1 Just You and Me

The little girl looked at some boys and girls were running happily on the beach. Once a while their laughter exploded, when waves with white foam hit their bodies. The girl's smile rolled on her tiny lips. A cool breeze was blowing against her face, in the midst of the pleasant heat. Once more, she heard her friends were laughing freely. They were so happy playing at the beach.

She really wanted to run and catch up with the waves with her friends. How come? It was a special class day. Traveling for a farewell after three years of struggling with all school assignments, before they would continue their studies to a further level, high school, entering the world of adolescence and adulthood. But something forced her to choose to keep sitting under the shady tree by the beach.

"Aren't you playing with them, Yuana?" A voice was heard behind the little girl. Yuana turned around.

"No. I'm lazy. It's more fun to sit under a tree. It's cool. On a hot beach, it stings my skin. It's not fun when I come home with striped skin," she answered with a big smile.

It was just a reason. Honestly, it was sad to lose sweet moments with her friends. Especially playing with Manfred and Bobby, her two best friends. But because of Niar, Yuana was better being alone. Niar didn't like her. She was always against her. Yuana was reluctant to be around the girl. She didn't want her last day with her friends become a bad memory.

"Or because of Niar?" asked Yani, the girl who sat next to Yuana.

"Niar?" Yuana slowly spoke.

"Yes, it's common to know that you and Niar often don't get along." Yani looked at Yuana.

"I'm not good at making excuses, am I?" Yuan said.

"That's because you always give in to Niar." Yani nudged Yuana's arm. "You are too nice."

Yuan smiled again.

A boy who was starting to grow tall as a young man, with a handsome face trotted over to Yuana and Yani who were engrossed in continuing their conversation.

"Hi! Yuan! Come along!" he said breathlessly. His hair, face, and body were wet because of the sea water. "You lose if you don't come with us. It's really fun time!"

"I would love to, Bob. But you know Niar, right?" Yuana just shrugged.

"You're just giving in to her." Bobby took three steps closer.

"She likes you, Bob." Yuana smiled faintly.

"I like you, not Niar." Bobby quickly answered.

"She doesn't care about that ..."

"We've graduated, Yu. It's impossible for Niar to be accepted into the high school we registered. Her grades are not enough," Bobby said. "You, Manfred, and I must have accepted."

Yani agreed with Bobby, she gave two thumbs up.

"This is Niar's last day with us. After that there will be no Niar. We will stay together, just you and me." Bobby looked at Yuana.

"Well, Guys, this is already a special scene, I'll better go." Yani stood up, ran towards the beach to join her friends.

"We make today's moment, Yu. It will not be repeated." Bobby was still persuading Yuana to come with him.

At that time a tall girl with brown hair on her back walked quickly to Bobby and Yuana.

"Bob, let's go swimming again! It's getting more exciting, here!" Niar spoiledly pulled Bobby's arm.

"I'm tired, Niar," said Bobby. He wanted to stay with Yuana.

"Ah, come on! Manfred is waiting there too." Niar pulled Bobby harder. The straight-haired boy was forced to follow Niar.

"I'm going to Manfred, Yu!" Bobby waved at Yuana.

"Niar, I feel you will not stop. You will still stay among us," Yuana thought.

It was sad to think about tha but for Yuana, it was very possible would happen.

*****

Yuan entered the dining room. Her father was there, sitting alone.

"Hi, Dad." Yuana voice was uninspired.

"Hi. Just arrived?" said Prastama Hardani. The man looked up briefly and then looked back at the book in his hand.

"Yeah. Where's Mom?" Yuana took cold water from the refrigerator.

"Not home yet," answered Prastama flatly.

"And Yoel?" Yuana asked her brother.

"He was just leaving." Again, the flat answer sounded.

"Dad, have you finished dinner?" asked Yuan. Prastama was still busy with his book.

"No, not yet. I'm just getting a cup of drink." Prastama returned to answer without looking at his daughter.

"Can we have dinner?" Once more time Yuana asked.

"You can take dinner." Prastama left the dining room. Yuana looked at him. Her father was a dashing and quite handsome man. He was close to middle age, but still looked cool.

This was the house, Yuana's family. It was looked always lonely, cold, no joy. All the inhabitants of the house were indifferent to each other. They just were like people staying in a hotel who didn't know one another. Father and mother were busy with their own's business. They competed in their work. Frequently they were noisy at home, fighting about office matters. Prastama wanted to show he was more powerful as a husband. Evaline didn't want to lose, although she was a woman, she didn't want to be belittled.

When Yuana was a child, she did not understand what was happening. All she knew was that her mother and father loved her. She never lacked for anything. Everything she needed she could get it easily. As she grew older, Yuana began to realize what had happened between her father and mother.

Yuana was increasingly uncomfortable at home. All the time she had been harboring all feelings of sadness, disappointment, and anger because of the situation. Yoel Malvian, her brother also didn't want to care about her. Gradually, she hated her family.

What made her even angrier, Yoel always forbade her to go out at night, especially on weekends. If Yoel was angry, he was very rude. Sometimes Yuana was afraid of Yoel.

Yoel once slapped Yuana until her cheek was bruised because Yuana went to the movie with Bobby and Manfred, then she came back home after seven o'clock at evening. Yuana could only cry lamenting her pain. She put it in diaries and prayers.

"Would you like you have your dinner" Ira, her family's maid, approached Yuana.

Yuan turned around. "I just don't want to eat."

"Just a little bit, please, you'll get a stomach ache again," Ira persuaded. She traced Yuana's long, silky hair with her fingers.

"Okay, but please stay here, with me, okay?" Yuana said.

"Yes, of course, I will." Ira smiled.

They ended up having dinner together. Ira was close to Yuana. Yuana often talked about her school, her friends, or anything else to Ira. For Yuana, Ira more than a maid of her family. She looked like a sister, she never had. Ira patiently heard Yuana every time she talked.

Ira was only twenty-five, but she was mature as a young woman. He loved Yuana. Since working four years ago in the house, Ira felt something with Yuana. Because Yuana reminded her of her sister whom living at the village, out of the town. More, Mr. Hardani paid Ira quite a lot. It was not easy for her to find a job that pays like this at home. Moreover, her education was not high. If Ira could go to college, she would be able to try to find a better job.

After eating and helping Ira cleared the dining table, Yuana went up to the second floor to her room. She opened the window and looked out. The residential road in front of the house was deserted. In the sky the moon was only half and the stars were shining beautifully. Yuana looked up at the sky. Clouds scattered around the moon and among the stars. Thin, moving slowly, and changing their shapes. The sky was so sweet and shady.

"Oh, my God, your sky is so beautiful. It's really great. If only my life was the same," whispered Yuana. There was sadness in his heart. She missed a family that made her life complete and happy.

"The reality is I find in this house, there is no love for me. No one wants to care one another. I feel like I can't stand this situation longer. If I could, I would want to get away from all this. Is this what a family is like?" Yuan sighed. Her heart was troubled.

There was the sound of a motorbike approaching. Yuana quickly looked at the street in front of the house. Yoel! He was coming home. Yuana closed the window and get into her room She sat on the edge of her bed. Restlessness filled her heart.

"I don' t wanna care. Why do I have to be sad of these people? The important thing is that I don't bother anyone. I will do what I want. If they don't care about me, what's the point of me being sad because of them?" said Yuana angrily. Her heart was already hot like coals ready to ignite and burn the surroundings.