Lunch
The orientation period has ended, and classes have officially started today, which is thursday. On the last day of orientation, papers of student distribution were posted on the billboard. I checked it once again so as to not mistake which classroom I belong to, and after confirming where I should go, I went to said class.
1-A-A, 1-A-A… I repeated my class' name as I passed by each classroom. Ah, There it is.
My class was located on the very end of the hallway. As I entered the classroom, there were already 6 out of 36 students inside, and Indah was among them. She sat on the very first row in front of the teacher's desk, reading something. Who would pick the front row when there were plenty of empty seats on the back?
I went to the seat behind her. "Morning, Celebrity."
"Morning." She said, taking a glimpse only for some milliseconds before returning her gaze on her book.
She literally became famous as she managed to go through the orientation without putting on the attributes coded by the student council. She got reprimanded each day, but she went on being herself. What a strong determination!
After I got seated, she turned around to me. "Why are you calling me a celebrity?" She asked.
"Well, you're famous, after all." I said.
"Wha-... Why? How?" She furrowed.
"You're the only person among the freshmen to ever get called by the student council so frequently. Everyone in this school probably knows your name already." I explained.
"No way, badboy. You're exaggerating." She said, giving me an indifferent look.
What she said about me made me curious. "Why are you calling me a bad boy?"
Before she managed to answer my question, a girl who just arrived at the classroom approached Indah.
"Morning, Indah." The girl greeted Indah in a soft voice.
"Morning, Sasa." Indah returned her greeting with a smile.
Did she just call her by a flavoring brand?
"May I sit next to you?" Sasa asked.
"Yeah, sure!" Indah said.
After Sasa got seated, both of them started hugging each other. A typical thing to happen between girls.
Indah and Sasa started chatting soon after the hug, and after some minutes had passed, I felt that Indah had completely forgotten about me. No, she definitely forgot that I asked her a question.
"Ahem. Indah?" I called her.
Indah turned around from their seats and looked me in the eyes, followed by Sasa that gave me a terrified look. Please don't be like that. I'm a harmless human.
"What is it?" Indah asked.
This girl played innocent. "I asked you a question."
"Hmm?" She tried to recall something, but decided that she had no clue. "What did you ask?"
I facepalmed.
"oh....!" Something struck her memory. "Er... I heard a rumor that you're a delinquent." She said while exchanging glances with Sasa.
Someone had irresponsibly spread misinformation about me, huh. "Who said that?" I asked.
"How should I know? It's called a rumor for a reason."
.... She got a point. Now I feel dumb for asking that question.
That being said, It was still a false rumor. "But I'm not."
"Really? That's unfortunate." Indah said.
"Huh? What does that mean?" I asked. She made it sounds like I was better off as a delinquent.
"You see, You just ruined some girls' fantasies." She said with a big grin on her face. Due to her response, Sasa tried to hide her smile with her palms.
"Huh?" I furrowed. Her answer was really not what anyone could expect.
"Don't you know that out of two thousands romance stories in wattpad, almost three quarter of them are tagged badboy? That's what I mean."
I looked at her, dazed. No, I don't get what you mean. Just because I looked like a bad boy makes girls fantasize about me?
As I failed to make sense of her words, a teacher suddenly entered the classroom with firm steps.
"Get to your seat!" The teacher shouted.
The students chaotically returned to their seats and straightened up their poses. I didn't notice that the classroom was already full.
Just after the teacher had reached her desk, a student came into the classroom hurriedly and sat on the seat beside me.
After he put his randsell on the desk, he turned to see me, then his eyes suddenly widened. "I'm sorry, please let me sit here."
"Eh? yeah, sure." I said.
Why is this guy apologizing to me? I don't own the seat. I thought to myself.
****
The first teacher that came was ms. Atika, our homeroom teacher, doubles as math teacher. The first 40 minutes was spent on homeroom session, then followed by 5 minutes recess, and then continued on the first math class with algebra as the subject. The following two classes, Indonesian language and English, also take the same time formula: a session of 40 minutes and 5 minutes recess between sessions. Each class has 2 sessions. After homeroom, math, and Indonesian language, there was a longer recess time of 30 minutes at 10:00 before continuing to English class.
During the recess, students would either go to the restroom or grab some snacks to refresh their mind from studying. Some would also chat with classmates. Given that some are total strangers to each other, they would just start to get to know each other. The same applies to me with my deskmate, Kevin. Throughout the math and Indonesian language class he seemed to be struggling to keep himself awake, so I decided to make a small talk about it.
"Hey."
Kevin turned his face towards me at mach 20. "Y-yes?"
His squinty eyes become quite wide in an instant. I was about to talk about how sleepy he seemed, but it looks like he is awake now... but nonetheless. "You don't get enough sleep?"
"Y-yes... I- I mean, no..." He started to sweat a bit even though the class was quite cool from the ceiling fan.
He doesn't seem to be the talkative type. I don't think I can just ask why directly... Now then, what would be the common reason a student pulls an all-nighter? "Are you playing video games or something?" I asked what I guessed in my mind.
"No, I was watching an anime..." He said.
"Ooooh", this Panda is a weeaboo. "Do you like anime?"
"Y-yes." Kevin said. "Um," He paused a bit, gulped, then continued, "D-do you also like... anime?"
"Not really." I gave him my opinion.
"Ah." He said with a dejected face.
To be honest, I did watch some like Naruto or One Piece back when I was in elementary school, but I grew out of it. Not to be disrespectful, but people who watch anime as a hobby or anything related to it are... eccentric.
Out of nowhere, the person seated behind Kevin poked his back, so Kevin reflectively turned around. I followed suit.
This person... What was his name again? He introduced himself back then during homeroom much like everybody else, but I didn't remember his name. I'll ask him later.
He looked at me for a bit, then shifted his gaze towards Kevin and asked, "Hey, You like anime?"
Kevin's panda eyes suddenly showed some glimmer, and the conversation flowed quickly into a discussion of Anime.
I was sitting there listening to both of them talking about this anime or that anime, but I can't seem to understand what they were talking about. Thus, naturally, I was left out. I looked around the class to find another person I could talk with, but other groups were already indulging in their conversation, and Indah and Sasa were nowhere to be seen.
"I'm gonna buy some snacks." I declared to Kevin and... er, his new friend.
Kevin and... er, his new friend, looked at me. "Right."
Then I left the classroom, went to the snack shop in the not-so-crowded canteen to buy some roasted peanuts, then returned to my seat.
I pondered a bit whether I should share with them. Insofar friends were the most unethical being related to sharing snacks. They wouldn't hesitate to take half... nay, three fourth of what I offered.
But still, It was quite an effective method to get close with another person, so I took some nuts in my palm and stretched it in between Kevin and his friend. "Want some?" I offered.
They seemed startled at my offer and looked at each other. "Well, If you don't mind..." Then each of them proceed to take only three measly peanuts out of the bunch in my hand.
I wouldn't be bothered if they were to take all that was in my palm since I got much more...
I continued to enjoy the salty peanuts until the next class started.
****
After the recess, we studied English. Right when the English class ended at 12:00 came lunch period. Our English teacher, Mr. John, already wrapped things up 5 minutes before lunch period came, so the very minute after the bell rang students in my class would go out towards other classes to wait for their friends or the other way around. Some would also go together with available classmates to the prayer room, canteen, or the restroom, much like back then during recess.
I stood up from my seat and went to the prayer room with Azka, the guy seated behind Kevin. We parted ways from there, I returned to the classroom while he went to the canteen. When I returned to my seat I took out my lunchbox from my randsell. The menu was fried rice with maternal love sauce.
I was about to take a spoonful when Indah out of nowhere commented, "Cute lunchbox."
I was astonished. I'm not sure in what way she perceives it as cute. "It's just a regular cheap lunch box though?"
"Well yeah, I find it cute anyway." She said, "I'm surprised you're the type to bring a lunch box." She added while turning her chair towards me and put her lunch box on my desk.
"It's financially better." I said.
In my experience, it was uncommon to bring a lunch box. I'm not sure why, but it seems that students prefer to buy food from the canteen although it is not a healthier option.
"Right." She said with a grin on her face.
Indah opened her lunch box. Inside it was rice and cap cai and some sambal. The amount of the food was somewhat much more than I imagined, given that she has a slender body.
"Wanna try?" I offered her my fried rice.
"Why, thank you." She said as she took a spoonful of my fried rice towards her mouth.
"Delicious." She commented.
"Yep, my mom's a great cook."
Indah smiled at my bragging. "Try mine."
"Don't mind if I do." I said and took the cap cai in Indah's lunchbox.
What is this? This cap cai... it is at least on par with mother's. "Tastes good." I commented.
"Of course it is. I made it, afterall." Indah said, raising her head up with a smile so bright she even closed her own eyes.
"You made it yourself??" I said, astonished.
"So waifuable."
Me and Indah turned our heads towards the seat beside me. There's Kevin and an opened wrapper with rice and various veggies and a chili omelet on it. When did this guy appear? I didn't notice.
"waif... what?" Indah asked.
"It means you make a good wife." Kevin explained the alien term.
"Oh, that's so." Indah said, indifferent.
In a moment Sasa came in from outside the classroom and went straight to her desk besides Indah. "May I join?" She said rhetorically and took out her lunchbox from her randsell.
We continued our lunch while chatting until the bell rang for the next period.
And thus, just like that, a tablemate circle was born.
Or should it be called tablemate square?
****
Classes for today ended at 3 P.M, and it shall be the regular schedule throughout my school life. I packed my belongings in tune with my other classmates, then got up from my seat.
"Cleaning duty starts today, guys! Don't forget!" Indah, who was nominated as our class representative, shouted. Her voice reached throughout the classroom.
"Aaaaaaaye." Those on duty soullessly replied.
"Good." Indah said and left the classroom.
Well, my duty is on tuesday, so I could go home straight away. But before leaving, I gotta chitchat like a true Indonesian. "Going home?" I asked Kevin.
"Huh? No... I mean, yes..." He replied in a frantic.
I wonder why this guy's nervous all the time. Anyway, "I'm going to the busway station. Wanna walk with me?"
"Oh, um, my bro's gonna pick me up, so..." He said.
"Oh, alright. See you tomorrow, then. Bye"
"Bye."
****
Since Indah left earlier than me, obviously she would arrive at the busway station before me. I also expected that she would already take the bus, but ever since the first day of orientation I always met her.
"Hi, class rep." I greeted her, as usual.
She glanced at me for a second before returning her gaze at her phone. "Hi, classmate." She replied.
"Today was quite interesting, wasn't it?" I said.
"Mhm."
"Y'know, you became the class rep today..."
"Right."
And we were just chit chatting like that. When the bus came, we hopped onto it and continued our conversation.
"By the way, what you said earlier this morning weighed on me." I said.
"Which one?"
"Rumor about me."
Indah tilted her head for a bit, pondering about what to say. Then she looked at me for a while, and said, "You know, the longer I look at your face, the more intimidating you become."
Wow, that's a surprise. I don't remember someone ever saying that to me. I asked her, "So you believe it?"
"Can't confirm or deny it. I didn't even know you before. Someone just happened to tell me about it. Besides, if it's not true, it'll subside by itself eventually."
She got a point. But still, "It still might hinder me from making connections."
"So what? Just prove it wrong then. It's not like knowing about the rumor might help you in any way." She said.
... She made another sound argument that left me dazed. "Right. Thanks."
She formed a faint smile and tapped my shoulder. "Take it easy."
Then an awkward silence formed for a moment. Since I was uncomfortable with this awkwardness, I continued on with my chatter.
"Er, which student club are you going to join?"
"Journalist club, probably. How about you?"
"Handicraft."
Indah was seemingly confused, so she asked me, "Handi-...? You mean, sewing and stuff?"
"That's right."
She kept staring at me for a while with her open mouth slowly closing.
"Pfft." Then she made the sound of fart using her mouth, a result born from holding back a laughter.
Realizing that it was futile to hold it, she went into a burst of laughter. "Ahahaha!"
Some people in the bus stared at her due to her sudden laugh. Since I was also in their line of sight, it made me feel embarrassed, like I was the one making a scene. "Hey, stop. What's so funny?"
"Aha... no... it's that... ahaha!" She was about to say something, but her laughter didn't allow her to.
"It doesn't suit your face at all!" She said with a broad smile spanning between her red cheeks.
I was annoyed at her remark. However, I was plagued by her smile that it took shape on my face, burying the annoyed expression behind.
"Aight, nice guy. I believe you." She said while wiping her teardrop on her eyes. "You know what, I'll help you fight the rumor."
"It's not a big deal. You don't have to." I said.
"It's okay, I decided it by myself." She said, then clenched her fist in front of her chest. "Count on me."
"Thanks."
Not long after, the bus was nearing Indah's stopping point.
"See you tomorrow." She said, waving her hand.
"See ya."
When she exited the bus, I was impressed at how her back was showing that I can depend on her.