MOON IN PESANTREN
He was also once a wayward
2 Years ago
...“We can't judge a person based on the cover. Yes, the cover is indeed the main aspect seen by others. But, no one knows what's inside.”...
..._Selina Mufida_'s...
“Selina Mufida,” call a man with the committee's name-tag hanging around her neck.
Hearing my name being called, I got out of my chair and approached the committee earlier. He is a santri rijal 12th grade because from what I know from my brothers who are alumni of this pesantren that every new santri acceptance, twelfth grade is the role model.
“Ayok, Deck. You are now coming with Brother to tahfidz room huh,” he said to me in a friendly tone.
“Bismillah, Sel,” said encouraging Abiku who followed a nod by Umi with a smile.
I nodded resignedly. I really have no preparation at all to enter this pesantren. It was all my fault because I actually did not want to continue my education at the boarding school so I deliberately never repeat my 30th rote. However, how else would this be all the requests of my parents that I could not possibly refute because they knew which was best for their children.
I walked up the stairs following my brother to the 2nd floor of this building to do the tahfidz test.
“You enter this room and sit at table three yes,” command Brother it.
“Good, Brother. Thanks.”
***
I came out of the tahfidz room with a furious step towards the front yard of the building. I deliberately passed the side stairs because I did not want to meet my parents who would be disappointed if I saw the results of my test. I cried with the face I drowned in both hands and sat on the sidewalk in front of the building.
”Sorry, can you slide first? I'm in a big hurry again.”
I pulled my face from my hand and saw a man with narrow eyes and a sharp nose with white skin standing in front of me.
What the hell kind of person. Crazy huh? I cried again even in the exorcism. Other places are also still relieved times, this sidewalk doang times.
The road to other buildings in the pesantren is indeed there is a sidewalk on the edge as well as city streets. In my opinion, this place is like a city in the forest because there are so many trees here, even gardens. It is not wrong if the air here is really cool because even motorized vehicles should only be in the parking lot near the front gate of the boarding school so that the environment here is clean from pollution.
I ignored the man's words earlier, I continued my unfinished crying by sinking my face in both my hands back.
Suddenly I felt my skirt move, like someone was touching it.
“Arrrrghhhhh,” shouts.
I immediately stood up as I realized the man had bowed while touching my lower skirt. I swiftly hit him hard with my sling bag.
“Basic perverted guy. Lo crazy huh? So you ngusir-ngusir I keep now hold-hold my skirt. But I cry again, don't you think it's the same as me? This part pesantren tau, lo forgot?”
The man in black and white clothes like a new santri like me was just a head bobble.
“Andra, come on. Soon it is your turn to test you know,” said a woman who was standing not far from us who I suspect is the mother of this man named Andra.
Andra nodded at him then bowed to my shoes and I saw him pick up a new santri name-tag that was near my shoes. He immediately went after his mother into the building.
“Hah? So, he was ngusir and hold my skirt because want to take the name-tag he like fell here before I came ya?” ask me to myself.
I stomped my feet, annoyed. “Ihhh. I could have accused him of being a pervert and all. I hope I don't see him again. Uh. Shy bangetttt.” I also ran into the building to meet my parents who were definitely waiting for me since.
***
After I informed Abi and Umi of my test results yesterday, I felt more relieved. My test results were bad, even very bad. I have memorized juz 30 since Elementary School, but I very rarely repeat it after the 8th grade of Junior High. In fact, before the rote test as a requirement for the entrance of this pesantren I did not repeat it at all so that during the test I really did not memorize. What is even more sad is that even short letters I have become memorized because my mind is filled with anxiety and annoyance because I was put into pesantren.
At first I was afraid of being scolded by Abi because of my poor results. However, Abi actually encouraged me. Abi said that that was the reason why I had to enter the boarding school, so that I would get back close to Him and for sure I would get my memorization again if I entered the boarding school.
After my first brother was born, both my parents did want all their children to go to boarding school. Both of my brothers have graduated from boarding school and even they are married, I just entered the boarding school this year and my younger brother will enter the boarding school in 3rd grade MI next year.
The reason my brother gave me the name ‘Selina Mufida’ which means ‘Beneficial Month’ is because Abi wants me to be a useful person by entering pesantren. If the name ‘Selina’ because Abi has a friend with a name that has a beautiful character and face so Abi gave me this name, it is true that my brother is not creative because he cheated from his friend's name.
The final set of tests in the boarding school entry requirements is a written test that will be conducted this morning. I'm willing to go through all of this. I walked with a smile on my face towards my test room.
“Well, here's the room.” I went in and took a seat with my registration number.
“Eh, you were the one crying on the sidewalk yesterday, right?”
I immediately turned to the person sitting next to me earlier. “Hah? How can you be here?” I was panicking because I was so embarrassed to remember yesterday.
He laughed without sin. “Can. I am a new santri too and my seat is here if it matches my registration number.”
Aishs. His intention was not to meet him, now instead sit with him test. Patience Seli patience.
“Nangis on the sidewalk? Cry why?” sahut Andra's friend who was chatting with him.
“Not why, kok.” I immediately replied before Andra said anything else that would embarrass me.
Andra's friend nodded. “Keep you guys can meet?”
“Iya. Kan name tag ane fell on the sidewalk before she sat there. Continue ...”
“Emm. Ndra, can we talk in front for a minute?” I also stood up from my chair.
After Andra nodded and followed me to my feet, I headed straight outside the room.
“Ekhem, previous acquaintance first. My name is Seli,” I said after we faced each other in front of this room.
“I Andra.”
“About yesterday which one?”
“Aish, don't pretend you don't know. Just don't talk about it to anyone. Please,” I said with a tone full of emphasis.
“Oke.”
After hearing her approve, I immediately stepped into the room which she followed.
“Sorry, Cell. You cry because you are entered pesantren and your test results are not satisfactory, yes?” andra asked after we were in our seats next to each other.
She know what? Is he a shaman?
“Do not snoop lo.” I turned my face the other way. Upset, he had just promised not to discuss it, but instead asked again.
Andra sighed slowly. “Kalo you do not use the language ‘Lo-Gue’ again, I am sure you will be more looking beautiful.”
I turned to her in a cynical direction. “Ngapain also I use beautiful standard according to lo.”
“I don't give you a pretty standard. I also did not say that using ‘Lo-Gue’ is bad, because it is also one of the regional languages in our country. But, if you use the language of Ane-Nte, I-You, or I-You you will look more soft and polite.”
“Oke-okay. Then you know where I cry because of that?”
Krieiggg!.
The bell has rung, a sign that a written test is about to begin. A few minutes later, the test supervisor arrived. All new students were preparing to do the problems given by the supervisor.
***
“Alhamdulillah, done too,” my murmur while tidying up my stationery to prepare to leave the room.
“So I haven't had time to answer your question. So, I know why you cried from my mother. When you tell your parents, there are mothers who love you passion, right? Well, that's my mom. Automatically my mother tells me after I finish the test and ask me to meet you.”
I tried to remember what happened yesterday and there were indeed mothers sitting waiting for their children to test next to my parents. The mother gave me the spirit by telling her that her wayward son was not playing but willingly wanted to enter the boarding school.
So, Miss Devi is Andra's mother? Though the time of the incident name tag jatoh that I took a look at Andra's mother, but did not realize that Andra's mother turned out to be very good with me yesterday.
“Oh. Greet Umi Devi from me. And, yes, I cry because of that. Wh why? Want my ledekin huh?”
Andra got up from her chair and pounded on her backpack. “Take the way down just a chat, afraid our parents wait.”
I nodded and followed him.
“I just want to ask, what makes you not want to enter the pesantren?” he asked when we were in the corridor of the 3rd floor to the stairs to go down to the ground floor.
I took a deep breath and exhaled immediately. “I still want to play, afraid of being restrained. Even though my brothers who graduated here always say that in the pesantren it is even more playing time because for 24 hours we will continue to be the same. So even though in pesantren more time to learn but learning will be exciting because together temen.”
“However your brother said,” replied Andra while still walking hand in hand with me on the stairs.
“Iya emang really and if you see my sister's photo album like really exciting in pesantren. But sometimes I find it easy to laugh. Temen-temen I majority go to SMA, so I also want.”
Andra looked at me intensely then laughed out loud until her narrow eyes looked like a straight line.
“Not funny ih,” I said annoyed.
Andra smiled slantedly. “I am also not a submissive child, not a good child.”
I didn't answer, only occasionally seeing the look on his face.
“I'm a smoker, Cell.”
My steps immediately stopped at the end of the third floor stairs and turned to Andra who also stopped. “You know if here it is strictly forbidden to smoke? If you look can be directly out, Ndra. Can you bear to not smoke for five months?”
Andra just swallowed the saliva.
“Umi Devi yesterday said that her son is wayward but her own son wants to be entered into the boarding school. Umi Devi, is that you? I think your brother or sister is.”
In this pesantren, it has become a culture to call the guardian santri with the name of Umi and Abi.
Andra nodded. “Iya. I am one of the students who most often go in and out of BK time Junior High School. Because I often fight, run away during class hours, bump in the cafeteria during the ceremony, climb the gate when leaving late and of course because I was smoking at that time.”
I don't know what to answer. I looked at him with an incredulous look. Is he that stubborn? If I see from his face a little baby face, he does not look stubborn ah. Uh but wait, don't look at someone from the cover, Cell. Face and appearance cannot be used as a benchmark to judge someone, my bantinku.
“Keep, what makes you want to enter the pesantren?”
Andra continued her steps down the stairs. “Ninth grade time, my parents were confused because my delinquency had not subsided, even though it was nearing time to prepare for the graduation exam. Finally my dad sent me to the killer teacher's house at school, so I didn't really go home and I stayed at the teacher's house. But, I still go home every night after I hang out with the High School boys. Yeah, even though I knew I was going to hit my teacher who was trusted by Dad. Until one day, I was advised by the child of my teacher to enter the boarding school like him, obviously I immediately refused. But, every day he tells about his life in the pesantren and also the benefits of entering the pesantren. Finally I decided to enter the pesantren after graduating.”
“Emang benefitnya what just to make you directly want it?”
“Say you have a sister who has passed the pesantren, time is not mentioned anyway.”
I looked at him with annoyance. “Ya reported, but I'm still less interested. Maybe my brother is less complete story.”
“Yaudah, you will also fuss over yourself. Hopefully we are equally accepted in this pesantren yes. I first.” Andra went straight to her mother because we had reached the first floor.
We finally got caught up in this pesantren. Since then we have been friends until now, until we have stepped on in our last school year in this boarding school.
***
