A Gift for Lala

Four - Thanks to A'am

Rest arrived, the whole class scattered out. Maybe they can't bear to tell you again about the holidays yesterday.

I didn't leave my chair because I didn't know what to do. No one comes near me. I became even more sad and re-imagined what if Gigi was with me now. Last night I got a Vidio call from Gigi for almost an hour. I told her of her fear of getting into new surroundings and Gigi repeatedly raised my heart. He said I could survive in a new school..

"Hi, Lala. You're not going to the cafeteria?" I looked at the voice. The girl looked at me with a smile. I'm shaking. Shortly after, the girl passed. I just cursed my attitude. Why did I not accept his invitation? You stupid me! I cursed myself again.

From the classroom, through the window, I could see Junot. I smiled, but there was no courage. Especially with a foreign atmosphere like gini. Anyway, why isn't Junot looking for me either. Yesterday, he promised. Maybe now he has changed his mind. Maybe his promise yesterday was just a small talk in front of our parents. I want Junot who is still like Junot who used to tease me with the words 'curly' and 'indomie'. Now, he seems reluctant to know me.

I opened my blank textbook and I began to scribble the white paper just to get rid of my sadness and loneliness.

"Where's yola?" I was shocked to hear a voice that suddenly appeared. I looked at him in wonder. Geez! This dude! Hm... Very cute... I cried in my heart. Not to lose to Dilan, the guy was tucked in my class first.

"Haloo... Do you know where Yola is?"

Huh huh? Yola who? I confused myself with this cute guy question. I see my surroundings. I was alone in this class. That question must have been shown to me, right? But who is Yola? I'm still confused.

"Yola..." I went back to silence. I saw this guy looking strangely at me.

"That's Yola sitting next to you!" This guy said a little harshly. Goddamnit! My meaning in my heart. I don't even know the name of the girl sitting next to me.

I quickly shook my head. "I don't know." The guy snarled and then left. Fuck up! He didn't care and didn't want to understand that I was the new kid in this class. Naturally, if I don't know the name of the whole class yet? Besides A'am of course! But maybe I'm the outrageous one, even my countryman's name I don't know.

***

Finally, by accident, I knew also the name of my best friend. He's Yola. I'm Lala. It's over, La. This Yola is like Yola's real life in my short story. She was beautiful, long-haired, straight-shoulder, ideal in stature, so it was appropriate that she be sought after.

"Np... Yola," I tried to greet him because we had never spoken before.

"Yes?"  This girl raised her face, looked at me.

"Np... You were looking for someone. Guys. But I don't know what his name is."

"Definitely Fadli, La!" A voice snatched from behind. Yola was silent for a moment. I heard the two girls behind him giggling frenzies. Surely the name Fadli is crazy about Yola and the two girls behind are Yola's puppeteers. The usual sights and stories, I thought.

"Udah, La. What the hell was thought of for so long? Fadli has a lot of crush. You lose first."

"No idea, Di. I'm not sure yet."

"You must think of Junot, too, right?" The two girls are getting closer and closer to Yola. Junots? Junot who? May it not be the same Junot I was thinking about? Junot has a crush on Yola? Huh huh? That's bad news. Hopefully the Junot Yola is referring to is not my Junot.

This afternoon, there was no lesson. Understandably, per-school activities in the first days after the holidays are not yet active.

I was only a listener when the three girls next to me were busy gossiping about Fadli the cute and arrogant guy, and occasionally heard another name, which was Junot.

All the guys in this class gathered in the back, and some other girls formed small groups to gossip. I feel alienated again.

"Why alone? Let's just join in here." I looked at A'am. Whahuh? Join together? With them? Next, I saw A'am approaching me. And without being able to dodge, A'am had already pulled my hand back. The whole class watched and started cheering us on.

I saw a lot of girls looking at me with a smile. I don't know what their smile means. A funny? Poor fellow? Mock? Another one of my ugly traits, I always think negatively of someone's attitude. A smile that someone gives can be described as an insincere smile, a smile of mercy, and others.

The shadow of how much I suffered with such feelings. Lord, please help me get out of this situation.

A'am, I glanced at this guy who pulled my hand. I think he's a good man. The only one who wants to get me acquainted. Why am I not just friends with him?

"Let's sit down, La. This I know siji-siji yo as they are," A'am pointed towards the guys.

"Seng haire krebo Iki jenenge Aldi. He's a band boy. Love the same God 19 and Bon Jovi," pointed A'am at a tall, thin guy with a gray hair who was just smiling when introduced.

"Whose face is that spotty..." Not yet A'am continued, the silly guy has been hit by a polpen from a guy whose face is spotty and a bit greasy. The others saw the scene.

"Sorry.... Ng... Name's Roni. The poet of Pancasila High School whose poetry is not in demand on the market." They come back again. While Roni can only commute. Maybe he's cursing A'am.

"And this is our philosopher. The fourth generation after Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, his name is Hadi." I glanced at Hadi, a minus-eyed guy who looked geeky, but seemed smart. He smiled at me and I replied. Then there was Bayu, Andi, Hari, Ihsan and many more until I could not memorize one-on-one.

Finally, I did join these guys, and without me realizing I was comfortable with them. Yep... Although I can't talk much. At least I feel familiar here. Thank's to A'am!!

Joining guys is new to me. In Jakarta, I don't even have a boyfriend. Well... With my attitude like this, where is there a guy who wants to stay at home for long?

But here? I didn't even expect.

"Have you met girls yet?" ask Roni. I'm shaking.

"But you know Yola, right?"

"Np... Yeah..."

"You don't know yet, La, if our poet is a secret admirer of Yola since first grade, but lost the same set to Fadli, son of IPA II. I only smiled amusedly as the other children pretended to show a sad and seductive look to Roni who was just mesam-mesem.

To be honest, I felt more relaxed being among them. No strange gazes, no sneering looks, no pretenses. Once more....

Thank you A'am.

.

.

.