The String of Destiny
Bad experience on the bus

White ash uniform has been worn. Books and stationery fit into each other's bags. Alexander walked out of the room with his bag and a pair of shoes.

Her footsteps came to a halt, when she saw Tiara walking into the kitchen carrying a food supply box. He wondered what he was doing. Then, he put down his bag and shoes and followed them to the kitchen.

"Who is preparing the provisions?"

Tiara while putting in the tofu vegetable and rice replied, "Yes, this is all our lunch menu. Today there is an exculpation, right? Instead of buying, it's better to enjoy the house food."

Alexander looked at the five boxes and asked, "All these boxes have you?"

Tiara shook her head then replied, "These two boxes of supplies belong to Wulan and Tamrin. Wulan said she wanted to taste the clear tofu vegetable too. Tamrin was the same, she wanted to try the lunch menu without oil."

"Wulan is really a horrible girl" Alexander replied.

"You're right, honey, but since you know his abilities. I'm not surprised" he told Alex.

"Two boxes of this stock have us, and one more has who?" alex asked, pointing.

Tiara held the brown rice box and replied, "This rice box is mine. Incidentally, while on the road there is a traveling merchant selling furniture. Since the discount and the motive were attractive, I bought it right away."

"So apparently, I just found out you're interested in discounted prices."

Tiara laughed then said, "Of course! Buying discounted goods, is one way to minimize spending budget."

Alexander fell silent as soon as he heard it. He thought, that Tiara is not much different from the mothers out there.

But something stuck in his mind, which is a brown box. He was curious, for whom the box was prepared.

"So, who's the box for?"

"Ilham," he answered while putting tofu and rice vegetables into the lunch box.

Alexander fell silent again, he turned to hide what he was feeling. Tiara realized that, she clasped her hands tightly together.

Tiara kissing his cheek made Alexander turn to him. Then he said, "Relax baby, your share is a little more than Ilham. I also add vermicelli as a substitute for noodles. Don't be jealous, baby."

His face blushed in embarrassment then said, "Who is jealous too?!" he said while turning away in shame.

"My husband's a blunt person," she replied to Alex.

"It's time to go to school, we'd better hurry" Alex said as he stuffed his lunchbox into the black plastic on the table.

"OK."

They both arranged and tidied up the food supply box. Finished composing and inserting a predetermined food supply box inside the bag, they both walked to the front porch of the house.

In front of the terrace, they put on shoes and walked away from home. So long on the way, they both stopped right beside the main gate of the housing.

Several transports passed by, Alexander and Tiara turned to the right side looking for transport to ride. From a distance they saw a bus was traveling quite fast.

The bus driver saw the two of them and pulled over on the side of the road. The dense and crowded atmosphere of the bus, made them speechless.

They want to get off the bus and choose to wait for another transport. However, a bus kernet came to the money holding a wad of money.

"SMA 22 HARDCORE SARI?" ask the Kernet.

"Yes," answered the two of them.

"SMA 22 RIGID SARI five thousand rupiah," he said charging a fee.

Inevitably, Alexander and Tiara gave a sheet of five thousand. The kernet immediately accepted it and left.

Then, the bus they were riding on started to run. Alexander and Tiara clung to the bus mast. The atmosphere inside the bus was crowded, making them have to be patient. Unbeknownst to them, a fat laborer stalked the two of them.

The man stood right behind Tiara. Highlight his perverted eyes, looking at Tiara from head to toe. Sometimes, he licked the base under his lips lustfully.

Tiara was surprised, feeling a strange touch behind her body. Alexander could see his surprised expression.

"Why?" alex asked worriedly.

Tiara did not answer, but her facial expression and eyes glimmered as if asking for help. Alexander looked back.

The anger peaked, as soon as he saw the fat man slightly lift his lover's skirt while slipping a cellphone. Alexander immediately hit the man in the face and grabbed his hand.

"You shameless bastard!" alex snapped while pointing.

"What?!"

They began to clash blows to make the atmosphere of the Bus calm and crowded, now tense. Alex and the man clashed with each other and a Kernet came to them.

"What is this?!" ask the Kernet.

Alexander pointed as he said, "The fat pig is harassing my friend! I just saw my own eyes, this pig wants to take a picture of what's behind my friend's skirt!" he said while pointing with emotion.

"Huh?! What is the evidence?! Don't get me wrong! I want a picture of the atmosphere on the bus for my instastory!"

The kernet turned to Tiara and asked, "Is that really neng?"

Tiara nodded her head without saying a word. Then, Alexander forcibly seized the man's cell phone. Alex opened a collection of photos on his phone to get a proof of what was behind the skirt.

Alex showed the man's phone screen to everyone while saying, "Look! Here's proof!"

Some passengers saw what was behind the scenes. While the man was silent and Kernet immediately secured the man and evidence.

"Snakes just above the knee, what's it doing? Don't do that if you want to lure a guy. There are, those bastard guys you lured." Saying a mother.

"Current women's appearances, too inviting to attention." Friend.

Feeling Tiara being cornered, Alexander again provoked emotions and said, "You mean my friends are wrong?"

"It is so, right? Men would not be like that if there were no triggers," one man's reply confirmed the words of the two mothers.

"If clothes and appearance become triggers, you better all live in the forest! You don't have a heart, instead of calming my friend!" alex replied with emotion.

The mothers stared intently and said, "Not thankfully advised, but nyolot. The children of today!"

Tiara clasped her hands making Alex turn to her. He smiled and shook his head.

Tiara smiled at them and said, "Thank you for the advice. Here, I am wrong. Suppose my appearance is not too flashy, maybe this incident will not happen" he told them the school did not happen anything. Then he hugged Alex's hand as he said, "Yuk!"

Tiara led Alexander to the Driver's bench. At a glance, Alexander saw them speechless while looking down on Tiara. After that, the bus stopped speeding and they both came down.

"Why are we down here?" ask Alex.

"We're riding in an angkot," answered and smiled again.

No matter how strong he smiled, in the end the smile began to fade. The trauma that Tiara felt, began to be clearly visible on the look on her face.

A car started to pass. Other than the driver, no passengers were seen.

They both stopped him. Then, the two of them climbed up one by one and sat on the back bench. Alexander looked at Tiara. The girl hugged him from the side.

"Dear, thank you for protecting me. I can't imagine if there wasn't you" he said, tightening his arms.

Alexander returned his embrace and stroked his hair saying, "Sama-sama. I'm sorry, if I'd known earlier maybe we wouldn't have gotten on that bus."

"There's no need to apologize to my husband, the incident on the bus was beyond our prediction."

"But, I'm still upset especially those guys. In fact, you're a victim but they're cornering you."

"Don't think, their words have a point. My skirt is a little short, eat it after school later I ask you to accompany me to the market."

Alexander took off his embrace and looked down and asked, "They shallow thoughts still make me not accept. You must be scared right now, right?"

"Yes, it traumatized me. I feel like my pride is being ripped apart. Maybe that's how women feel out there. It turns out, calm water isn't always safe."

Alexander clasped his hand as he said, "Relax Tiara, no matter what happens I will always protect you."

Tiara smiled and kissed him on the cheek, making Alexander blush in shame. Then he said, "Thank you, baby. Now I feel safe."

The driver who heard it coughed. Then he said, "Ujang, Neng I'm still here."

Their faces turned red and said, "Sorry!" he said with embarrassment and they took off their hugs.