A Step to Meet a Friend

How to Meet a Friend, 8

...I really like it too, but I'm ashamed to say it. The risk of rejection is greater than the reception that is painted on his face....

...***...

Bus 021 stops at one of the stops. Raga was already on the bus sitting while playing her phone. Today is the last day of the National Examination and will soon begin a long holiday. Raga had already decided what university he would enter after. Raga followed her parents' advice and majored in a way that suited her skills.

Raga glanced at the already full bench. A lot of students are taking the bus today. Raga sees Clara slipping inside in search of space and finally makes it in. Clara did not seem to realize that she was standing near Raga's stool. Clara held the iron end of Raga's stool because the bus had started to go. Raga was still observing Clara's face standing beside her.

Clara turned her head and was surprised to see Raga watching her.

"W-what?" Clara said nervously.

Raga chuckled at Clara's embarrassed expression. Raga sees Clara having a bit of trouble standing up and some of the students' backs hit her as the bus travels. Raga got up and from her seat.

"Sit down." Tell Raga and then pull Clara sitting on the bench.

Clara was confused because suddenly Raga told her to sit on the bench and forced her to sit down before she answered. Now their positions change. Raga stood holding a hook above her head beside Clara and Clara sat on the bench that Raga was sitting on earlier.

"Ma-thank you..," said Clara timidly.

Raga smiled at Clara, "Yes."

'Deg's'

Once again the heart of Raga and Clara beats unbecoming of each other. As if they were telling each other to feel this difficult feeling to describe.

The bus stopped at a school stop. Raga, Clara, and the students on the bus immediately got off and entered the school grounds.

Raga walked beside Clara who was busy memorizing her notes.

"The spirit of the test." The whisper of Raga right in Clara's ear took Clara by surprise.

Clara did not realize that Raga was following her.

Raga walked past Clara while running because she saw her friends waving at her.

Clara scanned Raga's back and smiled shyly touching her ear which Raga whispered just now.

*

"Ga, you brought a cheat?" Tanya Ridho chuckled.

"What cheat? Fucking idiots. I went to class and put the bag down." Say the new Raga until it has been tagged cheat.

Raga and her friends have different exam rooms. Raga is only one room with Ridho but their bench distance is quite far. In this room there are some Raga class students who he knows are Cici, Lola, and Herman. Raga is not too close to them but there is one girl in her class who always helps her. Raga knows that the girl likes him but Raga only considers him a classmate.

Raga left class because her friends were sitting in the front garden of the class.

Ridho looked at Raga pleading.

"What?" Ask Raga.

"Contekin I Ga. You are called to pass the exam. Pelit lo mah..," said Ridho.

"Who told you to call me when I was busy thinking. Hence learn..,"reply Raga did not care.

"Yes, you learn. Not to the cafe keep fitting people exams." Reply Bagas while eating candy.

"Where did you get candy? For me." said Bayu.

Bagas sighed. Usually every time he bought candy, the candy ran out at asked his friends one by one. He took out five of his sweets in the bag and they took one each. Bagas put the rest back into the bag.

Not long after the bell rang. They went into each other's rooms to begin the exam.

*

A few hours later, though,

The exam is over. All the students breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to play after school. Raga just came out of her room and walked in the corridor while joking with her friends.

"So I threw here and there, pas pak Harto out of the room haha..," said Bayu proudly tell how the state of the room was when their supervisor out of the room.

"Anjir, Lo did not open the book right haha..," Bagas laughed back.

"No, how dare I. But I was cheated on you with your class girl lo gas hehe..," said Bayu proudly.

"Whoa whoever. Beautiful isn't?" Ridho said the most spirit when talking about girls.

"Ee, who is it?" Thought Bayu.

"Who? I know all the girls in my class..," replied Bagas.

"I forgot his name. But beautiful is the person hehe..," said Bayu proud.

Bagas clapped Bayu's head, "Elah, when you don't see the name in his uniform."

"Where do I care. I am focused so as not to be caught cheating..," replied Bayu replying to Bagas's flick to his head but Bagas hurriedly avoided as a result they chased each other in the corridor.

Raga chuckles at the behavior of her friends who are still childish.

"Ga, how are you? I heard you want to go to a university outside the city..," said Abdi.

"Yes, I'm going there next week. Take care of the files and dormitories." Answer Raga.

"Well, what's your degree?" Ask Ridho.

"Look who took the most." Reply to Raga.

"Oh, will not be able to hang out with us-us dong again. I'm the same Bayu and Bagas want to take the same univ. The Abdi said he wanted to take a fairly close univ as well as our univ-us. Only you are far away Ga..," explained Ridho.

"Well, I follow my parents." Reply Raga.

"Yes-yes, don't forget you're the same we are. If you want to come here hehe..," replied Ridho embracing Raga's shoulder.

"Ready." Reply Raga took off Ridho's embrace on his shoulder because he didn't like someone touching his shoulder.

Because so seriously chatting with each other unconsciously Raga hit someone.

'Sir'

"Oh..," said the man almost fell but managed to hold Raga's arm so as not to touch the floor.

Raga observes that the girl is Clara walking in opposite directions with her friends behind her.

Raga helped Clara stand up.

"Ah, sorry." Raga.

Clara raised her face looking at Raga and faintly appeared on both of the girl's cheeks.

"Um, it's okay." Nervous Clara.

Suddenly Bagas and Bayu came to them after running around in the field. Bayu looked at one of Clara's friends.

"This is what helps me." Show Bayu to Rani.

Rani looked at him confused as someone pointed at him.

"Oh thank you, yes, that was." Bayu said to Rani.

Rani nodded.

"Oh, Rani anyway. Kirain who..," said Bagas.

Bagas glanced at Rani, "Ran, Lo has no guy yet. Si Bayu has a crush on Lo nih..,"

Rani was shocked and Bayu immediately shook Bagas' head.

"Anjir Lo. Sembarang..," said Bayu.

Bayu saw Rani who was embarrassed because of the narration of Bagas.

"Ran sorry. The Agas again clutched his brain, understand the test not to the contents of all..," said Bayu who managed to get a sharp gaze Bagas.

Bayu chuckled and Bagas wanted to attack him again. Bayu immediately ran away and again they were chasing each other around the field.

"Idiot." Said Ridho looking at the absurd behavior of his friends.

"Lo's okay?" Tanya Raga watched Clara's left ankle that seemed uncomfortable.

Clara's left leg sprained due to the slip earlier so almost hit Raga. Clara looked at her slightly sore ankle.

"Ra, do your legs hurt?" Tanya Sumi watched Clara's feet.

"It looks like your leg sprained Ra." Violetta said worriedly.

Abdi and Ridho nudged Raga on the shoulder while giving each other codes with their eyes.

"Ga, noh's responsibility. Take Clara to the UKS." Said Ridho with a meaningful smile.

Sumi and Violetta were still standing beside the worried Clara.

Raga extended her hand towards Clara, "Lo's fine. Want me to take you to the UKS?" Tawar Raga's.

Sumi and Violetta retreat from Clara seeing the codes from Ridho and Abdi. Clara glanced at Sumi, Violetta, and Rani behind her, looking at her as if encouraging.

Raga still thrust her hand towards Clara and Clara looked at her for quite a while and finally received the helping hand.

Raga helped Clara to the UKS by breaking her up.

"ill? Do I want to carry it?" Tanya Raga saw Clara's painful face every step of the way.

"It's okay. It's slow like this." Clara.

Honestly, Clara was embarrassed because every walk in the corridor with Raga papah like this only all the students were staring at them let alone having to be in her carrying. That must be embarrassing.

Finally Raga and Clara arrived in the UKS. Raga helps Clara sit on a UKS mattress and the UKS nurse checks Clara's ankle.

"Ga, get some ice cubes in the fridge." The nurse of the UKS.

Raga was familiar with the UKS nurse there because she often went to the UKS when tired of studying and ditching, UKS is the place for her.

Raga took the ice cubes and handed them to the nurse. Clara took off her left shoe and socks to compress. The nurse stuffed ice cubes into a small towel and then compressed them onto Clara's swollen left ankle. Clara grimaced, feeling the coldness of the towel in her wound.

Not long after the other students came. The nurse asked Raga to help Clara compress her leg and the nurse checked the condition of the new student on the other bed.

"Thank you." Nervous Clara.

Raga was crouching under her feet while Clara sat on the bed.

"Yes, relax." Reply Raga is still focused on Clara's wounds.

Raga noticed that Clara's legs were very small, "It turns out that your feet are small, huh?"

Clara blushes in shame, "I-iya."

Raga raised her face looking at Clara with a smile.

"Where have you decided?" Ask Raga.

"Ah, i-it. I'm going to university x." Clara answered nervously.

"Oh, who's in town C huh? Our city means." Raga.

Clara frowned curiously, "Which do you want to go to univ?"

"Gue univ in D" replied Raga.

"Oh..," Clara nodded in understanding.

Raga thinks it's possible they won't see each other again, so does Clara.

'There's no reason for me to tell you my true feelings.' Inner Them.

"Ga.., uh..,"

"Yes..,"

They chuckle at their simultaneous calls. Clara asks Raga to speak first, while Raga does as well. No one wanted to budge each other until they ended up laughing with a tinge of red on their faces.

...-TBC-C...