Since I Meet You's

Attention

"Dad.", in a soft voice I broke the atmosphere when our meal was over.

"Yes, what's up, nduk?", Dad turned his eyes to me.

"Anu well, Tika may not..!?", I doubtfully said it. "That's it, Tika wants to go to school tomorrow", I can finally say it.

"You're not healed yet, nduk. Later if you are in trouble and no one helps, how?", father still looks worried about me.

"All of Tika's friends are good, yeah. Tika is sure they will help Tika in school later", I tried to negotiate with dad.

"Don't ya, nduk? If the day after tomorrow I'll let Tika in", I refused my request gently.

"But, Tika is bored at home alone, well. There's nothing Tika can do here", I understand that my father was very concerned about my situation but I really couldn't stay all day at home.

"Sir, I know you don't usually keep quiet like this, because I've been watching you since your mother died. You have to get used to all the work that your mother used to do and become a child who can't enjoy your time like your peers" he said.

"So I want you to rest now, I can't tell you to shut up when you're healthy because I know I can't do everything on my own. Forgive me", continued my father, hugging me.

I understand my current feelings, but even so I won't give up on persuading my father to let me go to school tomorrow.

...♡♡♡...

Time passed, this morning I was ready for my school uniform. Last night, I didn't stop persuading my dad to let me go to school. I finally reached an agreement with my father. Dad would let me go to school on condition that I would be escorted and picked up by him. Although with a heavy heart, I also agreed to it in order to leave school.

I feel like my legs and body are better today than yesterday. I was sure that I would have no trouble at all at school. Dad took Ardi first, then drove me to the front of the school gate.

Arriving in front of the gate, I got off my motorcycle and kissed my hands saying goodbye. Dad turned his motorcycle around and then passed by leaving me alone. I stepped slowly with my legs slightly limping towards the school gate, because my feet had not completely healed.

Last night after I had a long negotiation with my father, my father called Grandma Sarmi who is a traditional masseuse to massage my sprained legs.After massage, the swelling in my legs began to shrink and not hurt too much. Sarmi's grandmother said, maybe tomorrow is no longer sick. And sure enough, now I feel a lot better.

I met Mr. Tomo at the gate. He saw me walking limping immediately towards me.

"Neng Tika said he was sick, why did he enter?", from his tone he seemed to worry about me.

"I'm cured, just this" and I pointed at my feet.

"Can't this be the case? You are very surprised, when you were asked for permission letter which he said was sick. But you have not had time to ask what the sick man is", Mr. Tomo explained his concerns at length. I smiled because he was so attentive to me that I was just an ordinary child.

"It's okay, man. Just a small accident because Tika was not careful", I comforted her not to worry too much about me followed by my weirdness that felt funny with Bung Tomo.

"You know this you can still laugh" Tomo was upset because I laughed at him.

"Yes, yes, next time I will be careful", I give in to respecting him who has been worried about my situation.

"Yo wis, you enter carefully. I'm sorry you can't take us to class because you have to do your duty first. It's all right, right!?", with his Japanese accent Mr. Tomo asked me to come in and be careful.

"Ready, man!", while raising my hand to the forehead like a respectful position during the flag ceremony.

Mr. Tomo laughed at my behavior. I laughed too, then resigned. I continued my journey to class. I was so excited to get into class and meet Rita.

...♡♡♡...

In class.

"Tikaaa.!", Rita shouted at the classroom door and saw me sitting by reading a book and then she ran around to get to me.

"You can't, if you don't yell!?", I was annoyed when Rita was beside me and started hugging me hard.

"Where are you anyway? What pain? I was worried when I found out you were sick. Want to be contacted you do not have a phone, want me to look but do not know your address", Rita began interrogating me with the question.

"I was okay, just a little accident", without looking from the book I answered.

"What's? an accident? What accident? How to keep you from entering. You still have a fever to enter, what is this accident?", Rita pulled my face to look at him for an explanation.

"No need to be more relaxed, just a little tight", with anxiety I pinched Rita's cheek that bloated because I ignored it earlier.

"Skeleton? Not sick? Where are the injuries? I want to see", Rita flipped my body to the side and accidentally touched the wound on my uniform-covered arm.

"Aws.. Sick, Ta!", I complained while pulling my arm because the wound on my arm was not dry and was worse than the blisters on my knee.

"Ah, sorry. Here try me to see!? Have you given medicine yet? ", Rita felt guilty while gently pulling my arm.

"But don't be long, huh!?", I said hesitantly to show it for fear of Rita again making a rowdy sound with her cry.

"Yes, yeah, just a second. I just want to know", Rita nodded in understanding.

I started to raise my uniform to reveal the wound on my arm. Rita was so shocked when she saw my wounds were still red and a little wet. He almost yelled before I covered his very ugly mouth. I put my index finger to signal Rita not to scream. Rita answered with a nod of her head.

"This is what you said is okay!? Where else are your other injuries, let's treat in the UKS", Rita began to stand up to invite me to the UKS.

I heard him tell me that in the previous school, he didn't have too many friends and this was his move from another city for the fourth time. Once every 2 or 1 year Rita will change schools because of her father's job. His father was an architect who worked in one of the big companies and always got big projects that he had to handle. And inevitably Rita and her mother will come with her father to feel calmer and closer to the family.

Rita also has an older sister who is currently studying in the same city. In the past when her father had to move often, Rita's sister chose to live with her grandmother in the next city because she did not want to follow her family who often moved and had to adapt to a new place. Rita said her brother was very irritated if he had to find new friends in a new place because not necessarily they would have something in common. I was quite amused when I heard the story.

Rita who had seen my wound earlier, continued to whine throughout the lesson to persuade me to be taken to the UKS. I refused anyway because I felt fine as long as the wound was not nudged. Rita's a real prankster, I thought. But I'm glad that Rita's bring showed me how much she cared for me.

Finally I relented with all sorts of persuasions Rita said that she would be more reckless with reporting to the teacher that I was sick and needed to be escorted home. Rita took me to the UKS by leading me because she saw me limping a little.

When I first saw me limping, he almost called all the male students in the class to carry me to the UKS. Rita was completely insane with all her thoughts. I can't stop thinking, how could she have such thoughts with her position being an architect's daughter. What a ridiculous thought in my opinion.

...♡♡♡...

We walked to the UKS with a little joke Rita told about her brother who had a fight with her yesterday for accusing Rita of hiding her favorite training pants. I actually laughed when Rita said that her brother's favorite training pants had been made into a mop by their mother.

According to Mama Rita, the training pants are already ugly and must buy a new one. But Rita's brother named Riko was still insistent on wearing it, until one day when his mother was washing clothes owned by his family accidentally saw training pants that he thought were ugly and separated him from the laundry bag. Even by deliberately Mama Rita wash it separately with family clothes and unite it with dirty rags.

What a story Rita family entertained me today, so it did not feel we arrived in the UKS room. UKS is a place that is often visited by children who like to skip and most rarely I stop. Or it could be said that this is the first time I have set foot in the UKS.

Rita took me inside and I could only daze at the clean and tidy condition of UKS. Better than my house, I thought. I felt very insecure when I entered this room because I felt inappropriate and did not need to come here.

"Rit, I don't have to come here" as I stop my steps.

"Loh, why? We have arrived, so you can not refuse and go so", Rita sat next to show stubbornness.

"But I'm okay" I refused in a soft voice hoping that no one would hear us.

"No! You have to go to the UKS and treat your wounds. Never mind, come on!", Rita insisted as she pushed me slowly in.

I saw 2 UKS beds that were lined up empty. In the corner, a student reading a book started to notice us when Rita asked me to sit in a chair.

As I recall, the one who usually keeps the UKS during school breaks is a member of the osis, but I don't really remember how many. The student approached us with a smile.

"Is there anything I can help you with?", she greeted us with her signature friendly smile.

I saw the badge on his arm in green, signifying that he was our upperclassman.

"So, my friend is hurt. Can I ask for alcohol, betadin, gauze and cotton?", Rita straightforwardly said her list of requests.

"All right, wait a minute! I'll get it in the closet" he said as he left us.

Me and Rita compactly nodded in agreement. Rita began to pull my injured arm and then fold the arm to make it easier to treat my wound.

My upperclassman immediately returned with a P3K box in his right hand and placed it next to Rita. He began to pull a plastic chair in the corner of the room and put it in front of us. I was shocked because he was sitting right in front of me. I feel uncomfortable if I should be noticed by him.

"Sister why are you sitting there?", I spontaneously asked.

"I just wanted to look at the wound, so that I could predict whether it needed special treatment or not", she casually smiled and answered my question.

"Ah, it's okay, brother. I will treat her, sister can continue with sister's activities again", Rita seemed to understand my feelings that felt uncomfortable being stared at by her.

"No, I'm just a little while away and I'll be back after seeing the wound" he's still sitting. Rita just sighed then continued the activities to treat me.

The upperclassman was surprised to see my pretty bad wound and started questioning me like Rita had this morning. Actually I was lazy to have to re-explain it, but I explained it briefly and clearly so that he stayed away from us. After hearing this, he returned to his place. I occasionally stole a glance at him, and was caught paying attention to him.

Fortunately, Rita was done treating my wounds and we were going to the cafeteria before the bell came in because Rita was complaining of hunger. Rita began to clean the box and was about to return it to the upperclassman. I got up to follow Rita and wanted to get out of shame.

Rita placed the box on the table right in front of the sister sitting. He then looked up from the book with a smile. He immediately got up towards the medicine storage cabinet and was seen putting something in. Rita turned around and left. I poked Rita's arm to wake her up to say thank you.

"Ah, yes sister I almost forgot, thanks for the medicine", Rita turned her head and turned to leave while saying it.

When Rita and I were outside the UKS, suddenly the upperclassman chased and called us.

"Wait.!", with a little run from the inside he made our steps stop and turned towards him.

I looked at each other with Rita showing our confusion.

...♡♡♡...

Hahoo...!

This is the author's first work, sorry if there are typing errors and the story seems slow 🤭

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