Our Story: The Sudden Chancellery
2. Gala vs Gemma

Jakarta, in 2006

"It can't be dong, ma'am! I don't accept it!"

Gala's voice was heard rising at a woman in her 40s who was now standing in front of her and looking at her flat.

Bu Rosa's decision seems inviolable. But Gala still did not accept.

"I've prepared from last month, Mom!" Gala refused hard. In his heart, he was the one who should be sent to represent the school in the Solo High School Guitarist competition in Jakarta.

He has trained a lot, entered the guitar club, brought a reliable Guitarist tutor, and played guitar every day. But why in Miss Rosa's eyes, is she still no better?

"Gemma Aruna Francius from the 3rd class of IPS who will compete in that competition, not you. Who told you to prepare? Last month I haven't decided who's going forward, have I?"

Gala took a step forward and looked at Rosa fiercely. His ambition cannot be contained. He did not want to lose now without fighting back.

"No. I'm sure, Miss Rosa must have been intentional, right, making me unable to enter that competition?! I'm in 3rd grade, Mom. This is the last year I can play. I'll win!"

"You win often." The curly-haired, bongsor-bodied old maid and the rabbit's teeth let out a bored sigh. "You're still using the guitar tuner. Does it matter where you are with Gemma?"

“Only because Gemma has sensitive ears does not mean the way she plays better than me!”

“It's been decided yes, Gala. After all, you've been in this kind of competition a lot. Give someone a chance. You better focus on the final exam.”

Gala's face flushed. Even though the frustration in his heart was mounting, he still could not do anything about it, because one schoolgirl already knew about this announcement. Rosa announced it shortly before Monday's ceremony ended.

“Gemma is also equally class 3 ‘kan?”

“Exception! He has never played before.”

“Tapi―”

“Gala. My decision is final,” Rosa said as she passed.

Gala's ears are heating up. The blood in his veins rippled increasingly quickly pumping his feeling of disappointment even higher. Her chest of fireworks held back anger until her breathing sounded so heavy.

Gemma.

No!

Gala doesn't accept! The girl should be taught a lesson. Why did he have to show up at the last moment? Does he want to show off? No one had ever defeated him in this school, let alone girls!

He'll make the calculations on Gemma after school. The girl must understand where she is and she must be able to put herself.

***

“Es stone my friend!” cheerfully call Diana to Gemma who is sitting alone in front of the quiet school shed. “Ntar we stop by ka ef ci yuk, I buy from the prize I won the race!”

"Next week, yes. But I'm not here."

Gemma smiled softly at her sweet-faced best friend, looking ‘tomboy yet girlish’ on some of those sides.

He nodded, but still focused his attention on the thing made of wood and steel strings, which he was hugging tightly. He immediately played the guitar with great sweetness.

Gemma, a girl who is famous for her cold attitude is playing songs belonging to the old band, Dewa 19. His fingers were so shrewd and pliable as if boneless as he plucked his guitar, very different from his stiff battle. Especially when he improvises with complicated melodies on Roman Picisan songs, not just playing the basic keys.

Anyone who sees it will admit that the skill possessed by Gemma is very potential. A skill that makes anyone jealous, especially the Adam who dominates the music world.

Including Gala, who was currently staring at him sharply from behind the banyan tree.

“Keren too,” comments Niko, the chubby-cheeked handsome boy standing next to Gala.

“Whispering!” gala was upset.

Febri, the tallest guy from among the brands, pinches Niko's cheeks hard until Niko quits. What upset Gala was not just Gemma. Niko's sincere praise seemed to confirm that Gemma's game was good, and Gala did not like it to happen.

Their gazes again shone on Gemma curiously.

Who would have thought that the girl gained her abilities in such a self-taught way?

Gala feels better than him because the effort he has to improve his musical ability is greater. Unlike Gemma who suddenly came with a pretentious, showing off her musical ability cleverly.

Who is he? Guitar goddess? Weepy!

"Where do you learn to play guitar when there is no guitar at home because Bokap lo strictly forbid?" diana asked, a good friend and only friend owned by Gemma.

"From the front of the house. Those who teach."

"Are you ready for next week's competition?"

"Everybody is not ready, yes walkin aja Di," replied Gemma while cleaning her favorite object with a guitar cleaner.

"But you're seneng, right? Because you're finally advancing?"

Gemma's thin lips curved up to smile and incorporated the electric acoustic guitar in her soft case. "Nih, take good care of my ‘bayi’."

“Safe! Tar if he's hungry, I'm tetein.”

Diana's hand was stretched out to receive her best friend's beloved object which she had to guard like a keris Mpu Gandring that had just been found at the ancient site. "When are you going to Kalimantan?"

"Next week. That's why I'm free to compete." Gemma put up her backpack, ready to go home. "Sori, I repotin you bring that beginning. It's safer if this guitar is not in my house because I can go home anytime."

Diana shook her head thinly. That's not what objected to him. He simply did not dare to imagine any other 'risk. "No worries's. I didn't see Bokap."

The three kids were pretty good at school. Saucy, rich, all the disciples were disinclined at them, almost all the girls adored them.

And Gala was proud of the influence she had, which was much greater than Febri and Niko. But that influence was not enough to make him the one chosen to participate in the competition.

There was a slow breath coming from Gemma's mouth. He rolled his eyeballs, lazily in conflict with Gala.

"You want what?"

Gala's hands extended out to point at Gemma's thin face. Gala smiled obliquely, displaying deep dimples that adorned her handsome face.

"Lo withdrew from that competition. I can do anything that makes it difficult later."

"Gue obviously can't back down, Gala. I was chosen."

Gala lowered her hand, putting it in her pants pocket. "Gue can't biasin ‘girl’ advanced.”

Gemma shook her head with a cynical smile. “Not to be too patriarchal.”

Gala's eyes narrowed. “That's what it's supposed to be, right? Lo it ‘girl’! Be self-aware!”

Diana, who was also careless to see Gala's behavior, came forward while putting up the horses.

As the black belt holder Tae Kwon Do who just won the competition between all High School Se-Jabodetabek, he should have protected his best friend from people who want to interfere. “Person is patriarchal! Here you are, come face me. Are you all bored of living?”

Nothing yet, Febri and Niko have already retreated. But not with Gala. The boy was still staring cynically at Gemma. The girl did not feel intimidated at all. His face was flat, expressionless. No wonder people nicknamed him Ice Stone.

“Gue denger-denger, bokap lo fierce huh Gem? Do I have to tell you how to back off?"

Although there was an elusive curate on Gemma's face, she chose to calm down. “Do not use sneaky ways. I was chosen. Accept it in reality.”

“No, I can't take it. I'll make you back off, look at it later!”

However, Gemma still looks calm. Gala was more astonished, the girl in front of him was even relaxed. He even passed from Gala and comrades without feeling intimidated at all.

Gemma tried to drive away the worry. The arrogant boy could not prove anything to his father, as long as the guitar was not in his hands.

***

Bruk!

Gemma's back hit the concrete fence behind the school hard, while five beautiful-faced girls with expensive brand backpacks stood around her.

“Lo must be cheating ‘kan? Miss Rosa chose lo from my boyfriend.”

Gemma frowned, holding back the pain that spread along her back because of the hard push from Erika earlier. Gemma looked at them confused.

“Boyfriend where do you mean, Er?”

“Lo don't know if Gala's the same I'm dating?” Erika pulls up. His eyes looked at Gemma sharply. Gemma couldn't ask Diana for help because her best friend had gone home.

“First, I'm not cheating. Second, I don't care if you want to jump behind Gala's pursuit. To be sure, I didn't do what you accused me of. So,” Gemma fix the location of her bag on her back. “biarin I came home from having to hear the nonsense lo who often fantasize courtship with Gala.”

Erika's eyes bulging, “ dare-dare lo ya!”

Plaque!

Erika's one hand landed perfectly on Gemma's face and gave a red mark there. Erika smiled triumphantly as she looked at Gemma's face that bounced to the right until her wavelength hair was splashed.

“Songong really lo. Arrogant people like you should be taught a lesson!”

Erika prepares to beat up Gemma, just as the person she just talked about walks past them with Febri and Niko like celebrities.

Although not a spread of charm, but anyone who saw this group of handsome men will definitely smile. Their good looks and aura are very natural, even with a cool attitude that increasingly makes the women flounder overheating.

Gala the rich who is good at playing guitar, Niko the smart boy aspires to be a doctor obsgyn who is far from the word kuper, and Febri is a subscription MVP basketball game. A triple damage collaboration that can break the hearts of girls.

Yeah except Gemma and Dianna. It seems like they are the only ones who never get dizzy.

Maybe in the presence of people who do not like, these men are just a bunch of guys with mutual symbiosis. Not many know that they are familiar from babies.

Erika's friends immediately acted tacky like worms that had just been given salt. Some are suddenly stupid, there are also like udik― people who like never to see the opposite sex.

Gala slips in the heart. Dorky.

“O em ji, Niko! Tomorrow, teach me the math..”.

“Febri sooo hanseeemmm!”

“Gala, bokin lo nih!”

Erika hurriedly fixed her standing position and her hair that had fallen apart with obvious misbehavior. “Eh... Gala... Where to go?”.

But Gala's reaction was funny. He looked flatly at Erika, not caring about her greeting at all, and just passed by. Like not hearing or seeing anyone.

“Gala, how come I'm being questioned anyway! Iiihhh!” call Erika desperately while stomping her right foot to the ground.

And when Erika and her comrades were off guard, Gemma immediately took a thousand steps.

Blurred!

***