Admiral's Secret
009

"Sister Tama?"

"Hmmm.."

"Have you ever liked someone?"

Brother Tama stopped chewing after getting a question from his sister. For a moment he looked at Nala who was also looking at him, waiting for Kak Tama's answer.

"You like someone else?"

"Why do you ask back?" Nala snorts.

Then Brother Tama put down his cutlery, wiped his lips with a napkin and looked back at his sister. "Never like someone."

"Keep that guy knows brother likes him?" Brother Tama muttered while diving into his memories. "Know, brother told him."

Nala's eyes widened. "Then the person knows, the feelings of the brother are not reciprocated?"

Brother Tama shook his head. "No."

Nala was worried. "Why?"

"Because brother is late express the feeling of brother. He should leave after brother reveals."

"Why? She doesn't like her sister, either?"

"He moved on."

Nala looked concerned. "Surely sad brother ya."

Brother Tama smiled. Then he took his cutlery to the dishwasher and he washed the dishes himself. Nala followed with her cutlery and then stood beside Kak Tama, waiting for her turn to wash.

Kak Tama and Nala are taught to be independent with Mom. One of them is to wash the cutlery yourself after eating. But sometimes Nala or Kak Tama like to help wash the cutlery, but this time Nala and Kak Tama want to wash their own equipment.

"Sister is not sad. Brother grateful. At least brother managed to express his feelings even though he finally left. Big brother was relieved after expressing brother's feelings." Continue after a few moments of reflection.

Nala fell silent. Dive into the memories of someone who was once close to her brother.

"Don't tell me someone is Tiwi?"

Brother Tama and Nala are both surprised but different in meaning. Kak Tama did not think that Nala still remembered Tiwi— - someone who had been close to Kak Tama but he had to leave because his parents moved out of town.

"You still remember Kak Tiwi turned out?" ask Tama back.

"Still," Nala nodded. Now it was Nala's turn to wash her own dishes. "Kak Tiwi likes to go to the house and bring fruit. Kak Tiwi knows I like rujak. Fruit is never left behind. Sometimes Kak Tiwi likes to bring honey fried bananas too."

Brother Tama smiled and went back to dive into his memories. Tiwi is a classmate who is notoriously jolly. Once Kak Tama invites Tiwi to the house, Tiwi can be directly close to Mother. Kak Tama remembers once how Tiwi brought herself closer to Mother by helping to peel the onion, even though Tiwi had never once peeled the onion.

At home Tiwi is not taught to fix the kitchen with Tiwi's mother because Tiwi's mother hires the services of a housekeeper at home. So Tiwi only know the ingredients of the kitchen, but never once dwell on the ingredients.

At the time Kak Tama took Tiwi home, Kak Tama was serious about his desire to express his feelings. But it is constrained when Tiwi tells him that Tiwi will move with her parents out of town because her parents mutated their jobs there.

So Kak Tama undoes his intention until finally Kak Tama expressed his feelings the day before Tiwi left.

It's exciting, but Brother Tama can't do anything but let him go.

"By the way why are you asking your sister about how you feel?" Nala and Kak Tama face each other. "Do you like someone?"

Nala looked nervous. Almost a year he liked Raskal, but Nala had never told his figure to Kak Tama. Nala is ashamed and afraid that she will be teased by Kak Tama. Then imagine if Kak Tama met Raskal at school he was afraid his secret liked Raskal was revealed because Kak Tama.

Was too wet to be discovered by Kak Tama, Nala was about to tell it. But Nala was hesitant. Before he really told the story of Kak Tama, Nala checked the situation that Mother would not listen to their chat.

"That's.." Nala looked up and looked down again. "Yes.. Nala likes someone."

"How's he?" Brother Tama immediately railed Nala.

"He was cold and famous in school."

"Good or bad boy?"

"Nice, brother. He's smart in class. I love all school teachers too."

"Yes good. He's afraid he's a wayward kid who likes to go in and out of BP's room. Brother doesn't want you near such a guy."

Nala just nodded.

Kak Tama no longer asks how Raskal—even Kak Tama is not curious about the name that Nala likes.

"Like it, but can't interrupt your school. Because you said he's smart, get close to him and get his good science out of him." Nala nodded again.

"If you can, date her later." Brother Tama opened the refrigerator, took a snack in there and devoured it in front of Nala. "After you graduate school, you can only date."

Thinking Nala can date Raskal alone is very far away. Once. Because according to Nala, being able to be close and often chat with Raskal is a big enough progress for him.

"So, Nala has to be a good girl and do well first. That Nala can make as a place to show himself to him that later he will not choose the wrong Nala as his lover. He also has to be the same—fight and learn a lot in order to feel worthy to be with Nala. You got it?"

Netra Nala trembled when she heard Kak Tama's advice, then her head nodded again.

Then Kak Tama invited Nala to spend a snack in the living room while watching their favorite television.

The brothers looked compact there, making Mother who watched them on the steps smile haru.

...-0-...

Nala's conversation with Kak Tama last night made Nala school spirit today. True what Kak Tama said, Nala's feelings should not interfere with her school. Nala will prove herself that she has to be a good girl and learn a lot so that people are proud of her.

Mother, Sister Tama, Santa, friends, also Raskal—ia want to prove to them that Nala can achieve the achievements she meets.

With a box of supplies held by Nala, Nala entered the classroom. There were some students in there. Nala walked through the room to her desk. Put the bag on the table and also the supply box.

Raskal soon entered the class. The presence of Raskal made many people compete to greet the figure. Except Nala—ia was just staring at Raskal coming to her desk. Raskal simply nodded in response to the greetings of his friends. Then he put his bag on the table and sat down.

No one said hello to Raskal anymore, Raskal turned around and looked at Nala in the back and pulled out his book.

"For Nala."

Nala looked up and glued. It was glued to Raskal who had just greeted without a smile. But Nala knows Raskal greets her so warm—warm sun this morning.

Nala just nodded and lowered her head. Then return to dwell on his books in the bag to reduce nervousness.

"You brought more supplies?" Nala was surprised by Raskal's question. Apparently from earlier Raskal had not stopped looking at Nala in front there. Nala could only nod stiffly.

"Fried rice again?"

Nutmeg like when duren collapsed—Raskal railed questions just for him. Nala was both happy and embarrassed as some of her classmates stormed gazes towards Nala and Raskal as Raskal gave question after question for Nala to answer.

Again and again Nala nodded even though the contents of the lunch box were not fried rice. Raskal no longer asked but his eyes still unsheathed looking at Nala. Shortly thereafter Jian came and interrupted Raskal's activities. Nala gave thanks in her mind for Jian's arrival. Now Raskal's attention was directed at Jian.

The bell rang aloud throughout the school. Bu Indah as an art teacher entered Nala's class. Bu Indah explained a little new material and then he distributed the names of students into several groups.

"And to the last group; Raskal, Angger, Dawn, Atika, and Lisa."

Feeling that something was odd in some of the group, one of the disciples interrupted. "Mom, it's like groups two and three are mostly members."

Bu Indah just realized the awkwardness of the group. There were six to seven disciples in a group.

"Oh well—Mia, you're in group three huh, group is good." Mia nodded and immediately moved to the group appointed by Bu Indah, then Bu Indah double-checked the group one by one. "And Nala—you're in the Raskal group only yes."

Instantly Nala turned to Santa who was in the corner of the class and then looked at Raskal who also faced him in front of the class. Nala hesitates to move to Raskal's group.

After Nala moved, Bu Indah again explained the task of the group to be done. Each group was asked to make a small exhibition about art and culture owned in Indonesia. Whether it is an article or a series of photos that can be displayed.

The Raskal group takes on the theme of art and culture in the Papua region. Each has a division of duties. Nala got material about Bhukere—tradition of traditional fishing there.

Nala immediately used her phone to find out more about Bhukere. Too busy looking for material, Nala did not realize there was Raskal beside her— while looking for material about typical Papuan dance using Raskal's mobile phone.

"If you're confused, don't count on me." Nala flinched and immediately nodded stiffly. Shocked by Raskal's existence being too close to him.

There were only three left, their hands would touch. Suddenly Nala could do nothing but regulate her breathing and heartbeat as normally as possible.

Not feeling the art lesson ended, Nala could breathe a sigh of relief. He wants to get back to his seat.

But before that happens, Raskal calls Nala. Nala. Pretending to respond as much as possible when his heart continues to explode.

"When is there time at school? If there is, we can continue the task together."

"Ah—iya. Wanna do his job.Where?" ask Nala kaku.

"Will you?"

"Related to be in Perpus? That means.we're going to have a came-rame fearing the guards.."

"Not a rame-rame." Nala looked at him confused.

"So I've been another ajakin, but Fajar, Angger, Atika and Lisa on can't. So we'll both go to the breakup. Can ya?"

Not long ago Nala felt eager to study hard so that he could improve his achievements—demi Raskal of course. And in fact, God increasingly supported his intentions with a group with Raskal and also got the invitation of the young man to do the task alone in the Library.

"Yes. can.."

Just two..

Hopefully Nala's heartbeat can compromise as long as she gets stuck in the Library later.