After school, Rinda, a new student who happened to be my elementary school friend from the next class, invited me to study together. I didn't agree at first, but because I thought Rinda was a good and diligent girl, I said yes.
Little did I know, it was part of Tania's cunning plan to trap me.
**
"Hi, guys. Here, Chia's here! Let's welcome her" Rinda said to her friends. They were all being nice to me. Until finally, Tania started talking about Brandon, her ex who was crazy about me in junior high school.
"Here, eat a lot of delicious food. Don't eat your own friends anymore."
I paused for a moment, "Tan, I thought this problem was over a long time ago. Why is it still being brought up again?"
"Will all problems be solved with an apology? The pain is still there, you know!"
"Tan, I found out that you had a relationship with Brandon. Brandon didn't say anything to me. Anyway, now our relationship has ended a long time ago. Is it still not enough for you?"
"I thought you were my best friend, Chi. Even though I knew you were a slut, I didn't expect you to snatch Brandon, the guy I like. "
Everyone in the place turned to look at me sarcastically.
"I'm not a prostitute. Stop spreading slander about me!" my hand flew away, sliding down his cheek.
Everyone was shocked. Rumors came out of their mouths. Meanwhile, Tania did not budge. Slowly tears fell from her eyes.
"INSTEAD OF APOLOGIZING, YOU SLAPPED SOMEONE! You have no sense of decency!" exclaimed Fara, from behind.
"GO THERE! BASTARD WOMAN!" others cheered.
I turned to Rinda, she looked at me sarcastically. "Okay. I guess I'm meant to be alone..." I thought. Without saying a word, I left the place...
**
I went to the park. Sitting around the pond, staring at the clouds, daydreaming about the things that happened in my life. "I guess I'm just not lucky in any way. Family, love, friendship, school, and also economic problems. God, it's so hard. I want someone who can make me calm, without having to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes. " I muttered softly.
I took a deep breath, holding back the tears from spilling down my cheeks. I looked back at the pond. I watched the fish there. Swimming here and there, it cheered me up a bit.
"I wish I could be a fish. Just eat, sleep, and blubub blubub..." said someone beside me.
Suddenly I laughed, then turned to my side. "What the blubub-blububub try..." before I could continue my sentence, I was stunned to see the figure that was not sing. Mas Lana.
"Well, that's right, laughing will release stress. Don't pout all the time."
"Did he hear my mumbling earlier? " I mused to myself.
"Hey! Why are you daydreaming? Here, some bread to feed the fish." He said as he handed me a piece of bread.
I smiled, took a piece of bread, and threw it at the school of fish.
"Isn't it good to be a fish? All you do is eat, sleep and blubub blubub doang, hahaha"
"Yes, I want to be a fish too. But I don't want to be fried!"
"Even if it's fried, fish is still beneficial for those who eat it, right?"
"Yes, anyway...."
"Our lives are the same. Even if we die, if we can still benefit others, our death will not be in vain."
"Is fish happy when it's fried?"
"I don't know hahaha. I'm not a fish."
We laughed together.
"But, I think I'll be happy if I'm useful to others." Suddenly a sad look appeared on her face. I was confused, isn't that what everyone wants?
We wandered around the park, and eventually returned to the flat.
Before I went into my house, I heard her say and hand me a small piece of paper, "Life's problems are hard to bear alone. I feel that way sometimes, too. I may not know what your problems are, but if you need help, call me. Here's my phone number."
I was silent again. Watching him enter his house.
**
Lana's POV
Coming home from college, I felt so tired. Assignments from lecturers that were getting crazy, groups that couldn't work together, made Lana want to throw all the proposal papers into the middle of the road. Annoyed, I bought some bread from the cafeteria and ate half of it. Then I remembered the pond in the park near the flat. I thought the fish would like it if I gave them bread. So, I bought another packet of bread, hopped on Uncle's borrowed motorcycle, sped off to the park near the flat to feed the fish, as a sense of stress relief.
I parked my bike in the flat's parking lot, then walked to the park. The green scenery was really soothing to the eyes, enough to clear my mind after the drama of a bad lecture. I finally arrived at the garden pond. The atmosphere was quiet, there was only one girl who was daydreaming on the edge of the pond. I stood beside her. She still didn't realize that there was someone else next to her.
I took the bread out of my jacket, took a small piece and threw it to the schools of fish in the pond. The fish immediately devoured the bread, their mouths wide open as if they wanted more bread. I tossed it to another corner, they immediately swarmed the pieces of bread, some of them looking for the remnants of bread by swimming here and there.
Faintly, I heard the girl say, 'I guess I'm not lucky in any way. Family, love, friendship, school, and also economic problems. God, it's so hard. I want someone who can calm me down, without having to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes. '
After looking up at the sky, his gaze now went to the fish. Her face remained gloomy. I don't know why my heart ached to hear her words just now. I took the initiative to cheer her up by whispering a little humor in her ear. It turned out that she laughed crisply. She turned to me, then fell silent for a moment. Thankfully, at least I could make her happy even if only for a moment.
I offered her some bread to feed the fish together, and we ended up chatting and joking while walking around the garden after feeding the fish. I had almost forgotten an important routine of mine. I ended the walk that afternoon. As we were about to enter our respective homes, I gave the girl my phone number, so that she could contact me at any time. Because I know, struggling alone is painful.
**
The next morning, I got a phone call from a number I didn't recognize. I ignored it. "It's just a stray number" I said.
I continued to ignore the call, until someone knocked on the front door. With unsteady steps, I approached the source of the sound.
"Hoahm... who are you with and what do you need?" I asked while rubbing my eyes.
A girl in a neat uniform stood there holding a phone.
"Huh, no answer!"
Chia snorted in annoyance.
"Eh? It was you who called. Sorry, I haven't saved your number yet. I thought it was a stray number, hahaha"
His face remained sullen, while the girl crossed her arms.
"What's the need?"
"You'll be busy, won't you? I want to tell you when I have free time."
"Hmm..."
I thought for a moment. I remembered my empty class schedule today.
"Oh, no. I just happen to be off today. "
"Alright, later. After school. At the park."
"Okay, miss. My pleasure."
She smiled, then excused herself to go to school.
**
CHIA'S POV
"Never mind Chi, there's no need to respond to children like that. Tania is a rich person's daughter, while we are commoners." Heri said while listening to my story about Tania's attitude yesterday.
"The problem is that he keeps spreading slander. I don't like being looked at sarcastically by everyone as if I'm the one at fault. In fact, Brandon was the one who savagely acted against me!"
"Chia, what can we do? We have no power to fight them. It's better for you to keep quiet. With the news of you hitting Tania, everyone will dislike you even more. But don't worry, the gang and I will protect you. Even though we're not in the same class, I'll make sure the rumors about you don't spread to my class. Now take it easy. Once you get to class, just act normal. Remember, keep quiet." Heri spoke to me at length.
I paused. Why is the world unfair? Just because they are rich, they can do what they want! I thought to myself.
However, a minute later I realized, my steps had stopped. "Yes. A poor person like me shouldn't act like that. Let alone dealing with people like them, I guess it's my fault. It's my fault for being born like this."[]