To Murder your Love

Two Days After

 ”We’re having a cross-classroom activity today, so please open your paper now.”

Per Mr. Bagus’ instruction, we opened the scrap of paper inside our hands. It’s bound with numbers. I have “1” marked inside the white, scruffy and shoved in a hurry. From what I had experienced, I should be gathered in the same group with Kevin, yet I have bent the flow of time when I won many girls’ heart in a short period.

In conclusion, today would be totally jumbled-up experience for me. A new one to learn from and digest, maybe?

----

I’m in the same group with Steven Gunawan, the handsome boy of 7D that I forgot to exist. We’re in the same team with 8 more persons at the line, from which I haven’t learn of their name yet, but they are a bit shy to get along. If I see it closely on the estimation of posture, Mr. Bagus has scaled the team to be equal. For our group, there are roughly 5 men and women on the line. The tallest one of our team is Michael Rinaldi of 7E, while Rino Gulatno of 7B being the dwarf of the group. Most of the girls we have is quite similar in height. They are not really too fat for proportion and having a small juggs to carry for awhile.

To say the least, Mr. Bagus is far too-detailed then what we’re supposed to be. He’s dividing all of our team into overwhelmingly-balanced combination of people. A buff with skinny guy, the bouncy-balloon with tiny pads, the list goes on to form 24 teams for the rounds we have.

Where’s Tifanny, though? Does she..... Damn it! Why do they have to be in the same team?

---

“The rules are simple : kill your opponent and control their territory. We have an hour for the game, so make up the time as your life’s is on the line.”

As Mr. Bagus completed his speech up the watchtower at the center of the field, we are preparing our guns to point down the target. We’re standing under the cover, dressed up from top to toe with jet-black uniform and wide-lense goggles for the first game of outbound. 

I put the marker gun’s end on the left-side of my chest, while putting the right fingers on the trigger. Nobody's gonna pierce my defense, for myself a veteran in this tactical game.

(Pritt!)

Twenty-four teams are on the drill of the game. There are no schedules and standings, just us ramming at each other to be the best of the class. We have to take down enemies under the shadow of the artificial forest and locating their position before they took ours. Of ten players we have, I consider 4 of us to attack. I will be our spearhead for the assault, with Rino at the back for supplementary encounter and a surprise for the opponents in open clash.

(splat!splat!)

“Nice shot, Yuda!” Steven praised my keen eagle sense after I spotted two scouts nearby. Meh, that booby trap doesn’t even flinch me if they’re showing the markers in the bush before doing the shoot.

(Splat!)

Hide that barrel of yours, man. It’s too revealing.

“Steven, move to our front, okay? We need your ability to win this.” I spoke to Steven for extra power to his ego. He’s so spirited to play this game, just like each of every one of male students in this world. If it’s related to adrenaline-type plaything, man would be the first-in-line to do this.

(Shoo)

A wild shot has come out of nowhere. Ugh, it failed to hit Steven in the head, however. I wish this beautiful man would be knocked out in the face. If there’s none, I’ll shove the gun’s stock on her nose immediately if I have the chance.

(tip-toe)

We’re now on our way to conquer the first flag for our team. From the cyan-coloured flag as their crest, It’s Amanda’s squad that rested two blocks away from our group. We have beaten three of her friends, who was acted as a surprise attack from her team. For Tifanny, I guess she could be on the frontline with the other hijacker of her team. She’s pretty sneaky of a gal, you know?

(drap-drap-drap)

We conceal ourselves inside the nearby bushes. The estimated leader of her team, Amanda Suyono, was sitting down in an open space. She doesn’t put a stance to defend, rather fine and feeling safe by her gun on the ground.

Hmm? Who’s with her?

“Ah, I surrender!” Amanda cried from the distance when she knows we're hiding from her this entire time. She yields so fast, I can’t even tell why she had considered herself being overpowered by our team nonetheless.

(splat!)

Four of her teams and.... Tifanny? Why’s she blacked out behind her?

Oh no.... that insolent bastard...

(grab)

I can’t contain my rage. It’s her fault, and I don’t want to hear her explanation,“ What have you done to Tifanny, you piece of s**t?”

She smirked to me. Of all the response, she grinned to my grief. What in the world!?

”No way I would harm her. Tifanny’s sleeping all this time, you know. She’s tired as hell.”

(drop)

“Oww! Why are you doing this to me, you shitbrain? Jeez.”

“Shut up, you witch.” I sneered at her back,” You’re too damn cruel for thinking her as a dummy, you fool."

(kneel)

I hate this. Tifanny’s vulnerable, and I’m not there for her. No way for me to do it, unless... yeah, I have to ask for exchange to Mr. Bagus somehow.

(stare)

Hmm, Tifanny’s truly spotless. No sign of someone’s bashing a blunt object on her head. I can’t sense clots of blood on her body, as well, just two hints of markers’ ink on her chest.

(touch)

Could this be the main reason, though? Nah, the protector’s quite sturdy. The ink won’t scratch her skin in any way possible if it’s not being done manually through the vest.  

(pat-pat)

Not a nibble on her pretty face, either. She’s sleeping, slightly snoring out of the exhaustion she had. I can’t believe it....

“I’m not being dishonest at all with you, dumb-ass! Why do I have to hit her all of sudden, Yuda?! For being your girlfriend, huh?”

“It’s not.... ah, I better carry her out from here than debating this issue.” I grabbed down her ankle and lifting her up,” I don’t know what’s really happening, but I’ll stand on my ground for the time being.”

---

The second day is arrive. Tifanny is all well, safe from any harm after a brief inspection from the inn’s local doctor. No mark of damage on her flesh, as much, and she could follow through with the next trial after a full-day doze-off in the infirmary for her evening to come.

And as the moonlight comes out now, it's time for us to mingle.

Same location, different feelings. The dots are looking brighter than usual. We can see numerous people buying things at street vendors down the valley. More of them are strolling around the city, driving their motorcycles on the road in high-speed motion.

(swoosh)

Tifanny’s face is  much brighter than what I once had a day before. Her smiles are flashing every time I throw a dirty joke, even mushing her own to the trash.

"blablabla"

Ah, She can’t hide the pleasure of having a good-night sleep from the sound of her cheery-voice. I don't know a shitload of her talks, but I'm always over the moon by her way of speaking. Tifanny's slightly-bland tone has drifted me wild every time I have a chance to speak with her. 

On the other way around, She’s so beautiful tonight, as well.

(touch)

Hm? Tears?

“You’re crying.” I cleaned off a dust on her cheek.

“Really? Why do I have to cry?” She said to me, wiping off the leftovers on her eyelids,” Oh, it’s the dust. Don’t be so worried, Yuda.”

“I dunno. Maybe it’s for Amanda’s treatment. Are you okay with her so far?”

Tifanny’s frown a bit. I might be choosing a false-alarm to her mood.

“Nothing much. Amanda’s avoiding to chat with me eye-to-eye. I have no idea why she would do that, of all things.” She finally answered, now with her palms wavering around her chin,” Uhm, I did remember for one time when we’re having meal. She offers me a drink before our game, you know.”

A glass of drink? Sounds suspicious. Time to press further,” And you gulped that out?”

Tifanny shook her head to my question,“ Yeah, no way for me to cancel her good intention at all. But I suddenly can’t stay awake for most of the time.”

Ah, that speaks for itself, is it?

(Grab)

“You have to stay away from that witch. If you can get out from her path, you might be safe from her sick treats, Tif.” I clenched her on the shoulder and pat them a few times.

“Ah-ha, these pats reminds me of something. you do remember well on our promise, right?” Her eyes glistened by a hunch of wake-up call of the past. I don’t really have that sort of threads.....

“What do you-“

She shuts me on the lips, “The ‘shackles’, poncho.”

Yup, I’m thrilled that she stick to that already before we complete the whole games of these outbound days. I will get to the bottom of her unfinished business with the last scene of her novel. In other words, I’ll get laid in seventh grade! What sort of madness it is, really?

‘it’s so close to an under-age scene, Yuda. You have to slid this one off forever in this trial.’

Oh, God-pretender, wrap your ears for me, will ya? your employer will know nothing if you’re not there to start.

---

the second day begins.

(drap-drap)

Mr. Bagus has done a week-worth of exercise in just two hours of the morning. He’s eager to wake us up earlier than the rooster, now using a trumpet for the thunder to our ear. We’ve tasked to jumping-jack in 5 repetitions, crawling down the ground for fifteen minutes straight, doing inch-worms for continuous streaks, and the list goes on until we’re collapsed.

In this case, I’m actually out of the contest. My team is winning the paint-ball game against 23 teams on the field yesterday. It was indeed a massive heap to my rewards. I could sleep safely for twice than the rest of my classmates, alongside my pillows and bed, and having no intrusions from the Mr. Bagus afterwards.

Yes, he stopped thrusting the trumpet when he passed my room’s door, truly a man of his word.

Two sets of jumps later, Mr. Bagus led us to the next outbound venue we have to fulfill. We’re dragged to high-ropes’ location, as many sets of leather-made ladder and climbing platform is on board. On the other hand, it has three starting points for us to travel across, with decks for a person to land upon on breaks.

“Alright lads! Today we’re having another mess to run up! There are approximately 15 minutes for every group to finish these courses.” Mr. Bagus points to the five available points above us,” It’s where your team-mates has to wait for your arrival. Up the stairs, and you’ll be the relay for your group.”

“Move out!”

The wooden decks are situated on seven meters high off the ground. We can feel the thrilling sensation by the time we brace the winds at the top. I am the last-runner of my group, while Rino Gulatno would be the kick-starters for our team. 

Hmm, from this height, I can see Tifanny’s sitting there and waiting for me to finish our opponents off the ledge.

“Start!”

Rino Gulatno springs up the net in ease. He aces most of the early-birds beside us, passing the staff to Steven Gunawan at the top while others are still struggling mid-way through the challenge. 

(jump! jump!)

Being an athletic guy he is, Steven finds out that running straight across the inclined log is the sole key to success and finishing it in an instant.

"Here!" Steven gives the baton to Michael, our tower for the following challenge that we have to complete.

“Go Michael!!”

I clamored to Michael for consolation. He has to clear out our gap with Henry’s team, unless we want to fail the mission immediately. For the next before that tall man, Michael has to travel on the one-line bridge in one shot. He has to stand and creeping his way on the single-thread of rope to achieve the end of it.

“Yes, Michael!”

(jump!)

He devoured the challenge without much problem persists. He has a lot of experience in this sort of game and it’s the only excuse for us to ask him on doing it again.

Now, it’s my turn to show off

“Hup! Hup!”

I have to pass the wide-step wooden bridge, climbing the ladder made of rocks, then leaping off the peak to reach the ball 18 meters up above. It’s quite hard, and I’m a bit afraid to slip off in one of my step. My heart is beating so fast because of the pressure as I fit my hand on the rocks, but I am eventually carrying myself on the hilt of the top in a short time afterwards.

“Hyaa!”

(Grab)

I win.

“Whoo! Whoo!”

Sounds of pleasure. I can hear one of them is Tifanny from afar. Henry’s approaching me after the defeat, grasping my hand as a boost to his defeat.

“Congrats, bro. It’s fair on you.” He said, clenching a fist to mine.

“Yeah, you too.”

My share’s finish, now I have to watch Amanda up close.