When Potatoes Fall in Love
23
Tick ticks
Tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk tuk
The sound of clockwork on the walls of Nadin's room collided with the sound of his finger tapping on the study table in light ash. His mind raged to determine who was wrong between him and Dira. His feelings have become unsettled since he came home from school. His mind could not escape his debate during the day.
“Hah.” The heavy breathing accompanying Nadin got up from the seat and finally dropped into bed after getting tired of pondering at the study table. Matany Ta who had felt heavy since then immediately asked to be rested after both hands hugged a roll.
Slowly but surely, Nadin opened his eyes and realized he was asleep in class. His eyes also spread his gaze to all corners of the deserted class.
“Nadin.”
“Ami ?” lirih Nadin's.
“Iya. I'm here to tell you that our class will go on vacation to the beach,” said Ami who was sitting near Nadin.
“Why did you take me?” asked Nadin astonished.
“Of course I invite you, aren't we friends ? All of the kids in this class also wish you could come along. We will play together there,” explained Ami and then revealed a smile.
“Created ?” Nadin showed a cheerful face to hear Ami's words.
“Iya, that's why I'm taking you,” Ami replied.
“Good.”
.
.
.
Now, Nadin was on the beach referred to by Ami. There he could hear the sound of waves crashing on the beach. The blue sea that glitters due to sunlight makes it glare. The sight brought a sense of comfort and pleasure for him who rarely went on vacation. From a distance, he saw Ami and her group of classmates playing in the water, they were seen laughing loosely. Seeing that state, he ran towards them to join in.
“Ami,” call Nadin smile.
Ami turned her head and gave a cold look to make Nadin feel uncomfortable.
“Do you call me ?” ask Ami to face Nadin.
“Iya.”
“What's up?”
“I want to play with you with others,” Nadin said.
“Hah ?! Did I not hear wrong ? You want to play with me and the others ?” ami asked with a smirking face.
“Iya,” replied Nadin while nodding his head.
“Hahahaha, friends. He said the potato wants to play with us, do you want ?” ami said to the others.
Suddenly, their laughter broke out hearing Ami's words.
“Who will play with potatoes like you ? Just making it up, we obviously don't want to play with you,” booed Ami.
“But that time you brought me here to play. Why isn't your current speech the same as it was ?” nadin Protest.
“It's true that me and the others took you. But who told you to come. We still don't want to play with you. Are you friends ?” ask Ami to the others.
“Iya, right.”
“Why does he want to join ?”
“We'll just take her and don't expect her to come here.”
“Interrupt views only.”
“You better go back to the car, before your brown potato skin turns into rotten potato skin.”
“Hahahahaha.”
Nadin took a step back from his guiltless companions continuing to laugh at him. Her tears came upon hearing what they were saying. He ran to the big car he was driving with his friends. There he sat curled up and crying.
“Huuhuuu. Hiks, huuuhuuu, huuuhuuu, hiks.” Nadin continued to cry and finally regained consciousness after feeling a soft hand pat her cheek slowly.
“Nadin, Nadin. Wake up, Nak.” Damara continued to pat Nadin on the cheek and shoulder so that his son would soon wake up from his dream.
In an instant, Nadin gasped and opened his puffy eyes. His consciousness immediately gathered and reminded him that the incident he had just experienced was a dream.
Dreams of it ? nadin felt relieved. But, his tears came back, because he was sad because the dream was exactly the same as the incident he had experienced.
“Honey, you have nightmares huh ?” tanya Damara embraced Nadin's body.
Nadin nodded and hugged his mother tightly.
Even in my dream I was still stuck with Ami's words and persuasion ? I'm so stupid. Why should I dream about it ? I don't want to experience anything like that anymore, Nadin's mind in his mother's arms.
The next morning, the overcast sky was the first sight Nadin had seen when he came out of the house. His feeling turned into a frenzy just by looking at the blackish cloud clump. His light steps slowly descended the three steps on the porch of his house. Patiently she waited for Damara to take her to school. From today and a few days later, he will not be carrying a bicycle because his swollen hands are not used to ride it.
Along the way, Nadin just stared blankly while continuing to hold his knee-length skirt so as not to flutter in the middle of the road. Arriving at a red traffic light, he observed a trail of rain last night that seemed not to want to disappear.
Rain in the middle of summer, Nadin murmured while throwing his focus on puddles and asphalt that looks slippery by the rain.
I hate the rain, Nadin said in his heart because his memory will remember his sad times every time the phenomenon of water falling from the sky occurred. To him, the rain would only leave a shitty puddle and frightening memories.
Upon arriving at school, Nadin's feet immediately stepped towards the library to return the novel he had borrowed a few days ago. His lips also framed a thin smile when he recalled the time when Aidan returned one of his loan novels that had been lost.
“Dek,” greet a library employee who serves the return of books.
“Ya ?” nadin sahut spontaneous.
“That hair does not want to be cut?” comment of the man officer.
“If I want to cut it, I must have cut it before without having to wait until this long,” explained Nadin then smiled thinly.
The employee was at a loss for words after hearing Nadin's reply.
“Do not take heart, maybe he is PMS,” whispered his friend who had heard their conversation.
Aidaaan, when will we meet so I can fulfill my promise to show you how I look when I have long hair. Where are you actually ? Are you still alive ? nadin's inner self finally landed her butt under the shade of the mango tree near the top of the stairs where the futsal fight would begin.
On the other hand, Dira who had just come to school also went straight to the place where Nadin was. However, his steps stopped when he was not far from him. He thought twice about going to his friend when he remembered their argument at noon yesterday.
Should I go there or not ? Yesterday, right.. was he angry ? Never mind, I better just go. He didn't even look at me, Inner Dira then left the field.
Nadin woke up and stretched his body that had long been invited to sit. He decided to go to the cafeteria when his stomach asked to be filled. A strange feeling began to come to him when he walked alone, usually he always went everywhere with Dira.
Has he not come yet ? Yesterday he said that he would meet me on the field, Nadin thought as he spread his eyes to find Dira.
“Nadin,” call Alan half run towards Nadin who has turned to him.
“Ya ?” ask Nadin.
“I just wanted to tell you that tomorrow is the day of the game. His place on the field at nine o'clock exactly,” said Alan.
“Iya. I have read the announcement in mading,” said Nadin.
“Ok, don't be late ya.”
“Iya.”
Crick krik krik
The two of them were both speechless and a silent atmosphere immediately invaded the two of them for some time.
“Emmm, if there is nothing more to talk about, I will go,” Nadin said breaking the silence between himself and the class leader.
“Eh ? I-yes. Excuse me. Why am I silent ? Yes, I went first,” said Alan after he had time to daydream about Nadin.
Nadin just nodded his head and turned around leaving Alan who had not even intended to move from his seat.
“Nadin.”
Nadin turned his head again when Alan called his name a second time.
“You don't have to force yourself in tomorrow's game,” said Alan slightly tightened his voice because Nadin was already a bit away from his place.
Once again Nadin nodded his head in agreement with Alan's words.
“But, I hope you win,” added Alan.
Nadin smiled broadly at Alan's words and left. The class leader who was admired even more at home looked at Nadin's back slowly but surely away from his reach.
Huh, what the fuck is that sweet smile ? Try if you are talking to me, surely you will more often show the face of judes and angry at me, grumbled Aidan who accidentally saw them talking, and he was angry at me, in his heart was also filled with regret for having seen that. He then headed towards the field with his pouting face.
Accidentally, apparently Nadin's chat was heard by Helen who happened to be playing with her other friends. As soon as Nadin and Alan separated, he could not wait to see Ela to tell him what she had just heard.
In this kind of free time, it wasn't difficult for Helen to find a crush on Ela. He just had to walk through the park with the fountain and straight to the canteen, because if he did not find Ela in the park he would find her in the canteen. And it turned out to be true, right now the rumpi girl was sitting in the cafeteria with Kiran.
“Ela ! Kiran !” call Helen. He snorted in annoyance as he sped up his pace when his two friends did not hear his call.
“What are you talking about to the point of not hearing me calling ?” helen sat in front of the two of them.
“You must have called him from afar right?” kiran asked giving a sharp look to Helen who had a habit of calling people from far away.
“I called you from there, time not to hear anyway ?” Helen pointed to a row of classes ten meters away from the canteen.
Kiran snorted angrily and was ready to pounce on Helen who had that bad habit, while Ela just quietly sipped her juice.
“Already, already. Don't quarrel, why did you just come Helen ?” asked Ela to take off her drink.
“It doesn't matter. The important thing is, I heard that Nadin was following the match tomorrow,”, Helen said with a serious face.
“Isn't tomorrow just a feeding match ?” ask Ela to Kiran.
“Iya ben-... ah yes, I forgot to tell you that Nadin is also coming. But, is there anything important with that thing ?”
I wonder, why in my gang these members answer questions with questions, Helen's mind sustains her chin.
“Of course something is important, I even have a good plan for the game tomorrow. But, I need your help Kiran,” Ela replied after pondering for a while.
Without command, Kiran brought her ear to Ela's lips ready to whisper the plan. Of course, Helen docked so she could find out and help her gang plan.
When Ela was gathering with her close friends, Nadin instead sat alone without Dira's company. He was only flanked by students who had come to watch the championship-defining match for the futsal game. Occasionally, his neck extended and his eyes looked to the left right to look for Dira.
“Kyaaaaa, gosh look ! That's Aidan.” An unknown student Nadin pointed towards Aidan who entered the field with his team.
Nadin only caught a glimpse of Aidan and then busy looking for Dira again. He was about to wave when his eyes were right in the eyes of Dira who was also looking at him. However, his movements were stifled when Dira instantly averted her gaze. An uncomfortable feeling instantly invaded his heart.
Maybe he didn't see me, Nadin tried to think positively.
After school, Nadin stepped straight towards the school gate. His grim face showed that today he did not enjoy his time at school at all because he felt there was something strange about his friendship.
Arriving at the school gate, Nadin finds Dira sitting with their classmates. Dira who had caught the shadow of Nadin from the tail of his eyes also turned his head. The two looked awkward as they exchanged glances. Dira who previously thought Nadin was angry finally turned his face then continued his conversation.
Why is Dira like this ? Was he angry because of what I said yesterday ? inner Nadin.
Receiving such treatment, Nadin immediately removed himself and stood at the right side of the gate to wait for his mother to come and pick him up. His eyes began to itch to glance at Dira, ascertaining whether his friend would turn to him or not.
Once
twice
three times
.
.
.
Unknowingly, Nadin's tears trickled down by himself because no matter how many times he turned his head, Dira did not also look at him.
Nadin, you've been treated like this a lot. Why are you sad and crying ? Come on, you are strong in dealing with something like this. You are strong, you are strong.
The more Nadin said those two words, the more his tears flowed. It was sad to say that to himself, it only made him remember how sad he had been through in his past.
Cip cip
📩Mother :
Honey, I'm sorry I couldn't pick you up. Our motor seems to be in trouble. So, I need to take her to the workshop first. Mom's son wears ojol first huh ? Is it okay, right ?
📨Me :
It's okay, Mom. Nadin will wear ojol.
📩 Mother :
Do not forget the photo of the motor plate and send it to the mother. Just in case.
Careful darling.
A smile rose from Nadin's lips after reading his mother's message.
