Chapter 5 FIVE

Reno straightened up a few feet from my weak body, striving to muster his audacity under my father's intimidating glare. In a flash movement, my father's grip had strangled his neck that caused him to gasp for breath in despair; Reno hauled my father's hands, making effort to release his hold.

With his towering body and powerful energy, Reno could have knocked my father down on one attempt; his eyes did reflect his desire to fight against him yet he didn't want to put me at risk for confronting that old wrinkle-faced man in a ragged t-shirt wrapping his skinny torso.

"Please, let him go." My helpless mother could only plead for my father's mercy to spare Reno's life which was at stake.

I, staggering to my feet, yelled at my father who then surrendered to his endeavor to hurt Reno as soon as my mouth opened in response to Reno's suffering.

"I will give you the money." I, with no power on my side, had no choice but to sacrifice this amount of money to save that boy who was dying.

His sudden strong push dropped Reno's body on the ground. With one grab, the envelope I clutched had moved to my father's hands in an instance; laughter of satisfaction escaped his lips, being his companion dashing out of the crowds of people who, since the beginning, had watched the action play between an old man and the young glasses nerdy boy. It was not their mistake for not reconciling the fight; their own life was full of misery. As soon as my father vanished behind the gate, out of the slum area, the populace scattered away, leaving me with my mother and Reno.

"How is your wound?" The bleeding corner of my lips as well as the bruises on my jaws and elbows attracted Reno to find out about my condition.

"What brings you here?" In a cynical tone, instead of showing my gratitude and responding to his inquiry, I snapped at him which ignited my mother's harsh scolding of her defense toward Reno.

"You may have died if he didn't come at the right time."

"But, we lost that money I have collected for a year because of him, Mom."

"Watch your mouth! That has nothing to do with him." My mother snarled; the way she spoke changed when talking to Reno. "Thank you so much for your help. May I know who you are and what is your relationship with my daughter?"

"My name's Reno, Ilana's classmate."

"What about having some chats and drinks inside, dear?" Reno nodded at her invitation; following my mother's lead, he entered our tiny house which forced him to bow his head down to enable him to pass through the door with his tall body.

Like a special guest, my mother treated Reno super nicely, serving him with a cup of tea which she bought with the only a little amount of money she owned.

"I made this special for you as a form of my gratitude for what you did. I hope you will like it."

"Sure." He sipped the tea. "Thank you so much for this amazing tea." That praise was enough to please my mother and they engaged in a conversation; even sometimes my mother laughed at his jokes.

Their interaction stimulated jealousy in my heart; they were drinking, celebrating their triumph over me, who occupied myself with cleaning up the cramped room from the pieces and the debris of the dishes. Despite envy with their closeness, I found a tinge of happiness in me witnessing the joy in my mother's face which could not deny that she enjoyed her moment with Reno who respected her like her own mother and it was my first time to see her smile and giggle.

Glancing at the expensive watch on his wrist, Reno bid goodbye to my mother. "Aunty, I have to go."

"I wish you could stay longer." with a heavy heart, my mother let him out of the house. "Take care. Visit us more often if you are free." Reno smiled in a bow. "Ilana, accompany him to the gate."

With my flat expression, I walked side by side with Reno heading toward the gate which split this slum area with the road. To break the silence, I shot him with an investigation.

"How did you get to know where I live?"

"From the school administration staff, don't blame her. It was me who coerced her to have access to your address."

"No worries, I am not interested in creating a mess at school." I paused before I said something which confused him. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"For drawing a smile on my mother's lips "

"I am pleased to meet your mother. I mean it. At least you are lucky to be able to see her every single day."

"What do you mean? You live with your parents, too, right?"

"I lost my biological mother when I was a baby."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"I'm getting used to it now."

After a long silence, I said something which startled him a bit. "I hope it's your last time to visit my house. Don't get me wrong. It is all for your own safety. My father...,"

"I know but I can't promise you not to come again."

"My father is so cruel. He can loot your money or even hurt you."

"So, are you worried about me now?" Shaking my head at his assumption, I didn't have a say against his words; it was useless to talk more to this boy even though he gained my sympathy for losing his mother at such a young age. Even imagining growing up without a person who gave birth to you was so heart-breaking; I chose to avoid the debate with this nerdy as his life was even not better than mine.

Before turning my back on him, with my forefinger pointed in a certain route, I directed him to follow the main road to catch the taxi. "If you take two hundred meters to the right after that intersection, you will find a cab."

With my rush steps, I no longer cared for him to thank me in a yell; his voice then faded away along with the more distance I took. I paced the trod quickly until I got to my tiny house.

My mother, at the doorway, questioned whether or not Reno, her special guest, got a taxi as soon as her eyes caught me crossing the narrow yard.

"He is not a five-year-old kid, Mom. He can take care of himself."

Receiving my blatant words, my mother responded back in a raised tone which convinced me more that Reno's presence meant a lot to her. "I never taught you to treat your friend badly."

"We are not even friends, Mom." Not even a single one wanted to be my friend even if Reno might be different from the rest of the students at school yet I didn't believe in friendship.

My denials made her furious even more. "I didn't expect that you would be this stubborn. For my whole life, he is the only friend of yours who visits you. Respect him."

"I am not at his level to make a friend with him, Mom."

"Is that what your teachers have preached to you? The stupid me even know that God never judges people from their wealth."

My mother's statements slapped me in my heart; I always looked down at myself for my flaws and limitations. And that regret forced me to walk inside the house with the burden on my shoulder.

***

The teacher in charge had guarded the gateway early in the morning to check the students' uniforms and attributes; whoever wore the proper attire would pass the checking including me. The lanky teacher in glasses gazed at my shabby shirt in sympathy and allowed me to proceed inside without any interrogation.

Some of the students had to return home because of their colorful dyed hair which didn't obey the school regulation of forbidding strictly to have their hair dyed or done, copying celebrity's hairstyle. Others, especially female students, whined because the teacher cut their mini skirt for breaching the rule to put on at least the knee-length skirt.

Being safe from that screening, I marched to the building where my classroom was; the hand grasping my shoulder, unfortunately, compelled my feet to their place. It was Nina, my cousin who slid my way this early in the morning; through her glare, she was undeniably pissed off.

"How dare you and your mother trick my father to give you money?"

"I can explain." A slap hit my cheek and reddened the spot on my face; it hurt but her next words contained more poisons which jabbed me even more.

"You and your mother are the parasites in our family. Not only that, you are a stain on this elite school."

At her insult, I had no words to defend myself as I didn't want to make a fuss nor add more pang to my miserable life, standing against my relatives

"Ilana..., It's you, the poet, right?" That nice girl, Vera, gratefully crossed a path with me and greeted me with her squinting eyes, ensuring that she didn't refer to the wrong person, and Nina, upon Vera's interruption, left in her pouty face.

"Vera...,"

"Yeah, you are that talented poet who saw me in the editor's room yesterday." I smiled at her and she did the same thing in return. Vera was my senior, one year ahead of me; her nice personality who can easily get along with people including the introverted me with my insecurity hypnotized me.

As her class was located on a different floor, we parted and I was alone inside this lift; Vera persuaded me to take a lift for time efficiency.

A group of girls was the first view I beheld as soon as the door swiped open; Nina, whose face blushed in annoyance, hit me with his disgusted stare which reminded of her alert not to greet her let alone blow up our relationship as a cousin and meeting her here was like opening the pages of book collecting bad memory at the school yard this morning where her palm imprinted pain in my heart.

"So, disgusting," one of them grunted, looking at my look in disheveled uniform; they then stepped inside the lift once I got out of it.

I scrambled toward my classroom with my sight falling on the floor and briskly ran to my seat; I could let out a sigh of relief as no one was around.

My pupils dilated at the blue birthday party invitation which I never received before even from Nina; it was from the most arrogant student at school who once humiliated me, Kevin. What was the evil plan he had prepared for me this time?