Chapter 1 - School

The hallways are grey marble floors and white walls, the doors are wooden made painted in black numbered with silver digits that match the globe shaped handles. I hesitantly walk up to

the door with the small XII –IS –C nailed above it, checking the paper sheets in my hand cause the teacher might need me to show it to her once I enter the classroom. I slowly open the door, the teacher stops talking, my heart beats faster, adrenaline floods my system, I know how stupid I am cause I woke up too late today. I’m honestly lazy to come to school but not always.. I mean sometimes, not because of school bullying or else… it’s because I’m tired of playing game all night.

I adjust my glasses and step in. The teacher with wide and thick glasses in brown skirt and white shirt then walk towards me, lifting her palm and shaking her fingers.

“Valerian, you are late! Where are your homeworks?”

I lifted my paper –sheets, “Done” I said. Then the teacher took it with her, let me seated in my place beside Bobby. The teacher then continue her explanation about the history of Candi Borobudur.

“How’s your rank?” asked Bobby. We are talking about Dota (game).

*“Now Divine*, on the way to Immortal” I exclaimed.

“Great! Damn! I just watched the new chapter of Boruto yesterday. That was amazing”

“Send it to me! Gonna bring you my flashdisk tomorrow”

“Sure”

“OH GOD! STUDENT! PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS! THIS IS GOING TO BE YOUR EXAM!” yelled the teacher. But yeah, the students in XII –IS –C never pay any attention to our History teacher, cause she is too nice and gentle. They say school is a place where students go to learn. For us, school is where we have fun every day.

In the back of the classroom, a gang of troublesome teenagers unwillingly wearing the school uniform could be seen performing the rebellious act of not completely button up their shirt until their neck, the ties are gone, they are always against the school’s policies. Outside the school, they are car racers at somewhere else I don’t know, they always appeared in branded stuffs and pretty girlfriends. True gangster of the class.

In the corner of the classroom, there’s a gang of fck –boys, who tend to joke and talk every time. They snorted loudly as they laughed while wheezing constantly, yep they mostly talk about girls.

In the middle of the classroom there’s a gang of queen bees. The gang with 7 pretty girls combing

their hair, full make up on, always pretty like a group of girl –band. They pulled out their prohibited mobile phones and the sound of camera shutters clicking against each other filled the room, as they sexily posed for the picture using beauty camera.

In the front part of the classroom, there’s me and my friends. The nerd gang to be exact. We always have fun, capture each other’s weird expression then turned them into memes in our group chat. We used to play and joke with only ourselves’ understanding, so other student might think we are weird. But I never doubt that, cause I prefer being nerd rather than fck –boy or the gangster. I and my 9 friends are always together, eating lunch together, breakfast together, hang out together, watch movies together. Just everywhere… My high school is beautiful.

Paper airplanes are being manufactured with great precision at one end of the classroom and flown to the other end, hitting several annoyed children on the way and earning a good amount of foul-mouthed words in return.

Tiere is there every time I turn around, she is always sleepy during class, she sits with Velly, the

selfie girl, I honestly don’t really like Velly cause she is very clingy but it doesn’t matter that she joins our gang since the queen bees always try to outwit her cause she is from a very rich family, that’s why she became close to Tiere, a friend that never care how rich or poor you are.

Tiere and I has the same taste of joke, everything I said had been funny, intelligent and witty. She had courted my opinions but always challenge my assertions. Tiere is sometimes so embarrassing cause she used to talk very loudly, she isn’t pretty or clever, she is just very creative, that’s her! Lots of guys are after her, but mostly… hu uh.. they are the worst guy from the part of the Mars.

And I?

I am the tall nerd guy who plays game all the time. I and Tiere get along together since grade school, because we are always in the same class. Such a rare coincidence.

Anyway, there’s Misha after Tiere and Velly. Misha sits in front of me, the nerd Anime girl, she is clever and very helpful. She helps my exams, cause I always find difficulties in Math.. like everytime.

*The others are boys -Jamie, Willis, Timothy, Dave, Hugo, Bobby.. and they are all OTAKU. Sometimes I feel a little bit normal than them, it doesn’t mean I hate Anime*, I do watch Naruto, Bleach, and else. But not the PORN. Ah come on, how can a cartoon porn turns you on? I still prefer real life porn anyway.

That’s how our friendship looks like. But still I’m the closest friend to Tiere, the tomboy. She never quits her thick eyebrows and her big rounded glasses. She likes thai –boxing so much that cause her bruises everywhere, sometimes on her arm or thighs, or sometimes in the face which is ridiculous. She is kinda messy, mostly shares her love and life stories including her messy family issues. But yeah, Tiere is a very strong girl, she hates my pity and she won’t let me help her. She is always independent by herself, I am proud of her. I remember when we were in grade school, her mom and my mom used to be close friends, sometimes I sleepover her house and she did the same in the other time. But come on, don’t think

dirty. We were still innocent that time, we know nothing about sex. So don’t get me wrong, I always keep Tiere’s privacy. I don’t want to hurt or touch her in the negative way, cause I and Tiere are bestfriends. We should look after

each other right? Taking benefits from our friendship will make me a jerk, I might have to carry the sin until I die which is horrible.

Since we graduated from high school, I and Tiere lost contact.

Her Instagram isn’t contactable, I don’t know how long she hasn’t log in to her account, she never showed up online too. Her last online is about 2 years ago. Her Line ID isn’t contactable, I

sent a lot of text messages but she never got to read them, maybe she changed her account and her Instagram ID? I don’t know. Cause she didn’t post any picture too, she’s like.. disappear from this world. Sometimes I wonder where is she or how is she doing right now.

One day, I was quiet shocked when she shared a new photo on her Instagram.

Like after 2 and half years…

She was kinda messy during high school, but yeah her new picture is not startling me either. She posted a new picture without her face, covered in flowers or… taken from her back. Like what the hell Tiere.

Back in High School, she was always with her rounded glasses and thick eyebrows on, she does look like a cat that’s why we called her cat –girl, plus she loves cat so much. Everything is cat in her bedroom, she told me her underwears too. The only difference I notice is her hair, they grown longer in curls, her hair is much more beautiful now.

She finally replied my 2 and half years ago DMs.

And I was like, really? Tiere? You gotta be kidding me.

AFTER 2 AND HALF YEARS. I DON’T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO SAY TO YOU.

Tiere: Sorry I just got the time

I rolled my eyes, slapping my forehead several times. I’m kinda pissed.

Me: Hey

I replied her. Let’s try to calm down and let her talk.

She replied me with

Tiere: YO –like usually. Then,

Tiere: So how’s life?

Me: How is YOUR LIFE?

Tiere: Messy.. Like I used to be..

Then another message popped up

**Tiere: My mom and dad finally divorced anyway and I chose to leave, I don’t want to choose between them

Me: Sorry… but really? Alone? Don’t joke Tiere**

Tiere: I’m not, wanna come over? As a prove?

Me: -___-

Tiere: Ah nope, don’t. Don’t ever do that. Cause I afraid you fall in love with me. HAHAHAHA

Tiere, I haven’t seen you for ages.

Me: Alright Tiere up to you

Tiere: Hahaha! Then how bout your girl? Your first love?

Me: Caroline?

Yes, Caroline. She is my first love, since GRADE SCHOOL when I was still an innocent. Caroline is one of the queen bees’ member in my class. But among all the girls, she is the prettiest… for me, and she is very clever. Now we are in the same university and she got full scholarship. See? She is amazing. I never quit loving her, I confessed to

her during High School but she wanted us to be just friends.

We became closer since we are studying at the same university, sometimes we watch movie together. I tried to confess to her last year, but she didn’t take it seriously, she tends to change the topic. I assume she still wants to be just friends, so I will wait until she is ready.

Me: Tragic

Me: We are in the same university by the way

Tiere: I’m sorry Ryan. I don’t know what is the lack of that cuteness overload of your face

Then I remember the time when Tiere hugged me from behind, or front, or poke my nipples. She was playful and very annoying sometimes. I chuckled, that’s the funniest moment we have ever had. I kinda miss her.

Me: Thanks, I assume it was a compliment

**Tiere: Eh..gotta go. Don’t text me. My boyfriend is kinda.. possessive

Me: Alright bye

Tiere: Loveyou

Me**: -___-

We are just best friends, never more than that. We never love each other in “THAT WAY” if you know what I mean. We are just friends. Our friendship is kinda crazy. We ever talked about our friendship and relationship stuffs on each other while joking, we always say “That’s not gonna happen between us”.

I and Tiere lost contact again, after few months contacted each other. I never text her anymore, I just afraid I might caught misunderstandings to her boyfriend. I haven’t got the chance to ask her number so sometimes we could do some reunion. She is pretty hard to reach now, maybe because of her boyfriend.

Time by Time,

Day by Day,

Year by Year.

Time flies, sometimes I barely remember how long I’ve graduated from school. It’s my final –year in university. I’m doing my thesis right now and about to graduate this year, pursuing my Information Technology bachelor and was targeting a big Indonesian multinational technology company by the side of the beach in this city. I think it might be awesome if I work viewing the beach. So, I work really hard for them, pretty sure I’m accepted.

My eyes gazing straight to the computer, haven’t done a chapter, I have a lot of revisions. My head is about to blew up, god help me please.

ping ping

There’s a text message from I don’t know who it is. It’s pretty unusual because I don’t usually get text message. I rose up from my gaming –chair to reach the smartphone on my bedside

table. Is that Caroline? Well, I noticed a new movie released at the cinema.

I grabbed my phone, scanning my face then a notification popped up and it brought me to the Instagram DMs.

It’s Tiere.

Wait what? Tiere? HAH! FINALLY.

**Tiere: Hey Ryan

Me: Yes?

Tiere: Can we meet**?

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