Palembang, August 2003
It had been one year since Haden never returned here. He had also decided to stop out of college. At the end of last year, I started my KKN activities in a village in one of the districts here. Since then Haden and I couldn't contact each other because I didn't get a signal but after I came back, I still couldn't reach him.
"How? He still can't be contacted, huh?" I asked Dika.
"Uh-uh. Maybe he doesn't use this number anymore," Dika sighed.
"Why doesn't he tell us, huh?"
"I'm also confused and worried."
"Well, maybe later he will contact us."
"But it's been a year already, Nes."
Since he never contacted me again, I always tried to forget my feelings for him, but I never could. Every time I sit on the rooftop, I always think of him. Every time I got to the bus stop after the class, I always thought of him who was always waiting for me here. I didn't know how he was. I really missed him.
"Don't you eat?" Yonna asked while standing in front of my room.
"I am still full."
"Okay. But, if you don't eat because you think about Haden, don't do it."
"No, I don't."
I woke up in the middle of the night. I saw my bedroom door was still open and my room lights were still very bright. I saw Haden walking towards his room. I stepped on my feet just to be sure whether it was really Haden. However, after arriving at his room, there was no one and it was just my imagination.
"What are you doing here?" Dika said it surprised me.
"I saw someone like Haden come into his room earlier."
"Maybe ...."
"What??"
"Nothing. It's just your imagination. It's better if you sleep again and continue your dream."
"Is Haden still unable to be contacted?" Lyla asked me.
"Yes, he is."
"Um ... his family can't be contacted either?"
"Uh-uh. His number is no longer active. After he contacted Mrs. Sari said that he wanted to stop out of college."
"Maybe later he will come back again."
"Yes, hopefully."
I was in the sixth semester. I also never returned to Yogya again, because I was busy with my college affairs. I was also pursuing my studies so that I could graduate as soon as possible and return to Yogya.
"If I come back to Yogya later, do you think we'll meet again or not?" I asked Lyla.
"Um, people say the world is small. Maybe we'll meet again later. But, it might take a while. Don't you want to find a job here?"
"I really want to. I'm comfortable here too. I also felt like I was Palembangese. But, we know that as far as we go, we'll be back to our home."
"Why am I sad, huh? I am very happy to meet you and other friends. But, you are right. Home itself is the place where we return to. Hopefully we can meet again later."
"How come we already talked about goodbye, huh? After all, we still have quite a bit of time to spend together."
In less than one year maybe we will finish our education. Dika will finish his studies soon and go back to his hometown.
"So, how is it? Your parents still can't come, huh?" Mrs. Sari asked Dika.
"Yes, ma'am. Because the distance is far, so the cost is expensive," he replied with a look of disappointment.
"Alright. Don't be sad. Maybe your parents haven't paid for it. I will come and be your guardian."
"Thank you. But, it felt like something was missing. It will be a special day for me, but the special person in my life can't attend."
"Be patient. Thanks to them, you can finish your study here. So, even if they can't come, at least their prayers are with you," I said to calm his feelings.
Dika's Graduation Ceremony will be held tomorrow. However, his parents couldn't come here. I understood how he felt now. Graduation was a very special day for a student and of course, it will be even more special if attended by parents.
"Don't sleep too late. You'll be late tomorrow. I have ironed your coat."
"Yes, ma'am. Thank you very much."
"Are you guys coming tomorrow?" Mrs. Sari asked.
"Yonna come. Tomorrow is also Saturday and coincidentally there are no college assignments."
"Me too." I replied.
We got up early in the morning to help Dika prepare everything. He looked very cute today because he was wearing a black suit that really suits him. After finishing breakfast, we went to the campus.
"I'm really nervous," he said when we just arrived at his campus.
"Finally, I heard you are nervous. I thought you were a confident human being," Yonna joked.
"That's normal. Try to take your breath slowly and then exhale," Mrs. Sari replied.
"Anes and Yonna, wait in the car first, ma'am?" I asked.
"Yup, when the graduation is over you will come out," Mrs. Sari said, then she and Dika got out of the car and headed to the field which was used as a place for the graduation ceremony.
"Later when Dika returns to his hometown, we'll be alone and the house will feel so empty," I said to Yonna.
"You're right! But, I think after graduating I will also return to Medan, because my dad and mom don't want me to be away from them anymore."
"I also returned to Yogya. Our aim here is the same as going to college, but after graduating our goals will be different."
"Later, if you change your number, let me know so that we don't lose contact like Haden."
I heard the name again, "How is he, huh?"
She hadn't answered, Mrs. Sari and Dika had already arrived. When we got out of the car, I saw a sash with the words "Best Student" on Dika's body.
"The best student??? I didn't see anything wrong, right?" Yonna said.
"I told you, if you have a task, take it easy until you become the best."
"They just got it wrong. By the way, Happy Graduation Day!" Yonna replied.
"Congratulations!" I said.
"Just that? You two don't give me a hug?"
"What the heck!" Yonna replied.
"Just kidding."
"Come on, you guys stand there. I will take photos as mementos," Mrs. Sari said.
Dika, who was standing in the middle, suddenly put her arms around us.
"Since it's your graduation day, I'm not going to be angry about what you did earlier," Yonna said which made me laugh.
We arrived at the terminal to take Dika back to his hometown. He decided to look for a job there because he really missed his family which he had never seen since he was studying here.
"Be careful, ok! Hopefully you can get a job soon and we can meet again soon. Greetings to your parents there," Mrs. Sari said with tears streaming down her cheeks.
Yonna seemed to be holding back her tears, "Dik, I'm sorry, while here you may often get annoyed by me. Be careful. When you arrive, don't forget to contact us. Thank you also for all your help for me so far. See you when I see you!"
"I'm also sorry if all this time maybe I had something wrong with you. Take care of yourself, okay. Nice to meet you and see you!" I said.
"Um ... if you all cry, I'm also sad. I'm sure, someday we will meet again and maybe also here to see Mrs. Sari again. I'm sorry, I joke a lot and maybe crossed the line. See you!" he replied then got into the bus.
"We'll go home too, OK?" Mrs. Sari asked when the bus was no longer visible.
Dika and Haden had returned to their homes. Yonna and I were left, who might be coming home soon too. Everything goes so fast. I still remembered the first time I arrived here, seeing the Jembatan Ampera, which was still yellow at that time, meeting the cool Haden, Dika who liked to tease and entertain, Yonna who was often angry with Dika, and Mrs. Sari who took care of us like her own biological children.
Palembang, March 2004
"Do you want to go later? Today is our last day of college," Lyla asked me.
"Yes, I do. Where are we going? Watching a movie at the cinema?"
"How about we go to Jembatan Ampera? Sitting there, getting quite a breeze from Sungai Musi."
"Okay. I'll take Yonna later."
That bridge was the last place I went to with Haden nearly two years ago. A historical place of Palembang, but also a historical place for me. Today is our last day of college because in one week we'll have graduation. My mother would come here to attend my graduation day.
"Sir, can you take a photo of us? Lyla asked a cameraman who was here.
"Okay. I count ... 1, 2, 3, smile!"
"May I see the photo, sir?" I asked.
"Yes, you can. You'll choose which one to print."
After looking through some of the photos that had been taken, we selected three photos to print so that we could have them one by one as a memento. We were here until the sun went down. We just sat and talked to each other. In the end, we also cried together, remembering that soon we would be apart.
I had just finished getting dressed up by Mrs. Sari for my graduation. I also wore the Kebaya that my mother brought from Yogya. Early in the morning, we were in trouble because we had to dress up and luckily Mrs. Sari could do it very well.
"Wow, you are so beautiful," my mother said.
"Everything is because of Mrs. Sari's hand. Are you ready?"
My mother nodded then we went downstairs to get ready to go.
My graduation ceremony was held in Indralaya. So, early in the morning, we left and of course, were escorted by Mrs. Sari in her favourite car. Actually, I still didn't expect this day to come. The day I was really waiting for was the first day I became a student.
"I'll wait in the car, okay. Only parents can enter," Mrs. Sari said.
"Is it okay for you to wait here alone?" I asked.
"It is okay. There are also many people here. Come in, it's too late."
I was already sitting in the hall where the graduation process took place. This room was also filled with graduates and our respective parents. I became the best graduate for my department and I am very grateful for that because at least there was something I could give to my mother after she came all the way here.
"Congratulations, Anes! I'm proud of you," Mrs. Sari said to me.
"She really deserves this. She is always focused when studying and I never saw her sleepy even though the lessons are boring," Lyla said which made me laugh.
My responsibility as a student was over and I had a new responsibility, which was looking for a job and experience. I will go back to Yogya with my mother and leave all my good memories here.
"Ma'am, thank you for taking care of Aneska while she was here. I owe a lot," My mother said to Mrs. Sari before we got on the bus.
"You're welcome. I am happy to be able to take care of Anes here. She's a good girl. Hopefully one day she can make all her dreams come true."
"Ma'am, I am sorry that all this time I bothered you. Hopefully I can see you again soon," I said with tears that had already fallen to my cheeks.
"Nes, thank you for being my friend while studying here. From you, I learned a lot about life. Don't forget to always contact me," Lyla said, who also accompanied me.
I was really going to leave this city. A city with a million memories. Here I met my friends and also Haden, my first love. Goodbye boarding house, goodbye Yellow Bus, and goodbye Kota Pempekku. See you again.