Andre was 16 years old. He look like a freak, had no friends, and did not interesting to socialize – I guessed. Actually, he was cute, has a good shape, a little bit shorter than me. My family and I just moved in to this town last month, and we lived just few blocks from his house. Mr. Livingstone, Andre’s father had passed away when Andre was 4 years old. Everyone said that he was not a good boy but for me he was an interesting boy. Even tough he was living in poverty, I could feel that he had had something which not all people had, he was such a helpful person. I had seen him shared his seat to an old lady on the bus. I also had accidentally seen he picked out a poor kitten from a deep, dirty, and stinky drain. He even gave some money to a little girl who cried because her lollipop fell down to the ground and asked her to buy a new one. There was a big question inside of my head; why people hated him?
It was a sunny Monday morning. I woke up early to prepare my self for my first day in high school. I wanted everything as perfect as possible, my backpack, my uniform, my shoes, and also my new bicycle. I rode my bicycle to my school, the only high school in our town. How great this building, I thought I was the first student coming to the school today. Front once, which was my favorite desk. From this desk I could hear the teacher well, had no chance to sleep or cheating with friends or saw anyone else. So, I could study with full concentration. Suddenly, Andre was across in my mind. Did he register to high school? Could his mother pay the school fee? I didn’t know why I thought about him, I couldn’t stop to thought about him.
A minute later, I realized that I shouldn’t worry about him. He even might do not know who I am. However, I couldn’t deny that I cared about him. The teacher entered the class, he looked around and I saw fast motion of his mouth as he counted the students. Then hiss forehead wrinkled, he was look like searching one student more. I hoped that one was Andre. In the last minute, a student knocked the door from outside and asked the teacher whether he may come in or not. “I hope that is you, Andre...” I whispered. He came in and apologized to the teacher, how he was a polite person. When he was turning and looking for an empty desk, I was surprised. He was Andre! I was very happy, I wanted to shouting but I knew that I may not. I did not know why did I feel today was perfect.
It was the third month in high school. I have been waiting for a moment to talk with him. Bertha said that I was insane because I wanted to get closer with someone who everyone else avoided. That day, I started the conversation with a silly thing. I asked him to help me in math, meanwhile entire the class knew that Andre always got D in math. He become mad and spoke loudly to me, he even screamed. How stupid I was. We did not talk almost a week after that, I even had had no bravery to saw at him. Until one day, he said sorry that he had too rude at me. I wanted to smile and told him that was okay, but a devil on my left whispered “He has to pay for your sorry, sweetie. He was hurting you…” On other side, an angel whispered “No girl, don’t do that. Just ask him to be your friend…” At last, I jut asked him to ride me home after school for a month and he agreed. In first week, he just rode my bicycle without said anything. In the next week, he said “Your bicycle is nice, I enjoy riding it…” That was the sentence that made me sure that he was my friend.
Andre was a nice guy. He taught me many things about life. He looks different when he was with me. He wasn’t a silent person like what I had watched so far, he was talkative. He enjoyed talking with me, he even talk and shared with me without I asked. Step by step I was getting know him more. Then I knew why people hated him. People suspected him as a cold blood murder. He was an alcoholic and used to consume drugs. One day, his friends and he were in a party. They were drunk and lose control. One of his friend, Peter, over doses and died, his parent blamed Andre for his death. Soon that issue spread out to entire the town, as the result people also blamed him. I didn’t believe that until he invited me to come with him to Peter’s grave. I was dizzy, I couldn’t believe that a nice person such Andre had a past as dark as he told me.
As he told me, we agreed not to talk about his past anymore. I confused, did he told me the truth? If he did, did I chose a wrong guy as a friend? No, I didn’t! I knew he was a good man, I had seen the proofs. Our life went on. More I spent days with Andre, more I realized that he was a good person, no, he was a great person. He was being so strong to kept move on thought he was alone. I was glad to be his friend, where was Andre, there was me. Yea, we had had a lot of time to meet. We were classmate, we were neighboring, and we were best friend! I didn’t care about his past, and he didn’t care about my angry face when he got D on math (for hundreds time). No friendship as beautiful as we built, I bet for that.
After few months, I felt something changed. Andre tried to stay away from me without any explanation. He didn’t want to talk with me anymore. Every time I started a conversation, he always avoided. I asked, he answered. He spoke loudly and rude, just like the first time I asked him about math. He preferred to go home on foot than riding bicycle with me. I was confused, sad, and disappointed. What was wrong him? Andre just told me that he wanted to be alone for a moment.
Mr. Nicholas, our math lecturer, gave back our answer sheet in last exam. With this letter B, I could ask new shoes to my dad. Most of students look sad and disappointed. In the backward, I saw Andre folded an airplane from using his paper and flew it away trough the window. I dared to bit that he got D again; I saw that letter through his eyes. When the class was over, I drew near his desk. I asked him if he want a sandwich. He just glanced at me for a while then left me without say anything. I didn’t know how many times he didn’t ask about my mark. Andre changed, he lost his spirit. He just drew graffiti on his book during the class, didn’t what to say when the teacher asked him a question, and he didn’t attend his final term for football team selection.
On the way home, I offered him to ride my bicycle. I guessed that he would refuse me, and he did. I rode my bicycle accompanying him walking. He kept walking and silent. I started to talk, but that was my first big mistake. I asked him about his paper. He stopped walking and he said that he knows that I love math, and he asked me to leave him alone because he is not good in math. I thought it was the moment I became hate math too. His emotion was burst. Then he told me that he would tell me what happened to him if I promise not to get close anymore with him. It was my second big mistake, I agreed his offer. He said that people were getting hate me for being his friend. He didn’t want me to be hated because he exactly knew how hard to live alone, and he didn’t want me experience it too. He pushed me down from my bicycle and run away. I didn’t know what to say, I’m frozen on the ground beside my pinky bicycle. That was my third mistake; I was letting him go while he was down. Oh God, he cares about his friend. That was another proof that he was a good person.
It was silly not to talk with classmate, a man who went home to the same direction with me, and our home parted few blocks only. Three months elapsed. There was big news in school: a student dropped out for a big case. Was he Andre? If that student was him, what did he do? I hoped that wasn’t him. In the class, I asked Martha who was that poor student. She said that he was Andre, school security found him in the back yard while he drunk last night. I couldn’t believe that. He had promised to me that he would never touch those things anymore. I met him at his house in the afternoon. He opened the door and took me to the sitting room. We did not say any words for few minutes until I asked him why. He told me that he just needed them, he just wanted to escape. Then I made a conclusion; he did that because of me. I was dizzy suddenly. I asked him to go back to school or move to another school, any school. I forced him to continue his study and show me that he could be the best. He gave me no responds. He opened the door and asked me to go out. In the last minute he said “You were the first person who I smile to in last 3 years, but now I need to leave you, I have to. I’ll move to Green Town next week. I promise that you’ll see that smile again…”
I was so sad and confused. Would he continue his school? Would he fall too deep and never move out again? Would he back to his past? How about his story that he would change? Did he lie? If we meet again someday, would he remember me? I couldn’t stop to think about him but life must go on.
5 years later…
It was my fifth semester in the college. I enjoyed my life here. I stayed far from my parent. I cooked my foods by my own, I washed my clothes by my self, I did everything alone. Even tough college and stayed alone were make me busy, I made some friends in college. I wasn’t a popular student but I loved to socialize and I joined some organizations. I hoped that could help me not to think about my past, about a friendship. I didn’t know it was a beautiful memory or a bad memory, it was complicated.
College never seen in silent event tough it was holiday. I have no plans for vacation this holiday, so I took some addition class. I sat in the main building alley, I was watching for the new students in a light yellow uniform. I remembered about my first day in college. I was look like a girl who gets lost in a wide desert. I even didn’t know where I could get some soft drinks and food. Some senior students were too hard on the new students. I hated that but nothing that I could do to stop it, that was a common. I read a book in my arms, a book of Kahlil Gibran. I thought that could stop me bleed for them but I couldn’t. Then I went out and sat in the park. I saw the same scene, so I turned back and sat behind the tree. How it was so comfort sitting there.
Suddenly, a man with uniform touched my back as he called my name. He smiled to me as he asked me if I had some drinks for him. I frowned and tried to recognize him. He looks familiar to me but I couldn’t remember who he was. “Do you still remember that a boy promise you a smile? Sorry I’m 2 years late to follow you here...” Andre! A senior shouted to call him back to his group before I repay his smile. Something sparkled in my heart and made my face reddish. I asked my friend what time would those new students over today. They would be here until 6 P.M. I looked my watch, it was 11 A.M. I decided to wait him, we would go home together again like we used to.
I felt that I was back to my past again. My best friend, Andre, was back. I asked him how he was in last 4 years. He told me that he got work after he finished high school and saved his money for college. I wonder how could he found a job and save his money with his high school diploma. Then he told me that he went for some jobs to earn more money. Andre was changed in appearance, many changes. He looks tidier. He dressed well, he had his hair cut, and no more piercing, rocker bracelets or ring. He became more adult and wiser. I swore that I would never let him go again. I would never let him alone anymore. I would never do the same mistakes again. I promised for Andre, for me, and for us.
Andre had told me that he love his mother much. She never lets Andre alone. She could wipe Andre’s tear. She was always there for Andre. Andre had had promised that he would make his mother happy ever after. I knew that Andre could make it true because he had a strong willing. He proved me that everybody changes. I was right about one thing; Andre was a nice person and a good friend. People were wrong to judge him because his past. I knew one day people will confess him, esteem him, and respect him.
0 comments:
Post a Comment