Miss. Arin was still disturbed by the sight she had seen recently in the hallway behind the school. Miss. Arin sat stunned at her table. Her mind wandered and kept thinking about Aruna.
''What happened to that child?''
''What did I see earlier? Could it be...?!''
"If that was true, what should I do?"
''Should I report it to the principal?'
''What am I gonna do this? Ugh... I got a headache... There's no way I can just leave it like that...''
''The exam is only a week away...''
Miss. Arin kept muttering, she was confused about what action she should take as a teacher to deal with Aruna's problem which she had been dealing with for six months. But, until today, she couldn't get anything from it. Meanwhile, the principal has also repeatedly reprimanded her.
The principal has repeatedly asked Miss. Arin and her homeroom teacher immediately took firm action regarding Aruna. However, Miss Arin asked to give Aruna another chance, considering this was her last year at junior high school.
*****
The trial exam has passed. The principal could no longer accept Miss Arin's excuses, because since Miss. Arin saw the incident where Aruna was fighting with several other students. Until now there is nothing that can be proven. Aruna also never admitted but also did not deny that she was being bullied at school. Apart from that, bullying is a very sensitive issue, the principal asked Miss. Arin to keep quiet and not make a big deal out of it because it will affect the good name of the school. The principal warned Miss. Arin, she can only reveal it if there is enough evidence regarding Aruna's bullying, and it will also be discussed amicably again so that it doesn't become big news.
Aruna was bullied at school... But why?
Why only now when she herself is in the third year of junior high school?
Miss Arin couldn't stop thinking about it. Because of her investigation, Aruna's school record at school was very good, both with teachers and with other students. To be more precise, Aruna's changes occurred when she was sick for almost two weeks at the end of her second grade.
And, Aruna's worst record of skipping school in third grade was during Indonesian language lessons, to be precise, and Miss Arin also began to suspect something. Because the Indonesian teacher is Aruna's homeroom teacher in second grade.
Miss. Arin had no other choice. The principal had urged Aruna's third-grade homeroom teacher to act decisively regarding Aruna. Miss. Arin secretly went to Aruna's house while Aruna was still at school and met Aruna's parents at their residence.
*****
''Assalamualaikum...''
''Wa alaikum salam...''
"Excuse ma'am, are you Aruna Hashifa's mother?"
''Yes. I'm her mother. What is it?''
"I'm Arin, ma'am, a teacher at Aruna's school."
''Oh yes, teacher, come in... please sit down!''
''Yes. Thank you, ma'am.''
''Sorry, what's wrong? This isn't like usual?''
''Yes... Sorry in advance, ma'am.''
**
Miss Arin told everything one by one about the events since she was appointed to guide Aruna. And what are the things that make Aruna have to be dealt with firmly by the school?
**
''Oh my God, ma'am! Pregnant?! Aborting the pregnancy?! Who? Aruna! That's impossible... Aruna can't be pregnant, ma'am... She wouldn't do inappropriate things that don't comply with religious norms..."
''I'm sorry ma'am. I'm also looking into it now. What's wrong and why? Unfortunately, to this day, Aruna hasn't said anything... That's why I'm here. I want you as Aruna's parent to also understand the problem and, hopefully, you will know what's going on at school. Aruna can be more open. Because only then, can we know what really happened to Aruna."
Aisyah's face immediately turned pale when she heard all the bad things about her daughter at school. Aisyah couldn't believe that her daughter was doing all that behind her back. Aisyah couldn't accept it all. Her body trembled and cold sweat began to drip from her temples. Unfortunately, Miss Arin, who had said goodbye to going home, didn't see any of that.
**
"Runa, let's go home together!" shouted Gavin, approaching Aruna. He, again, was waiting for Aruna in front of the school gate.
''Gavin! Why are you not your usual self? Now, you always come to me every time you come home from school," said Aruna with a frown, her eyes looking at Gavin, searching for information.
''Why? Don't you like it?! Am I bothering you?'' Gavin asked nonchalantly.
''No... it's not like that. Of course, you don't bother me... It's just that your behavior is strange."
''Don't hesitate to express it if I've bothered you! I'll get out of the way if you want to go home with your boyfriend."
''Boyfriend?!'' said Aruna, parroting with a surprised face in response to Gavin, ''Don't make things up, which boyfriend?!''
"If you're still single, that's fine... come home with me... I'm still single too," said Gavin, still acting nonchalantly.
''Yeah. Yeah, yeah... Fellow singles, let's go home together. You're shameless!'' Aruna exclaimed casually, replying as if Gavin was calm, ''Bachelor but very confident...'' she continued again with a teasing face.
''Whatever! I'm single but that won't harm anyone..." said Gavin as he walked away with Aruna obediently following behind him. Gavin and Aruna attend different schools but the location where they receive their education is in the same area.
What Gavin did was his instinct. As a man, he also felt that he placed himself as Aruna's older brother.
Gavin, by accident, once saw Aruna fighting with several students who looked as if they were ganging up on her. But, before he had time to approach Aruna, everything was over.
Several times, Aruna came home from school looking messy with crumpled and dirty clothes. But, Aruna always said that she fell. Gavin was starting to feel that something was wrong with the girl who had only been his sister for a few months. But, as a fellow teenager who has just hit puberty. Gavin tried to understand Aruna, who was just silent and didn't complain to her parents. But, as a man and also an older brother, he also didn't want to stay silent. At least when he comes home from school, he wants to protect his little sister.
''Runa! If you have a problem, don't keep quiet about it! Tell me what's the matter! Who knows, I can help."
"Ready, 86!..." shouted Aruna, replying teasingly to Gavin.
(''SIAP 86'', a reality television show about crime and police in Indonesia.)
"Damn! I'm not kidding, Runa... I'm serious," said Gavin, annoyed because Aruna was making fun of his good intentions.
''Hei! So do I, you morron...'' Aruna answered seriously, ''I know, you're kind to me, and I also really thank you for that... But, now I'm safe, I don't have any problems.''
''Did I say you have a problem right now? Listen, I'm just saying, if you have a problem, you can talk to me."
''Eh! Well... Um... I didn't say there was a problem either," said Aruna nervously, feeling bad for Gavin.
''Well, you... Just said, ''I'm safe now'', something fissy. That sounds like you were in trouble, something like that!'' said Gavin, still trying to investigate.
''No, I don't!'' exclaimed Aruna, immediately dismissing it, ''That's just how you feel... You're annoyed being a guy,'' Aruna added, trying to divert him. But, she was also happy. She knew that Gavin sincerely loved her as a sister.
''Idiot! That means I pay attention, you know!" said Gavin curtly.
''Yeah, yeah, the future ideal boyfriend...'' Aruna immediately answered Gavin, who was annoyed, with a smile hanging on his lips.
"Husband!" said Gavin, correcting Aruna's words.
"It's still a long way away!" Aruna shouted at Gavin. She didn't want to lose.
**