Part 2 : Come Again

Tonight I look busy with a broom in my hand. My sweat started pouring down my temples.

Apparently my bedroom is so messy that just tidying it up makes me feel like funning out of a marathon.

I don’t know what got into me until started thinking about studying in a clean and tidy room.

My daddy was amazed to see me pacing with my hands full of plastic drink bottles, dominated by soft drinks.

“Oh my God, Ella, is that a bedroom or a dumpster? Why is there so much trash in your bedroom? No wonder if Kimberly doesn’t wanna sleep with you.” My daddy scolded.

I just blushed to hear what my daddy said.

“You sleep alone it’s messy like this, how about you sleep with other people?” continued my daddy.

“What do you mean, Dad?” I asked not understanding.

“You’re all grown up, Ella. Someday you will definitely get married. If you were a girl you were careless like this, how about when you get married?”

“Then my husband will help me clean the house.” I replied with great confidence, even though I don’t even have a boyfriend.

“Ah, you are really good at evading, La,” said my daddy starting to mess.

“Of course. I’m daddy’s daughter.” I replied with a laugh.

“Never mind, you jut clean your bedroom.”

“Okay, Boss.” I replied with a salute.

***

I can stretch my muscles after getting tired of cleaning my bedroom.

I sat my self in my study chair – opened the laptop and started studying.

Wait a minute, where are my glasses?

My eyes are busy sweeping my bedroom, looking for where my glasses are. Very dangerous if my glasses disappear.

I left my bedroom, met my mother who was busy watching TV.

“Mom, did you see my glasses?” I asked.

“Did I hear you right? Why do you ask other people about your things? Isn’t that your thing?”

I rolled my eyes lazily.

Ah, asking my mother isn’t the best thing. Instead, I got scolded because of my carelessness.

“Is this what you are looking for?”

I was surprised when my mother was standing next to me holding out a pair of glasses with my black frame.

“Where did you find it, Ma?” I asked in surprise.

“In a public place you don’t know.” My mother replied sarcastically.

“Wow, there is no doubt about the strength of a mother. She can find things no one else can find.” I said, clapping my hands proudly.

My mother pinched my arm until I moaned in pain.

“It’s not the strength of a mother, but you are careless. How can you forget to put your glasses on when you know that your eyes are so dependent on them? Luckily your ears can’t be removed at any time. If you could remove your ears, I’m sure you’d forget where you put them.” My mother kept nagging me.

“Thank’s, Mom.” I said while kissing my mother’s left cheek then running into my bedroom again.

I opened my smartphone, it’s still 07.20 p.m. – that means I still have plenty of time to stay up late. This time I will make very good use of my standing time, example is studying.

Tiiingg…

I left out a harsh sigh as a text message landed on my smartphone.

My heart jumped with joy when I saw who the sender of the message was. John. It’s a miracle because a John dared to contact me first.

Sweet John: What r u doing, La?

My fingers immediately typed it word for word.

Me: I'm studying, John

What r u doing?

Tiiinggg…

Sweet John: Am I disturbing u?

Me: Oh, No, John.

I'm not studying hard.

Tiiingg…

Sweet John: Just study, Lil sist.

Damn it!

I squeezed the end my smartphone with exasperation, then I threw it towards the bed.

Ceklek!

I opened my math book, read the problems and answered them for a moment.

My left hand is busy scribbling with a pencil – counting one by one using the formula that I have long understood.

I smiled happily when I knew that my answer was in one of the options.

I photographed the way and my answer was to Maxim.

Maxim: Thank's a lot my dearest Ella

I rolled my eyes lazily.

Maxim is still Maxim -- he will say sweetly if what he wants is fulfilled, including in terms of cheating.

Honestly, I’m lazy to give my answer to Maxim. The boy is very annoying. He asked me for an answer but he got a much higher score that that. That’s so unfair.

Five minutes – ten minutes – it’s already 30 minutes I’ve studied. I deserve a break.

I stretched my muscles until they sounded crackle.

Tiingg...

A message entered my smartphone. Who else is this? Is that Maxim?

I promised if it was Brandon and he asked me for an answer again, I would not give him. Even though he had to meditate on the highest mountain.

Arga: Good night, La

R u busy now?

I can breathe a sigh of relief when I see the message sender is not Brandon. It mean I didn’t have to be someone that cruel and heartless who was stingy about giving answers to my friend.

My fingers active typing a reply message for Arga.

Me: Good night, Arga

No, I just finished studying

What is wrong?

I was shocked when my smartphone rang loudly to indicate that a call or video call had entered my smartphone.

Sure enough, Arga asked me to video call.

I shifted the green mark on my phone screen. Then Arga’s face appears on the screen.

“Hi.” Arga greets me.

“Hi.” I answered.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m just relaxing. What can I do with my life?”

“Why don’t you study?”

“I’ve studied. Now I wanna be lazy.”

“You don’t be like that, La. You are 18 years old and you have a long way to go. You have to achieve your dreams in order to be a smart mother for my children. Uh, sorry, I mean for John’s children.”

I laughed out loud at the words of Arga.

“Arga, what’s wrong with your eyes?” I asked.

“My eyes?” Arga looks confused.

“Do your eyes hurt?” I asked.

“No.”

“Then

am I in your eyes?”

Arga blushed. “Nothing, Ella. Because you only exist in my heart.”

I laughed at Arga’s answer.

“Is it true? Your eyes are fine right?” I asked convincingly.

“Alright, La.”

“Is it normal for your eyes to watch movies?” Arga nodded.

“Okay, let’s watch a movie at the cinema.”

Now Arga blushed even more.

“You ask me dating, La?”

“If you want…”

“Why don’t you ask John out on a date?”

“If I can even ask his friend to date, why not?” I answered lightly.

“You… don’t make me expect more of you, La. Your charm is really strong.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Of course. But it’s enough for me to be your best friend, La.”

“Alright, we are friends. Best friend but married.” I joked.

“Don’t rush to get married, La. Pursue your dreams first. Sooner or later you will definitely meet your soulmate, rest assured.” Arga started to say seriously.

“Hm.”

Tonight I talking with Arga via video call until late at night.

“Arga, I’m sleepy.” I said.

“All right, goodnight, La. HND.”

“What is HND?”

“Have a nice dream.”

I smiled. “Have a nice dream too, Arga.”

I turned off my smartphone and tried to sleep.

***

My eyes flickered as the alarm on my smartphone started beeping. It’s still 05.00 a.m., but I have to wake up.

I was in my white and gray uniform and ready to go to school.

“Mom, Dad, I’m going to school.” I said goodbye while kissing the back of my parents’ hands.

“Take care, La.” My mom said.

I nod.

“Remember not to be a whiny. You have to be strong!” said my Daddy.

I smile. “Yes, Boss.”

Since a long time ago my daddy always given me advice so that I become someone who is strong and not easily oppressed.

Surely my daddy is still afraid if I become someone whiny like when I was still sitting in elementary school. I still remember when I once ran away from school crying sobbing just because my friends made fun of me, they insulted my parents’ job as a snack seller.

But it’s been a long time. I’ve turned into a brave people since I was in the fifth grade of elementary school because I joined the taekwondo club.

I grew up to be a very brave girl until now, it’s proven that I have won twelve gold medals and six silver medals in taekwondo matches.

Did my dad forget that his eldest daughter was suspended twice because she heard some school thungs?

Did my dad forget how the thungs were doing after I beat them up?

Ah, my daddy is like that sometimes too possessive and think this child is still small and very weak.

I arrived at the school parking lot, met Alice who greeted me cheerfully.

“Good morning, La.”

“Good morning, Alice.”

“Have you done your chemistry homework?”

I widened my eyes. “Which homework?”

“Did you forget? Hish, even though today was collected.”

Bad! Why could I forget to do my chemistry homework? That fierce mrs.Eny will definitely not forgive me, especially her spicy words that are ready to pounce on anyone who doesn’t do her homework.

“Have you done your chemistry homework, Alice?” I asked.

“I’ve done my homework, La. You can copy my answer.” Alice said.

My face beamed. This is what I wanted since earlier.

Alice and I rushed to class. With super speed, I copied Alice’s answer in my book.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I finished copying Alice’s answer.

“Luckily you came early, La. So you can copy my answer,” said Alice.

Yes, luck seems to be on my side. This is the reason I love to go to school in the morning, so I can copy my friends’ homework.

My eyes caught the image of someone passing by in front of my class.

I froze when someone turned to me. Our eyes met for a moment and he smiled slightly at me – then he walked away from my class.

God … why did he come back again?

Why did he come again after I struggled to forget him?

Why does he come again when I’ve managed to reconcile my feelings?