Dollar Girl

Chapter 46 The Struggle

On a normal day the store is not too crowded especially people are busy school and work, most of them will immediately go home because they are tired all day. Ratna was a little relieved because after being busy at school he needed time off as well, with visitors who could only count their fingers he did not need to spend extra energy.

His face was still fresh when Hamdani told him it was time to close the shop, immediately he cleaned up the place and said goodbye.

Along the way he walked leisurely until he arrived in front of his house, that's when a motorbike sped up and stopped right in front of Amus' house.

"You just got home?" tanya Ratna saw Amus who was still wearing the school uniform.

"Oh, yeah"

"Why is it so late?"

"I'm out of training first"

"What training?" ask Ratna curiously.

"Paskibra"

"You're with the pascibra?" ratna asked as she ran over.

"That's why?" said Amus asked back nervously because of Ratna's sudden action.

"Well, I didn't expect a wayward kid like you to participate in such an activity"

"What's the deal with you?" snapped Amus.

"There's nothing wrong with engaging in such positive activities? nevermind! I'm tired of taking a break" he continued as he walked in.

"Amus!" call Ratna.

"A spirit yes." he said, clenching his hands and smiling.

Amus' expression remained nonchalant as usual, making Ratna's smile disappear and leave while grumbling. But after the departure of Ratna Amus suddenly prancing with joyful smile, just a few seconds later he again acted ordinary again.

The next day at the school the class president began a sudden meeting to discuss the race to be held in order to commemorate HUT RI, he wanted his class to participate well even out as a champion.

Inter-class football competition will certainly be held, besides that there is also a poetry reading competition, smart meticulous, and so forth. The race lasts for a week which means that as long as they are free from lessons, at the end of the day it will be the highlight of the event where there will be the art of staging.

"Hear everything.... now live the poetry race, who wants to participate?" ask Galih the class leader.

All the children were silent, no one dared to raise their hands until Galih pointed at Ratna.

"Why me?" ratna asked in shock.

"As treasurer you should participate"

"My job is to collect cash" Ratna argued.

"At least set a good example, you're the role model of the other children"

"Speak sensibly, at least beg if you need my help" Ratna said with piercing eyes.

"alright... Beautiful Ratna you're our only hope, you want to go to that race?" galih said with a clown-like expression.

"You disgust me"

"Oh Na, there's no harm, right? losing is also okay that our class is important there is a representative" Rere said.

"Arrrhhhhh..well, answered Ratna.

"Good! because everything has been decided I hope you mean it in this race" shouted Galih excitedly.

Not difficult nor easy to make poetry and read it, Ratna had experience in Junior High School when given the task of making poetry musicalization. He got good grades but that doesn't mean this time he can make it easy, considering this race was held to commemorate HUT RI even though the theme of free poetry still he had to create a theme from HUT RI.

He thought about having to create a theme of struggle or pride, this choice continued to appear in his mind until he finished work.

Tttiiiiitttt

The sound of a dirty horn shocked him on a lonely blind night, apparently Amus was right behind him as he stayed a few steps away from home.

"Can you walk further? this is not the path of your ancestors so don't be careless!" shout Amus.

"Whisper! you almost got my heart out" Ratna replied.

"What are you doing? if you walk like that on the highway, you will definitely get hit" said Amus.

"I'm sorry, I was just thinking"

"I participated in a poetry competition in order to commemorate HUT RI, I was confused what poetry I should make"

"Ah.. only that problem you until daydreaming on the road, just ask the master he can definitely answer your question. Already move! I'm going to go in the house"

"Right, I was a group with him. All right.. tomorrow I'll ask" he muttered as he stepped aside, letting Amus ride ahead of him.

Usually Ratna would leave early in the morning, but because she had intended to ask Jimy then that day before leaving school he took time to Jimy's house.

He knocked on the door twice before Jimy opened it, Jimy was neat in his school uniform but still seemed to have breakfast from his mouth.

"What's wrong?" tanyakanya.

"There's something I want to ask you"

"What's that?"

"Um.... I participated in a poetry competition at my school, do you think... What kind of poetry should I make later? I only have two more days so can you recommend a good theme?" Ratna.

Jimy looked dumbfounded at Ratna's words.

"Are you crazy? come to my house early to ask unimportant questions?" scorn Jimy.

"Who said it wasn't important? precisely this is very important, I have to champion first because it helps me. "whimper.

"Ah.. You make me dizzy on a morning, come in! let's think about it over breakfast" Jimy asked.

Even though Ratna had breakfast at home but she kept coming in and eating even though it was only a few bribes, Jimy recommended the kind of poetry that tells the struggle. According to him it is better and easier to accept especially at a time like this, Ratna only just read it with full appreciation during the race later.

With the provision of advice, he began to be busy with making poetry, in class and at work his mind became divided into two because of it. Just one more day into the day that the race will be held, Ratna has made it but she still feels the poem is not good.

Tiiiiitt

The sound of the horn in the night sounded so loud even more so in a narrow place, with the face of the arrival of Amus stopping the speed of his motor just behind Ratna.

"Aish... Why do you like honking?" snapped it.

"Why do you like getting in my way?" reply Amus.

Ratna frowned and was ready to shed some anger, but she suddenly sighed and asked.

"Is your training heavy?"

"Huh? um. it's.that's pretty good" replied Amus a little confused.

"Do you have trouble dealing with it?"

"Not really, why?"

Hhhhhhhhhhh

"I only had one more day before the race started, the master gave me good advice and I made it but somehow I felt that the poem I made was not good, I felt something was lacking when my friend said my poem was perfect."

Amus looked at the grim face intently, an expression Ratna would often show when she was confused.

"Because you are not a warrior" said Amus.

"You mean?"

"How can you understand the feelings of fighters who fall on the battlefield if you yourself have never felt war, just looking at it from a movie or reading from a book will not give you their feelings. It just makes you know how big their sacrifice is not as hard as their heart, you manage to make a good poem because you know their struggle but you can't pour their feelings into it. Well. roughly like that, maybe that's why you feel there's less"

"Then... What should I do?"

"If asked like that I also can not answer with certainty because we have been independent so it is impossible to fight the invaders, but maybe we can fight our own problems. Think of yourself as a warrior and your problem of invaders"

"Ah.. that." muttered Ratna who suddenly remembered her past.

He was not a warrior who dared to die for independence, but he once fought for a more decent life.

"Right as well." he said.

"All right, I'll fight"

"Mm, let's fight" Amus said.