The Staircase
The Staircase

Three years and ten months and twelve days, right where I managed to finish my college. Today, moving the toga rope from left to right will be an important and precious moment for the rest of my life. Nina's message on my phone was more than three, encouraging me, reminding me not to stay up late, and saying she'll be there early before both my parents and the group from the village come to the auditorium.

Three years and twelve months and fifteen days into my relationship with Nina, we got to know each other. I've introduced Nina to my father and mother, and every time I go home, Nina always stops by our contract. Although after that Nina missed the bus, but the next day Nina went to her house, stayed overnight, slept with my mother. But Nina has never introduced me to her family. Nina said after graduation she would take me to visit her house. I'm so excited to hear about it, the back-to-back prize I'm going to receive today.

First, I was given the opportunity to convey a message and impression on the podium. Second, I'll take Nina to her house. That is, our three-year relationship will be taken more seriously.

For almost a week I prepared my messages and impressions, putting words together into a sentence that was easy to understand, that was inspiring, and certainly from the heart.

Dad said they planned to leave dawn from the village if there were no obstacles. "Yes, we'll work on it." The answer was when I called through a neighbor's cell phone next to our contract at the time.

At six o'clock in the morning I woke up despite the graduation ceremony starting at nine.

"Good morning. Thanks for the perfume." My finger nimblely touched the buttons on the phone. Nina's name with three dark red love flower emoticons appeared at the top of the list, the short message was sent immediately. I blinked slowly, still holding back the sleepiness, but there was no reply from Nina.

"Eh, Tumben is going to take a shower." Olek the index guard who sat in the post next to my room.

I blushed in shame, understanding the meaning of the word tumben meant guard of indekos. Indeed, this hour I was still in the room, even when the schedule between friends of one boarding house clashed - they wrestled the bathroom, I became the victim, forced to wash my face with gallon water.

"Yes, sir. Coincidentally get up quick." The guard of Indekos gave his right thumb.

"Eat," he exclaimed. Then read the newspaper while listening to the radio whose voice was deliberately reduced.

The perfume from Nina I splashed all over my togaku. I twirled around in front of the mirror while inhaling the fragrance of the fragrant perfume. The mirror in front of me was tired of reflecting images of myself, but I was unceasingly staring at my mediocre face, flat nose, thin whiskers, and round eyes. I practice motivational speech, the gaze of the scientist, and the smile of the inventor who often fails. The smile of a proud mother seeing her son slowly painted on my face, eyes sparkling while saying inwardly, thank you, well. Thank you, ma'am.

"Need a ride?" Ask the boarding guard to me who just closed the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Today is special for you."

The boarding guard turned on his motorcycle engine. Black smoke billowed upwards, the sound of screeches was not even drowned out. The boarding guard drove me to the auditorium, where I last held college status. The boarding guard was nice to me, he said he would be lonely if I was no longer indecent in his place.

From a distance, in a crowd of thousands of people, the rush that passed by was getting here, I could still recognize Nina. He stood solemnly by the side of the road, waiting for me. The boarding guard stopped his motorcycle, he won't accept my payment.

"Already, you didn't force me to drive you here, anyway." Resist.

"Thank you, sir. Be careful on the road." Then I approached Nina who had been looking for me.

"Hay, I thought you wouldn't attend. My message has not been answered until now."

"My pulse is up." He answered with a big smile. Both of his hands held tightly to the synthetic flowers wrapped neatly in plastic paper, a small piece of paper inscribed, safe and successful. Like a word he always put in every prayer.

"Forku?" Nina gave the flower. Call it very pliable.

"The people from the village have not yet arrived. I'm afraid they're straying."

"Oh, don't think about it. Enter, sana! There are a lot of chairs, you know. Later even you also stray wrong sitting." Nina.

"But you?" Nina looked at me, relax.

"Hurry up!" Pushing me slowly towards the entrance.

The magnificent room began to fill with graduates, I was almost half an hour still looking for my name on the back of the chair, not immediately met.

"Sorry, sir. Could you please find my name, Aki." I told the security guard in the room.

"Oh, Aki." It sounds like I know me. "You sit at the front." Pointing to the front seat which was about ten meters away from me.

Before I thought about sitting in the middle or end row, but it turns out I will be facing directly with the rector and his ranks.

"Have you prepared the welcome?" Ask the host, whispering.

"Already, sir." Reply quickly.

On the second floor, thousands of pairs of eyes dropped on us. My eyes circled the room, I found it difficult to distinguish the person I was looking for. Until many times I searched the room, they did not look at all. My phone was silent, but the signal and battery were full.

I was given a shawl that said, cumlaude. Among the thousands of graduates, only me and the two other graduates were awarded the shawl. The three of us smiled broadly after wearing it.

The host stood on the podium, "All the ladies and gentlemen whom we respect, the graduation ceremony is about to begin." The room was straight away. There were only whispers and footwork.

"Happy audience, on this occasion we have presented one of the best graduates who will bring messages and impressions to all of us." My whole body started to shake, trembling. "Here comes. Aki..." Shouted the host loudly. I took a deep breath as I walked towards the podium.

I walked quickly in front of all the graduates and thousands of pairs of eyes on the second floor and between the transparent glass doors of the first floor panned towards me. I set foot on the first level of the podium, then set foot on the second level until I could see a proud, haru, and hopeful look in front of me.

"Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Jabarakatuh, Good morning, Greetings to all of us, Shalom, Oom Swastiastu, Namo Buddhaya, Greetings of Virtue." The room was filled with greetings, echoing. I continued the greeting after the quiet room. Lightning camera with lots of highlights, snatching. I tried to stay focused even though stage fright was inevitable. In the right corner, tiny, full eyes were watching me from a distance. They stood up in a hurry. Nina beside my mother, father, uncle, Aga, and Tibetan sir were lined up. Mother pointed at me, followed by Nina's nod while whispering to her. I began to calm down, it was time, I murmured inwardly.

"Life is like we are in front of a ladder of three, six, even more than ten, and we have the same goal for the next floor." Every word I said was recorded by the reporters, they were solemnly listening to my message and impression.

I close my lips to the microphone, "The decision is on us. Do we still want to be in front of the stairs, or do we try to climb the stairs one by one? I was in this position once. Mother and father who stood and watched me over there, "I glanced to the right, thousands of graduates and the rector and his ranks took a glance. My mom and dad smiled proudly.

"They were the ones who took me to tread the stairs. When I chose to go down the stairs, they were the ones who pushed me from the bottom to keep going up. When I started looking down, those who always said don't want to be like us. Stealing the stairs is not easy. It requires energy and patience. Maybe our legs will stumble, or slip. Maybe my mother will not care when I step on the stairs. My happy comrades-in-arms today, and who are struggling to get to this point, I just want to say that we should keep treading the stairs to the finish line. Don't give up easily, and don't look back. I am so grateful to be able to go to college and study here, the most beautiful impression I will never forget. Thank you to the father and mother who sacrificed, fought, and encouraged me to go up the next step." My eyes started to shine.

"Thank you to all my friends and lecturers who always patiently guide me." Claps of applause blared throughout the room. My father wiped his eyes, Nina embraced my mother. Uncle at the end there, his already whitened head, clapped his hands violently.

The next day, Nina kept her promise to me. Seyogiaya returned to his hometown, the village a dozen years ago has changed. Arriving at Nina's house, I was surprised by the figure of the elder-grandfather of the solemn head standing in front of her door with a questionable smile.