Constellations of Love

Chapters 1. New student

Monday in the first week of January is the first day of school for this semester. After a long holiday at the end of last year, the days of learning and playing together will again color the journey of children.

The low boisterous sound of the crowd in the school yard that morning was something exhilarating. The children looked carefree playing four swings and a seesaw as well as two plosots. Seven fifteen minutes. In a moment, Mr. Yus, the school guard will ring the entrance bell.

A black Jeep stopped right at the gate.

" Good morning, mother teacher," a heavy voice greeted Larasati and Bu Nur who were preparing everything for teaching and learning purposes.

" Morning..., please Mr. Himawan," said Bu Nur, friendly while turning towards the door.

" Good morning. " Laras got up from his chair and walked towards the door.

Larasati approached a little girl who was poking out from behind the body of the papa.

" Please sit down, sir. This must be Gabriella.'

The man guided the little girl to a simple wooden chair" This is Gaby, my daughter. I started going to school today."

Larasati reached out her hand grabbing Gaby's tiny hand. The little girl seemed embarrassed to welcome him. Gabriella Renata Santoso, her full name.

" Come, Gaby is acquainted with the teacher's mother first, yes" the father said softly.

After greeting and kissing the back of Lara's hand, Gaby headed towards Bu Nur. The little girl did the same.

" Gaby is so beautiful, yes" said Bu Nur.

The little girl smiled, "Thank you."

Then the conversation goes on. Gaby will officially become a new student in Kindergarten A. Classes where Lara has been teaching for the past two years. Bu Nur himself holds class B.

All documents for Gaby's transfer from her former school in the city were sent last month. At that time, along with the start of his father's duties as the leader of R and D of a large oil palm company in this country. Block B is about fifty hectares.

Teng....

The distinctive sound of the bell that was hit by Mr. Yus echoed. The kids headed to the front of the class. Immediately line up neatly. Head of their respective class. There were ten people in Kindergarten A and twelve children in Kindergarten B.

" Good morning, kids..."

"Good morning .......Buk," said all of them with passion.

" Today we have a new friend. Name's Gaby. Let's say hello first."

" Hello Gaby..good morning," they exclaimed.

Gaby's shy face immediately turned happy with the welcome of her friends.

" Well, Gaby can sit here yeah," Lara guided and showed me a table and a red wooden chair that was provided to the left of the front of the room.

" Okay, Teacher. Thank you," said the little girl as she sat down and put down her pink backpack.

The class starts with praying and singing a few songs. Cheerful tones of joy coloring class. The five-year-old boy seemed to enjoy it.

The class continued by telling one by one. Kids' year-end holidays are a fun topic. There are those who go to the grandparents' house, celebrate Christmas with the big family, fish with the father, learn to cook with the mother or just harvest cassava at the uncle's house. Gaby told me the last story. The little girl told about her family's move to this plantation.

After that proceed with coloring simple house pictures. Various types of colors scattered. The crayon that each child had brought was immediately scattered on the table. Their images are amazing.

Finish coloring and tidying the table, turn to open the supply box. Previously they were required to wash their hands with soap in three sink faucets of cement in front of the class.

At nine thirtieth, the break bell rang. Children are welcome to play outside the classroom. Forty-five minutes after that was the last hour of study.

The kids go outside. Playing is their favorite activity. Two little girls immediately approached Gaby. The barrel watched them from the teacher's desk in the corner of the room. He was grading with an asterisk for the coloring paper just now.

" Gaby, I'm Sari and this is Lala."

" Yes, I'm Gaby."

"Let's play outside Gaby. Later introduced to other friends also yes, Sari ".

" Well, Mrs Laras," said Sari.

Sari, is the leader of class A. Smart and brave little girl. She is the only daughter of Jaya, one of the three foremen in Block C. This large oil palm plantation production block covers almost three hundred hectares. There are ten blocks in this company. Each region handles plants according to their age and care. The processing plant is ten kilometers away.

Most of the children who attend Kindergarten there are the sons of the daughters of plantation employees. Some are indeed from nearby villages that are three to limakilometers away from the outside area of the garden. Their lives in general are very simple. Solidarity between them is very high. This garden is located in the middle of the forest. It is nearly five to six kilometers from the main highway across Sumatra.

Laras watched from his seat in the teacher's room. Gaby seems like a lithe kid. He seems to get along quickly with his new friends. Alternately take a swing, joking and laughing loosely. Although in general, Gaby looks different because she is from a distinguished family. But on the first day of school the little girl was quite able to adapt well.

The last activity before going home is to arrange a variety of large and medium wooden puzzles. There are different kinds of animals. Elephants, tigers, cows, cats, dogs, birds and fish. Their voices talking sounded simple to each other. Although a little noisy but still orderly. This is already the second semester. The barrel looks in strands of each group. Until the puzzle is arranged exactly and fitting.

It was almost eleven o'clock. Laras asked to tidy up all the puzzles. The children were coming home to pray and sing. The bracelet is a mandatory song.

Some of the parents had been standing outside the school gate. The children greeted the teacher as soon as he left the class and immediately scattered towards the pickers. Most of them ride motorcycles. There are also those who go home on foot because the residence is relatively close. About half a kilometer from the school is a simple residential complex of coconut pickers and plantation employees or staff. There are approximately fifties of houses to be in this block.

Kemal and Gaby are two children who have not been picked up. Laras invited them to sit in a long chair near the swing spot.

" Kemal, later if not picked up until the school is closed, the mother will take you home."

Kemal house is quite close and in line with the residence of Laras.

" Yes, Mom." Kemal's sad voice makes Laras often full.

The little boy was often late or not picked up by the grandfather. Kemal's house is in the village of sugarcane farmers, outside the plantation. The grandfather became a sugar cane worker. It is said that his mother's father migrated to become a migrant worker in the other country.

"Gaby, be patient. Papa said a message to mom would pick up at half-twelfth."

" Yes, Master."

Kemal then invited Gaby to play plosotan. Both of their bags were placed next to the teacher's mother.

He saw both of them play. A joke sounded. Before long, papa Gaby's black Jeep is seen stopping in front of the school.

Barrel brought a bag and ko approached the little girl, "Gaby, that's your papa picking you up."

" Papa ..." Gaby's cheerful voice greeted Himawan.

" Good day, Mom. Sorry a little late. "

" Oya, it's okay."

Mr. Himawan asked how his daughter's first day at school was. Lara explains that Gaby is a quick-familiar and smart kid. For a moment they were talking about a school that had only been running for five years.

Almost ten minutes. Himawan and Gaby pamit. Laras took the little Kemal to the teacher's room and asked to wait inside by looking at the children's magazine on the guest table. Laras and Bu Nur continue to check the work of children, write reports and prepare teaching materials for tomorrow.

At half-time, the school was closed. Mr. Yus has finished inspecting and cleaning the room. Locking the school doors and gates. Bu Nur turned on his duck motorbike, Pak Yus pedaling his dipper bike. Larasati hugs Kemal towards a small highway entering the plantation complex. Passed a small river and a wooden bridge leading to the village.