Firefields
Approaching Princess

PATRA stopped his bike just in front of the school gate. From that place, he could see the ashoka tree plants lined up neatly. At each end of the twigs is already lush again with red flowers.

There is a crowded school parking lot. Samar saw the Princess had gone up on a bicycle. Patra hesitated to approach, even though the feeling of wanting to always meet the Princess overflowing since last night.

A feeling that overcomes drowsiness even though the night is late. During that time, Patra only drew the face of the Princess in her eyes until carried away into a dream. It's like someone who's in love.

"Hey, why daydream in the middle of the road?" I heard someone's voice greeting him.

Patra surprised. He realized the owner of the voice. There was no mistake, the princess was already behind him.

"A.a. I'm confused. Want to turn left or right," nervous Patra while pointing the road that had indeed made him hesitate to go home first or directly to the clove fields.

"O, yes. Today you went to the clove field again, didn't you?" ask Princess.

Patra nodded. "I'd better go straight to the fields now. There are still many cloves to be picked,” Patra said.

"What about your lunch?"

"E.. is in the bag," replied Patra lying.

"It turns out there are also men who like to bring lunch," said the Princess smiling. "Other than keep it in the bushel. I hope it doesn't spill." The origin princess guessed when Patra showed her the backpack.

"My mom has been preparing it since this morning. I just have to take him."

The princess immediately got on her bike back. Likewise Patra who did not waste the opportunity to accompany the Princess throughout the trip.

Time seems to travel fast. There are many stories they tell. At first they were engrossed in telling about the events at school today. About their missing school bell and who stole it.

They also took turns to tell the events in their respective classes when the cow bell was rung.

“As if there are cows in the class,” said Putri.

“Maybe cows also need school,” timpal Patra that can make them finally broken up.

Losing school bells is incredible. For seven years since the school was established, only this time their school bells were gone. Even that small news is easy to spread.

The teachers seemed busy this morning. The flag ceremony was delayed, while the sun had risen. Dews that wet the grass in the field have also begun to dry up.

The flag ceremony was this morning without Jauhari as the Headmaster. Sawitri looks clumsy because it has to replace. Despite serving as Vice School Head, he rarely became a ceremonial coach.

As usual, cheers of applause rang out loudly to accompany the rest of the speech. Sawitri gestured for the ceremony to be accelerated while sweeping a sweat around her face.

Just as the flag ceremony was over, Jauhari rushed over to some of the students and teachers who were preparing to enter the classroom.

Awayari clasped a small bell in her hand. The bell was then sounded. The teachers and students were astonished.

They were not convinced and initially thought that a cow had crossed the field. However, that confusion momentarily turned into a tingly feeling.

Because of the bell, Jauhari like finding a new way to entertain his students when drowsiness attacked. Whenever one of the disciples was sleepy, Jauhari immediately rang the bell.

"Whoever falls asleep during class, he is like a cow!" the word Jauhari plays the bell.

The disciples were finally busy looking for a cause when the bell rang. There must be cows sleeping in class, their bathin.

Fun about the bells, Patra and the Princess did not realize there was a pair of eyes stalking them far behind.

"Greetings to Mat Yusi. If I have time, I will deliver food to the field," said the Princess when she arrived in front of her yard.

The deg..!

Patra remembered something when Mat Yusi's name was called. “Jeez, I forgot!” Patra's like he's been electrocuted.

Actually, it was the day he actually started working. Just the two with Mat Yusi, with no one accompanying him like yesterday.

His anxiety suddenly grew silently. The shadow of horror about Mat Yusi was still lodged in the head. Goodness Mat Yusi yesterday could only be in front of Jauhari. After that, everything could change. Mat Yusi became rude and unmerciful.

Patra immediately fixed the backpack on her back. He quickly pedaled his bicycle and headed straight for the clove field. Far back there, it appears someone is also increasingly pedaling the pedal bike quickly.

***

Patra's efforts to adjust the balance so as not to slip when entering the road to the reservoir. There was a faint smile as he recalled the ridiculous incident yesterday.

His pants are not only wet, but also littered by patches of mud attached. It's worth the Princess and her mother giggling, maybe they think I'm wetting or maybe snapping, Patra's bathin recalls all yesterday's events.

Arriving at the field, Patra pulled her bicycle over the edge of the hut. He climbed the stairs and knocked on the unlocked door. After opening it, he did not find Mat Yusi. He also thought Mat Yusi was taking care of the clove tree in there.

Patra watched the plates overlap on the table. His scent aroused the hunger he had been holding back from earlier. Patra was sure that behind the plate that was tightly sealed, there was a salted fish inside.

If I had been honest with the Princess, she would have probably invited me to come and eat together at her house, Patra lied.

The urge to complete hunger was so strong as his stomach churned. If he did not remember his mother's message, Patra would have eaten the food.

In the poor, there is wealth to be kept. Namely, honesty. You can't take someone else's. His mother's message when Patra decided to work on Jauhari's farm.

Although his body felt weak, Patra opened the bag and took out the clothes he had prepared from home.

After changing clothes, he immediately took out two buckets as a container holding clove flowers. He came down the stairs, carrying a bucket and ready to work.

"Have you eaten?"

Patra surprised. Turns away. However, it still has not found the origin of the sound.

"I'm down here" said the voice making Patra crouch down and find Mat Yusi on the ground.

Using both hands, Mat Yusi tried to escape his large body by crawling. "So you didn't see me down here?" Mat Yusi made sure Patra was telling the truth.

He quickly removed the t-shirt attached to his body. Many times Mat Yusi flicked the shirt until all the soil that stuck was invisible again.

"You better eat first. After that, just pray. Or pray first and then eat. It's up to you."

"But Iyaa" Patra couldn't hide her nervousness. Without saying much more, Patra re-entered the hut and immediately quelled the hunger that had made her stomach feel wrinkled.

While chewing the rice with the dried fish side dish, Patra still wondered what Mat Yusi was doing under the hut. He was surprised when Mat Yusi reminded him to pray.