ARETTAS

AN ENVELOPELESS LETTER

Not healed yet it feels the wound that was incised by the father in Aretta's heart. However, Aretta is a child who is very good at hiding wounds, even though her heart has been broken.

That morning as usual, I was busy with work. Especially if it's not selling. Aretta tries to help as much as she can, at least she's not too much of a burden for mom.

"Are bawain huh, ma'am ?" Aretta said when she found her mother had just come from the market.

"Dear, Are tumben ready at this hour ?" Ask the mother was surprised to see her son who was in full uniform typical of school children in the morning blind.

"I don't want to take care of my mom." Aretta plain.

Hearing that, I just smiled. Although his mind was crying imagining, what if his son knew about his father.

"Mother, I bought some rice. Chicken porridge that usually does not sell anymore, so I buy only existing ones. No pa-pa, huh ?" Say mother.

"No pa-pa, ma'am. What did you buy, Are eat !" Aretta said.

"Yes, my mother prepared her breakfast first. Let's eat together." Say mommy immediately picked up the dishes in the kitchen.

Aretta wiped her cheeks. But still, wounds are wounds. No matter how much he could hide it, it would eventually break down as well. He just didn't want to until his mother found out about his heart injury.

Aretta helped organize mom's merchandise at her little shop. Because there, his fate was determined.

"Are, eat yuk first, laper mom !" Say mother after bringing two plates to the multipurpose room.

"Yes, ma'am." Said Aretta who rushed towards mother.

"Mother tumben laper clock this way ? Usually, too, if Are bargains at this hour, never wants to."

"Yes, I don't know either. Maybe if it was in the market, the mother carried her own groceries anyway. Mamaang penggulutnya on nothing." Mother explained.

"Oh, that's it !" Aretta tried to believe what her mother said.

"Look for food !" Said the mother who immediately ate the food in front of her.

"Oh yes, ma'am. Later after school, Are there are group assignments at Lala's house. Can you, ma'am?" Aretta tried to ask permission.

"Maybe, but go home first. Change clothes first !" Answer mom firmly.

"But, Lala's house is closer than school, ma'am. If Are comes home first, then far away. The job is a little, Mom. I promise you, it won't be long. Anyway, once the task is done, Are goes straight home. Can you, ma'am ?" Aretta said.

Her innocent face and with invisible heart wounds, made the mother feel compassion for her daughter.

"Huh, yeah already. But promise me, if you're done hurrying home !" Mother said firmly.

"Ready, boss !" Aretta said in a respectful position.

"Yes, the breakfast is abisin. Tati keburu coming."

Hearing her mother's words, Aretta rushed to finish the food in front of her. He knows that his mother doesn't like to keep Tati waiting.

"Are off first, ma'am." Aretta said when she found out that her best friend was in front of her house

"Yes, be careful." Said the mother who still saw her son pass. His eyes always glazed over every time he remembered about the incident.

"I'm sorry, Wati. I'm more comfortable with him."

The painful words still ring clearly in my mother's ear.

Schoolgoing

"Aretta, it's noon we'll be doing the group work, right ?" Asked a long-haired girl who was none other than Lala.

"Yes so." Answer Aretta briefly.

When friends her age are busy running and playing enjoying a break, Aretta prefers silence. His mind was far away staring at his future that would somehow be like what. Without a father who can protect and protect.

"Aretta !" Said a boy who made Aretta aware of her daydream.

"Who?" Thought Aretta who did not know the origin of the voice that called out to her.

"It's !" Said a boy while propping a white sheet of paper neatly folded in front of Aretta.

"This what ?" Aretta asked, not understanding.

"Take it, I was just told to say this to you. He said he read it at home !" Said the boy while putting the piece of paper in Aretta's lap and quickly passed away.

"Snack ! Who is he ? I feel like I've seen it, but I don't know what it's called !" Say Are to himself.

"He's Adi, my cousin." Said Lala who suddenly appeared beside Aretta and joined sitting next to Aretta.

"Adi ? Why did he give this to me ?" Aretta's words show an unenveloped 'letter' in her hand.

"At only told to nganterin. Tuh, who told him !" Lala pointed to the boy who was standing not far from them.

"I've seen it, but I don't know whose name it is." Aretta said in confusion.

"He's Nino, Adi's friend. They're sixth grade." Lala was still trying to explain.

Nino is a mature brown-skinned boy with a pretty sweet face. His existence became a scramble for girls at the school. But Nino never glanced at other girls, only Aretta alone was able to attract his attention.

Day

Aretta locked the door of her room tightly, laying her tiny body on her beloved bed. He opened little by little the folds of paper in his hand.

Be read from the heart

*hai

Your name is Aretta, right ?

These few days, you have caught my attention.

Your cheerful smile, and your non-excessive style, make me want to know more about you.

I found out about you to Adi, luckily she's Lala's brother. So I can easily dig up information about you.

I wrote this letter with no ease, I must gather my courage which is not much.

Aretta, will you allow me to be your closest friend ?

Please reply to my letter as soon as possible yes, tomorrow Adi will take it.

I was so hopeful.

-Nino*-

Deg, Deg, Deg !

Aretta's heart was beating hard. He did not expect that someone had been paying attention to him so much. But he was also confused, between having to feel happy or angry at Nino, a boy who was very brave to express his heart through letters.

"If there was a father, it would have been visited by Nino's house. Surely I'll miss Maki Nino. Ah, dad." He remembers his father.

But the stronger Aretta tried to remember, the stronger the pain in her heart. She cried again, drowning her face in her favorite pillow. He didn't want her to know his pain. Because all this time, the mother has not been frank with her child about the real situation. Therefore, Aretta still pretended not to know anything in front of her mother.