Alinea: Ideas, Love, and Stories

I WAS WRONG AND SHAKA WAS RIGHT

“The third estuary of seventh grade four falls to ...” Mr. Aras, Head of Persada Junior High was very clever to make the hearts of the students pounding\-pounding out of curiosity. Especially the heart of students\-students who are already eyeing the class champion ranking, like me.

Already repeatedly I squeezed my hands and bit my lower lip, occasionally my gaze also glanced to the right side of the school, looking at the figure of Mama who was standing in the corridor, right in front of the VIIth grade.4 Who became my class during this one semester.

Mama smiled brightly, even though we were quite far away, but I know very well how Mama's face when smiling. Moreover, Mama also raised both hands, like being encouraging. In my heart, I pray to God, may I succeed in becoming a class champion. I really want to be a class champion. At least champion three. I have tried hard, I have also extended prayer to God. As a result, I really\-hope God does not break promises.

“Elia Azzahra!”

Ah, Lia seems to be the champion of the three. My smile is starting to fade. Lia is very active in class. From the rumors circulating, since Elementary School he has also become a class champion. I'm starting to get discouraged. Lia who has been since SD became the class champion just sat in the third rank, how can I who never entered the top ten when SD can step over the rank?

Champion two was later mentioned. I wasn't. All the disciples of seven four cheered for Zaki. That boy is smart. Seena, Rumi, and Defi smiled at me, I don't know what their smiles meant. At that time I was just thinking positively, thinking it was a smile as an injection of spirit.

“Vote one falls to ...” Again\-again Mr. Aras gave a pause.

I no longer dare to look at my mother. Afraid of a disappointed face.

“Alinea Ghita!”

My eyes wide. All the children of seven four clapped. Defi was right behind me, he patted me on the shoulder, congratulating me. While Seena and Rumi were on the right, a saf with me smiled, giving a thumbs up.

“Come to the middle of the field, Lin. You are awaited,” whispered Defi from behind.

I'm nodding. Walk to the middle of the field. My smile. My eyes began to look for Mama. Mama gave two thumbs up.

That day was the first day I received *raport* in Junior High. The first day I became champion. Mama's right, I can be champion one. During my elementary school years I was just learning less. Mama was right, and from that day on I believed all of Mama's words.

That very day, the first day I saw Mama really\was looking at me.

“You're great, Honey. You really\really great!” Mama repeated that compliment all day long. He also invited me to dinner at a famous restaurant. It was the first time we celebrated it. I'm so happy.

From that day on, I promised to continue studying. I will continue to be a class champion. So that I can always see your smile. For me, it can always be seen by Mama.

***

“My dream is to make Mama, Shaka happy. Yes, I want to make Mama.” happy I said that sentence as the opening conversation of our lunch in the cafeteria.

Shaka did not respond immediately. He looked at me for a moment. I was no longer nervous to find Shaka's gaze. Now I was spooning a large mouthful of fried rice into the mouth complete with a piece of omelet.

“You will not be able to make others happy before you can make yourself happy, Alin.”

“What do you mean?”

“You sure you're going to be a doctor for your Mama's happiness? What if that means you're going to lie about your feelings? You are depressed, you are not happy, even entering this IPA course must be very difficult for you, Kan?”

I chuckle.

“I know. I know a lot about your facial expressions. In class, you put on too many fake faces. You pretended to smile at Silvi and Mia as they turned to our table to borrow something or just say hello. You also pretend to be good to our friends\-friends when there is a group task. In front of your Mama at that time, you also pretended to be a submissive child. You pretend too much, Alin. When do you want to do it? The doctor is not a job you can do by constantly pretending. You can not put a fake face erus continuously in the presence of many pasiens.”

I'm silent.

“What really\you like, Alin? What's your dream?” Shaka asked that again. My ears are hot, I hate Shaka's questions.

“I love to see Mama smile, Shaka. I want to make my mom happy. That'sthat's all. That's mydream. You don't have to be a lot pretentious about what I'm doing. I'm not like that, I'm not pretending. You're too pretentious!”

I'm upset. Just leave Shaka. The guy was wrong. He's so know.

The next subjects start after the break. I still stared in the bathroom mirror. Lazy to go to class. I don't want to see Shaka.

The first time I decided to skip the lesson. I chose to go to the library, lie to the library guard when asked why I was in the library during class hours, I said my class was empty because the teacher was absent. Thank goodness the Old Man guard of the library just believe it.

I went straight to the novel rack. It was great to see bookshelves filled with many novels. Back in the tenth grade, I enjoyed some rest by reading books in this library. Since the eleventh grade, precisely since I was with Shaka, I often ate in the cafeteria and never visited the library.

I picked up a novel on the top shelf, reading the writing on the back cover.

“You like to read novels, Alin?” That voice baffled me. That's Shaka.

“You? Don't tell me you followed me here?”

Shaka laughs. Our position was on the back shelf, quite far from the library guard table. The conversation was also quiet that afternoon, so no one would be bothered by the conversation that Shaka and I had unknowingly held in a voice like a whisper.

“You're geer once. I came here because I thought I'd bother you if I went to class. Apparently you're just here. Our destiny is so funny.”

“Our destiny?”

Shaka did not reply, “Continue reading it. I know now, what you like most is novels. You like novels. Maybe that's why you also like Indonesian lessons. Aren't you interested in being a writer, Alin?”

“Author?”

“Ah forget. You want to be a doctor.” Shaka go. Traveling that raises big question marks.

Shakas. The point is how much I don't care, he's probably a shaman. Why would he guess accurately? Why are the words\-words that come out of his mouth always right? Mnyucks.

A novel? The writer? The question is rattled. Yeah, I like novels. Once upon a time when I was a kid I loved to hear the fairy tales that Papa read. After that I like novels. Yeah, I like novels, but writing? Why does it feel foreign?