Under the School Roof

"Hamza, hey, Hamza!"

That annoyingly cheerful sound comes from my right—it's Elta.

"What? Ms. Elta Ernser?" I reply, teasing her with her full name.

"So, Mr. Ahmad Alhamza, are you free? Of course, you are, right?" She grinned widely, her enthusiasm infectious. "How about we head to the cafeteria together?"

I paused, contemplating her invitation. Our growing closeness had blossomed out of our shared experiences in the volleyball club, and I appreciated having someone to talk to. But I couldn't shake the worry that if we spent too much time together, people would draw the wrong conclusions and assume we were dating. Not that it really mattered, but still…

"Why should I?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.

"Because I noticed you were free! Besides, our friends are already waiting for us in the cafeteria," she replied, her excitement undeterred.

"Which friends?" I asked, genuinely puzzled. Did I actually make friends in this school?

"Ali and Dina." She answered, winking as if it would clarify everything.

With a moment's hesitation, I considered her words. I had been feeling a bit lone lately amidst the bustling social dynamics of school. Maybe this was a chance to finally bond with more classmates. I decided to go along. "Alright, let's go then."

As we headed down the hallway, I couldn't help but notice the lively atmosphere. Students filled the space, chatting and laughing, and for the first time since starting NKSA.

Elta continued talking animatedly about last week's volleyball practice, catching me up on the antics of our teammates. "And you should have seen Elice during the drills! She totally nailed that spike—up and over like she was flying!"

I smiled, warmed by her enthusiasm. "Yeah, I'm starting to notice that she's quite impressive," I replied, unable to shake the image of Elice's powerful presence on the court.

As we entered the cafeteria, the aroma of various dishes greeted us, a cacophony of flavors that filled the air. My stomach growled in agreement, reminding me of how hungry I really was. Across the room, I spotted Fauzan and a girl, must be Dina, seated at a table and waving us over.

"Look, there they are!" Elta said, nudging me playfully as we made our way toward them.

As we approached, I examined Dina more closely. She had long, dark hair and an easy smile that instantly put me at ease. "Hey! You made it!" she called out, patting the seat next to her. "We saved you a spot!"

"Thanks," I said, lowering myself onto the bench.

"Fauzan was just telling us about his latest chess match. Apparently, he's got some competition coming up," Elta chimed in, her eyes sparkling with interest.

"Yeah, it's a local tournament," Fauzan explained, a modest look on his face. "I'm hoping to face some of the top players from the region. It should be fun, but it does mean I'll have to manage my time carefully with schoolwork."

"No pressure, then!" I said with a grin, appreciating how easily they interacted with one another.

Dina leaned forward, curiosity evident on her face. "What about you, Hamza? Any other interests besides volleyball?"

"Not much else at the moment," I admitted. "I've been focusing on adjusting to everything here. It's been a bit of a whirlwind."

"Well, if you ever want to learn chess, Fauzan here is excellent at explaining the strategies—he loves to talk about it!" Elta teased, elbowing him playfully.

"Maybe I could give it a shot," I replied, my curiosity piqued. "I've never really had the patience for chess, but I'm open to trying new things."

"Trust me, it's addictive once you get into it," Fauzan replied earnestly.

I just nodded. Then carefully made an order. While waiting for my food, I glanced over at Dina who was thoughtfully picking at her lunch.

"So, Dina, what do you do outside of school? Besides hanging out with Fauzan and talking about chess, of course," I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh, don't let him fool you!" she laughed, a bright smile spreading across her face. "He's not just a chess whiz; he's also an excellent cook! Well, that's what I hear, anyway. He made a pasta dish that was to die for."

Fauzan waved his hand dismissively, his cheeks turning slightly red. "I wouldn't say excellent. I just follow the instructions... mostly."

"Yeah, but you still have to know how to pick the right ingredients," I interjected, impressed. "That's a talent on its own."

"Thanks, Hamza! Maybe one day I'll have to cook for all of you—if you're brave enough to try it," he replied, a mock seriousness in his tone.

Dina laughed again, shaking her head. "Please. I'll be the judge of that. I might need to keep an eye on you, just in case."

I settled back in my seat, waiting for our food to arrive while enjoying the light banter around the table. After a few moments, I decided to dig a little deeper into Dina's world. "So, I know you're in the badminton club. How's that going for you?"

Her expression brightened, and she leaned in a little closer. "It's going well! I mean, I'm not exactly the best player, but I'm working hard to improve. I really love the game; it's so fast-paced and exciting."

"Do you have any competitions coming up?" I asked, genuinely interested.

"Yes, we have a regional tournament next month. It's going to be tough, but I'm excited," she confessed, her enthusiasm shining through even as she bit her lip, contemplating her skill level. "I signed up for this school with the hope of getting a scholarship for badminton, but I wasn't able to qualify this time around."

I could see a flicker of disappointment in her eyes, but she quickly masked it with a hopeful smile. "But that's okay! I'm just grateful to be here. I help out at my family's mart, so I can contribute a bit more to them and also focus on my studies. It's my own way of showing gratitude for making my dream of attending NKSA come true."

"Wow, that's really admirable," I said, feeling a newfound respect for her. "Balancing school, practice, and work must be challenging."

"It is, but it's worth it," she replied, her conviction evident in her tone. "I just keep pushing myself. If I keep practicing, I know I'll get better. Plus, I love the sport. It gives me a break after a long day of studying and working at the mart."

"Do you think you'll try for a scholarship again next time?" I asked, curious about her determination.

"Definitely! I'm not giving up that easily," she said firmly, her confidence radiating. "I've learned that setbacks are part of the journey. Each practice session gets me closer to my goals, no matter how hard it may seem."

Just then, our food, I mean Elta's and my food arrived, the delicious scents making my mouth water. The aroma of Elta's beef rendang mixed with the savory smell of my chicken teriyaki, and I could hardly contain my excitement.

"Alright, time to dig into the real food!" Elta exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "Let's see if Hamza can handle the culinary challenge!"

As I took my first bite, the flavors burst on my palate, sending waves of satisfaction through me. I couldn't help but smile at the moment, finding comfort in both the food and the conversation.

Everyone around the table continued to chat animatedly while eating, the atmosphere warm and inviting. Fauzan, ever the curious one, turned to Elta with an inquisitive expression. "So, Elta, what's your journey been like in getting to this school? Did you take a scholarship too?"

Elta paused mid-bite, considering her response. "Actually, no, I didn't apply for a scholarship. My parents moved to this city when I was thirteen due to their jobs. Since then, I've been learning Indonesian along with school. It was a bit challenging at first, but I managed to pick it up pretty quickly."

"That's impressive! And how many languages do you speak now?" Fauzan asked, leaning in with interest.

"Let's see... I've got Tagalog covered, and I'm fluent in English and Korean. I'm still learning Japanese too," Elta explained, a hint of pride evident in her voice. "I guess you could say I love languages! It's fascinating how they connect people and cultures."

Everyone nodded in appreciation, and I couldn't help but reflect on what she had shared. I already knew this from our earlier conversation a few days ago, but hearing it again reinforced her determination and adaptability.

"So, you live with your parents then?" I asked while chewing on another bite of my meal.

"Yep! I live nearby, so I take the bus to school every day. It's not too far, but I do enjoy the journey. It gives me time to reading any stuff on the internet."

Fauzan leaned forward, intrigued. "What kind of stuff do you read?"

"Oh, a bit of everything—fashion, music bands, literally anything that seems interesting!" she explained, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "I love keeping up with the latest trends, and I'm really into discovering new artists and bands. It's a great way to unwind after a long day."

"By the way," I said, steering the conversation into another direction, "the class leader will be elected next week. Who do you think would fill the role?"

Dina looked thoughtful. "It seems that Safira is interested in being the leader?"

"Safira? Safira Natasia?" I asked, trying to recall her from our class.

"Yes, that's her! She seems to do really well academically—definitely stands out compared to the majority of us. But she joined my badminton club just for fun," Dina explained, a smile gracing her lips. "Better than doing nothing, she said."

"From what I heard, she holds foreign nationality, just like you, Elta," Fauzan chimed in, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, she comes from Singapore," Elta responded, eager to clarify. "Well, actually her parents used to be Indonesian; then they changed to Singaporean nationality. Safira was born there, and then they moved back to Indonesia."

"I guess nationality isn't that big of a deal," I remarked, leaning back in my seat. "I'm sure other classes have more than one foreign student too, or at the very least, parents who originated from another country. This is a remarkable school after all."

"Exactly! It's part of what makes NKSA so diverse and interesting," Elta agreed, nodding. "I know there are students from various backgrounds and cultures, which I think adds a lot to our school community."

I took a moment before asking, "Other than her, does anyone else seem interested? Any news?"

Dina shrugged, her expression thoughtful. "I think nobody. Well, it's not like we know each other that well already. For example, I just started speaking to you today, Hamza. Before that, I always thought that you were a loner, I mean, a volleyball student."

Her words hit me like a cold splash of reality. Hm, she is right. I had kept to myself, focusing primarily on volleyball and keeping my head down. It was easier that way, or so I thought.

"Maybe I was," I admitted, a sheepish grin creeping onto my face.