Behind the Grey Cloud

21 Mathematics

This morning I was getting ready to go to school. I also say goodbye to Aunt Mita who is frying some side dishes to trade at the stall.

" Aunty, Mayang said yes. Assalamualaikum." I said goodbye while kissing Aunt Mita's hand.

" Yes, be careful. Wa'alaikum greetings."

I walked down the alley, turned left and came to the big road.

On this side of the road I usually wait for the angkot to pass.

After 5 minutes of waiting, finally the angkot came. I went straight up into the angkot. There are already some school children and people who will go to the market.

I choose to leave a little early because at this hour the angkot is not too crowded.

If I'm 10 minutes late, the car is full of passengers and won't even stop. If it stops, it will also jostle in it.

It didn't feel like an angkot had arrived in front of the school. I rushed down too.

I walked slowly into the school.

Suddenly from behind someone hit me. It looks like he just ran.

" Oh May, I call you why you are not horrified" he said while talking.

Apparently Bella.

Since when did he leave so early for school. Usually he'll come 5 minutes before the gate is closed.

" Eh tumben, this hour has come." I asked.

" Yee. his best friend is trying to be better to come to school in the morning instead of ledekin that." he was upset.

" Eeehh, not that Bel. You usually come 5 minutes before the gate closes." I reply.

We walk to the school park. There are some benches to sit on.

" Heheh, I've been thinking about Zen May all night. Duuuh, I am in love with you" he said while putting on a fat pretentious face.

" Uuuhh, the pantesan today came to school early in the morning." I sneered while holding back a laugh.

" Eh Mau, help me matchlangin Zen dong. Tell her that I like her and fall in love with her at first sight" she said.

" It's not just you that Bel likes Zen" I said

" Nha continue to mean you, you also like Zen? Uh really expensive selling. Yesterday was brought home with the styles do not want. He likes it too." he replied.

" I don't mean Bel. But the girls in that class are also on Zen. If I was mah bodo. I still don't want to think about love. I want to focus on learning and working. You know." I'm hard.

" That dong. If you don't like my chances are getting bigger. So I also do not need a rival with you to make Zen" said his sumringah.

He was still smiling to himself thinking about Zen and I could only shake my head at him.

****

Maths is the first lesson of the day. And there will be a daily replay today.

I really like this lesson. Because for me, calculating and finding formulas is a unique and interesting challenge.

Different from other friends

They hate this lesson.

Actually if they are relaxed and do not make a burden, this lesson is really fun.

" Hey May, this is the book. Thank you." said Zen.

I didn't realize his call because I was busy fiddling with this mathematical formula.

" Uh yeah, same. How's it? Is there a problem?" ask me.

" No, uh not yet Ding" he replied while grinning the horse.

I just scrunched my head in confusion. Then I went back to the math problem that Ms. Sani gave me.

He looked confused, asked not so. Ask not to be.

I was also angry because of his behavior.

" What's up Zen?" ask me wonder

" Oh, I'm confused as to how. Can you help me? Ask the others, too. Shame it." answered honestly.

" Oh this, this formula is the same as the one on the board. This one just moved here after that plus this and multiplied this one." I explained.

He's mangosteen. Either he understands or he doesn't. I also continued working

15 Minutes passed, I finally finished working on the 10th about it. I gathered the answer sheet forward and returned to my seat.

I saw Zen play his ballpoint pen. My answer sheet lyrics are still empty. I can only sigh lightly.

30 Minutes passed.

But from my friends no one has yet collected his answer sheet forward. I will soon change the hours of the next lesson.

" Come kids, time's running out. Is it done yet?" ask Ms. Sani.

" Not Ma'am," they answered compactly.

" I'll wait another 5 minutes." he added.

5 Minutes passed, but they had not yet advanced to the front of the class.

" Mayang please help get your friends' answer sheets and bring them here." said Ms. Sani.

" Good Mom." answered me.

I stood up and took one paper answer sheet from my friends.

Most of them have not finished working on it. Even Zen still looks clean. No scribbles at all.

' This is the kid what the hell is being done. Not school intention?' I thought in my heart.

She just grinned when I took her answer sheet paper.

" It's Mom."

I also returned to my seat.

" Kids, actually math is not hard if you don't think of it as a burden. Take a look at Mayang. Within 15 minutes he was done working on all the questions and the answers were all right. If you are too stressed, 45 hours is still lacking. There's even a clean answer sheet. Maybe he loves to doodle it." said Ms. Sani at length.

" Yes, I'll end our meeting. Good day."

"Siang Ma'am" we answered simultaneously.

After Ms. Sani left the class, Zen spoke to me.

" That's great you. Her maths skills are rich, she has a rich son in SD." she said.

" Yes, as Ms. Sani said earlier, if we don't make her a burden. Then the formula is ngalir. So do not stress when facing math. Make him a friend, so that he is also close to you." I explained.

" Eh, I'll go home to math school dong May." he asked.

" I can't Zen. I have to look after the stall. I'm here when I go home from school to work. I have to wait for college." I replied.

" How about if later we learn it while waiting for your stall." Zen tried to reprimand.

" Can't Zen, my shop must be crowded because it coincides with the office people's lunch hours." I refused.

I could have taught him, but I didn't want to get too close to him. I don't want to hurt Bella. Because just this morning Bella said she liked Zen.

" Yeah, when can dong?" he looked so disappointed

" Friends of Mr. Dodik today did not enter. He asked us to summarize chapter 8 and collect it later at noon."

Toni, the class president made an announcement to us.

I immediately pulled out a book and started writing.

Throughout the writing activity, Zen unceasingly invited me to talk. It started with a story about him and he was wondering about me.

'Once upon a time' I thought

15 Minutes I've done my job. Then I gave it to Toni so it could be collected.

" Cuper really May wrote it" said Zen wonder

" That's why if the nulis don't talk. It's not finished, is it?" reply upset.

" Na, you're done writing. You want to teach me math?" ask her again

I finally gave in and taught him the mathematical formula.

****

As usual, Bella and I went home from school in an angkot. We are waiting for the angkot to pass.

Once again a car stopped in front of us.

" Come on, May, come here." take her.

" Thank you Zen, I'm riding an angkot!." I refused

And not how long the angkot came. We'll be up soon too. He just stared at our departure.