Eve and the Artemis (UNEDITED)

11

The next morning, as promised, Orked came over. "Oi. Nasi lemak lauk ayam dua. Sotong satu." Orked placed the food on the table. "Ayana mana?"

"Mandi." M answered lazily.

"Kau dah kenapa macam tak tidur malam ni?"

"Memang tak tidur. Kau take over Ayana, Orked?"

"Peh kalaulah aku tak merokok, dah lama aku bawak Ayana balik. Tapi aku berak pun kena menghembus. Kau pahal? Elok je budaknya."

"Itu yang kau nampak. Kau tak nampak dia asyik complain cara aku jaga dia tak sama macam daddy dia. Ayana sedar tak dia tu kena culik, bukan kena adopt?"

"I mean to be fair kau jaga dia macam anak sendiri."

"As if!"

"Ego je tu bro. I know deep down you are soft for her."

"No, listen! She told me the clothes I bought for her were ugly."

"It must be ugly then. Kids don't lie. And holyshit you bought clothes for her?"

"There is more. She always goes through my stuff without my permission."

"Kids are full of curiosity. I know. I'm a teacher." Orked still defending Ayana. "She also told me you drank the fruit punch she made for you. Cakap jelah kau ada soft spot for Ayana."

"What you gotta say on this? She wet herself three nights in a row! Kau ingat dia tengah mandi tu sebab apa? Kencing malam sial. Sembilan tahun dah kot."

"M, what did you say?" Orked tone suddenly turned serious.

"What? She wet herself three nights in a row?"

"You weren't kidding?" She grabbed M's shoulder.

"Oh I wish I were."

"No M! This is serious!" Orked became restless.

"Apa?" M on the other hand couldn't get why Orked suddenly sounded so worried. He expected her to replied with usual snarky comebacks.

"Wait up." Orked rose up from the dining table chair and knocked on the bathroom door. "Ayana, ni Orked. Ayana kasi Orked masuk jap?"

Ayana opened the door and peeked her head out. "Kenapa Orked?"

"Kasi Orked masuk jap? Boleh?"

"Jap, Ayana pakai towel."

"Don't worry, kita both girls kan?" With that, Orked forced herself in. M just watched in a distance, full of wonders. He tried to think of possibilities. But his mind was blank. Orked was totally out of character the moment before.

After a while, Orked came out. Her eyes were dark. M wasn't sure what was wrong but he instinctively got up.

"Ayana." Orked said.

"Kenapa dengan Ayana?" M really was clueless. He could feel Orked's change of mood. He could feel how the surroundings had become so heavy. Yet, he still wasn't able to guess what was about to come out of Orked's mouth. The only thing he could tell was something was off.

Orked lips were almost out of colour. She looked at M, turned to see if Ayana had gone out of the bathroom, and turned to M again. She combed her bangs back with her hand.

"Ayana, sexually abused."

At that exact moment, something in M snapped.