Our Happy Ending

Chapter 4. Only Human

My conversation with Giselle ended after a few minutes. We had also promised to meet next week. Of course, it all had to fit in with her work schedule. After the call ended, I started thinking about Giselle's words. They brought back memories of the past.

"If I go to high school with Eka, I'm sure that we are soul mates, yeah" That was the sentence I said casually while talking to my friend, Giselle.

"Crazy, anyway. Uh, you can't say that either. The proof is that there are many who went to the same school from elementary to high school and didn't get matched. Come on, reduce your stuff!"

"Yes, yes, yes, you'll see. Sooner or later I'll prove it."

"Eh, don't you like Eka? Why would you expect otherwise?"

"Hmm, I don't know. But I can feel that she's destined for me." That's how you answered Vivi's question. My answer was so steady that it overstepped God's plan.

Giselle just shook her head at those words. It was nothing new for her to face a stubborn creature in front of her. We were still talking until my eyes caught the figure of a young man there who had probably been at the door for a long time.

"Why?" I asked from inside the classroom.

"Come here first," he called out with a wave of his hand.

"The one who needs to come here!" I refused his request. It was a pretty good principle. Not everyone likes to be treated like that.

The young man finally relented. He then whispered in my ear. There was one thing he didn't feel comfortable saying next to Giselle. I just gave him a sharp look and took out a book from my bag. "Next time, do it yourself!"

"Hm."

The young man then left without even a word or a “Thank You”.

"Wow, Eka! Tskckck! Gin, you can't keep doing this! Are you still giving her cheats?!" Giselle, who saw the incident, became upset. "See, right?! Not even a word of thanks from his mouth?! Cih!"

I could only laugh at that. Giselle did have a point, the answers to the assignment shouldn't have been given just like that.

The following days, things still went well. Eka still greeted me often and occasionally borrowed my homework book - cheating elegantly. And I still continue to give it willingly. Well, the name is also still hopeful.

Until finally, I heard news that broke my heart into pieces. It shouldn't be like that if you don't like or love it. Unfortunately, no matter how hard I often tell others that I don't like Eka, my little heart always acts otherwise.

When did they get close? Who started first? Why did they get together?

Yes. All those questions kept swirling in my mind. It's a hard thing to take for granted. I thought I knew him very well. Once again, it was that feeling that made me even more devastated.

"Gina, let's go to the doctor, shall we?"

"I don't want to. I just want to rest at home, Mom. It's a normal fever. It will get better soon. I'm just tired because I have endless schoolwork." I started lying to mom.

My pain was not without reason. I still clearly remember how Eka whispered sweet sentences in my ear. That sentence now feels very annoying.

"Because of that, I always felt that I was the only one. Stupid!"

And that day, I finally felt that Eka's world was not just about me. Open I was the only girl who could make her laugh.

Two days later, I ventured to go to school. Gina had bounced back from her slump. Yes, that girl was me. While looking at my face in the mirror, I encouraged myself-assuring myself that everything would be fine.

"Gin, if you're still not feeling well, don't go to school first, okay?"

"Just stay at home with Sofia. I'll take care of your sister."

My face clearly didn't like any of it. For me, Sofia is not a sister. The child of my stepfather's affair with his mistress certainly doesn't have the same DNA as me. That's also why I sometimes get colds with little 5-year-old girls.

"I'd rather go to school than look after that kid," I said quietly.

"She's your sister too. Don't be such a child. You also need friends at home, right?"

"I've been used to being alone for a long time. How can you accept that a child living at our home, anyway? She's not Mama's daughter either, is she?" I tried to snap mom out of it.

"Gina... there are things you can't control in this world."

"I can't understand how Mama could let that child be here. No! I can't think of her as my little sister." I also raised my index finger and pointed at my mother. "After that man cheated on you, you can still forgive him? I don't believe this at all!"

"Gina, stop! We don't need to discuss this anymore."

I finally decided to keep quiet. My heart still couldn't accept all of this. How could I not, as an only child who lost my father when I was young, end up having a very different life?

Instead of starting with breakfast, I chose to go straight to school. The school's proximity to home was always advantageous. Just by walking, I could already get there.

"Gina!"

I looked back. It was my seatmate Giselle. Okay, this probably wasn't the first time my friend had such a loud voice in the jungle. The thing I hate the most is when my name is called arbitrarily and it makes all eyes on me. Indirectly, they know my name.

"Gina!" Giselle called out once again. I ignored her this time. I walked straight towards the school's main gate.

Giselle gave chase. I could hear her footsteps speeding up. She also still called out a few times while running.

"You're ignoring me, hm? Good morning, Gina!"

"Morning."

"Duh, it's still morning and she's frowning. Oh yeah, how's it going? You haven't come in for two days, it feels so lonely." Still with all her behavior that sometimes annoyed me. I tried to listen to Giselle's babbling.

My dream stopped. The high school days that I still remember today don't seem to want to go away. Who would have thought that my friendship with Giselle would also last? Despite being separated by an island, that girl is still very sticky now. It's true what people say, friends from high school will usually last much longer.

It's only been a few days since I arrived in this city, and I can already relive all the memories. It was getting late, it was time to rest. My tired body also needed to rest. And without realizing it, in my sleep I hoped that someone there would say something sweet.

"Gina, I actually liked you a long time ago."

"Really?"