Chapter 02

After the ceremony, Mentari Jingga was still standing on the school grounds, facing the flagpole.

The girl was punished by Senja Alexandro to salute the red-and-white flag for forgetting to wear a tie. Unfortunately, the only one who broke today's rules was Mentari herself. Senja was really satisfied to punish the naughty and tomboyish girl. Senja sat on a chair that he had brought from inside the teacher's room, then placed it near the flagpole, facing Mentari, who had a sullen face and was hot at the same time. Sweat dripped down her beautiful face, but Senja didn't care. It is his obligation and duty as a teacher, as well as BK, to discipline students who do not comply with school rules. Senja sat with his right leg crossed to his left, while reading a novel.

Mentari snorted.

"Sir," called Mentari with a annoyed tone. "How long will it take for me to take this punishment? It's really hot, Sir! Maybe you are feeling good, sitting there, blocked by the leaves from the tree beside you. But, me? I'm staring directly at the sun, Sir! I'm thirsty! My throat is really dry, Sir."

Senja lifted his face from the novel he was reading. Seeing that, Mentari immediately glanced at the cover of the novel, because Senja had just closed that fiction book. Mentari's eyebrows raised one. Your addictive lips? Mentari thought, then shuddered. Imagine what the contents of the novel would be if the title alone was such a mess. Is it okay for a teacher to read an adult novel like this?

"I'm an adult, Mentari. My age is allows me to read any adult literature. Not only reading, but also films and so on."

Mentari stares and blinks. Now, Senja crossed his arms and raised one eyebrow. The face and gaze looked flat, as if Senja was not interested with Mentari and did not care about her. Well, yeah, Mentari also doesn't want to be the center of attention from Senja Alexandro. Yaiks, gross. But, at least, Mentari was hoping that Senja will cares a little bit about her! Give her a drink or something! Mentari didn't mind being made to stand here for another ten or fifteen minutes, or even half an hour. But, please, at least give her a drink!

DRINK!

"How can you know what I'm thinking?!" exclaimed Mentari. She forgot her desire to drink, even though she had been shouting in her heart wanted Senja to give her something to drink. "You can read other people's minds, right?! You are a pervert!"

Senja snorted and massaged the bridge of his nose. "Mentari, since when are people who can read minds called perverts? And, no. I can't read people's minds. You are like an open book, Mentari. What do you think, is clearly shown on the look on your face." The man then stood up and approached Mentari. His tall body towered in front of Mentari who was still sullen and forced to look up. Her hands had been sore from being asked to salute since ten minutes ago, now she had to look up to be able to look at Senja. She wonder, how come there are humans as tall as giraffes like this? "Why did you forget to wear a tie on Monday? You know that every Monday there is always a flag ceremony, right?"

"Sir Senja, if you forgot something, then it means you don't remember. If I remember wearing a tie, I can't be alone with you on the school field like this to enjoy the hot sun." Mentari clicked her tongue in annoyance, making Senja nod his head while rubbing his chin.

"Makes sense,"

"Do you think I am stupid, Sir?" Mentari grumbled. "Sir, look at this, my sweat is really big, just like a popcorn!"

"Where? I don't see any popcorn on your face."

Arrrgh! Can she curse on people? It's a sin, isn't it? The problem is, her hands are itching so much, she wants to hit this annoying teacher from hell in front of her. At least, let her grab a little hair of his hair. Small sins are okay, too. The important thing is that her desire to make Senja Alexandro suffer is succeed. "That's an analogy, Sir! You're a teacher, right? Don't you know an analogy like that?"

"As long as I have lived and been a teacher for the past two years, I have never heard of the term like that." Senja shrugged and nodded his head. "Maybe I'm out of date?"

"Sir, if I hit you, you will hit me back, won't you?" asked Mentari in an annoyed tone, causing Senja to raise an eyebrow. "I swear, Sir, I can't stand the urge to make you not talk too much anymore. And I'm thirsty! Thirsty, sir! I can go crazy!"

Senja was silent for a moment, then he bent down a little so he could whisper something in Mentari's ear.

"Mentari Jingga, don't ever play with me, because I don't like games. And again, if you dare to play with me or piss me off and such, toy with me or carry out whatever rotten plans you have in your small brain—"

"Whoa—"

"—I'm sure you'll regret asking me to play." Senja straightened his body again, then smiled. A mocking smile. Then, Senja lowered Mentari's hand, which was still saluting the red and white flag, then rubbed Mentari's head. Of course the seventeen year old girl immediately took a step back and put on a wary attitude. Seeing that, Senja immediately thought of a stray cat that was hissing because it was approached by a human. "You can go to class now."

Mentari did not answer and hurriedly took her backpack which was near the flagpole. She hugged the backpack as if it was something that would prolong her life. Mentari turned around and rushed to the stairs so she could go straight to her classroom on the second floor. However, not long after, Mentari returned to Senja who was tidying the chair and intending to enter the teacher's room. The twenty-five-year-old man stared blankly at Mentari who was standing in front of him again and still wore her stray cat-like alert attitude.

"Why did you come back again? Do you still want to be punished by me?"

You wish, Mentari grumbled in her heart. "Sir, I'm thirsty! I forgot to bring a drink from home too. Can I go to the cafeteria for a moment? Just to buy a drink. Ice tea or cold mineral water. The first lesson is your class, right? Just give me a little time to buy a drink and rest while finishing the drink. Please?"

Senja took a deep breath and made a hand gesture to ward off Mentari. He didn't forget to nod his head, giving Mentari his permission to go to the canteen for a while.

"Thank you, teacher from hell!" shouted Mentari. The girl ran, laughing. And Senja dared to bet, Mentari thought he didn't heard what her sentence just now.

"You troublesome girl," Senja grumbled. Feeling unlucky to have a tomboyish student like Mentari.