Love Across the Road

The Cultural Arts Practice Exam

I'm in third grade in second semester, busy preparing for the National Examination. Now even we who are in the third grade, are busy preparing for this and that practice exam, not to mention the sudden tasks, plus my preparation to pass the scholarship to England, it's all heavy. So, there are cultural arts lessons in our midst like water splashing in the middle of summer, soothing, this is entertainment.

Mr. Deni, a cultural arts teacher who is always able to bring cheerful atmosphere, his presence always keeps us entertained. How not? Just by looking at its appearance alone had already made a fresh atmosphere. Today, he comes with a plain purple shirt, combined with army green pants, and do not forget the yellow polkadot motif tie with pink fanta pattern. It's so blinding to the eye.

"Yes practice exam!" he said lightly, very lightly, too lightly. The tone was the same as when Si Bonar invited me to nongkorong on the sidelines.

"What practice, sir?" ask Bonar, his tone does not accept.

"Singing, singing in the bathroom. Don't overdo the reaction" he said.

"But it has to be practice, sir. Pick a song, pick up the instrument, be prepared!" Dea negotiate.

"Singing what ajalah, singing my balloon there are five while applauding also father value,"

"But, Pak—"

"Already! The day after tomorrow, in the art room right home from school. Later it looks like, combined with IPA 2 because it's time."

Hearing the class IPA 2 called, a smile on my lips. That means I'm going to sing in front of Meliana, and vice versa.

"There are self-smiling crazy people" said the Bonar.

"Who knows, in the next class there is a bustle. Choose a good song, perform well who knows make him smitten. Isn't that right, Nar?" Mr. Danu teased me. It's no secret that I'm in love with Meliana, not just Mr. Danu, but all the teachers, the school guards, the canteen moms, she said, until her son's canteen mother who is still kindergarten knows I love Meliana.

"Cie... Cie... Danar!" One class teased me.

*****

After school, instead of changing clothes and eating, I darted straight into my room, opened my rickety bookcase, looking for something.

"Gedubags... Gedubug..."

"What the hell, Nar!" The mother who was cooking came into my room when she heard a noise from inside.

I looked, "mom?"

"Why so?" my mom's leaving her waist.

I walked up to my mother. "You know songbooks have danar?"

"When have you had a song?"

"Ck!" I'm clucking gaunt. "Song2 collection book that SD danar time buy."

"Oh, I've been selling to the junkyard from when, Nar! SD book you tanya." Mother shook her head while struggling to continue her activities boiling meatballs.

Yes, because I had no other choice, I finally threw away my quot that I specifically used to do the task, now had to be wasted just to find the song that had hit my head, but I don't know what the title is, but it's definitely a song by god 19.

"OK to goolge. I can make you fall in love with me..."

My eyeballs grew when I saw the line of lyrics of a song that turned out to be titled Heart Treatise, belonging to God 19. Really, my heart was touched to read the lyrics delivered in this song as if this song was created specifically for me.

"I can make you fall in love with me..."

"Cieeeee! Bang Danar is in love again?" ledek Lena is a 12-year-old girl, my loyal customer and my neighbor.

I just smiled while scratching my neck.

"Tell me ah, to his mother Bang Danar!"

"Eh no!" I forbid. "Now, brother added two pentol." I put two small meatballs into the bowl.

"That's dong, Bang. If the gini is delicious," he said while wandering away carrying his meatball bowl.

I'm shaking. From which the 12-year-old understands how to negotiate.

I continued to push the meatball cart, and along the way I continued to hum while imagining Meliana's face blushing as I appeared before her later.

I stopped pushing the meatball cart right in front of Mang Aep's stall.

"Hey, Boy!" Mang Aep greeted me.

"Copy Milk one, Mang!" I said while sitting on a long bench made of wood.

"Ready Boy!"

As Mang Aep concocted my ordered coffee, I hummed the shahdu to comfort myself as well as practice for later practice.

"Fals times your voice, Boy!" tease Mang Aep while putting my ordered coffee on the table.

To be honest, I was offended by Mang Aep's words just now, wanting to be angry but one corner of my heart justifies. As a result, I could only shut up while scowling.

"Aish, don't be so mad, Boy!" Mang Aep reprimanded as he walked over to me, picked up the guitar that was held close to the frying pan and then sat down beside me.

"You want to shoot Meliana, Boy?" tanyakanya.

"No." I'm shaking.

"You're angry like a girl!"

I looked at his face with a wide forced smile. "Not angry with me, Mang," I said.

"Why don't you tell me why you're singing so normally" he urged me.

"The next time I want a test of cultural art practice, Mang, don't want to shoot Meliana." I'm explaining.

"Choose an easy song, the band's grave song. C, A minor, D minor to G to C again–" Mang Aep continued singing.

"But her practice was combined with Meliana's class."

"Why didn't you say it! Here let me train, let you be cool while you sing."