A Growing Pine Tree

Nadya and I were sitting in the gazebo, doing assignments, and sipping coffee while waiting for the next class. 

"Hey Hanna, where is Rizky? He wasn't present in class earlier."

"I think in Mrs. Rosa's class, he will be present. Why do you seem worried?" I asked suspiciously.

"Yesterday, I heard he had a problem with his poor brother. I think it's like a big fight."

Suddenly another friend of mine came. "Hello guys! A pious and handsome guy who's diligent and likes to save money has come." Said Rizky, an overseas student from Malang city.

At my university, many overseas students from various regions, from Sabang to Merauke, met at the state higher education level in Jakarta. My name is Hanna. Yap I, Nadya, and Kevin are from Jakarta. And other two of our friends who migrated to Jakarta, namely Melisa, came from Medan, while Rizky, as previously stated, came from Malang. Our meeting started since OSPEK, two and a half years ago. We majored in accounting and were in one group during OSPEK. Our friendship lasts to this day.

"Dzuhur will come, I'm sure you won't do the prayer." Melisa chimed in. 

"You and Epin don't pray either."

"We're Christians, you idiot!" Melisa and Kevin said together.

                                                                                                  

When I arrived home as usual, I'm alone. My younger sister is still in high school in Jogjakarta and lives with my grandmother and my aunt. Both my parents are still busy working. My Papa works as a staff in a company, while my Mama works as a manager in a restaurant. My Mama said our needs wouldn't be enough if she didn't work, even though not really. My Papa and Mama go to work from early in the morning and come home until late at night, so it's hard for me to have time with them. Often I want us as a family to have free time to talk and eat together. But that seems to be difficult to happen. Even my grandma, aunt, and my cousin once told my Mama to stop working and just focus on taking care of the household. Because in our extended family, only my Mama is a career woman.

What about Papa? Yap, he gave up and  following what my Mama wanted.

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After the first lecture, my friends and I went to the cafeteria. Because there are no more classes after this, we want to get together and eat while eating. Nadya's house is a suitable place for us to gather. Her house is often used as a base camp for our gang. Oh ya, Kevin didn't come to campus today, so it was just the four of us.

After arriving at Nadya's house, the four of us headed to the balcony of her house. As usual, we will talk, eat, and do our assignments there. "Hi! you guys just arrived?" Nadya's mom says hello.

"Yes aunty, we've just arrived." We said. "Mommy why are you coming home earlier?"

"Yes, the restaurant is closed dear, the boss has some business to do. Everyone, let's eat first! This morning I already cooked a lot ."

Aunty Rahma, Nadya's mother. He is a widow or single parent with one child. Nadya and her mother suffice their needs by working in a restaurant and selling breakfast food and getting money every month from Nadya's biological father who is married to another woman. Aunty Rahma doesn't look like a forty-seven year old woman, she is still looks young. And I also can't believe it!

Because of that, many mothers around her house were not happy with Aunty Rahma. They thought that Aunty Rahma was too young and beautiful to seduce their husbands. Even though Aunt Rahma was a good woman. Since separating from her husband, seven years ago, aunty Rahma has only focused on Nadya's education. She never thought of remarrying.

"Aaaa so handsome Oppa !!" Melisa screamed while hugging her ideal Korean idol photocard.

"You're really noisy Mel, Oppa.. Oppa! They don't even know that you live in this world." said Rizky teasingly.

"Let's just take care of your own life!" Melisa said annoyed.

"Oh ya Ky, sorry if I offend you. Yesterday I heard you were angry with your brother, why is that? Can you tell us please? we are your best friend who can be a place to complain." I said with caution.

"Oh that.. eum..., as usual my brother is rather difficult to tell. H2 is only hang out with his friends everyday. At that time my mother was sick and no one was home and he went out with his friends instead of looking after my mother at home. Yes, I'm already mad at him." Rizky said at length. My mouth forms the letter O.

"Oh, I see, we're worried because you rarely get angry. Isn't that Han?" Nadya said forcing me to answer. "Eum, yes, we're.. worried," I said, surprised.

"Even though you're annoying, Ky, you're still our friend." Melisa assured Rizky by teasing. "By the way, I saw Rian earlier. He's so cute Oh My God! I really want him."

"Remember Mel, you are a child of God, you can't even unite with him." Rizky said teasingly again.

Melisa liked Rian from the first semester. Her meeting with Rian has made Melisa fall in love. Rian, who is a Muslim guy, seems to make Melissa hesitate to approach him. The reason is that people around say, having a relationship with different religions is just a waste of time and is considered strange. In fact, the statutory regulations state that interfaith marriages are haraam and invalid.

"How come you even dropped my expectations." Melisa said.

"In fact, I woke you up from falling into a very deep abyss, because basically you're just wasting your time chasing Rian. You're the one who said you wanted to find a serious partner, so it's fine to find fellow children of God so that your parents, country and religion will bless you  HaHaHa...." Rizky laughed out loud.

"Be patient bestie." Nadya said while hugging Melisa.

After we talked for so long, Ricky's cell phone rang.

"Halo, Assalamualaikum Ma." After picking up the phone from his mother, Rizky looked very worried.

He immediately sat still and looked very sad. "What's wrong Ky?" Nadya asked worried, we were all worried.

"My older brother, last night he watched football and to this day has not come home and it is reported that he was a victim of a riot that was there. I was really worried, my mother said there were many victims there. And now my older brother is still in the hospital, and his condition is critical."

We all feel sad to hear that. Not long ago we talked about the fight between Rizky and his older brother, and now we hear sad news from his older brother.

"He said to my mom that last night he want to watch football with his friends at the Kanjuruhan Stadium. It was reported that after the match was over there was a riot and everyone there was running trying to get out of the stadium. The police also fired tear gas at the spectators and many died because of the tear gas, some of them were trampled." Rizky said telling him about the incident there.

"I'm sorry Ky for what happened to you." I said

"Yeah we're sorry."

"Ky, we all feel sad for what happened to your older brother." I said . 

"Thank you all, I think tomorrow I will return to Malang to find my mom and see the condition of my brother."

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After the sun started cursing, my friends and I returned to our own homes.

When I got to my house, I saw my mom and dad talking.

"Hanna, tomorrow we will pick up your sister. She is already on vacation from school right? We intend to go on vacation to Bali." Said my dad and I did not believe it a little.

"Yes, tomorrow we will pick up Viona and we will go straight to the airport, we have also bought plane tickets." Said my mom and it feels like a dream.

The next day we picked up my sister who was in Bogor. When I arrived I immediately hugged my sister because I had not seen her for a long time. We met grandma and aunt too and said goodbye to them to go to Bali. Can't believe it feels like a daydream. I can spend time with my dad, mom, and my little sister. It's been a long time since our family got together let alone vacation out of town. This is a very happy moment for me.

After that, the four of us went to the airport to fly and vacation to Bali Island.