Ani and Rossa kept arguing for over an hour. Neither of them wanted to back down. Eventually, someone had to step in to break them up as they started pulling each other's hair.
Aldo, who heard the commotion outside, felt disturbed. This wasn't the first time he had heard such noise outside his classroom. Usually, a lot of girls fought just to meet Aldo, but he never wanted to see them. As a result, many ended up fighting (that's how crazy they were for Aldo 😅).
"What's going on out there, Do?" asked Radit.
"No idea," Aldo replied indifferently.
"Probably your fans. Try going out there, maybe they'll quiet down. My ears are ringing from all the noise."
"Tch… like I'd waste my time on that kind of thing," Aldo said, folding his arms.
"Just this once, please! I promise I'll treat you to food after school."
"Hahaha, do you really think that offer will work on me? Just so you know, I could treat you and everyone in this school if I wanted to," Aldo said, laughing at the end of his sentence.
"Just leave it. They'll probably quiet down eventually."
Meanwhile, Lena stepped in to break up Ani and Rossa. After being separated, both girls walked away with their own groups of friends. Their hair was visibly messy from the fight.
"Hey, you!!!" Rossa pointed at Lena.
"This is all your fault! It was our business from the start, and now you're interfering!"
"Just wait, your punishment is still coming."
"Let's get out of here," Rossa said to her group, walking away.
Lena walked away with her two friends, heading to the school clinic to treat Ani's scratched-up face from Rossa's nails.
"I'm sorry, Ni. You ended up like this because of me."
"It's okay, don't talk about it anymore. You're not at fault. And remember, if they ever bother you again, just tell me."
"But I still feel responsible. I started it."
"But it wasn't on purpose, right? That means all you need to do is apologize. You don't deserve to be treated like that."
"Thank you so much, Ni. If you hadn't come, I would've been humiliated."
"Yeah, yeah, you're welcome. Don't be so formal like we're strangers." They hugged.
Lina watched with a happy smile, feeling grateful to have such caring friends who always helped each other in times of need.
A few hours later, the school bell rang. Students rushed out of their classrooms to go home.
But Lena seemed gloomy. She dragged her feet, dreading the thought of going home. She was scared her parents would be shocked if they were called to the school to meet with the homeroom teacher and principal. She couldn't bear the thought of her parents being humiliated, especially if it was because of her.
Lena walked on, deep in thought, not even realizing someone was calling out to her.
"Lena... Miss Lena…" someone called.
Hearing her name, Lena looked around and saw Mr. Wawan waving at her. She quickly walked over to him.
"Yes, Sir? Why did you call me?" she asked politely.
"I've been calling you for a while, my voice is about to go hoarse," said Mr. Wawan, coughing slightly.
"Sorry, Sir… I didn't hear you. I was lost in thought," Lena replied with a small laugh.
"You shouldn't daydream while walking, child. You might bump into something. So, tell me, what's troubling you? Is it a crush? Schoolwork? Or unpaid school fees?" Mr. Wawan asked.
Lena hesitated. Should she tell the truth about her worries?
"Eh, daydreaming again! I just told you not to!" Mr. Wawan said, nudging her arm.
"Um… Sir, I've been worrying about the parent-teacher meeting. I'm scared my parents will be upset. This isn't the first time the school has called them," she answered, on the verge of tears.
Mr. Wawan felt sympathy for her. He'd heard many complaints from students—about love, parents' jobs, or lack of attention—but not many about poverty. Lena was different. She wasn't just struggling financially, she was polite, beautiful even without makeup, and more intelligent than most students. But her life circumstances hid all that.
"Don't worry too much. It'll probably just be another warning," he said, gently patting her head.
"But Sir, three months ago the principal said the school fees had to be paid before final exams. If not, I might get expelled. I'm scared, Sir. I want to reach my dreams and make my parents proud," Lena said, crying.
"Okay, I'll talk to the principal to see if we can work something out. But you have to promise me you'll keep studying hard to chase your dreams," he said, encouraging her.
"Really, Sir?! Thank you so much! You're the best teacher I've ever had. I already think of you as my second father. Thank you again!" Lena said, hugging him.
"Alright, then bring your parents to school tomorrow. I'll talk to them."
"Yes, Sir. I'll go home now," Lena said, extending her hand for a respectful goodbye.
"Be careful on your way home, child."
"You too, Sir. Don't speed! Bye-bye!" she said, waving.
Mr. Wawan smiled warmly. Out of all his students, Lena had the best manners and character.
He, too, headed home as the day began to turn to evening.
Meanwhile, Lena was picked up by her father, who arrived wearing clothes stained with mud from the fields. Lena smiled—she saw those work clothes every day.
"Hello, my beautiful princess! How was school today? Fun or not?" her father asked, handing her a helmet.
"It was fun, Dad, though there was a bit of drama," Lena replied with a laugh.
"What happened, sweetie? Did someone bother you? If anyone dares hurt my daughter, I'll take them on myself!" her father said, full of fire.
Oh right—let's get to know Mr. Angga.
#Flashback on#
Mr. Angga adopted Lena several years ago from an orphanage. At that time, Lena was just a baby in need of a family. Mr. Angga and his wife had been married for ten years but had never been blessed with a child.
Mrs. Fitri, Lena's adoptive mother, had gone to a doctor who told her she was infertile. Both she and her husband were devastated, but they accepted it as fate.
Still desperate for a child, they visited an orphanage near their home. There, they saw many children of all ages. Among them, a tiny newborn caught Mrs. Fitri's eye—so young, her eyes hadn't even opened yet. She guessed the baby had just been abandoned.
"Honey, how about we take that one? She looks like she really needs a family," she said.
"Alright, if that's what you want, let's take her," Mr. Angga replied.
Once home, they bathed and cleaned baby Lena with all the care and love in the world. While cleaning her shoulder, they noticed a large round birthmark. They guessed it was something passed down from Lena's biological parents.
#Flashback off#
To be continued...