I'm with you, Mr. Teacher

Interruptedly

"We hope you can be a little more mature."

The teak gaze towards Kenanga escaped her cry being interrupted by the voice earlier, along with the fall of the clap on her shoulder. Teak turned his head, finding his three colleagues, Sofyan, Wahyu, and Saddang.

"Let's help us a lot. Without him, our dream path wouldn't be this smooth."

Jati has often heard that sentence from her friends, and honestly she does not like it. More mature what do they mean? Replying to Kenanga's feelings? Isn't pretending love more childish? This is what sometimes makes Jati think again. He cannot always pretend to be stupid. He understood, Kenanga did all this because the girl liked him. Not that he never tried, but the feeling of Teak to the girl could not be more. This is related to a taste that needs to bloom by itself, not forced with any tool. Jati just doesn't want to make the girl sicker later. On the other hand, it cannot be selfish. He should think about his friends. One thing that cannot be denied, the role of Kenanga for their band has gone far.

***

The intention to make peace with music even brought Cendana to meet new facts. He is still not out of thought, it turns out the vocalist of The Second Change Band. Besides having heard Cakka mention the name of the band, while involved in their audition, Cendana knew nothing more. He is indeed not the type of person who follows the development of the music world, especially for a band that is just pioneering. It was only natural that he was completely unaware that Teak was part of them.

But that is not what makes the mind of Sandalwood still left behind in the cafe earlier. The fact that the man in black clothes was actually targeting Teak, made Sandalwood feel raging. If only Jati had not run towards them, the man would not have found Cakka. If only Jati met her death that night, they would not have met. And until this moment not necessarily Cendana can feel the unique in love.

Ah, Sandalwood can't stop wondering. But he realized, it was free. It should be enough to expand the chest to accept the predetermined destiny. Now the situation is getting more complicated. In addition to having to bury his own guilt, Cendana must be honored to be able to admit, that Jati is not to blame for the events of that night.

Upon arrival at home, the intention to directly enter the room and immerse yourself in bed, he said. Cendana found her parents sitting side by side on a long sofa in the living room. A very rare sight.

"Darling, sit here first."

Cendana had intended not to care and just passed, but Mama asked him to join. Sandalwood approached, then sat down opposite them.

Silently Sandana observed the strange expression her parents showed. Many times they exchanged lyrics, as if pointing at each other to start talking.

"We want to tell you one thing." Finally Hajir opened the conversation. But after that, he again lowered his head while rubbing his face, clarifying the irregularities printed there.

If they've realized their mistake all along, and intend to start fixing it, it shouldn't be this much. What the hell is it?

"Papa's company is in debt."

Although the response looked ordinary, Sandalwood flinched.

"If within a month Papa can't pay it off, this house and its contents will be confiscated."

"I mean, are we going to fall poor?" The gaze demanded an explanation Sandalwood did not blink towards his papa.

"You don't have to worry. Papa will do everything he can to solve this problem. Papa just wants you to know the worst possibility from now on." Hajir tried reassuringly, though confusion and a hint of fear emanated clearly in his eyes.

Sukma chose silence. He looked down more, watching his hands that were mutually ***.

***

I don't know how Jati glanced at her watch. It would be too late if he still forced to wait for Sandalwood. He decided to continue his journey to school, after once again trying to call the girl and still not answered.

After last night's incident, Jati felt she had a lot to say. Moreover, he was very worried about the condition of Sandalwood.

With a gasp of breath, Jati managed to arrive at the school just before the guards closed the gate. Not accidentally seeing a sky blue sedan while parking his bike in a normal place, making Jati momentarily sculpt some jokes. Realizing that Cendana chose to leave early using the car to avoid it, making the man suddenly lethargic. He was afraid to imagine the estrangement that his aura began to look.

Behind the dark glass of the car, Sandalwood saw everything. Disappointment when suddenly Jati's gaze leads to his car, two sturdy shoulders slumped slowly later, as well as a long bow that is plagued with guilt and fear of loss.

Sandalwood was fully aware, Jati had nothing wrong over the incident that night. He just feels not ready to continue the closeness that has been established. There are many things that make him behave like this. But choosing to wait in the car to ensure the arrival of the man confirmed, that Cendana was not ready to lose his days with Jati.

After Jati left the parking area with uninspired unsteady steps, Cendana issued a future draft paper giving the boy. Now, filling it up is getting harder. All the words of Teak in the cafe, as well as Papa's presentation of the condition of his family's company, alternately tingling.

***

Resting hours. Teak alone in the garden in front of the library. After almost too late, from the morning the teaching hours were full, so only had time to eat fried rice given by Bu Susi. Whether fried rice what else the name, Jati forgot. But either the intention of eating or just contemplating, from earlier not a spoonful of reddish fried rice entered his mouth.

The distance that Sandalwood tried to spread made Jati upset. It is not about losing the fun days with the girl that weigh her head the most, but rather the attitude that seems to be unable to accept the reality of her involvement in the tragedy of the night. This makes the guilt in Jati many times greater than before.

Instead of being eaten, Jati put the striking pink food box beside her, then lay down on the edge of the bench with a deeper bow.

Jati turned her head, knowing that there was Jaka beside her.

"It's okay." Teak smiled weakly.

"Only a man whose head is inhabited by complex thoughts who is at home observes the grass so solemnly."

"There are you." Jati's small laughter airs for a moment, then quickly changes with heavy breathing.

"I am a student, but our age difference is not very much, right? You can tell me anything."

Jati glanced at it for a moment. "Keep, don't want to know me anymore." He understood, he should not have a chat like this with his students, especially still in the school environment. But somehow, Jaka can really position himself as a listener that is needed by Jati at this time.

"Loh, why? Wasn't yesterday okay? What's wrong with you?"

"My mistake was fatal. It takes a long time to be forgiven, or not even at all."

Jaka scratched his nape which was not itchy at all. The contents of his head tried to guess the mistake his teacher meant until the fatal. "So, you've been caught cheating, huh?" guess later.

"Cheating is only for couples who already have clear ties. While I'm the same sandalwood there's absolutely nothing."

"So it's not done yet?" Jaka between shocked and disappointed, felt the moves of love that he taught so far in vain. "Father ever had a feeling, didn't you?" his insistence.

Teak fell silent. He had never once expressed his feelings. Not because of doubt, but there are things that make Jati think many times to do it.

"Udah, ah. I'm going back to the teacher's room." Teak grabbed the food box beside him, then thrust it into Jaka. "More, for you."

Feeling the recognition of the food box, Jaka shook his head firmly. "It's from Susi's mom, right?"

"Yes. Why why?"

"No, ah, sir! I'm kapok." Jaka was pictured running around the ceremonial field at that time.

"Udah, it's okay, really. Just don't get caught." Teak grabbed Jaka's right hand and led him to receive the food.

Although he could not stand the temptation of cow's eye eggs lying on the surface of the fried rice, and as if he was smiling at her, Jaka was still weighing.

"But ...."

"Let it be safe, don't you turn the box over, let me take your class." Teak patted slowly the shoulder of the love expert who was in a dilemma because of the fried rice, then moved.

At the junction of the corridor, Jati's steps swallowed to see Sandalwood and Ranum were moving in the opposite direction a few meters ahead there. The distance between them slashed slowly, before Sandalwood realized the existence of Teak and immediately turned around taking long steps. Seeing that, Jati's heart like it had just been slapped by a foreign object, which might leave a prolonged sting. Teak locked his steps, letting Sandalwood go as far as he wanted. What Jati wants now is just a chance to talk, even though she herself doesn't know what to say if the opportunity arrives. Being in a position like this feels really bad.

Ranum who does not know anything just trying to balance the steps of Sandalwood. Seeing the cry of Sandana after coming home from the cafe last night, Ranum sure, there must be something wrong. But when he asked, the answer was only a weak ring in the middle of trying to hold back the tears so as not to become more so.

The Sandalwood escape ended on an iron bench on the edge of the basketball court. He immediately slumped his body there. His breathing was not tired, but a strange rumble in his chest.

"Lo why, anyway? Look at Mr. Teak see the devil." Ranum sat down side by side. "You're marahan?"

Sandalwood did not answer. He was trying to normalize his breathing pattern, as well as relieve anything that made his behavior this weird.

"Lo disappointed after knowing Mr. Jati turned out to be a band boy? Or feel lied to?"

Sandalwood shook faintly.

"Continue?"

***