Admiral's Secret
010

Nala and Raskal head to the library. The library is not too crowded, and quiet because the provision of being in the Library should not be noisy.

Nala and Raskal took the place for their assignment. Face to face at the end of the table. Nala starts to open the book while browsing her phone in search of her task materials.

And so is Raskal. Raskal stacked a few books beside him and opened a notebook for him to write there. They both quietly and calmly searched for material. Only the rustling of the paper to the right and left filled the Library.

Nala quietly plumbed into her memory while she was working on an assignment from Mr. Andre and Raskal sat down to read the book in front of her. The position is exactly the same, only different tables.

Nala glanced towards Raskal who was busy writing and reading books alternately. That handsome face was very serious, calm, and calmed Nala's heart.

Nala's mind felt grateful, this moment could bring her closer to Raskal. No need to steal a look for a while. Nala could look at him freely even though Nala was still afraid to show full attention to the young man.

"Udah finished?"

Nala woke up and broke her daydream. He hurriedly looked down at the book in front of him.

"Oh, hmm, I haven't.."

"My face has something?"

Nala looked up until her gaze met at Raskal's sharp gaze but looked shady at Nala's netra.

"Huh?"

"My face is there anything until you look at me?"

Raskal looked at Nala. Nala a little flutter.

"Huh, oh-that, no. Nothing.." Nala whispered and shook her head quickly denying Raskal's words.

Raskal touched his own face, who knew Nala was lying. But Nala did not lie.

Nala would not be able to tell the truth if she admired Raskal's good looks until Nala forgot to hold back.

"There's nothing."

Nala nodded, there was indeed nothing.

"But you keep looking at me."

Their conversation began to glimpsed some of the disciples around them. Raskal's last whisper was a little loud until some of the students started to get distracted by Raskal's whisper.

"Sorry," said Nala. "I'm doing my job again."

Nala began to concern herself with her books and writings. His hands moved to copy when there was important material listed in the book.

Sentence by sentence Nala wrote in her notebook, without her knowing that Raskal was now taking turns looking at her. The young man no longer wrote, he had finished his summary. And he chose to rest his chin and look at the girl in front of him.

A second until the next second time running, Raskal still faithfully looked at Nala. His black netra researched how Nala was breathing in front of him. He looked at how the Netra Nala moved to read the book and his hand moved to copy in his book. Sometimes red lips thanks to the lip balm move thinly when reading material. The strands of hair that fell on her shoulders moved along until half of Nala's face closed.

It felt like Raskal was eager to attach the hair behind Nala's ears. His hands are starting to itch.

But Raskal can only be clever to attach the strands of Nala's hair because Nala's face is getting closed making the view of Raskal disturbed. And the assumption was broken when Nala looked up and asked there was a young man.

"How do you think?"

Raskal blinked, then muttered.

"Here," Nala turned her book toward Raskal and pointed it to the paragraph of the sentence. "I don't understand, hm, this part, Bhukere it means tradition or the name of a fishing gear?"

Raskal read what Nala pointed to in the book. "As far as I know, the Bhukere is a tool used for fishing there. Not long ago the Papuan government brought Bhukere to raise Cork Fish. But people say Bhukere is a form of fishing there as well as the name of the tool. Bhukere can also be used as custom home-making materials due to its sturdiness."

"Oh that's it." Nala nodded. 

"You can open this book and this" Raskal pointed to the two books he had brought. "Let's learn more about Bhukere in this book. Related news can also be found online. Just find out how Bhukere is in modern times. Whether the people there are still many use the customary way or just some deepening. As far as I know, Bhukere is still often used in the Bhuyaka Sentani Tribe."

Their gazes were glued for a moment before Nala nodded and was embarrassed to pull out her book.

Raskal's gaze was still riveted while Nala checked back on the copy. As if someone wants to ask again directly. But Raskal's gaze made him crumble, unfocused. It felt like Nala was dizzy, but her chest was pounding. Nala was starting to get overwhelmed with herself. 

Raskal's gaze receded as his phone alarm rang. The phone alarm reminded Raskal to contact Bu Endang about the progress of painting at the graduation ceremony later.

"Nala, I'm going to the teacher's office." Raskal began to tidy up his books into one pile.

Nala simply nodded and fell silent staring at Raskal's activities.

"You're getting picked up?" Ask Raskal.

Nala mutters. "Hmm, no. I. I'm going home to the ojek."

Raskal then muttered.

"What time are you here?"

"No idea" Nala shook her head. "After copying, I may have just come home."

"If so, wait for me." Raskal's got his bag.

Nala is confused. "Why?"

"Former meeting in the hallway. We go home together."

Then Raskal left with the collision of the book for him to return and get out of the room.

Leaving Nala alone stared at her disappearance.

...-0-...

Nala obeyed what Raskal had asked. After he copied—but not until it was finished because Raskal's invitation disturbed everything in Nala's body; pounding, dizzy, hard breathing and weak helpless—finally Nala waited for Raskal in the school hallway.

It had been ten minutes Nala sat, waiting, wailing, smiling alone erratically, then pensively imagining Raskal would take her home and then chuckling. Raskal always managed to make Nala tired.

Sometimes Nala checks the phone even though there is no incoming notification. Then he looked down and looked at his black shoes. Move left and right. Then smile again.

"Nala."

Nala looked up, seeing Raskal coming towards her. The young man was no longer wearing his school uniform, replaced with a plain white T-shirt and part of his arm was rolled away. His curly hair also looked messy there, increasing Nala's heart rate by twice as much as before.

Luckily Raskal found her in silence. Not when Nala smiled or chuckled filled the hallway. Afraid of being thought to be crazy and Raskal did not take her home together.

"Sorry, I'm old."

Nala shook her head, then lowered her head to cover the embarrassed hue on her cheek. "It's okay."

Nala then moved and they together down the hallway to the parking lot. The school hours were over, but some of the students there were still visible in the school area.

"Nala," Nala who had earlier refrained from shouting because she was with Raskal, turned her head. Raskal's hand was lifted and pointed at the messy hairline there. His fingers down the hair was haphazard but disturbed Nala's current respiratory system.

"I think I'm going to get a haircut first. My hair was reprimanded by some teachers. Be elongated. Want to accompany me to get a haircut first, right? If you don't mind waiting for it."

Nala can't breathe now. Just as thin as a thread of his patience needle not to scream. But Nala's self-control is at stake here. "Huh, oh, hmm. That's, that's, hmm. oh, yeah, oh, hmm.."

Raskal watched Nala's nervousness. "If Nala wants to. If Nala can't, I'll keep Anterin Nala home until home, then I cut my hair."

"Well, you can, you can't, you know, oh, yeah, hhmm, yeah, oh, you can, you can, yeah, yeah.."

Stuttering Nala fishing gelak Raskal. Nala laughs along—more precisely vent the explosion in her heart. Destroyed Nala's defense.

"Funny. After I cut my hair, I've just brought you home."

Nala did not answer but laughed and then fell silent due to misbehavior. Nala shy. It was very desirable for Nala to cover her face with a book, or a bag, or with a sack if possible.