Four

05.30 AM

"I have to quickly take a shower, so I can immediately have breakfast with the fish curry I made for the first time." Lina's mind was filled with the delicacy of her fish curry, and she didn't realize that she entered the bathroom without taking the towel that was on the clothesline. He took a shower just like that, byuuur one dipper was able to wet his body. He took another dipper of water to flush his body to make it more fresh. Byuuurrr. He uses soap sparingly, "which is important soap" he thought. He washed his body again with some water in the dipper to wash off the remaining soap. "Aaahhh finally finished my bath too." he thought. And his hands searched for a towel in the bathroom hook, but there was none.

"Towel, where's my towel."

"Oops, lest I forgot to bring a towel"

"Oh yeah, my towel is in the clothesline." he said while patting his forehead.

"Lina, why is Lina really careless? So don't rush to take a quick shower, the effect is like this, you forgot to bring the towel. How will this be Lin?" Lina cursed to herself.

"Aha, just put on the clothes just now. Eh but you're sure Lin, those are dirty clothes, smells of kitchen smoke. It's better than nothing, it's urgent anyway." Heart debate.

Lina immediately put on her dirty clothes the other way around, so that her body would not follow the smell of smoke. He left the bathroom with his right foot first, then his left. It is said that the elders in his village, if you don't leave the bathroom with your right foot first, the devil will follow you.

"Lin, hurry up and change into your school uniform, then have breakfast with mom." shouted Mrs. Heni from the dining table left by her husband, even though it was worn out but still well maintained.

"Yes ma'am, five more minutes."

Lina hurriedly took the school uniform from the cupboard, not forgetting her favorite white socks which had now turned a slightly yellowish-brown color.

"Oh my God, my youth was really tragic, I couldn't feel the warmth of my father's love since I was little. I have many siblings, but I don't feel sad, I only have one pair of socks and they are already yellow. Oh, fate." He said while shaking his head.

"Aah never mind, why curse fate. The world always spins, not as long as it's always at the bottom, and it's not always always at the top. Indeed, right now my mother and I are at the bottom. Who knows when I grow up, my life and my mother will be able to change for the better. It's better now to focus on wearing uniforms, then having fish curry breakfast with mother." Lina said excitedly.

After wearing the uniform, Lina came out to the dining table. He found that his favorite mother had prepared rice in a basket, fish curry in a basin, plates and spoons, and drinking water.

"Mother." Lina greeted her mother by tapping her mother's shoulder.

"Oh my God Lina, don't be like that, I'm not surprised."

"Hehehe, kidding mom."

"Already sit down, here's breakfast." Mrs. Heni held out a plate filled with rice and fish curry with a splash of curry sauce on it.

"Hmmm, smells good." Lina said while receiving the plate from her mother.

Not even five minutes, Lina's meal was almost finished. But, suddenly a familiar voice called out to him from the front yard.

"Lina, Lina, Linaaaa. Let's go." Fika's voice called Lina

"Gosh, you just came Fik. What time is it? Maybe it's already 6.15 in the morning huh? Oops, I haven't finished my breakfast yet."

"Calm down Lin, calm down. It's still 6:00 am."

"Who is Lin? Fika huh?" Mrs. Heni asked Lina from inside the house.

"Yes ma'am, Fika."

"Come in first, Fik, let's join us for breakfast. Lina was learning how to cook, let's try Fika's cooking." Mrs. Heni said as she approached Fika in front of the house.

"Hmm, yes ma'am. Fika is coming in."

Fika is like a sister to Lina, Mrs. Heni also treats Fika like her own child. And Fika also calls Mrs. Heni more often as mother, rather than aunt. Without any hesitation, Fika went straight to the kitchen to grab a plate and headed for the dining table.

"Hmmm, this smells good ma'am."

"Yes Fik, eat as much as you want. If the fish run out, later this afternoon I'll let Lina find more fish in the ditch. hahahah"

"I'll follow you to the moat this afternoon, Lin."

"Yes, we can find as many fish as possible."

"Come on, don't talk all the time. Later Lin won't finish eating. Fika, hurry up and eat it, if it's cold the curry won't taste good."

"Ready 45 ma'am."

"Hmmm delicious, I swear the curry is really delicious. Is this really Lina's cooking, ma'am? It tastes really similar to your mother's chicken curry."

"Yes, Fik, that's what Lina cooks. From now on, Lina has to learn to cook. If you want to learn how to cook, mother can teach you too."

"Want, want ma'am. I want to join in learning how to cook with Lina, okay?"

"That's fine, we'll cook it this afternoon, for dinner. We'll change the menu, but we'll still use fish."

"What's on the menu, ma'am?"

"Pepes fish."

"Yeeeyyyy, great. I like spicy fish." Fika exclaimed happily.

The wall clock showed 06.10 am, a sign that soon Lina and Fika had to go to school. After finishing breakfast, the two of them helped clear the dining table. Put leftover food in a serving lid, and don't forget to wash dirty dishes after use.

Fika and Lina have to go to school at 06.15 am even though school starts at 07.00 am. This is because their school is located on the border of the village which is about 1,000 meters away and there is not enough money to take public transportation. They walk to school every day, even though they are always covered in sweat, they never complain.

"Eh Lin, look there is a chameleon child on a leaf, green is cute."

"Yeah, it's funny, look at Fik's mother. It's brown because it stuck to a tree trunk."

"Yeah, it's funny, I wish I could change color like a chameleon. It's really funny."

"Hust, you can't do that Fik. Do you really want your skin to turn black like charcoal? Or turn red like a pomegranate?"

"Iiiiiiihhhh, God forbid, don't do it. I don't want to lose my olive skin, the dream of these Caucasians."

"That's why, just be grateful for what you are Fik, in life we ​​must be given strengths and weaknesses by God. And that's what keeps our lives balanced and running as it should. So those who want something we can never have."

"Yes Lin, you are right."

The sound of transport horns and trucks transporting palm fruit accompanied them on their way to school. Added to this is the view of Mount Marapi which is so dashing and also spans the sky, the sound of sparrows calling makes the village even more beautiful. Imperceptibly, Fika and Lina had entered the school gate. Suddenly the sound of a bicycle startled Fika.

"Kring, ring, ring. Fika." Zain's voice coincides with the sound of his bicycle.

"Hey Zain."

"Yeah Fik, I'll go first. Bye." Zain goes ahead of them both and waves his hand.

"Bye Zain." Fika replied by waving her hand as well.

"You know him Fik? New kid huh?"

"Yes, he just moved yesterday. And on the same bench as me, Lin. His name is Zain Arinal Sianipar."

"Oh, you're a Batak, aren't you? But he's polite."

"Yes Lin, he's very polite. I'll tell you later during the break. Let's meet at the library."

"Ok Fik, I'll go to class first okay."

"Yes Lin, bye." Fika said with a wave of her hand.

"Bye Fik." Lina replied by waving as well.