"Eh…, Ma'am…."
"What are you doing here?" asked Mrs. Yanti. "Are you sick too?"
Eshika quickly shook her head. "No, ma'am."
"And then?"
Eshika swallowed her saliva. Thinking about the answer to Mrs. Yanti's question.
"That... Tama's mom called me," replied Eshika lying. "She want to know about Tama's condition."
"Oh." Bu Yanti turned to Tama. "That's how it is. Still grinning. Back and forth to the toilet," said Mrs. Yanti. "Just look."
With stiff steps, Eshika entered. Approaching the lying Tama. Her eyes blinked at the boy.
"How are you, Tam?" Eshika stammered. "Mom asked how you were."
Tama's eyes narrowed slightly. Secretly grateful that Eshika came just when Mrs. Yanti checked him. Tama's heart is cheering because at least his brain can be used to remember the symptoms of people with diarrhea. These include: diarrhea, high-intensity bowel movements, and watery stools. It was that easy for Bu Yanti to diagnose: diarrhea.
Ha ha ha ha.
Satan laughed.
Still want to say I'm stupid, Esh? We're in the same class, by the way. That means we're in an equivalent brain-level population. Just because you have higher grades than me and I happen to be handsome, so you think I don't have a brain like you. Now who is the stupid one among us?
Ha ha ha ha.
Tama cleared his throat.
It was obvious he knew Eshika was lying. Especially with the blush on the girl's face. Tama already knows too much about the effect of lying on Eshika.
You think I dont know? From whom my mom know I got diarrhea?
Hey! Who's stupid?
Ha ha ha ha.
"I'm like this," said Tama in a low voice. "My stomach is churning. And I'm tired from going back and forth to the toilet."
"Just tell his mom, Esh," said Mrs. Yanti. "The important thing is that Tama drinks a lot. Especially the ORS, don't forget."
Tama's eyes narrowed again. His chin rose slightly, briefly. As if to say to Eshika: did you hear what Mrs. Yanti said?
"Have you taken the ORS?" asked Eshika.
Tama nodded.
Mrs. Yanti then approached Eshika, gave her several packs of ORS.
"This is ORS in case Tama needs it. At least you have to take ORS every 4 hours."
Tama nodded weakly. Weak from exhaustion, not from diarrhea.
"I gone for a while."
Eshika and Tama nodded. As Eshika held the ORS in her hand, Tama moved a little on her bed.
"Why are you still here?" he asked slowly.
Eshika looked at Tama. "You really have diarrhea, don't you?"
Oh, God.
Why is it so hard to lie to her?
Tama took a deep breath. Then answered coolly. "You just wait here for about ten more minutes."
"For?"
"When I get sick again, you come with me to the toilet," answered Tama. "You saw for yourself how runny my filth was."
Eshika's face paled.
"Want to?"
As quickly as possible Eshika shook her head.
"Or I can accommodate the dirt and I make evidence to you?"
Eshika shook her head again.
While Tama felt his stomach was really churning this time.
Oh, God. I never want to accommodated my own dirt.
For a moment, the two of them were silent. Until then Tama said.
"Just tell my Mom, I'm fine."
Eshika was silent. While Tama is in his heart cheering.
Sometimes pretending not to know that people are lying, ah. Let Eshika have a little fun. Feels like you can lie to me. Ha ha ha ha. Esh .... Esh .... you are still ten years speed to prank me.
Eshika's head moved in a slow nod.
"I'll tell your mom later that you just have normal diarrhea."
Tama nods.
"Where are you going to go home?" asked Eshika.
Tama's brow furrowed.
"Want to go back to your house? Shall we rest there?"
Tama's eyes bulged.
If I go back home, that means I can't prank you, Esh.
Tama shook his head. "I'm going back to the apartment. If I go back home, Mom will even ask me to stay in the hospital again."
"I do."
Eshika confirmed. However, Tama is still an only child. His parents really take care of Tama.
"How are you going to get home?" asked Eshika again. "Take a taxi?
"So what about my car?
"Or let Reki deliver?"
Tama stares. "If Reki brought me, then after he took me he went back to school to pick up his motorbike? Or are you telling people with diarrhea astride a motorbike?" Tama's eyes bulged. "You want to be responsible if I get lost on Reki's motorbike?"
Eshika pursed her mouth. Think.
Tama sighed. Close his eyes. Pretending not to see, but actually peeking through the narrow slits of his eyelids.
"Then let me sleep at the UKS, if I had better I would go back alone. At most I will stop on the street looking for a public toilet."
Eshika looked restless.
LI-let me drive back," Eshika stammered.
One of Tama's eyes opened. "Yeah, it's up to you. If you want, that's fine." Tama seemed to assess Eshika's face. "Really? You said all this time you didn't want to ride my car. To the extent that you still choose to take a taxi even though we already live together--- puuufff."
Eshika quickly advanced. Half bent over Tama's lying body, she covered Tama's mouth with her palm. Her eyes bulged. She hissed.
"Be careful what you say. It's at school. What if someone hears it?"
A small distance apart, Tama's eyes blinked. His hand gripped Eshika's wrist in front of his mouth.
Eshika looked at Tama. "Don't talk carelessly," Eshika remembered.
Tama nodded.
"Promise?"
Tama nodded again. Silently he swallowed his saliva. Meanwhile, Eshika looked at Tama's eyes intently. Maybe want to look for Tama's seriousness for his promise.
But ....
Eshika suddenly felt her cheeks heat up.
"Eshika? You're here?"
Reki's voice made Eshika flinch from her position. As quickly as possible she stood stiffly upright.
Reki come in. Staring at Tama and Eshika alternately.
"You guys ..."
Reki's index finger went up and pointed at the two teenagers in turn.
"... what were you doing?"
Eshika's eyes closed dramatically.
Tama tried to get up from sleep. His hand stroked his chest. "I-I thought there was dirt on my uniform."
Eshika opened her eyes. "I cleaned up the dirt on Tama's uniform."
Reki's eyes flickered.
"Since when did you two care about each other's cleanliness?" asked stupid Reki.
Eshika and Tama suddenly coughed at Reki's question.
"Ah!" Reki then turned to Eshika. "You are looking for Mrs. Sri, Esh. He wondered. You go to the State Palace toilet or the United Nations Building toilet."
Eshika patted her forehead.
"Oh, God!"
And the girl without saying anything immediately sped off. Run as fast as she can to class. While Tama, unconsciously smiled amused.
Ha ha ha ha.
Mrs. Sri scolded you, Esh.
"Tam?"
Tama turned to Reki. "Yes?"
"People with diarrhea can still grin, can't they?"
Tama cleared his throat, even though inside he was laughing out loud.
*
tbc ....