MYS 38
I can't just decide this, therefore I decided to study hard so that there is no gap for myself to justify cheating. Because it turns out that the fruit of cheating is as great as this.
This hour.
Razor-sharp.
Cold heat, can't sleep well, doesn't like to eat, and always goes wrong. I can only describe a small part of it, going to school, attending the flag ceremony to having fun during the sports hours that change from morning to noon. Forced to give up.
"Anggi... I'll join the meeting about the badminton competition, okay? I'll meet Mr. Pujo in the hall at two o'clock." Amad's cool voice is like an oasis in my ears.
"Okay, bro..." I answered breathlessly after playing volleyball. Two thumbs up numb from frequent service.
Amad had gone to the cafeteria with Ade and Affan, it was Budi's turn to approach with a serious face.
"Remember well, Anggi... her name is Septi majoring in Animal Husbandry, grade twelfth. She's the main suspect in your bicycle tire tragedy." Budi whispered as soon as he was next to me.
"Continue?"
"This is the last time I can help. Next time no promises," added Budi, still in a serious tone. "Lo...be careful with him, his uncle is our current regent." he hissed then left again before I said my reaction.
Stunned in a few seconds. I feel like deja vu about old times in Jakarta, similar. Then, suddenly I became sad myself that tomorrow I have to change schools if Dad finds out. And Mom or Dad can't know.
*
My expertise is only limited to surviving with whatever I have, in the sense that I have to play the role of nothing. Nothing will happen. There's no way why as long as I'm quiet and disciplined to study.
Then here I am, practicing badminton against a female senior whose name I can't remember.
"Anggi...why are you?" snapped Ms. senior.
"Huh...!? Whatsis?" I said, embarrassed.
"You don't usually play defense like this. So it's like Amad. Where's Anggi who always plays attacking?"
"That... sis, attacking all the time takes energy too. If you run out of energy, you have to defend yourself, right? This is trying to practice in that condition."
"But yes, Mr. Pujo asked you to play aggressively earlier."
"Okay. One more set." I said provoked. The senior girl who was my opponent agreed with a nod.
In the end, I lost, because I didn't have any strategy against a stable player like Ms. Senior, I don't know what her name was, I only knew she was in the eleventh grade.
"Ma'am, it's too late to come home? Where's his face like someone with a broken heart again?" Santi clicked on her hips. He was standing next to my bike.
"It's like you never know, you know. This is the end of six sets of practice. Tired." I'm on the terrace. He looked up at the evening sky, which still had a hint of blue. Said, stabilizing irregular breathing. And thirsty.
"Here the drink." Santi's voice by holding out a large bottle of cold water. I grabbed it lazily.
"Terengkyu deck Susanti is cute." I said as usual. Which will cause reactions to Santi, such as smiling at herself. Or even slapping my shoulder using anything around her reach.
"Tomorrow's Sunday, let's go to the recitation. Eh, sis...Umi Sarah has returned from Umrah, there will be many stories later." Santi's story is enthusiastic. Unlike most junior high school students that I know, Santi is the type of girl who likes recitations and even joins the youth of the mosque.
"What time? After practice, I'll come along."
"Ba'da dhuhur how come. Hey sis, why don't you take a day off from practice, grandpa? Help Santi prepare for events like that."
"I want to. But there is a competition, and the practice at the GOR will only start tomorrow. It's also been a holiday since yesterday. Why not try it from yesterday..."
"That's waiting for Umi Sarah to come home."
"You can invite other guests. Don't you guys have any acquaintances?" Cebik I find it strange that all activities depend on Umi Sarah.
"I don't want to, ma'am."
"Well... that's what you have to find out why you don't want to. Learning can be done by many people, right. Surely Umi hopes so too. Can you imagine if Umi lived in Pekanbaru with Abi?" I joke. I wonder why I can be so diplomatic.
Susanti was silent and looked down.
"That's also true, sis. Hey, I'm going to join the youth of the mosque... be the chairman, yes, yes." Susanti said and then tugged at the ends of my spoiled clothes. To which I reflexively shook my head in refusal.
Does he think it's easy to be chairman?
What's more, I'm not wearing a hijab yet?
I'm also not ready to wear the hijab because I'm not sure if I can continue to wear the hijab without any intention of taking it off one day?
️
It feels like today, I'm experiencing the same repetition as that time, the day where the impromptu test occurred. Mr. Mardi entered the class with his horror and then announced an impromptu test with the theme of February full of love. Makes me more grumpy. Just want to run away. Luckily I had learned last night, the anticipation of a catastrophe in the form of this kind of replay.
Mr. Mardi should have changed professions to become a Physics lecturer instead of a science teacher at a private school that always terrorizes students with impromptu tests. Is there no compassion at the bottom of his heart?
"Don't think, all my students, you are doing this so you can get smart quickly. Science is an amazing branch of science if you want to understand it." Mr. Mardi's oration in the middle of the silence of the class busy working on five super difficult questions.
No one dared to answer Mr. Mardi's words until the end of the lesson. The bell signaling the second break had rung, and the class immediately rushed to the canteen.
I was like that day too. Stranded in a rice stall in front of the school. Ebi on the left, Ana on the right, Jono in front of me, and Edi in front of Ebi. Just like that day. The heat that I feel is getting worse.
As fast as I can, finish the plate, drink iced orange without sugar, without responding to the chat of four children who seem engrossed in discussing basketball while I am not one of them. No, it's not because I'm jealous or anything, I just feel like the day I'm going through is like that, maybe I'm being lazy.
"You eat fast, Anggi. Usually the last one." Ana is aware of my behavior.
"There is a need with Santi." Honestly, that's just an excuse.
"Lo... are you dating Budi?" accused Ana without any basis. Even though I know, he's just kidding. But today, I'm not joking.
"Better than Andi. Also, have an understanding sister." I suddenly got emotional.
"Serious?"
"Think by yourself," I screamed in frustration. Then go out after paying for food to the father of Nasi Padang.
-TBC-