The round eyeglasses boy smiled slightly, imagining Abel's sweet smile when he gave her a cheat sheet later.
***
Without anyone realizing, fifty minutes had passed. The changing lesson bell was sounded, so Mr. Willi closed the book and stood out of his seat.
"Collect your answers in front, and I'll assign you homework later. Dirga, bring the answer to the teacher's office at break time," orders Mr. Willi who had prepared to leave the class.
"Yes, Sir!" Dirga said as he nod in understanding.
"Good morning, students," he said and continued with a small step out of class.
"Afternoon, Mr..." They responded.
"Li... Lia, is there an assignment from Mr. Willi?" said Abel, who suddenly came into the classroom with a small run.
Her breathless breath made Dirga want to be the first person to give Abel a drink. He immediately took a bottle of mineral water from inside the bag and turned it over to that beautiful girl.
"Have a drink, Bell," the guy begged.
"Thank you," Abel said, without hesitation accepting that water. She gulped that water down a few times until it was just left a little.
Afterward, Abel returned the water bottle to Dirga. A man who would do anything for Abel accepted, not only with open palms but also a big smile created by overindulgence when the mineral water he carried made his crush unthirsty. "Here, just copy my answers, before I hand them to Mr. Willi," said Dirga, who then dragged his book to Abel.
"See, Dirga gave the cheat sheet already. Hurry copy that up before Mrs. Hindi comes," Lia said.
Without wasting any time, Abel immediately copied Dirga's answers. With help from Lia by reading it for her, in a moment, Abel finished that assignment. It was not only Abel who was relieved but Dirga was also pleased because his crush would not get extra punishment after the task.
Next class, Mrs. Hindi should be in the classroom already. But there was no sign that the forty-year teacher had come yet. It was a good opportunity for Abel to check her phone, and some of the other students began to put out that communication device for use while waiting for Mrs. Nindi into the class.
Abel's heartbeat suddenly became uncontrollable. Her thumb moves cleverly across the chat room to check the reply of her lover. However, there was not a single message from the man.
"Where are you, Honey?" she asked herself.
Of course, Abel panicked, it's uncommon for that man to ignore the messages she's sending. Even if he is busy, it's not like that when the message was unrequited for two hours. As a teenager who fall in love for the first time, Abel felt so anxious that he thought of things far enough. What if her lover is gone for good? Arghh! Let's hope it's just her fear.
"What now, Bel?" asked Lia, who had been staring at her with curiosity.
But Abel just shook her head without taking a few times to look at her friend's face. She looked down, focused on the phone screen that now showed her a picture of her crush. A thirty-year-old man who has been half of her life.
"Bel, Mrs. Hindi come in," said Lia. Immediately, Abel switched off the phone and put it in the bag.
She also joined the study activity until the first break came.
It was a boring day for Abel, and she didn't even get a reply text from Dhani until sundown. After school, the girl intended to look for her lover at the hotel they used to stand at last night. Perhaps he went back there after a meeting and was so exhausted that he didn't have time to reply.
Lia, who was worried, finally offered to accompany Abel. The distance from the school to the hotel was not too far, and it took only ten minutes to ride a motorcycle when it was free of traffic. This time Abel will be the one who drove that matics bike because earlier Lia drove her already.
"Are you sure Dhani is there?" asked Lia.
The two of them were very romantic when Lia hugged Abel's stomach and placed her chin right on the left side of Abel's shoulder. If it's Lia who sits in the passenger seat their position would be that romantic, somehow different if Abel is the one who did it. Lia will be pissed when Abel grabs her waist. Lia was amused and never wanted to hug Abel, meanwhile, she liked to cuddle just as much as she does now.
"Who knows, Li," Abel responded expectantly.
Lia nodded in understanding. Her best friend is stressed out so easily that she should be able to support whatever Abel wants. Including defending his love for a grown man like Dhani. To be honest, Lia would prefer Abel to have a relationship with Dirga. But who knows about human hearts? Abel is so stubborn to still love that grown man.
That afternoon trip felt very short, they had arrived at the basement of the hotel where Dhani had taken her to rest yesterday. Abel took Lia's hand towards the lobby, where the receptionist is. They immediately asked for the list of visits to Dhani's room number he had visited yesterday.
While waiting, Lia took a deep breath and glanced over Abel. Her best friend's pretty face is uncomfortable to stare at if she panics.
"How is it, Mrs?" Asked Abel, inpatient.
***
Lia nodded in understanding. Her best friend was stressed out so easily, so she had to be able to support everything Abel wanted, including maintaining her love for a grown man like Dani. To be honest, Lia would prefer Abel to have a relationship with Dirga. But who knows about human hearts? Abel is too stubborn to love that grown man.
That afternoon trip was so short, they had reached the hotel's basement last night. Abel leads Lia to the lobby, where the receptionist is. They immediately asked the list of visits to the previous room to the receptionist, until Abel found out that Dani had not returned to the hotel.
They left the hotel with disappointment in Abel's heart. She walked on loose-strapping shoulders, growing more and more desperate as that beautiful face didn't show up its smile.
To be continued ...