Never A Stranger
Junior High

It did not feel like it was almost the end of the year, Riri and his three friends were very excited for the holiday. In fact they had already prepared some equipment to go hiking, they promised they would finish their exams smoothly and immediately go on vacation.

After going home from college, they will hang out again at the cafe near the campus as usual, they will chat there. While chatting they are approached by Dio, Bella's boyfriend. They are not surprised anymore because basically Bella and Dio are always in front of them

"Can you guys move tables? you guys made me want to flush you guys with this water" said Maya upset to see Bella and Dio bucin.

"Iss it's disgusting, you're too rude" Bella responded as she stood up.

Can be seen for yourself the closer the friend turned out to be the rougher a talk. However, it does not have to be put into the heart.

As they chat Riri gets a chat message from someone. Startled to see the message he got, he spontaneously stood up to make his friends shocked, including Bella who was at the next table joined in shock.

"What's wrong?" ask Maya in surprise.

"My heart's almost out, what the hell is wrong with you?" she complains and whines like a child.

"I know why people can be so surprised" Bella continued at the next table "why?" Bella asked Dio to say it.

"Because he got a chat message from someone he loved" Dio replied, Bella nodded like she managed to educate Dio well.

Maya and Ayu never stopped asking Riri out of curiosity. Riri who was still standing with her hands closed her mouth that was open regardless of her friends.

"Waiy!!" maya shouted suddenly, they were all shocked, including Maya herself was shocked because of her screams. People started looking at them.

Ayu pinches Maya because she has made her shame, Riri who has realized that she has made her friends curious finally sat down too.

"Say what's wrong?" ask Ayu who is still curious.

"Why do you ask that? have you guys never been together?" said Bella mocked them both, they ignored Bella who showed off having a boyfriend.

"If you get a message from Fajri what should I do?" riri asked them

"What?" they shouted in unison, Dio was shocked because Bella also shouted. This time they were all completely shocked in disbelief

.

"Who's Fajri?" ask Dio who does not know anything, but Dio's question is not discussed by them, they only focus on Riri.

"What's he saying?" ask Maya curious.

"Have not seen ya for a long time" replied Riri while showing her phone screen to her friends.

The three of them laughed like people who had just been kasmaran, why even those who were happy.

"Don't reply first" said the excited Maya

"Reply when 10 minutes" added ayu who is also very excited.

"Too fast 10 minutes, reply after 30 minutes" said Bella relaxed, but it made them all look at Bella including Dio.

"You're a psychopath?" riri asked in surprise with Bella who was different from the three of them.

Dio looked at his girl while shaking his head, as if he was proud of his already very pro girl.

After 10 minutes Riri replied to the chat message "iya", it was", only with a short type like that Riri already looks like a person who does not expect the presence of Fajri anymore but in fact he still very much expects Fajri.

The three of them clapped their hands while smilingly nodding their heads as if their mission had been completed. Their mission has just begun.

Dio who was confused saw their behavior chose to eat alone, while they were all still waiting for a reply from Fajri. It turned out that until they finished eating, Fajri had not returned the favor.

"Why doesn't he retaliate?" riri Whinek

"I told you, reply after 30 minutes. He must feel you are selling cheap and easy to reach" said Bella

"Heyy!! who said that? guys don't see that" Dio argued, disagreeing with Bella.

Dio did not realize they were all staring at Dio waiting for the next answer, if not that then what was the reason?.

"Why are you looking at me like that? I got scared" complained Dio in shock to see them all staring at him.

"Say baby! why?" pinta Bella with bulging eyes.

"That's.. That's because you just reply to him, how can you just answer 'yes' like that. He must be confused to find a topic that wants to be said again" explained Dio.

When they finished explaining, they were disappointed with Dio's reply.

"You don't believe me?" nagging Dio, they turned their faces away from Dio and returned to their activities again without saying anything.

"Honey.. That's right" he told Bella to have Bella believe him.

"Didn't just stay on the phone topic, our friends there is a named topic" joked Maya.

Instantly the laughter of the three of them exploded because of the speech from Maya to the rest of the cafe watching them but they did not care. Dio who was embarrassed people started to see them covering his face with his jacket.

.

**Home Home Night time**

Riri is still waiting for a reply from Fajri by continuing to stare at his cellphone screen.

"Why didn't he give it back?" lamented Riri.

Not long after, he even got a call from Rendy. Fajri is waiting, even Rendy is coming.

"Hallo Assalamualaikum princess" deep voice from the phone.

"Waalaikumsalam, what the princess" replied Riri.

"Don't you call me princess?" ask Rendy to tease Riri.

"I saw you earlier" Rendy said.

"Where?"

"You're out of the cafe with your friends"

"Bingo" Riri said with a laugh, Rendy also laughed.

"You don't want to introduce me to your friends?" ask Rendy.

"Of course I'll introduce you to them" Riri replied.

"Then when is Mr Riri?" deep Rendy's voice almost destroyed the world.

"Tomorrow to come to my class after college"

"Alright then, happy resting, Mr. Riri, do not stay up late ya." said Rendy ended the conversation.

"alright.. Goodnight" replied Riri salting.

"Hm goodnight"

They always chat on the phone even if they only talk about small things like that. That's because the other day Rendy once said to do it to get them closer. As long as Rendy does not invite Riri to date Riri is fine if she has to do that.

But actually Rendy has liked Riri since the beginning, she knows Riri does not want to date so she can only be close like this with Riri.

Riri saw the clock, it's already 10:00 but the chat that was last afternoon has not been replied by Fajri, actually what the purpose of doing that.

While looking at her phone screen, someone sent her a message, it was from Latifa "Late year there is an event? let's reunite together"

Riri just read it from the notification, then Latifa sent another chat "not a class reunion but a class reunion". This means that everyone in the class with Riri will be there including Fajri.

Riri replied to the chat by saying that he already had plans with his college friends later this year and apologized to Latifa for not being able to join.

After that incident 3 years ago, Riri and Latifa became very awkward when talking. They never chat or call each other unless there is something important like this. Though Riri had forgiven him, it was just that the disappointment was still in his heart. So, every time she saw Latifa she would remember what they did to her.

Their circle after the incident was not okay, they quarreled after the incident, some were on Latifa's side and some were on Riri's side. Now even though they have made up, they rarely get together

Megan is the only friend of her Junior High who understands her, Megan is also the first to defend Riri when she finds out that Fajri and Latifa are cheating on her. Megan is so because she has been friends with Riri since Elementary School, she also lost her younger sister in an accident so Riri is already considered like her own sister. Megan does not allow anyone to hurt Riri including Latifa, Dila, Fara, their circlemate.

Tit tit tit..

"Hallo Assalamualaikum mel" Megan's cheerful and loud voice rang out, Megan a stubborn person. Although Riri's call is Riri, but he instead chose to call Riri with Amel's call. Only he was like that to Riri.

Riri also mentioned Megan's older sister, as explained that Megan had considered Riri as her younger sister, only after graduating Junior High they only once contacted each other because Megan went abroad to continue her studies.

"Waalaikumsalam sis, brother where?" riri asked after answering his greetings.

"Home, why?" ask Megan back.

"Sister me.. He said there's a reunion this year, right? I actually wanted to come but I had an appointment with my college friend" explained Riri while whining to Megan, she was always spoiled like that to Megan.

"When's the show?" ask Megan to make sure.

"Last of the year"

"Yes I know the end of the year, the date?"

"I don't know, Latifa called me but I was lazy to talk to her" replied Riri.

Amazingly Megan who already understood and sensitive to Riri said that she would ask the army chief to make sure.

"Amel wants to see Fajri?" ask Megan worried.

"Sister me coming, right? If my sister is no problem to me"

"Let's make sure yes, maybe later I have business in Paris" Megan replied calming Riri.

Just information's. If Megan was a little tomboyish and brave, she was known to have no fear first, it was because after the accident many blasphemed her family until her mother committed suicide and her father married another woman. Megan actually became a strong and tough kid after that, mentally strong as well accepting all the insults. His other family also did not want to see him and send him off.

Then how did she get to study abroad?, it was because Megan was a martial arts pro. He learned martial arts from childhood so he was good at fighting, he had worked many times with rich people, so he had many relationships with famous people though.

Because he is a martial arts master and has many achievements, he got a free study abroad scholarship, he only needed money to eat because his college has been borne by the government. That's a little bit about Megan.

"Since graduating high school you've rarely called me, right?".

"Sorry, I've been busy lately. Besides the number ka me replaced many times, I became confused which one is the real one" complained Riri about Megan's phone number.

"Hehe's sorry Mel because there's always a prank number calling. So, I had to replace it many times, sorry yak" Megan explained while apologizing, she was indeed a strange person. Instead of blocking the prank number he chose to change the number.

"Iyee" replied Riri

"When do we want to gather again?" ask megan about their circle.

"Mending don't do it" replied Riri refused.

"Mels.. No matter how disappointed you are, you can't be like that. How it all happened, don't remember it again. Let's just say it's the wind" Megan advised Riri.

"It's not so, I just feel awkward if I have to meet them again" explained Riri.

"Later if Amel already feel good just call me, I will tell them all to come" said Megan, Megan so much care with Riri.

After chatting for a long time, they ended their conversation, they promised to meet someday because they never met again after graduating Junior High School. That's because Megan works with rich people so she has to move around the city plus she starts to get busy since entering High School. Riri also rarely have time because he is the type of student who is smart and diligent during High School.

Seriate...