Lara's Admirers

Episode 25's

"Mom, I'll go first." My pamit.

I headed to the front porch to pick up the shoes on the shelf near the car garage.

"Eh, whose jacket could be here." I saw a jacket just sitting on the chair.

"Is it possible that it belongs to Arka?" My inner.

As I recall, I never had a jacket like this. I hurriedly put on my shoes, remembering I had to leave immediately so as not to miss the bus.

"Tin... Tin... Tin..."

Someone outside the gate sounded his horn a few times. He wears a full-length High School uniform, but his face is covered in the helmet he wears.

I rushed out with the jacket with me. If it's Arka's, I'll give it back at school.

"Hey." Sweepings.

He took off his helmet, then tidied up his messy hair.

"Well, Arka?" Ask wonder.

"Beautiful morning." He smiled widely.

"Morning too." I can't avoid not returning her smile.

"Eh, what's so early in the morning here?" Connect me.

"You're picking you up."

"Eh, this is your jacket, isn't it?" I asked while showing a jacket hanging on my left arm.

"Well, how can it be with you?"

"I found you in the patio chair earlier."

"I think I forgot to get into the bag yesterday."

"Don't tell me this is part of your scenario?" Ledek.

"Yes, it's not. It's purely because I forgot hehe..." Reply with a laugh.

"Yaudah wear his jacket so it won't be cold." My orders.

He took his jacket and put it on. It looks right on his body. Again he tidied his slightly messy hair, this man.

"Udah yuk up, here's his helmet." He said while thrusting a helmet at me.

Not wanting to linger, I immediately put it on and then sat on his motorcycle.

***

"I'm first." He said as we headed to our class.

I just nodded then walked towards the stairs connecting the first floor with the second floor.

This morning was the same as usual. There was nothing special in my class.

"Sha, look at the chemistry of you dong." Stefani.

Working in school is not a strange thing anymore. Students like Stefani. Not that he did not want to do all the tasks at home, but the circumstances that forced him like this.

He lives alone in a city this big. Living in a boarding house near school is the choice to never be late and always come quickly to school to do all the tasks. He works part-time after school at one of Padang's restaurants. He also took on a few other side jobs that he could still do. Not infrequently if he had to go home late at night.

Although his parents never missed sending him money every month, of course it was not enough. The cost of living in the capital was far greater than his parents had imagined. Not to mention if all arrears must be paid immediately before the semester exam. It is not uncommon for it to be a burden to him.

It seems he could not bear if his parents knew how hard his life in Jakarta. He did not want to make his parents sad, let alone disappointed. Every time on the phone, he would always say if the money sent by his parents was enough even more. But it's not like that. He always said it was okay, but it wasn't like that. Not infrequently he had to grimace in pain in his boarding room at night. His entire body felt so linu because he had to work all day.

Sometimes seeing things like this makes me feel more grateful. I'm still a little luckier than them.

I sighed, then leaned my body on the chair. While Stefani was busy copying all my answers to her book.

"Eh, what the hell is sha?" He asked while pointing to the writing in my book.

I glanced for a moment.

"NaOH."

"Other times the clear nulis dikit."

"That's why I wrote it too because I was in such a hurry."

He didn't touch my words.

***

"Okay, the meeting this time is over. You can go home to each other." Said Mrs Tar ending the meeting.

I should have been home two hours ago. It's four in the afternoon and I haven't even had lunch yet. The meeting which was attended by all the participants of the Olympics was immediately carried out after school. It made me not have time at all to stuff my stomach.

"To the cafeteria first yuk!" Bring Arka.

How could he know if I was hungry. Maybe he can read my mind now. Oh no, it could be because I don't look as excited as usual.

"Is the cafeteria still open?"

"Still dong."

He took my hand, pulled it so I could follow his footsteps.

"Teh, what's left?" Arka made sure there was still a little food left for us.

"Live fried rice with fried noodles mas. What do you want to order?"

"I still fry tea. What if you were sha?"

"I'm like you."

"Oh okay. If it's two fried rice, drink plain water just tea."

"Okay I was waiting for ya. Teyeh cook first."

"Sip."

"Sha, this brother is coming home right?" Ask Arka to me.

"Yes, it's not. I promised Sendy to help him."

"Aren't you tired?"

"Not really."

"If you're tired let me help you, Sendy. You take a break."

"Not really, all afternoon walks. Hehe..."

"Yaudah, will you make a deal where you have with Brother Sendy?"

"No idea he hasn't been spotted yet. Still busy on campus this time."

"It can be." Reply Short arc.

"Now his order." While offering two dishes of fried rice.

"Give me tea." My speech.

"Udah, eat the rice." Arka's Order.

I nodded according to his words.

During the meal, no one opened their voices between us. Probably because we were too hungry and too busy to finish this fried rice.

Sometimes I steal a glance at the man in front of me. His mouth looked full, he was so greedy. It was funny to see her facial expression at this moment. I smiled at the man's behavior.

***

"Eh, it's been a while?" Ask Brother Sendy.

It just so happened that Sendy took his motorcycle with him today. So we don't have to walk. Previously, Arka and I had changed our school uniforms.

The three of us went around Jakarta this afternoon to look for exterior models of the building.

Arka pointed at one of the towering buildings in front of us. Brother Sendy who seemed to understand with the signal given by Arka then nodded. We pulled over to the side of the road.

"How about this one?" Ask Arka.

"Maybe I take a photo for a minute."

He immediately acted with his camera. He took pictures of the building from various directions to get the best photos. Then check the results one by one. If there is a photo that is unclear or blurred, he immediately re-photographed it.

"Udah yuk's. Somewhere else." Take Brother Sendy.

We moved the location to other areas, whether in which area exactly, I do not know the ins and outs of Jakarta.

But this time, it was a bit far from the city center. It's probably located in the suburbs, I love this place. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Lots of trees, looks like a rustic atmosphere.

There was a building that looked like a mansion there. White dominates all parts. Right beside him, there was a sizable pond, no matter how many meters of depth.

"God." Admired.

We stopped at the mansion grounds.

"Well, so that we are not tired of going around, here the view is good. We can see all the skyscrapers from here. If it's still less, we can go up to the second floor or to the tree house there for a more beautiful view." Arka Clear.

"Wahhhh if this is really the place." Said Brother Sendy while amazed.

"Btw, whose house is this? How dare you come here? What if the one who has anger? We haven't permission yet. You even said you wanted to go up to the second floor." Many confusion.

Arka closed my mouth with her finger. Holy hooch! Help u! My heart is no longer strong to face this man's behavior to me.

"It's one-on-one dong, don't nyerocos mulu. You've been listening to Stefani for a long time." Ledek Arch.

"Yes sorry." I said while holding in shame.

While we were chatting, Brother Sendy was setting up his camera to photograph all the buildings he could see from here.

"This is my papa mansion. It used to be normal after work papa likes to spend time here. Relax while enjoying the time alone. Sometimes if the holidays or weekends papa likes to invite me and mama to come here. I used to be a kid playing in this tree house." Evidently.

"Now papa you still come here often? Or is it here now?" Ask enthusiastically.

"No." Answer's short.

His face immediately turned sad.

"Why? Papa you retired, so you never come back after work?" Manya make sure.

"Papa died a long time ago." He said with a sad tone.

"Oh? Excuse me.... I don't know. I'm sorry for making you so sad." My reply.

I feel guilty about this. I shouldn't have asked about his papa.

Oh no! He cried, his tears coming down one by one soaking his cheeks.

"Dead me!" Thought.

Is he this sad when he remembers his papa? I'm sorry Arka. I didn't mean to.

I immediately wiped away the trace of tears on her cheeks. I could clearly see the outpouring of emotions so deep from the look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry I'm a whiny." His word.

"No. Who says guys can't cry. That cry can make you relieved." My speech.

Suddenly he hugged my body. His crying became more. I feel more guilty for him. With a slight hesitation I patted her on the back, trying to strengthen her.

"Sha?" Sahut Kak Sendy's.

Arka immediately released her embrace, she then quickly wiped her tears.

"Well, why arka?" Said Brother Sendy then approached us.

"English is nothing." Reply Ark.

"Aren't you crying?" Ask Brother Sendy.

At first glance the question is not like being mocked Arka.

"Not really." Arka tried to convince Sendy.

Can't be stopped if Arka had finished crying. His eyes are still red and watery.

"It doesn't matter if you cry. I also cry a lot. It's a family matter." Obviously Brother Sendy.

"Broken home?" My toot.

"Yes, but it's yaudah. Don't need to discuss. All those problems will not make my future ruined. They have no right to ruin my future." Reply Brother Sendy.

"Have you ever been sad about us? We want to do the job, right?" I'm trying to melt the mood.

"Udah let's go up to the second floor." Bring Arka.

We entered the mansion. This place looks very well maintained, maybe the Arka family deliberately hired guards to take care of this place.

All the properties here look well maintained. Not a single bit of dust dared to stick. I spread my eyes around the room. My eyes were fixed on a large figura on the wall near the stairs.

"That's your family picture?" My toot.

"Yes, this is a picture of my mother and my late father." Evidently.

"You're an only child?"

"Yes." Yeah." Nodding.

I was amazed by the contents of this building. White shades envelop almost all parts and properties in this building.

***

Sendy was busy photographing the building across from the balcony. While Arka and I enjoyed the view. It's really amazing, how could Arka's papa find a place as good and as evil as this.

"That building is less visible than here. The cover of this big tree is like that." Sis Sendy.

"Yaudah, how about we go to the tree house to take a picture of it? It could be clearer." Usul Arka's.

We went back down the stairs in the corner. Then head out of the mansion. I was a little scared to go up to the tree. I fell out of a tree when I was a kid when I picked up my stuffed toy.

Sendy went up first. Followed by the Ark that is already half way.

"Yuk ride." Bring Arka.

I'm honestly not so sure about this. The wood looked so old and some looked weathered from being eaten by termites. I'm sure this building can't hold so many people.

"No, I'm under." My eagle.

"Come on, it's nothing. The view was better than the one on the balcony earlier." His word.

With great difficulty I swallowed my own saliva. I tried to gather my courage, defeat the selfish fear that had ruled me all this time.

I ventured out and started climbing the wooden stairs hanging on the tree. My legs were shaking violently, but I tried to calm myself down.

Even though I got to the top, I couldn't really control myself. My hands are cold, I'm nervous to be up here.

Holy hooch! What the hell is going on. What's with my vision? Everything I saw swayed, it made me dizzy. I clung tightly to the balcony logs. I couldn't last much longer here, over time everything blackened, darkened, not a single beam of light greeted my vision now. I really can't hold on anymore. My body lost balance, I fell from the top of the tree house. After that I was unconscious.