"Yes... Ms. Tania was my teacher when I was in school. She often came home late because she stayed with me until my mom picked me up. She often took me home."

"But I heard you say Ms. Tania isn't a good person."

"Yes, you didn't hear wrong."

"Why?"

"For me, it's only Ms. Tania who pays attention to me. But she left me... Since Ms. Tania passed away, there's no one to accompany me anymore, no one to comfort me when my mom scolds me or even hits me. There's no one to defend me when I'm ostracized by my friends."

Robby was stunned.

He never thought Trisya's childhood was so sad.

"I'm sorry..." Robby felt uncomfortable.

"It's okay."

"I never thought anyone was hurt by my sister's passing," Robby knelt beside Trisya.

Trisya smiled faintly, letting Robby pray.

Robby wiped Tania's grave.

"I'm going home, Sis... I'll come back next week." Robby said goodbye.

He looked at Trisya.

"How did you get here?" Robby stood up.

"Alone, by motorcycle taxi."

"Shall I take you home?" Robby offered.

"I want to go to my mom's house."

"Okay, let me take you..."

Trisya thought for a moment.

"Ok."

"But you won't get off in the middle of the road again, right?" Robby asked.

Trisya shook her head, following Robby.

"Work?" Robby asked as they were on their way.

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Lecturer at a literature faculty."

"Lecturer?"

"Why?"

"It's nothing. I think we're the same age, right?"

"Maybe..."

"I'm 26."

"Oh..."

"You?" Robby asked.

"25..."

"This woman is so cold," Robby thought to himself.

"Your campus is near Mr. Richard and Riana's house. Why don't you live there?"

Trisya didn't answer.

"Ah, stupid question. Didn't she say earlier that her mother often scolded and hit her when she was a child? Maybe she's traumatized from her childhood," Robby thought to himself.

Trisya's eyes saw a satay stall.

"Let's eat satay..." Trisya invited.

"Us?"

"Who do you think I'm inviting?"

Robby laughed.

"Don't you want to treat me as a sign of friendship?" Trisya asked.

"Let's go..."

Robby parked his motorbike. He waited for Trisya to get off and then followed her. They walked into the satay stall. Suddenly, Robby felt Trisya wrap her arm around his waist.

"Hey..." Robby was surprised, especially when he felt Trisya rest her head on his shoulder.

"Don't be surprised... Let me rest my head to relieve my fatigue."

Robby said nothing.

"Why am I so flustered?" Robby thought to himself.

"Don't you want to take me out after we eat?" Trisya asked.

"What?"

"Ah, I thought you were a womanizer when Rena told me about you. She said no woman in the district didn't like you. The mothers also want you to be their son-in-law. I initially thought you were brave when you flirted with me, but it turns out my expectations didn't match reality," Trisya teased.

"I'm still thinking about how to woo you, because you seemed cold as ice before. I thought you already had a partner."

"I'm still waiting for a man who's brave enough to ask me to be his partner."

"Seriously?"

"Why? Do you want to queue up?"

"I'm surprised... When I first met you, you seemed to have a very sadistic smile, like a psychopath... oops, sorry."

"I'll report you to my dad so he can beat you up for calling his daughter a psychopath."