A Gift for Lala

Five - Don't Speak, I'm Afraid!

"Hello..." My sleepiness suddenly disappeared when I heard the voice of Gigi and her face across the street.

"Hello La... Sleep huh? Sori deh."

"Gak papa Gi. I'm happy with Lo Vidcall."

"Where was Lo's first school? All right, right?" I took a deep breath when I heard Gigi's question.

"What's up, La? Nothing happened, right?" Gigi must have heard my breath earlier and she thought that it was a sign that I had had a hard day.

"Yes that's it. I'm still like I used to be, Gi. I hate this same nature of mine. I was lazy school. You know what? Nobody cares about me there. I'm like an alien from the middle of nowhere. If only... If only.gue beautiful, my truck is not quiet, not freak like gini. Surely I won't do anything like that..." I said with teary eyes.

"Lala... You can't talk like that. You are actually pretty. Real pretty. Just all the same closures Lo's rigid nature. Now who can change all that is Lo herself. La, uh,... Just be confident. You can start slowly. You must have made a good friend there..." I nodded in understanding and A'am's face was reflected now. Yes, A'am is a good friend.

"Yes, Gi. I try. Thanks yeah. I miss it very much Lo."

"Gue also La. Take care of yourself, Lo. The important thing is remember, long weekend next month I want to maen to Semarang." I reflexively jumped out of bed, what a surprise!

"Lo want a vacation here Gi? Geez, I'm so scared."

"I bet you do... That's why I say now so that you don't have to be sad anymore. I learned to be smart to be a smart kid. Wait for next month."

After Vidio's call closed, I immediately climbed back into bed and started thinking about what Gigi said again. Yep! A'am can help me.

***

"Lala, from now on you can take Mr. Ali to school." Mama said while applying my favorite peanut butter to bread.

"I'm riding an online motorcycle, Mom." I answered while grabbing the freshly polished bread Mama. Mama frowned not understanding.

"Lala, Semarang is new to you. Why do you even want to ride an ojek. It would be easier to get between Ali. Anyway you should be escorted by Mr. Ali." I looked at Mama who was beginning to show her authoritarian nature.

"But Ma?"

"Lala!"

I'm embarrassed to be taken to school because I lost my chance to be better known to my friends. I want to do the usual things like them, at least I don't become a stranger in their eyes.

When I came home from school yesterday I saw a lot of my friends who came home to take the public transportation. Some ride private bikes. Some more ride the online motorcycle. Unlike in my old school in Jakarta that almost all third-graders carry their own cars, and only a handful ride motorcycles and angkot. If only a day had I been in Semarang bringing this tacky culture to Semarang, I could be considered arrogant, right? Here, I see they are so happy while waiting for the angkot to go home. And I want to be one of them.

"Why the hell? It is so big! Lala can do it herself, why do Mama always ngangge Lala little boy?" I immediately left the dining table and went out to grab my bag and then burst out.

"Lala! Stop that!"

I don't care about Mama's call. I keep running. I don't care about the astonished faces of Papa and Pak Ali in front of the house. I still hear Mana yelling for me.

"Lala?" I turned my head and a familiar silly face showed her smile. A'am?

"Hey... You why?" A'am shut off the engine. I immediately wiped away the flowing tears and tried to smile.

"Why are you here?"

"Oh... I ran something to brother's place. This way. Why are you running out of that house?" Said A'am. I cringe. From the tail of my eyes, I caught Papa's car heading towards me. I immediately jumped on A'am's motorcycle seat and immediately asked the guy to run the bike. Without asking any more, A'am complied with my request. A car horn sounded behind me.

I told A'am to speed up the bike. It seems that A'am understands what he has to do. A'am drove the bike faster and overtake other vehicles on the highway.

I held my breath and my heart skipped a beat. I even patted A'am's shoulder asking him to slow down the speed of the bike.

"Why La?"

"Don't speed. I'm scared." I half screamed against the noise from the vehicle around me. Finally, A'am slowed down the speed of the motor.

"Our train is still being pursued."

"Huh?" I said I don't understand.

"Lho, weren't we being chased by that car?"

"Oh... Da... Aye." Yeah."

"What's tho La? If you can know, anyway."

I remembered with my intention. A'am was the opening path to my change. My chance. A'am seems like a good guy and maybe he could be a good friend to me.

"I'll be sure to take care of it..."