Slowly closing the distance

Riki laughed. "It'll save your money if you go back home with me, Ta."

Jder!

Suddenly there was the loud sound of thunder after fast lightning. Looked up starting that gloomy clouds made me snort. If take more time in school or kept arguing with that guy just will make me be caught in the rain.

"Are you sure still want to resist? Let's go, I also have raincoats tho," he asked again as if he didn't care that I even still have millions of ways to reject him.

Snorted passively as there was no other choice that I can pick. I just nodded lightly at the end.

"Alright, the flirt from a handsome boy like me is probably working, isn't it?" Again, with that waspish face, he flirted with me and made me hold my laugh till death.

Like yesterday, he put on the helmet on me. Not spoiled, but I really can't do it myself.

It's almost thirty minutes of riding, we arrived in front of our house. Gazing around, why the sky is so bright again? While there was so gloomy earlier?

"It looks like if you took public transportation, the rain will fall, Ta. But because you come with me, the rain didn't want to fall!" Riki said in his high confidence.

But that praised-self face of him made me laugh instead.

"Nonsense. How are there any things like that?" Answered me as I laughed in tickled.

"Anyway, it's almost dawn, you better go home or else you get scolded by Refi," I said.

"Tsk, I send you home, yet you chase me out like this. Do you need Refi's number? If you are bored of studying, you can chat with her," he said, but he offered his phone.

Again, I laughed. I took out the phone from my pocket.

"Where's the number? Let me chat with her first later," I said, mustering up the courage.

Even my phone had a group of my classmates, but there was no single number that was saved. To know their identity, I just need to read their username or look at their profile picture.

Riki grinned, I know that's not what he wants.

"Fine, lost!"

"I'm the one who asked, Ta! You smiled like that means you know right? Come on, just give me your number, please?"

Saw him put on a hungry-kitty face like that on purpose, unknowingly I laughed again. Ahh, this guy, how can he act all cute like that?

"Fine, give me your phone," I decided. Instantly I typed some number on his phone and dialed that.

The ring of my phone that showed up his number made Riki smile widely.

"Thank you, Baby!"

Ba-- what was that again?

He called me... Baby?

I remembered that someone has called me like that. If you're too easy to get on, then he will let you go as he wishes.

"I'm going, thank you!" Riki said as he turn aside.

Realizing that he hadn't helped me to take off the helmet, suddenly I sulked. Right then, in the end, my helper land her hand as she laughed randomly.

Ah, she is also good at making me sulk.

Tring!

As I went to open the door, there was a message from an anonymous sender.

08XX

'P'

'Ta!'

'I'm sorry, I forgot to help you earlier. Can you take it off? If you can't, I will go there directly, but I've arrived home anyway.'

Saw that three messages are just enough for me to understand that he does that on purpose so that he has topics to chit-chat about.

Reply to 08XX

'I can, my helper landed her hands.'

Just one answer is probably enough. It's time for a bath tho, my head feels so hot because I've been thinking about so many things.

I strip randomly. Sitting down under a dripping shower made my heart and soul cooler than earlier. Ah, it was so relaxing. It's a relief that I've locked up my room too.

The thing like yesterday when Riki suddenly come up won't happen again.

"His face is such a waspish, isn't he?" asked me to no one.

It was almost two hours I stayed in that position. Then I get out when my naked body felt freezing. It's like a habit, after showering, I didn't put on clothes directly.

Waiting for minutes. Or maybe I'll cuddle under the blanket right after. Wake up at nine pm, eat, and study.

"So boring," I mumbled.

There's no stable routine. I just wake up and eat as my belly wish. Sometimes this bad behavior of mine had Mrs. in trouble for sure, but that woman still hanging there. She wouldn't leave even when her salary was just a piece of paper and had a hard time taking care of me.

But because of her kindness, I felt pleased. At least there is still a person who waits for me in this house. When I'm home, there's a warm welcome. While I'm tired, there's a shoulder to lean on peacefully.

It felt good to say all that sincerely. I bend over and set myself under the blanket. However, I just wanna sleep this time. Whatever will happen later or tomorrow must have been planned by God.

I'll just follow the flow if I can, but opposing it and fighting it is the only way that my life can go as I want. Because everyone always thinks that their way is the right thing, aren't they?

***

"Good morning, Mrs." I greeted

Last night I woke up at half-past two. I was too lazy to get on the bed again that I decided to study. I know I probably won't get the first place, but at least I should go in the top ten of the class for myself.

"Wow, your enthusiasm dazzled my eyes hahaha. Will you go with Riki again?"

Got that answer, I shook my head quickly. Since last night my phone went out. Actually, I turn that off on purpose while charging because there's nothing special. Who the hell will search for me in the night tho?

"Nope. I will take the bus instead. What do you cook?" I asked while take a seat.

"Vegetable soup, I gave it much of broccoli. You like it, aren't you?" Mrs. Answered.

I smiled widely in response. Right, I like broccoli that much because it's so tasty. It's like I don't need else. Cabbage, carrot, be and, and potato is just parasites. They're distracting, but since Mrs. didn't take that out, sometimes I just force myself to eat that.

"Rista?"

"Your father will be home later, I mean pass by," said Mrs. awkwardly.

I froze in silent. "Is it the time?" I asked

"Right," answered her.

"Your grades are good tho, so I'm fully confident that will be safe. Don't look at me that way. There's no way my salary get cut up again," said Mrs. surely.

She do sure of that, but I didn't. Papa isn't that easy person nowadays.

If my grade went bad, my pocket money for one year ahead will be cut up badly. Even though I didn't use money that much, everything will stay still on my nest egg. But, Mrs. needs the money for monthly shopping.

"If your salary gets cut off because he thinks you're not good at taking care of me, we will use my pocket money from the last year!"

Mrs. giggled. "Dear, all of your grades are good, tho."

The system now is that Papa will come by once a year. My grade will take part to decide my pocket money. That's why focusing in the class, and understanding all the materials are better than working all day and night.

At least I should feel grateful because they still take good care of me.

"Right, just for the anticipation we create a new account. Mrs? Don't leave me, will you?"

"Being alone is painful, Mrs ...."

To be continued...