HIM, MY BEST FRIEND

Renegade

The bus that will be boarded by 12th grade IPA 1 children is ready. Ms. Neni gave up her children so that no one would be left behind. As soon as Ms. Neni allowed us to ride, we got on the bus with a chatter that was more crowded than the night market.

Saras and I would rather ride last than be crammed with other kids. And as per my prediction, we got a seat right behind Bu Neni and Pak Nur in the number two row from the front. The least desirable seats. And of course the most favorite chair is the back seat. With the most number of seats, it can accommodate more people. They crammed, laughed, sang, and played guitar before the bus even started.

I laughed at their behavior. Of course, the white-gray period is the most beautiful time. Me and the other friends got carried away. We sang and joked on the bus. Unintentionally, my eyes rubbed with Harry's eyes sitting two seats away from me. I immediately threw away my face. I kept my promise to consider it the wind then.

This trip will take more than four hours. That means we'll be there before noon.

Our bus was crowded, full of sounds. But Saras did not care. He closed his eyes and fell asleep on my shoulder. I also yawned. We woke up very early in the morning afraid of being late and being left behind.

I closed my eyes, trying to sleep to replace my cut sleep.

I don't know how long I slept. Sayup-sayup I heard the song Seventeen-Jaga Always Your Heart.

*You always take care of your heart

away from me

wait for me to come back

I love you always

love you until

closing the eyes*

I sang in my heart while enjoying the sunlight that broke through the curtains I was wearing to close the window of the bus. Even in the Pilot song all my life I was still singing. Same with the next songs.

Unknowingly, I touched my ear to look for earphones. But I didn't find it there. Where did those songs come from?

I started to open my eyes which had to adapt to the bright light inside the bus. The bus was quiet, only one or two voices were heard. I straightened up and looked around. Saras is still sleeping. The other friends are the same. It seems like they all woke up too early.

"Sir, sorry. Who's this song, huh?" I asked Pak Nur who was sitting right in front of me. It seems not all my friends have memorized these songs. They prefer K-Pop songs and western songs.

"Harry's got it wrong, huh, Miss Neni?"

"Yes, it was Harry who asked to be tuned. Why, Ri?" ask Bu Neni.

"No pa-pa, ma'am" I replied.

I looked back. Two benches behind me, Harry was staring out the window with a headset in his ear.

"What does he mean he's asking these songs to be tuned? Want to make my heart hurt?" my grumbling in my heart.

I looked out the window, trying not to hear my favorite songs playing on the bus.

We finally reached our destination. I spread my gaze to the limit of the horizon and praised His greatness. I breathed in the fresh beach air and let my broken hair be toyed with the wind.

A hand was holding my shoulder. Si Om stood beside me, also looking towards the vast sea.

"Beautiful, huh?" muttered.

"Yes." Yeah."

Suddenly someone also grabbed me. Nina. He just got off the bus and joined us.

Happy is my heart, accompanied by friends who are always there for me. Although it is no longer complete.

Each class is given two cottages, for male students and female students. Each cottage has two rooms. Each room can be filled with seven to eight children. Our cottage is right in front of the beach. The view really spoils the eyes.

Our schedule is empty until later tonight. Of course we use this empty schedule to play on the beach with our dear friends.

So did I. There was Kurnia, Nina and Ahmad who accompanied me to play water behind the cottage.

"Ahmad, no!" I shouted at Ahmad who splashed us with sea water.

"You're like boys, huh!" scream Nina.

And Nina became the months of Kurnia and Ahmad. Hijabnya also did not escape from the sand throw.

I laughed out loud. Finally they turned their heads towards me and chased after me. But damn, my feet are drowning in the wet sand. Kurnia caught me and held my hand. Ahmad threw me with sand. And Nina smeared my face with wet sand. We all laughed. What a great happiness. Even more so if I remember tomorrow I'll be away from them.

Suddenly my eyes caught the figure of Harry sitting alone not far from us. As if unperturbed by the surroundings, he stared at the ocean with a blank look. Still accompanied by a headset in his ear. I don't know why my heart feels so full. I feel like he's lonely.

"Oh yeah, you're so sick!" my yelling.

Finally we stopped when Mira, one of the children of IPS 1 came to us.

"Rinjani, Kurnia, the same Ahmad awaited at the hotel said Bu Yetty," he made us look at each other.

"Make what?" my many.

"There is a clean gladi for later malem he said. Oya, if you meet Harry, say he was also sent to the hotel, yes," added Mira.

We all nodded.

"That guy was there. You know yes, Om. I'll change my clothes first" I said, cleaning my face from the sand.

We broke up, went back to our cottages.

Not long after we were reunited in the hotel lobby. Waiting for the next instruction from Ms. Yetty.

I wore a big shirt and jeans, not forgetting my hair dipper who always flew in the wind from the sea.

We huddled together while telling stories. Only Harry broke away, accompanied by the newly arrived Arga.

Harry glanced at me with the tip of his eye.

"Ri, can you break your hair? I don't like it when other guys squirm around your neck" I suddenly thought of Harry's words when we were walking together last time.

Bodo time. I hardened my heart.

The clean gladi begins. Me, Deni and Yuyun as the General Champion of each department, walked three towards the Principal accompanied by a traditional dance. Then the Principal will give us advice and pray for us. After that we went back to the ranks with seven of the best people. And lastly we release each one a dove.

The clean gladi was over. We'll have an event at 19:30. We all go back to our activities.

"Hi, Ri," said Deni.

"Hi, Den," I said, too. I always felt uncomfortable when I met him. I rejected her love at the beginning of the semester.

"It's not the same with Harry, is it?" he's aligned me.

I just kept quiet and didn't answer the question. I kept walking outside the hotel.

"Did I have a chance to take Harry's place?!" deni shouted making the people around us look at me.

"You're all right? Don't you see how many people are here?" I said embarrassed.

"Let's just let everybody know" he said.

"You're too late, Den. Riri's my girlfriend," out of nowhere Ahmad came and immediately embraced me. "Come, Ri," pulled my hand away from Deni.

Deni was still standing in his place. The people around us were whispering about what they had just seen.

"Why did you say that, Madame?" my many.

"Because I know you're not comfortable being treated like that."

"Thank you, yes," I said sincerely. It felt like my heart was calm as Ahmad grabbed my hand and took me away from it.