"Y-Yes, Rick. What is it?"
"Get lost, I'll take care of that freak."
I rolled my head in panic when Rian looked at me. I was certain that he was about to make the best of this moment to exact his vengeance. Maybe he'll lock me up here until morning? That delinquent's head was really unpredictable.
"Rian, please stay with me. Don't go home." I begged him while tugging his shirt.
"But, Nilam–"
"I said scram, weirdo!"
"Y-Yes, Rick. I'll go."
"Rian."
"Sorry, Nilam. Take care."
I really wanted to cry as I saw Rian disappear behind the door. I would kick the bucket now for real since there was no one else but me and him in this room.
"Yo freak, drag that sorry ass here."
"I'll wipe, I'll sweep, I'll put the chairs in their place. You sit there, I'll get everything done." I was sure that he was about to make me do everything alone. Maybe, if I get everything done by myself, I would be able to leave the class sooner and he may also take pity on me and stop bullying me in the future.
"You freak!" He mumbled while pulling the chair in front of me to sit on it.
"Sorry."
"When will you stop saying 'sorry'?"
"Sorry, I mean–"
"Tsk! Sweep the floor, I'll get the chairs."
"Sorry–"
I closed my mouth when his brown eyes glared at me. He angrily placed the chairs back to their place.
"How long would you let yourself be under people's heels?" He spoke again as I swept the back end of the class. "They will keep bullying you as long as you let them. Stand up for yourself for once."
I had no idea what he meant by that. Wasn't he the one who bullied me all this time?
I just could not understand.
"So I won't cause further trouble. I don't want to make a fuss." I spoke under my breath. Once again he stared at me.
"You're not 'not wanting to make a fuss', you're just being a coward."
His remark hits like a truck. He could see through the lies I have told to myself. Honestly, I was afraid that they would hit even harder if I showed some resistance. I was afraid that fighting back would cost me my scholarship. I just wanted a peaceful life, I wanted a tranquil high school life, I was not a troublemaker, unlike him.
But why did he act like this, though? Yesterday, he helped me bring the books to the teacher's office. What did this boy want from me? Was there an ulterior motive behind his kindness? Was I the main target of his operation? I honestly could not tell.
"It's getting dark. I'm leaving." I said after the cleanup duty was done. He stood up because he had already finished with the chairs way earlier than me.
"Tag along." He invited me. He grabbed his backpack and approached me.
I took a few steps back to avoid him but he approached me even closer and it made me really scared. "Are you afraid of me? Do you think I'll make you pay?"
I could not move any of my limbs when he asked me that. My whole body was drenched in cold sweat.
"This isn't a soap opera that you watch all the time. I'm not the kind of guy who would ruin a girl's life for a petty reason, you got that?"
Then why were you being nice to me?
"Understood." I answered briefly.
I sighed in relief as he moved away from me. I walked slowly behind him because I was still afraid of him. Not only that I was afraid, I was also confused. This was the second year that we studied in the same class and during that whole time, we never greeted each other, let alone talked. I never wanted to have anything to do with him. I only noticed that his scores were always perfect. That was it. What drove him to treat me nicely now? Why did he acted like we were the best of friends?
"What is your ride home?"
"Angkot."
"Alone?"
I nodded. I felt so stupid because I was walking behind him, how would he know that I nodded? His sturdy back shuddered for a bit. I could not tell whether he was laughing or anything but as he turned around, a cigarette on his lips had already lit.
I just did not understand, how did that lips red like a ripe apple and teeth white as pearls remain unstained after being exposed to tobacco smoke for so long? Maybe that was the reason why he had a new girl almost everyday, they didn't think whether this boy was a good or a bad one.
"Your name is Nilam Cahya, right?" He walked back for a bit and turned around to face me.
I nodded while looking downward. I stopped my pace as I looked at his pair of gray shoes with loose lace below those gray pants.
"Today, I don't love you, yet. Tomorrow is still a mystery. Keep in mind that I will tell you if I loved you someday."
I looked up spontaneously but in that brief moment, Ricky walked away while waving his hand at me. What does that mean? I just could not understand? Why would he say that? Was that a prank?