"So it's like this, Dinda ...," said Mr. Eko, opening the conversation. His hands were stretched out in front of him as if he was trying to find his most comfortable position. "The day after tomorrow, our school will have a friendly match with Wijaya Kusuma highschool, yes... even though we know, it's late to do that. But, if it's for school progress, yes... I don't think there's anything wrong. The activities are not many, only a few school representatives whose number may be no more than fifteen children, and only a few accompanying teachers. Yes, the point is to exchange experiences, know each other's weaknesses, and strengths so that they can become a benchmark for self-improvement. You know, right, Dinda, if these two schools are included in the strongest ranks of the best private high schools in this city? And it is possible, if one day, their school team will visit here."
"So, what does that have to do with me, sir?" asked Dinda, increasingly confused. Confused, why did Airlangga High School accept the offer? After all, for ten years in a row, Airlangga High School has always been the favorite private high school champion. After all, the distance between these high schools is not close. Far enough to take a few hours. A little makes no sense even though everything is possible.
"I heard before you were transferred here. You are one of the students from Wijaya Kusuma High School, correct?" asked Mr. Eko again. Dinda nodded. "Therefore, Mr. and Mrs. would like to invite you to participate in this activity. Apart from this Dinda knows very well the ins and outs of the school, Dinda can also help the students here to quickly interact with Wijaya Kusuma highschool."
"But, sir—"
"I beg you, Din. Do the math, this is compensation for what you did yesterday with Nathan."
Dinda couldn't say anything when Mrs. Ningsih said that. This is equivalent to a threat, where she must have to do something she doesn't even like.
Dinda was confused. How about this? How should she return to her old high school? She's still not ready to meet her friends, she's not prepared to meet Sisca—her mortal enemy there, she's still reluctant to see Panji's face often, and more than that... she still doesn't want to meet her father. Even so, she missed her mother so much.
"This is a kind of conspiracy-like in Korean royal dramas...," said Sasa after the two of them left the conseling room. Sasa stopped her steps, and then she looked at Dinda, who still looked dazed. "You know, you were used as bait for them. The teachers at this high school," she continued.
"I really don't understand, Sa, I'm confused," answered Dinda. Then, the two of them pulled over, choosing to sit for a moment on one of the chairs in the central field garden.
"The black pillar has marked Wijawa Kusuma High School as the final target of the mission to conquer high schools in this region, Din. And, the teachers already knew about this plan some time ago, because the counseling teacher of Wijaya Kusuma High School sent a letter to our school. students there, students from our high school have been threatened several times. Then, the Wijaya Kusuma high school has threatened, if this problem occurs, they will not hesitate to raise this news until all media throughout Indonesia know. And you know, right, what impact will happen if all that happens? The reputation of the owner of the foundation is destroyed, the reputation of our school is also destroyed, Din. And these few days, the teachers are trying to investigate, what is the right step to make everything peaceful. They know that you are a former student there, and you were close to Nathan, and Rendra too. So, yes, you were used as bait, bait as a bridge of peace for them. It also happened that Wijaya Kusuma High School invited us to a peaceful way by inviting our high school there to visit get to know each other better."
"Wait, Sa. I'm getting more and more clueless!" said Dinda interrupting Sasa's conversation. "This is a matter of a brawl between high school students, right? This is a brawl between students, right? If the teachers already know the mastermind behind the brawl, why don't they call the students concerned to be punished, or what to do, so it doesn't become a brawl? Why don't they get into a brawl? also, have to make up this fussy way? Involve me again?"
Sasa chuckled at Dinda's words. She still doesn't understand this inter-school game.
"What the teachers are dealing with is not just a high school student, Din. But, the families of the most influential people in this city. Rendra, especially Nathan. Can you imagine if the teachers reprimanded them, or humiliated them? from their work is the definitive answer they will receive. Do you know who Nathan's parents are? The head of the foundation here."
"But, right, if their students cause trouble and embarrass the school, it can tarnish their name, Sa."
"Yeah, they don't know what the problem is. All they want is for their child to be the brightest student here, and graduate proudly in whatever their students do."
Dinda was silent again, and her face looked sour. It's just a matter of a rich man wanting her students to be perfect ends up involving her. Does Dinda have to ask for expensive wages for this? After all, she was one of the victims who could be victimized here. So, the teacher's point of inviting her is, who told her to be Nathan's handler and Rendra?
Dinda took a deep breath, and this is a ridiculous thing. She should never have gone to school here. Everything feels more complicated since she was in this high school.
"Oh, I also want to ask you. What Gisel said is true? Are you dating Rendra?" asked Sasa again. Now Dinda chuckled at the question.
"What are you trying to do? No...," she replied. "I also don't know why Gisel is trying to talk like that. Did she see yesterday when Rendra and I were talking at the bookstore, huh?" she said as if asking herself a question.
"What do you mean?" asked Sasa again. She did not understand what Dinda was saying.
"So you see, when I first went to school here, I had a little need at the goods expedition place. Well, since it's outside the school complex, I finally went there, right. When I was there, it was also Rendra's gang there was a fight with another high school kid. Well, at that time my position was right in the middle of their commotion. I wanted to get confused again, want to be confused again. Finally, I decided to be very stupid and then crossed the road. But unfortunately, when I was in middle in the middle of the road, one of the high school kids who were fighting with Rendra's gang saw me and wanted to hit me. Then coincidentally, Rendra who was near me saved me, took me away from there. Well, yesterday also when I was chatting with Rendra At the bookstore, there was a child from high school who was Rendra's enemy, also wanted to hit me with a car, then Rendra saved me and said, if the other high school kids were Rendra's enemies, they thought I was Rendra's girl because of what happened that time." explained Dinda at length.