The Winter Promise

Chapter 1: A Tiring Day.

“Wait!”

Two policemen were running after me and my friend

Maybe it's strange because starting a story with a chase scene with the police, I should have put this in the middle for the climax. But because my story about love started here.

***

A man came up to me sitting in class. He stepped like someone who was in a hurry, his steps were fast and from a distance he heard his feet. His face was smiling every time it passed by people.

“Amar! Riki looking for you.”

Shouted one of my friends who was asked by Riki to call me.

“Iya.”

It felt heavy to step up to him because seeing the class was about to begin, but there was no way he would come to my class if there was no very important business.

“What's Rik?”

"Are you empty after school? Can you accompany me to Jatinegara?”

“Make what?”

“I want to buy chemicals there.”

I looked at my watch and remembered if I had any plans after school.

Now that I have sat in the third grade of Junior High, I will soon face a practice exam, and then a national exam that will be the end of my journey in Junior High School.

Remembering the last two years I spent just thinking about the essence of love. Looks like I should be trying to get good grades.

“Bby, I will accompany you.”

“OK.. Later after school wait for me at the gate, because today I have picket.”

“Good.”

I went back to my chair and waited for the class to start quietly.

***

“Here crowded too huh?”

I looked at the group of people who were in front of Jatinegara Station.

For a bit of information, Jatinegara is the center of people who like to use the stone ring, even at that time the ring stone is becoming a trend among the people who make the place filled with people who want to sell or buy the ring stone.

“Pak inside there is a sale of chemical liquid not?”

Riki asked the security guard who was guarding in front of the mall.

The expression that the security guard gave off at that time looked confused and astonished to see the two of us. I myself don't know why he could expand like that. Has he never met a schoolboy looking for a chemical around here?

“If here no one sells Dek chemical liquid.. Inside its contents stone rings all.”

At that time I just saw the market nameplate that says ‘Bening’ Swamp Market and right below it says ‘Central Stone Ring’. The security guard looked at us in wonder.

“Oh so yes Sir.. If around here there is a store that sells chemical liquids no?”

“Then I don't know Dek.”

"That's it, sir, thank you."

We went down the street to look for a chemical shop nearby.

At the time, we were not using the cell phone we are today. So we can't ask or search for it on the internet.

“We want to find where Mar?”

“Buy ice first Rik, I'm overheated, besides I'm also thirsty.”

“Yes already, we buy drinks first kebetuan I also thirsty.”

We stopped at an ice doger vendor we met on the side of the road, and Riki bought me that ice doger.

“Tau know which chemicals sales around here are not?”

“Oh.. Chemicals, there's a Deck around here.. Just walk to the stop that is ahead there, right next to it there is a chemical store.”

The doger's brother pointed to our right with his index finger.

“Oh so, thank you Bang.”

It seems like my decision to buy ice doger was not a bad one, thanks to which we got information about the store we were heading to. That's what I expect from the market, the center of all the information is there.

***

“Sorry Mas, here is the sale of powdered chemicals.”

I guess after coming to the store that the doger iceman showed earlier can make us go home faster, it turns out I was wrong.

If not for the ice doger, I almost rebuked the doger iceman. But after remembering, it was wrong Riki also who at that time only asked his store without mentioning what we were looking for.

“Means that liquid does not exist Mba?”

“No Mas, if you want to go to Kampung Melayu.. There's a sell chemical liquid.”

“Alright then.. Thank You Mba.”

Just as we were about to step away, the shopkeeper immediately said something that we did not want to hear at all but that was very important information.

“But if you want to go there hunted Mas, because soon the store will close.”

Please... You should have said that earlier.

Hearing that we immediately spur our feet after a new word of thanks is thrown from our mouths.

At that time, no one was able to stop us except for the red light.

Until my eyes were slightly distracted with a group of Junior High School students like us who were on our right side were moving in groups. Because we didn't have much time, so I didn't pay attention to it and kept running.

***

“Finally can too!”

Riki raised the chemical liquid high that was placed in a small bottle. Given how we get that liquid I should also feel the pleasure that Riki feels.

But the tiredness in my legs makes me lazy to do anything. We went straight through the road we just walked. But my curiosity grew stronger when I found out that there were no cars on the road at all.

“Hei Rik, do you feel anything strange here?”

“No, why?”

“No cars passed?”

I began to look at the road in front of us, I looked all over the road to the farthest to make sure that no car crossed the road.

“Maybe red light.”

Riki still looked indifferent and his gaze still could not be separated from the chemicals he had just bought.

It doesn't feel possible if only a red light can make the streets empty like this. Because the road we were walking on was a one-way street for motor vehicles, so we could not figure out what the cause was except to get closer to the source of the problem.

“Not possible, if red light is not possible this lonely.”

“True yes..”

Riki began to look around the road just like me.

We continued down the road with anxiety that began to envelop the heart.

Then from a distance we could see a group of students running towards us accompanied by the serene sound of police following them.

“It looks like if we just shut up will be critical Rik.”

I began to look towards the alley around me.

All possibilities began to enter my mind one by one. I started thinking about the best decision for us.

First, whether we had to run first to separate ourselves from those students or better we just kept quiet and let them through.

Actually I prefer my second decision because my legs are not strong enough to run anymore. Will the police suspect us? Given that we are currently wearing the same uniform as them.

Well now it's time to think seriously, I don't have much time and I don't want to end up in the police.

Take a deep breath and exhale slowly.

Calm your mind and focus on one goal.

I looked at the alley across the street. I knew exactly where the end of the alley was.

OK. I seem to have made the right choice compared to staying here.

“Oi Rik, it's time we escape too.”

I started to tighten my bag strap so I could be free when running later.

“Why don't we just shut up? it's not that we're not involved with the brawl.”

“Looks like you were right.”

We started running into the alley across from us. Since there were no vehicles passing there, we could easily cross the road.

“You know where this leads?”

“This way later penetrated to agate market earlier.”

“Lah! Not if we go there even difficult to escape, huh? A lot of people.”

“On the contrary Rik, we can even eliminate the trail with many people who visit that market.”

“It looks like you've been thinking about this huh.”

“Clearly! I don't want to end up in a police station here, where far from home.”

“As I expected from Amar.”

“Stop talking! You just threw away your breath.”

I just made that excuse so that Riki would stop talking to me right now. Now I have to use my remaining breath as best I can.

I also look back occasionally to see the situation.

And it turns out that there were some students involved in the brawl who ran into the same alley with us, of course behind them there were some police who were chasing there.

Comeon! Why don't you take another path? Not that there are many alleys you can enter.

Fortunately, I made the right decision to run first. Thanks to him, we were able to keep our distance with them quite far.

Take a deep breath and breathe out slowly.

Remember all the sports lessons to lengthen your breath.

When I got to the market, I immediately looked at all the sellers who were there and counted the buyers who were in each of those sellers.

I thought of the possibility of which seller could be the safest hiding place. Finally my eyes were on one seller who had a lot of customers there.

“Rik now we take off our uniform.”

“OK.”

We took off our uniforms and put them in our bags.

All right now we mustn't look too conspicuous at every existing buyer.

Calm.. Breathe as usual.

Set your footsteps like those around you, don't move too fast, it will catch the attention of the people who are there.

I was grateful that Riki followed me without even having to speak. We started to narrow down among those buyers and act like the people who were there. Riki started talking to people who were there naturally.

The student who was behind us started running past us as well as the police who were chasing behind him. All the attention of the sellers and buyers who were there one by one began to divert towards them. Our little bodies were covered with adult bodies all around us.

I started looking at my watch and seeing the time.

It seemed like fifteen minutes was enough to hide here.

“Luckily we escaped.”

Riki whispered to me and from her face was a satisfied smile.

After fifteen minutes, we walked straight to Jatinegara Station to go home. Although there are some police who are still checking around, but we are not suspected by them.

I'm so tired.

My decision to sleep at home after school did not seem too bad, if I had chosen that decision when invited by Riki, maybe I would not be exhausted like this.

“Today is exciting yes!”

“Seru said? I'm so tired.”

“Once in a sport Mar.”

“So morning I've had sports lessons.”

And the train to Jakarta Kota also arrived there. We immediately rushed onto the train.

Goodbye Jatinegara, see you again. Thank you for a memorable experience that I will never forget.

As I began to step my foot into the carriage, my eyes fell upon the swarm of students that were before us.

China?... Or Japanese? I don't know for sure, but their faces aren't Indonesian.

They were made up of four students, two men, and two women. Of the two women who were there, there was a woman who I thought was very beautiful.

I said that because she was the most beautiful woman I had ever met, even the prima donna in our school was still nothing compared to her.

Am I overdoing it when I call it pretty?

Should I ask everyone in this carriage to prove it to you? It doesn't seem necessary.

Because at that time the condition of the train car was not too filled with passengers, we went straight to the empty bench near them.

I leaned my shoulders and stretched my legs.

It feels so good..

“How much did you score in the test yesterday?”

“Sure I get an A value all..”

Can you guys just let me rest in peace? I just went through something really exhausting here.

“Great as you Takeshi!”

The beautiful woman praised the bragging man earlier.

“Such things are common to me. How about you Miyuki?”

It turns out that the woman's name is Miyuki.

“I also dapet A all.”

“Great!”

“As expected of Miyuki.”

Amazingly princess, I think your degree will increase in their eyes.

“Next Station Manggarai Station.”.

It's time we get down.

Riki and I stood up from our seats and got off the train. Followed by a group of students standing near me earlier.

“It looks like they are also down here.”

Riki glanced at the group of students and followed by footsteps stepping onto the other platform.

“Ohh... From earlier you also noticed it?”

“Of course, there's no way I'm taking my eyes off a beautiful woman.”

Riki and I switched platforms to wait for the train to Depok, and so did they. When I saw the man named Takeshi, I immediately observed him closely. The longer I watched him the more annoyed I was made. His behavior in front of Miyuki was as if he was the most powerful person in this world.

It's just my opinion, he's actually nothing. People like him usually just overestimate something he achieved even if it was just a little.

Our train arrived, and we rushed straight into the carriage. Just like before, we were still with that group of students.

“Yesterday I just entered the district level karate competition and won the first champion there.”

Takeshi puffed out his chest and stylishly faced Miyuki. Two of his other friends praised inexhaustibly, I got tired of listening to him who was bragging. Almost all aspects of his life he was arrogant before us. If it wasn't for Miyuki, Riki and I might have moved to another carriage.

“There are plans to move Rik cars?”

“No, I want to see how many achievements he achieved.”

We both looked towards the group of students through the window glass that reflected their shadows. Since our goal was to be near them just to see Miyuki and it was impossible if we saw Miyuki directly, naturally it would get us noticed by them.

“Is his achievement that great?”

“Not really, actually it is just a regular achievement.”

“Hahahah... You're right.”

Indeed, Riki and I are not the type of students who always attach importance to achievement during school, whether it is from the rank or achievement outside school. So everyone who brags about his achievements during school, it will not make us envious, even we want to laugh at him.

Just sec... It seems like my voice and Riki are too loud.

“Hei! You two talk about me huh?”

Takeshi approached us and looked at us cynically.

Huhhhh.. Come on, don't make this day any longer.

the End Chapter 1