That day, the exam was held with a dense aura of frustration that gripped the entire atmosphere of each class. Mark looked worried with a pale face and cold sweat beading his forehead which was always wrinkled.
"Oh my.. Damn it, Mark! It's useless I taught you half to death for a week!" Jordi muttered in annoyance from outside the classroom window.
"Still no finished sign of the fool?" Patra asked as soon as Jordi came back to them. The guy shook his head in annoyance.
"You've tried, Jordi." Patra chuckled while patting his best friend's shoulder. Jordi immediately slapped the Patra's hand, making him chuckle.
"Right. It's not your fault, there's no need to be disappointed." Added Hadyan.
"I'm not disappointed that he can't answer the questions. I'm annoyed that I've tried desperately to teach him for days but to no avail. Teaching him was the biggest failure of my life!" His chatter sparked another laugh.
"Don't mind it, Jordi. Mark is an idiot, he can't be treated anymore! He's always been like that, hasn't he?" Marya said, feeling grateful that she wasn't the one who taught Mark yesterday.
"Hey! Everyone finished?" Tasia came over.
"You just finished? Are you having trouble doing your exams too?" Hadyan asked quickly. Tata glanced at him amused.
"Not really. I just didn't work very carefully so some parts were wrong. But I've fixed everything well." She explained. Hadyan nodded in understanding.
"How about you? Could you do it well, Hadyan?" Marya started her action hanging on Hadyan.
Tasia saw that and immediately left. She stepped to the edge of the corridor, not far from her friends. While waiting for Mark to finish the exam, she sat there alone because she felt like her body and soul energy was being drained.
"I was surprised that you weren't finished yet. You're not usually that careless. What's wrong? I saw you musing a lot." Tata suddenly approached Tasia who was sitting quietly on the floor. She sat down next to her best friend.
Tasia shook her head slowly with a slight smile, "It's nothing. Maybe my grandmother's illness which has gotten worse lately makes me look lethargic. I do feel tired lately."
Tata tilted her head, looked at Tasia intently and seriously, "You're not lying, are you? I know the matter about your grandmother, but your reaction is different than usual. I think it's about another matter." she suspected.
"I don't know.. I want to tell you, but this is a problem regarding the friendship in our group." She took a deep breath, fiddling with her fingernails. It was a habit when she is restless.
"Hem.. Let me guess. Is this between you, Hadyan, and Marya?" Tasia was surprised and turned face at her with wide eyes. "Judging from your expression, it seems that what I had suspected was correct."
"How did you know? Did Marya tell you something?" Tasia asked impatiently.
Tata shook her head then smiled, "Have you forgotten, who am I?" she laughed. "I found out in the past few weeks. Regarding Marya liking Hadyan, it has become an open secret. But it turns out, unexpectedly, recently you have become close to Hadyan, who was already looking at you from the first place."
Unknowingly, Tasia's mouth fell wide open to hear her best friend's explanation, "You are indeed great, Ta. You are like a psychic." She complimented in amazement.
Tata laughed softly again, "So you like Hadyan?" she asked bluntly.
Tasia flinched a little, then shook her head weakly, "I don't know. If I think about it, I don't like him. I only think of him as a good friend, because he turns out to be a fun person. Yesterday, we went to the mini market near our house together, then accidentally met Marya. She said that she wanted to play at my house. And on the way home, she told me that she seriously likes Hadyan and asked me to help her .. " She explained.
"And you mind? That bothers you?" Tata guessed.
Once again, Tasia took a deep breath and nodded slowly, "I don't know why the objection arises. After all, love will emerge by itself, right? We can't ask other people for help to grow it. How can I help Marya to make her close to Hadyan?"
Tata laughed by seeing her friend's troubled face, "You do like Hadyan! I haven't seen your face like that in a very long time."
"Yes, I like him, but only as a friend. He just makes me feel happy. Not that I want him to be mine, like Marya." She avoided with a red face.
Tata nodded, "Okay.. if that's what you say. Then, what about Marya? If you don't want to help her, just be honest with her." She saw Tasia's face weaken again. "You're afraid Marya will be angry, aren't you? Are you worried that she will be jealous if you and Hadyan become close?" Tasia nodded.
"Tasia, if it's true that you don't like Hadyan with special feelings, then you don't need to worry about it. Because, if Marya and Hadyan really like each other, it shouldn't bother you at all, nor will interfere with their relationship. With your help or not, it's true what you said, love can't be forced especially by other parties. Just let Marya try on her own." Said Tata casually. Then, her face turned serious, "As long as you don't try to stop them."
Tasia choked to hear the last sentence. She looked directly at Tata and blinked several times. Tata just smiled casually and raised her eyebrows "You said you didn't like Hadyan to be yours, right?"
***
'Is it possible that I like Hadyan? If so, it's too soon. I just recently met him and was able to start befriending him. This doesn't make sense.
I think this is all just a feeling of comfort, because Hadyan happened to be involved in some of my personal problems yesterday. Maybe that's what made me start to believe in him.'
"This letter must be signed by their respective parents or guardians. If you want to participate, fill in all the requested data without exception and there should be no blanks. Collect it no later than Thursday of this week, along with the payment." The voice of the head of nature and hiking lovers club awakened Tasia from her daydream. She realized there was already a white letter envelope containing two pieces of paper in the form of a hiking invitation and a registration form.
"Is it clear?" Asked the big tall guy. He was still in high school but his face was already covered with thick beards. But in the eyes of the girl students, he is a sexy Santa Claus figure.
"Yes!" Answer all students in unison.
"Tasia! Are you going?" Whispered Tata, who was sitting in the front seat because she was doing her math assignment with Rijal.
Tasia shrugged her shoulders, "I still don't know." her mouth spoke silently. Tata nodded and returned to her right sitting position, facing the front.
Bell rang. The return prayer and greetings to the teacher were carried out before all the students scattered out like birds in a cage thirsting for a breath of free air.
"You got this invitation too, didn't you?" Patra showed off a white envelope while approaching Tasia, Tata, and Hadyan who were stepping out of the classroom. They nodded in unison.
"Are you coming, Patra?" Tasia asked.
"Mark and I will definitely join. When are we going to refresh after this annoying exam? Am I right?"
Tata nodded, "He has a point." while giving Parta her thumb. "Compared to us travelling alone, this activity is funded by the school. So we don't have to pay half the price. Not bad." She continued. Tasia and Hadyan nodded in agreement.
"Then what about the others? If you want to come along, it's best if everyone comes along. It would be more fun that way." Tasia said.
"Jordi said he couldn't come. On the same date, he had already planned a vacation abroad with his family." Said Mark with a sad face.
"I'll come if at least one of my girl best friends comes. How about it, Tasia? You would come too, right?" Tata bagged.
"Okay, I'll come along. Looks like fun. I also love mountains." She smiled excitedly. Then, Tata hugged her happily.
"Hadyan? You are new here. You never have a trip with us, have you? What's more, we'll be camping for days too. It must be fun! I'll take you and the other boys to test your guts there. Come on!" Patra hugged his shoulders hard. He was very excited.
Hadyan laughed, "Oka. I'll go too." Of course, he was immediately convinced that he would join after Tasia said she was taking part in the event.
"Hey! It's Marya!" Mark pointed as he caught the figure of a girl with hair in a ponytail and a yellow backpack walking towards them.
"Marya! You got the camping invitation too, didn't you? Are you coming?" Mark asked excitedly.
Marya frowned slightly, everyone knew she didn't like mountains more than the beach. "Um.. Oh! Hadyan, are you coming?" she looked directly at the guy without paying attention to Mark who was standing and still looking at her with a sour look. Hadyan nodded innocently.
"Alright! I'll come too then!" Marya exclaimed excitedly.