Les Laches

The Girlfriends

Hera hid her phone back under the table when Lusi, a lecturer in her Mass Communication Theory course, threw a glance at the row of chairs she was sitting in. The short fat lady looked at some of her students who were busy copying the contents of the whiteboard into their respective notebooks. Some of the others certainly just pretended to seriously incise any scratches on the paper, flipping through the notes as if trying to repeat the past materials, and many other activities. Hera also does not want to lose in acting.

The long-haired girl narrowed her eyes, frowned until both of her eyebrows were clinging together, advanced her lips slightly, and raised her large binder high up to cover the lower half of her face. As hard as it may seem trying to cram a line of imaginary words from the book into his head. Everyone who saw his face would have thought that Hera's acting was real. Well, everyone except Lusi who knows very well that the student of that one is not interested in attending any course preceded by the word “theory” or “previous”.

Hera hated the class. He prefers hands-on practice in the laboratory as well as outside the classroom. Lusi knew the girl well because he also taught her in Photography class in the 2nd semester. The girl quickly stood out compared to her thirty classmates, including Alvin, his lover who first invited the attention of most students because of the good looks and popularity of the mother who works as a photographer in international magazines. Hera does have a family background that is not less striking, but that is not what makes him steal the spotlight from Alvin.

Hera not only has a beauty that makes her count in front of the camera, but also masters the skills behind the camera. The girl does have a spoiled and slightly childish original character, but she will immediately be transformed into a different figure when holding equipment in the laboratory.

Hera made good use of the resources provided by her family. He has very clear ideals and is actively pioneering his own career. Hera has a natural talent as well as honed in the field she works in. In short, he is a genius in his field. Therefore, Lusi did not intend to reprimand any behavior of the girl in the class as long as she did not disturb other students.

Right after Lusi sat back at his desk and busied himself with his laptop, Hera again put down her book and grabbed his phone while hiding behind the back of the student sitting in front of his chair.

“Why don't you get into class!!!!!!!!!

Hera sends the message to reply to Alvin's previous message telling him he was in the basecamp. He deliberately gave as many exclamation points as possible at the end of the sentence to show Alvin how upset he was because the young man let him come to the boring class alone. Basecamp referred to by Alvin itself is actually an empty room that was once occupied by the administrators of BEM Faculty before the organization got a wider headquarters in another building. The room was left uninhabited for months until Afgar, at the coercion of his friends, submitted a proposal for a student recreation room to the foundation that houses their university.

Initially, the university rector and the son of their foundation owner rejected Afgar's proposal because of the lack of funds to facilitate the non-urgent need. However, with the perfection of the proposal Afgar put forward combined with his high-class bargaining technique, “student” who occupied the building finally had their own recreation space. Funds for the procurement of recreational space facilities and infrastructure are taken from the results of self-help students themselves, once the contents of the proposal. However, in fact, all the expenses to remodel the room that was once only filled with basic furniture student organization space into a room level five-star hotel room –minus king size bed– borne by the five friends, it was borne by the five friends, alvin as his main donor. 

Not only students from the building where the room is located who often use the recreation room. Students from other faculties in the building next door also enjoy the luxury alternately. Starting from just making instant coffee that is supplied regularly by Alvin and friends, hitchhiking to sleep, seeking asylum to do the job, to do the job, until salat and sleep were usually done in the room equipped with AC.

After class, Hera stepped into the room. Soon he shouted Alvin's name with anxiety when he saw the young man was busy lying on the carpet of the room patterned chevron with sofa cushions that he used as a headboard to complement the comfort of truancy. Around the young man was also seen several other students, even students, who were also “sibuk” with their respective activities. Hera almost stepped over to Alvin as the young man rose from his sleeping position and pulled the girl out of the room. Again, before Hera could nag, the young man preceded her.

“Why do you wear a kayak like this?” Alvin, who was almost never angry, was now raising his voice to Hera.

“My clothes why?” asked Hera who immediately turned her attention to the brown blouse with the trumpet sleeves she was wearing.

“This is? Not less short?” Alvin pulled a little cloth from the midi skirt that was in the same color as Hera's top.

While slightly bending over, Hera measured the distance between the bottom of her skirt and her knees using the tips of her thumb and pinky fingers before pointing the size she obtained right in front of Alvin's face.

“Nih, just an inch above the knee just like seeing people do not use subordinates at all!” spray Hera keki.

“One inch is not ‘cuma’. Most of the many who will worry if you show off like that.” Alvin still can't take it.

“If you don't want me to be seen, just enter me into your gundam doll collection closet. Hitherto. Safe, tuh. Run problem!”

“Gundam is a robot, Ra, not a doll,” said Alvin even though he knew his girlfriend would not listen. “Wear that outfit that's like Tian, cake.”

Hera instantly glared when her appearance was compared to Tian.

“Tian mah free, Vin. He wears no clothes, it makes no difference. From there the body is like Kate Upton. Well me? Wear a long skirt on the flagpole to walk. Wear trousers told to join the fattening program. Once used on the knee, there is still a ngomelin. I've been a top artist, many are ngejulidin.”

“Okay, even so long. You wear my jacket to cover it.” 

Alvin let out a tired sigh before moving back into the room again. This time, Hera swiftly pulled the collar of Alvin's polo shirt and forced the young man to look back at him.

“Why didn't you get into her class, Mom?” asked Hera while shaking her waist.

Mother, is the nickname that she, and the students in the Television and Film study program, gave to Lusi. The term was pinned on him because in addition to the woman serving as the head of the study program, he was also known as an all-rounder lecturer. The woman has taught various courses and is almost always found in every year of college. Not excessive if finally many call him “Emak” because of the familiarity felt by his students when they saw his figure.

“Because I don't like theory,” replied Alvin.

“That doesn't like that theory is me, Vin, not you. You don't like college.”

Alvin snapped his fingers. “Well, you know!”

“But all this time you never skipped. Why only now?” Hera kept looking for him.

“Yes, because I'm males. That’s it!”

“Vin, please! Answer honestly,” urged Hera again.

Alvin simply responded with a laugh, as if he thought the girl's anxiety was ridiculous.

“Udahlah. Let's go to the canteen. I think you laper tuh,” said the young man finally.

“Cock so to laper?” Hera scrunched her forehead. Didn't expect to hear such a response from Alvin.

Hera could only frown all the way to the canteen. While in the cafeteria, Alvin began telling stories about some students he had only known that day thanks to the existence of a recreation room. Hera ignores Alvin's attempts to open the conversation because she knows it's all done to distract Hera from her real problems. The problem that Alvin was hiding from him.

Later that night, Hera visits Safira's house along with Tian. He intended to spend the night telling a lot about Alvin to his two friends. What made him quite surprised was Tian, who usually needed to be forced and seduced in such a way as to want to stay over, actually willingly agreed to his invitation. Apparently, the girl also had something to tell. Finally, that night, the three girls held a massive venting session that lasted for hours while being accompanied by a pile of ready-to-eat meals from their pizza and burger restaurant.

That night, the three vented all the burden of trouble on their minds while venting their appetite controlled by the diet program for weeks before. The latter is a covert mission of a Sapphira. Her other two best friends have never felt what it feels like “awarded” with a body that is easily fat like it.

“Just he's so weird deh.” Hera declared the premise of her outpouring of heart for the umpteenth time. “No want to go to class, continue suddenly so game maniac, bales chat from me if the game fit can be auto-in, play to the next city for mabar.”

“What you call everything is not strange really, Ra. That is already the habit of gamers,” said Safira argued. 

In a bit, he could imagine all the habits that had been mentioned by Hera in real life because Anan, his younger brother who was in the eighth grade of Junior High, was also a gamer.

“Or Alvin is indeed really hiding something and he made the game as a camouflage or even a runaway to hide from his problems.” Tian threw another opinion.

Hera nodded quickly. He was excited again because Tian also felt his worry. That means not because he is paranoid, but because there is a possibility that Alvin is hiding something.

“Can you ask Afgar about Alvin, Fir?  Maybe he confided to Afgar about the problem,” pinta Hera on Safira.

“Not that I don't want to, Ra, but all this time I know, Afgar who always told the same story Alvin and never the other way around. Know for yourself Alvin how, ‘kan? Laughing like his life never got into trouble. Want it ‘You again have a problem what?’ the same person who clearly indicated that he was happy again ‘kan awkward really. Wrong, it is considered ngehina. Try, what other problems can be experienced by people whose hobbies laugh if not psychiatric problems?” seloroh Sapphira's. However, when he saw Hera not laughing at his joke, he hurriedly added. “But I'll try asking Afgar. Hope he knows something.”

“Thanks, Darling.” With that, Hera smiled back. 

Next, attention was turned to Sapphira.

“Weekend's, Afgar jumped to planetorium.”

“Planetary, Fir. Ta, ta, not to.” Just as Safira opened her story, Hera had already cut.

Safira corrected his erroneous mention while throbbing. Tian could only respond to the small quarrel of the two with a small laugh.

“Tumbennya you want to be invited to walk besides the same mall cafe?” asked Hera who was instantly echoed by Tian's head nod.

Safira rolled her eyeballs. “And I told you that I wanted to change so that I could be the same Afgar.”

Hera only responded with both hands raised a sign of surrender as well as a signal for Sapphira to continue her story. Next, Safira tells her that the two will take a cooking course for the couple and again Hera cannot help but comment.

“You can get inspiration from what Korean drama, anyway?”

“The Return of Superman.” Safira replied impatiently, annoyed that the story was repeatedly cut.

“Yes, Ti! He watched a real Korean drama. Story to Joan, Ti. Let them fangirling together,” said Hera while laughing out loud.

Safira decided to go back to the story. This time, while staring at Tian who was not infected by Hera's laughter.

“Terus next week, I'm the same Afgar want to fish..”.

“Mancing problems?” sahut Hera.

“sama ascent.” Safira continued without ignoring Hera.

The flabbergasted Tian turn. “Where to climb? Hill or mountain?”

“I don’t know. It was Afgar's idea, kok,” Safira replied as she shrugged her shoulders.

“Tanya real, dong. Have you ever been on a climb? It's so tired, Fir! And not all terrain can be used as a place to rest.” 

Tian who had felt the Afgar entourage when trekking to Mount Prau immediately panicked. He had only once followed the climb and was immediately knocked out by exhaustion. Though Afgar told me that the mountain that became their destination was a mountain commonly intended by novice climbers.

“Not to be excited, Tian darling. At most they're offroad. Land Rover has his brother Afgar ‘kan,” chirped Hera.

“You are the same Meda how?” Safira threw a question to Tian. Tired of constantly being the object of Hera's comments.

Tian let out a long breath before replying. “Meda to Paris.”