Anjani Darling
High School Graduation

The stronger I tried to muffle the cries, the more tears fell one by one, until it turned into a sob. My chest is really tight getting this kind of treatment.

"Anjani." the door to the room opened, Aunt Desi approached me. I quickly hid the clothes that were the source of tears. "You why?" aunt Desi looked so worried, probably because I had never cried before.

"It's okay, aunt." I said, trying to wipe away the rest of the tears, but unfortunately it still flowed profusely.

"No way, there must be something. Is your head scolding you, or are you being bullied by Diana and her friends again?"

"It's not Bi."

"Then why?"

"I. .. miss mom and dad."

"O Allah Anjani, forgive auntie dear, have not been able to fully bring happiness to you. Sorry aunt. May you soon meet with your father and mother so that the longing is healed. Aunty realized, whose name is adoptive parents will not be able to fully replace the affection of biological parents, especially if the adoptive parents are like aunts. Sorry, dear."

"Auntie," me and aunty hugged. "Auntie is the best foster mom in my opinion. Although aunt did not give birth to me, but aunt's affection for me was so great. Aunt has sacrificed a lot for me. I love my aunt very much. I'm sorry, ma'am, it's always been a burden to aunty."

Tonight, I slept in the arms of aunt Desi, after hiding the clothes unworthy of the head mother's gift.

***

I'm waiting for Philip's brother across from the school. This morning, as we were leaving, he asked me not to go home first. Unlike usual, he asked me to go to his school. The first thing I did this time.

"Hey, Anjani?" suddenly a schoolgirl in a white-gray uniform called out to me.

"Yes my brother." I said. I approached him because I had met him before. He's Philip's best friend, his name is Laras.

"Philip is waiting for you there!" he pointed at the field behind the school, then we both headed towards the field in question.

Laras asked me to walk to the tree on our southern edge. While he stopped, then turned around. I thought Philip was hiding behind the tree. The real thing is very strange, since when does he like to play hide and seek?

When I was standing so close to the tree that was meant by Kak Laras, suddenly the sound of a guitar was plucked, then the sound of the melodious voice of Philip. She sang a romantic song for me. The song, whose lyrics are often sung by Diana, is said to be a perfectly titled song, sung by Andra and the back Bone.

I've heard that Philip's brother is good at playing guitar, he also has a very good voice, but only this time I heard him play directly and it was done in front of me.

After performing the song, suddenly six friends, one of them Kak Laras came carrying colorful flowers and balloons. Then the flower was taken by Philip, then given to me.

There were no words I could say, so surprised to see all this until Philip's friends left after we removed the balloon.

"What do you think?" philip asked as we sat on the sidelines alone.

"good. But why are you doing all this?" my many.

"Just want to. You know today was a high school graduation party. I've officially graduated as a high school boy. There were a lot of balloons and flowers. I know you like this celebration the most, so I purposely collected it to please you. You happy?"

"Happy! Especially when you sing while strumming the guitar. So romantic. Did you do it because you feel sorry for me?"

Philip just smiled. But as I kept urging him to answer he finally nodded his head.

"I've trained hard to perform, unfortunately there was no chance at all. That's why I just show up in front of you. I'm sure you'll be happy. So pretty decent, not in vain I practiced all this time. Aye, right?"

"Sister is really a person who doesn't want to lose, huh?"

"Yes dong!"

"If you're not a high school boy anymore, where will you go to school?" I asked, considering from a few months ago I always heard Brother Zein talking to his mother about high school. If I'm not mistaken he really wants to study in Yogyakarta. "Are you going to college off the island, too?"

"No."

"Why? Oh I know, it must be because it's far away, right? I know you're gonna miss home, miss aunt Jeni too."

"Hm,"

"Where do you want to go to school?"

"Where do you want me to go to school?"

"Where, as long as you're happy."

"really?"

"Yes." Yeah."

"Paris?" suddenly my eyes glared at Paris. That's far away. We used to calculate Indonesia's distance to Paris from the globe, and the result was quite far when I was in the second grade of elementary school.

"Yes Anjani."

"It's okay, if that's where you want to go."

"Are you all right?"

"Yes." Yeah."

"But if I go to Paris, we'll be separated by such a great distance."

"Oh my goodness Philip, no matter how far away, there is now the internet, every day we can talk."

"How is it?"

"I'll email my sister every day through the school library. How's it?"

"really?"

"Yes, but you have to answer. If it's not reciprocated, I won't send it again."

"alright. I promise I'll send you an email every day."

The two of us then both laughed, but in each other's hearts we both felt such great anxiety. Somehow I put it out.

"Anjani, today do you want to break the rules of the parlour?" ask brother Philip.

"Why?" my many.

"I want to take you to the market. Let's go shopping."

"Aren't you going to buy me?"

"Yes. I just broke the savings. The number is quite a lot. I'm afraid I can't spend it alone so take you along."

"alright. Let's spend the money on your savings!"

We both headed to the market in an open-top car. During the journey you laughed together.

Arriving at the market, Philip and I entered the Padang restaurant. We ate with our own menu. I chose chicken gulai, by drinking avocado juice. It feels really good.

After eating, Philip asked me to buy school supplies. He also bought two new clothes, shoes and sandals. I was really happy to get so many gifts from him.

"It's late in the afternoon, we have to go home" I said.

"The money is still there." brother Philip showed three of his hundred thousand bills.

"Save it."

"Then mother to you. Keep well. You can wear it or spend it. It's a memento gift from me." brother Philip smiled at me.

"When will my sister leave?"

"Tomorrow."

Philip's answer to success shocked me. Tomorrow he's leaving but he's just talking now.

"Why is it so fast?" my many.

"I have to stop by in Jakarta, Anjani. After that, we flew to Paris."

"Bad brother!" I can't accept everything. It's too impromptu. I haven't even done anything for him. Regardless of Philip's brother, I ran away leaving him alone.