The Story of Aira
2

Aira could no longer continue her sleep after dawn worship. The house on the side of the highway makes it a little uncomfortable. Because so early that many vehicles have passed.

"How can father and mother sleep this soundly."

Aira opened the curtains of her parents' room. Both of them slept on a worn-out floor mattress. He said that the mattress at home is a gift from good-hearted people. At least they do not feel back pain because they have to sleep on the floor. And do not feel the cold, because they coat the inside of the bamboo room with newspapers and old calendars. So that it can block the cold air that enters through the cracks.

"Thank you good man. Because of your kindness, my parents can sleep comfortably."

Not wanting to get her parents distracted, Aira returned to her room without making any noise.

A few moments later...

"Mom's going to the market. Wanna come?" ask mother.

"You, mom!"

Of course Aira will come with her mother. Because he was very interested in his new place.

Aira was amazed when she arrived at the traditional market. The horse-drawn carriage was waiting for its passengers. The sound of the merchant offering his goods was very unique. Although it sounds foreign to Aira's ears, because they use regional language. Not to mention mothers who carry groceries overhead so easily. Aira who was just looking, could feel how much pain her neck was at that time.

"So strong are they..."

......................

In the afternoon, after his father went on sale. Aira invited her mother to go enjoy the afternoon atmosphere around her.

"You know the hawker here, right? Come on, come on, come on downstairs. River bank there, a lot of people selling. You must like it."

To get there, they had to go through small alleys. And houses so close.

"Oh..., a lot of people here...?"

Aira began to be uncomfortable, as many people were paying attention to her. Actually it was not a strange thing, as Aira was a newcomer to their surroundings. So it is only natural that some of them are still curious. Moreover, all this time Aira's parents only lived alone in the house.

"Bude..., where are you going?" ask a young man to Aira's mother.

"This is going to take the bude child to walk downstairs" said Aira's mother.

"Oh, is this bude's son?" ask the young man again.

"Yes. Aira, this is Aditya. The son of the owner of the house we occupy."

"Hi, Aira." said the young man called Adit.

"Hi.." reply Aira.

"Yes, we go down first." said Aira's mother.

"Yes, be careful bude..."

"What are they talking about? Speaking of which I'm like..."

So thought Aira after a little far away. Aditya and his friends are gossiping about him.

"Eh, bud... Come on, come by here. It's still this warm...!!!" exclaimed a hawker trader mother.

Aira bought some that attracted her. Talk to some of his mother's friends.

Without him noticing, some people kept watching him.

"Beautiful.., how cute..."

......................

Since the departure of Aira to the river bank that afternoon, Aira suddenly became the center of attention. But also make new friends for him.

"Play to my place yuk!" bring Ninik. "Can you sir, bude?" the hijab girl asked Aira's parents for permission.

"Just go, it's okay" said the father.

"Away?" ask Aira.

"Oh Allah. Come on, then!"

Aira also went to the house of Ninik, which is only one house from the rent of Aira's parents.

Aira was surprised when Ninik took her to the back. It turned out that Ninik's room was behind the main house. Directly facing the river.

"You sleep here? Alone?!" Aira was very surprised by the pattern of the house there.

"Yes. Wh why? There was nothing Aira. At least the lizard suddenly passed by." he joked.

"Oh my goodness...!!!" Aira's aiming in horror. "What about your night?" ask Aira again.

"Well, no how." she replied casually.

After they took turns praying, Ninik invited Aira to buy food. And again, Aira met with the people she had previously met while snacking by the river.

"Hi.., Aira.." greet one of them.

Aira just smiled while slightly bowing.

"Buy what, Nik?" ask the trader.

"Lontong topat two, mbak. No ice aira?" Ninik turned towards Aira who was next to him.

"May, lime yes" said Aira.

"Es lime one, ice melon one."

"Aira doyan is spicy too?" ask Aditya.

"Not how much" he answered briefly.

"Oh, Aira. This knows our friends." Aditya introduced the three people who were eating with him.

"The ladder." Someone stretched out his hand.

"Hi." Aira replied to Rangga's hand politely.

"I'm Toni." Toni did the same.

"Hendri." So did Hendri.

"Aira don't worry. We are good people" said Aditya.

"hey are. They're my playmates too, Ra." said Nanik.

"Ah, yes." reply Aira.

The more days Aira gets to know more people. Make friends with anyone without exception.

......................

One day there was a cross-country event in their area. Annual routine event held by the youth coral cadets there.

"Come yes, Ra. One group is the same as us." said Ninik.

"I told you dad first yes." reply Aira.

"Same sirde no Adit also later. If there is Adit must be obtained." said Ninik.

Aira remembered her father's words at that time.

"Adit's his son's nice, polite. Dad's not so worried about her. Mom and Dad knew him well."

That's what Ninik said. Aira's father allowed.

"Leave, mom. He must be happy to have a lot of friends, and be at home here" said the father.

"Mom's just worried she's tired, keeps getting sick." she replied.

"His mind is fine."

"Yes, yeah." Mom finally accepted dad's decision.

That night Ninik invited Aira to register with the committee. Icha and Sari were with them.

There are some people Aira doesn't know there.

"Who's this?" someone teased Aira who was standing next to Ninik.

"Friends. Her name is Aira." reply Ninik.

"Pakde's son rented Adit's house." Icha clarify.

"Oh..., who said he just came to the wedding, huh?" the other sahut.

"A long time ago." replied Aira in heart.

"So you want to follow along too? How many of your team?"

Ninik mentions his members one by one. After that they decided to go home.

"him...!" the first person to tease him.

Aira looked over as her name was called. It was nothing, he simply did not want to look arrogant or disrespectful. Just because it ignores people's calls.

"Until you meet the fitting of the event ya.." exclaimed the man in a very sweet tone.

"Ciiieeehhhhh, wuuuhh...!!!" sahut.

"Aira.., she likes you like her." whispered Sari.

"Distinguish between liking and teasing ya." reply Aira.

"That was Ryan, Ra" said Ninik.

Aira heard it, but did not want to give any response.

......................

Aditya met Aira's father that afternoon before he left for sale. At that time Aditya happened to be passing in front of the house.

"Not yet to go sir?" ask Aditya.

"Awhile more. Not stopping by first?"

Aditya approaches Aira's father.

"Pakde, later we want to go shopping for the event tomorrow morning. Can Aira come with us?" aditya asked politely, after sitting on the wooden bench.

"Can. Pakde titip yes. He's new here." father's message.

"Yes, sir." replied Aditya while nodding his head.

That night they went to a big store on foot. It happened to be the turn of the power outage in their village.

"Why go die gini lights anyway? It should be good afternoon." Aira grumbled.

Aditya sped up his pace in order to be on par with Aira.

"Fear huh??" aditya Goda.

"Not afraid, don't like it. Why the hell is there a rolling dead light here? It's just a hassle." Sira's great-grandson.

Aira is a typical person who is difficult to talk to. But when he was comfortable with the people around him, he would be quite a chatty person.

"Yes, Ra. Saving of electric power source. It's mending there's lighting. It used to be very difficult to illuminate here." explained Aditya.

"Oooh.." reply Aira. "Still linger?"

"For a moment until. It's in front." point to Aditya.

After arriving at the store...

Aira saw all kinds of hawking in that shop. He just took some of his favorite.

"That's all, Ra?" ask Rangga wonder.

"Em." Aira nodded.

"You are indeed a hamster." - Aditya.

"Yet...!" spontaneously Aira patted Aditya on the shoulder.

"Haha...!" everyone laughed at the scene.

Aira sat on the front bench of the shop while waiting for the others. Aditya came with a drink.

"Drink, Ra" he said.

"Thank you." Aira accepted it with pleasure.

"Are you sure you're strong, Ra?" ask Aditya.

"Strengthen it." replied Aira.

"Four hills, Ra" he said again.

"Safe." reply Aira again.

"We'll see tomorrow who will finish first." challenge Aditya.

"Come on. Not scared."

Aditya shook his head to hear Aira's reaction.

......................

"Aditya., he's the only guy my parents trust. Even when permission goes anywhere, if there is Aditya, it must be immediately allowed. And it's true, Aditya's a very polite son. But sometimes it's just as bad. But not only Aditya is good. My other friend is good to me too. Glad I finally have a friend here."