CAMELLIAS

episode 12

The confused 12

Kara Kaisara's

Just the sound of spoons and forks clashing against plates, no one has spoken since I, Dad and Mom gathered at the dinner table this morning.

After getting word of the warning letter from Bu Tania, the next night Mom returned from Malaysia after almost two weeks there. The atmosphere of breakfast was never a chat like normal family in general, not a new thing for me to feel like this. It's just that this time is different, each of Mom's gazes are cold and piercing.

"Can you explain why you got a reprimand letter from the teacher yesterday afternoon?" A flat voice full of final questions came out of Mom's mouth.

I put down both spoons, looked up at Mom

"Kara, late for class" I replied slowly.

"Where Are you?"

"From the mini market,"

"Well?'

"Buy drink."

"Why should I leave the school? You can snack or have lunch in the school cafeteria. What's less clear, Mom told you to go to school and not wander around for no reason like that!" Mom's voice began to rise.

"Sorry." I bowed my face, clutching tightly at the school skirt I was wearing.

"You should study seriously. Not that kind of playful!"

"That's enough!" Dad's voice interrupted Mom's words

"You didn't hear Kara say it wasn't on purpose. It's just a warning letter, not a suspension."

"He's my son. I have the right to monitor all his activities and make sure everything he does!"

"You forgot, he's my son too. I'm more entitled to call him my son, because you leave him more often than not to take care of him."

Mom and Dad are getting hotter. Blame each other and it was because of me.

"Kara's sorry. Kara promised never to repeat." My great-granddaughter, even my voice was barely audible, stifled by the force of tears that forced her out.

Without saying anything else, Mom got up from the chair leaving me and Dad who were still at the dinner table.

His steps stopped, turned back to look sharply at Father "Don't forget later tonight we have an invitation to the Rahadian family dinner. Don't be late." Then I went on after Aunt Mala, Mom's personal assistant.

"Let's go. I'm taking you to school." Dad stroked my hair for a quick glance before he finally went out first.

I was still staring blankly at the two empty seats that Dad and Mom had occupied.

Nope. This is not what I want, I want a whole family that loves each other. It's not the family that's moving away from each other, and it's just fighting every time you get together. It's all my fault, if only I hadn't been childish, and had faced Jupiter as usual, maybe Mom and Dad wouldn't have fought. Maybe if what mom received was my grade paper which was all good and not a rebuke paper, I could make Mom proud.

"Karaaaaaa." Nadira's voice was so loud in the ears. I looked up, looking at him briefly. He came to the library with some food and drinks.

I decided to go back to the library after the break. This time not to avoid Jupiter, but really to learn.

"Eat first. Lo belom ate nothing from earlier." Nadira offers peanut butter sandwich and sweet iced tea.

"Later on." I'm still focused on reading, though,

"Let's go to class." Nadira clucked, returned to offer the food he bought.

"Gue ain't laper, Nad."

"Yes, throw it away!" Nadia grabbed the bread to be thrown into a garbage can that was not around the library.

"Don't!" I immediately grabbed Nadira's hand, grabbing the sandwich he wanted to throw away.

"Gue eat." I open the plastic wrap and eat it.

"Happy?" Much

"Well, that's the cake from earlier. It is in vain that I buy. Open I'm the one who bought it, but Jupiter." Instantly I choked.

"What?!"

"Yes, it was fitting that I wanted to pay him ngelarang and maksaaaaa want to payin. So yes it is." Answer Nadira cuek.

I put the bread back on the table, only swallowing what had already entered my mouth.

"No, it's in the end?"

"Ga wants to,"

"Because Jupiter bought it?"

I didn't answer just sigh and refocus on reading.

"Lo is really complicated. What's wrong with that bread on Jupiter's pay. There's no poison either."

"It is precisely because of who bought him. I don't want my life to get complicated. It's quite complicated with all the lessons, I don't want to go any further." Nadira nodded

"This bread will be on fire?"

"Lo eat it."

"Gue is full too." He spoke with his stomach. Obviously full, Nadira spent three loaves of bread and one cup of sweet iced tea. I only ate one bite.

"Thank you, Mr. Sharif. Throw away what I've bitten."

"okay." Nadira immediately approached Mr. Somad, giving him some remaining bread.

______

"Who is he?" Mom suddenly came when Faro and I were in a room often used for learning. I don't know since when Mom was on the doorstep watching me and Faro. Mom's sharp gaze immediately took a peek, staring at Faro judgmentally from top to bottom.

"He's Kara's new guidance teacher." My answer.

"Good afternoon, Mom. I'm Alfaro, Kara's guidance counselor."

"When did your teacher change?"

" For a month."

"Who's replacing?"

"I'm the one who's changing." Suddenly my voice came from behind my mother.

"Why didn't anyone tell you that Kara changed her tutor?" Mother asked, this time she looked upset and emotional.

"Nobody told me!" Continue Mother.

"Since when do you want to take care of something like this. Usually you're just busy taking care of yourself." Reply Dad.

Oh my god, don't fight anymore.

With Faro's face, he began to appear uncomfortable with Mother and Father's debate. Maybe you realize that in this house there is not only me and them, but there are also others who witnessed the quarrel.

Dad immediately pulled Mom's arm towards the second floor, to their private room. Sayup-sayup still heard the sound of screaming and the sound of falling objects. I'm sure this time Dad must have thrown things as usual, if the middle of emotions.

My tubes vibrate, even the pencils that hold them vibrate. Hearing the screams and the loud sounds of things breaking, made me lose concentration. My chest is tight and sick.

"Janagn is forced." Faro's hand touched my finger, holding back the intense vibration I was experiencing.

"Don't be forced. Thats enough. You won't be able to go on if you're rich." I looked into her eyes, so that no warm liquid could slide free from my eyelids.

Faro's one hand was still tightly clasping my finger and one hand was wiping my tears. Her head shook, her lips smiling sympathetically as if to reassure me, if I should stop my crying.

"Sorry."

"For?"

"You should look at the incident and also see I'm rich gini."

This time Faro's hands cupped both hands together, the warmth he transmitted through touch made me feel comfortable and I finally stopped crying.

"I won't ask you why or why. I just want you to stop crying and be able to finish this as soon as possible." I silently watched every word that came out of his mouth.

"Everyone has their own problems in life. I'm the same, it's just that we have to be able to deal with it, because no problem is finished with crying. Understood?" I'm nodding. Faro is indeed an adult with much more realistic thinking, a figure of understanding that I really need.

Her warm smile and treatment made me feel noticed. So far no one has given me support or heard all my complaints. The presence of Faro was like a spring in the middle of the desert, giving it tranquility and coolness simultaneously. I'm grateful that she's in my life, even though I know she's just my mentor, and she might just think of me as her student. Not more.