The Ball Behind the Love of the Court
6. Riki watched the ball

I was upset that I was walking towards class.I really wanted to smash all their faces. Because of them I couldn't eat this morning.

"For Key, where are you from? " Tanya Ari when I get to the classroom. There was already a busy girl in the classroom with glasses minus and books she read. As usual nerds who never get tired of interacting with any book.

"Hmm, morning ri" I replied quietly because I was holding back hunger. I also held back from speaking so that my energy would not be drained.

"Oh yes key, this is my mama nitip stock for you" Ari hand gave a green lunch box. A little bit to make my spirit back and my smile even though not completely.

"really ri? " A silly question and wonder at the unbelief. Because this morning it really feels to hold hunger and plus hold anger.

"Yes right" he said and looked back at the book in his hand. Without further ado I directly devoured the food. Sure enough, once again I am grateful because God is good and even very good. When I was starving and my money was low, God gave me provisions through the ari and her mother. So today I'm not hungry anymore.

"Key, slowly eat it later choked on you"

"Yes-iya ri, this is almost done" While putting a spoonful of food into my mouth. Ari also gave me a bottle of drinking water so I wouldn't choke.

Truly a friend for the future who has always understood me. It only took me 5 minutes to devour the food and the box was clean and nothing remained even a grain of rice.

"Well, wow, who was a thug even asked to eat as well" A familiar voice suddenly came when not invited like a jelangkung only. What was clear was that yuri and her comrades were standing in front of the classroom door.

Tired of it he kept bothering me and always his face appeared in front of me because we were a class. Hopefully in the next class we are separated and not in one more class.

"Why? Do you want to too? But it's a pity the lunchbox is the same as a spoon" while lifting the empty rice box and the spoon that is still attached to my hand.

"Ihhh slovenly, but your bread is as slovenly as anyone" 2 the bread they had fallen on was brought and placed in front of me. He thought as if forcing me to eat the dirty bread they gave me. They just sat back to their respective places.

*brakkk* some of the students in the class were shocked including yuri as well as her gang and even ari was similarly shocked.

"This is the bread I brought back, you want to eat?" My gaze grew sharper looking at yuri and her comrades alternating. This time I was really angry, self-esteem was trampled down just because of a loaf of bread.

"That's your bread, eat it yourself" she said with an irritating look at me.

"Aaaaaa sick key, sick" Lost my patience, this hand immediately grabbed his hair. A cruel smile came back to my lips. This gaze becomes like a prikopath wants to prey on his victims.

"It hurts, what would you like this hair to be off your head" This hand still grips yuri's hair. Her lips were grimacing in pain but I didn't care.

"Even key, please let go" This time I listened to a loud cry for mercy. Satisfied and want to do more on yuri.

"Yur, mendingan you apologize rather than key continue like that" Whispered martial who sat beside yuri. Bela was also staring in fear because they had just seen me angry this time.

"Ihhh, where would I be"

"Aahhhh sick key" My hand threatened to return after hearing yuri's unwilling words apologizing to me.

"I... .. Yes key, I'm sorry key" Funny face is not as clear as usual who pretentious to be a bully people.

"Well, it's good" I went straight back to my seat and prepared to do the first hour of study after the bell rang.

"Key, was that you?" Asked Ari who was still dumbfounded and could not believe about what I was doing earlier.

"No, but pink power rangers" I replied to the stareful ari but I replied with a joke.

"Ih.., crazy fierce like a cat" continued Ari.

"It's not a cat, it's a tiger"

"Hahahaha" We both laughed together and not long after that the bell came in. Time to get ready to learn and learn.

The lesson was done as usual. Time after time is interspersed with books that busy the head to think. But not with ari who feel relaxed absorbing knowledge from any book.

The nerdy's best friend is excellent, but it's strange why Ari didn't enter the city's best school. Though there are still schools that have better achievement predicates, but ari even strayed here and met me. I want to ask, but it seems like a personal matter that is not good I ask.

*kringggg* the bell home already resonates in every corner of the school. The time to return home had arrived, making all the students cheer. I also felt equally happy with them, but on the other hand I was worried because I did not want to go home to see the mother and the man. I'm afraid they're still there and haven't left.

"Key why dumbass" While patting my shoulder to resuscitate in daydreams.

"Hmmm, no ri just think" I said spontaneously.

"Tumben thinks, usually lazy to think hahaha"

"Yes yes, hahaha" Again we talked and joked while walking in the hallways of the school. Though there was something I was thinking about, but it seemed that Ari did not need to know anything that floated in my mind.

"Here you go, let's go home"

"Judah come on" We both walked towards the school gate in front. The car was waiting there. After I got in the car, I also rushed to go home.

Passing a crowded and hot trip but what I love most is the soothing rice fields. My steps rushed to run, but at this time not to go home for fear that there were still them inside the house.

The next step is the street, the place where I pit my fate back. Change school clothes with regular clothes that I use when selling.

"Luckily just brought a change of clothes, so it would be good to sell all of you later to the ball field" muttered me who just came out of the public wc.

"You came home from school straight here" asked Mr. Abu as a newspaper seller who I hired. When my hands were busy picking up and arranging the newspaper he asked me.

"Lately I've never seen your mother key pass by your house"

"Hmmmm, I'm at work sir" I replied briefly.

"Where the key works" Pak abi's questions are endless. The guy rarely talks but once he talks he'll do questions almost to finish the answer sheet for me.

"I don't know sir"

"Hmmm, yes you have become a filial son yes" His hand stroked my head with affection. Makes my lips smile at her

Mr. Abi knows my mother very well, because the first time I went out on the streets was with my mother. And abi's the one who always helps us. He rarely speaks but he is very kind and considerate of me. Sometimes he fed me when I was starving in the middle of selling newspapers.

His hands were soft like the jewels God sent. He is very old and said to have entered the 5 heads. But his spirit still burns selling newspapers on the edge of the sidewalk. Mr. Abi loves us street children, he always comforts us when sad or upset. It feels good to be with Abi sir. Especially with my street friend Riki, the only one ready to help whenever I need.

"Hello ki" Sapaku when he saw Riki sitting in the road border park.

"Yes key" His rather lethargic voice.

"You why ki, lonely again huh? " Riki nodded as her wares were still plentiful and not yet exhausted. Riki always sells from morning to evening. Since he was no longer in school, at least looking for money was the only way he did it to bring the family to life.

"Jaudah let's get excited, we'll sell again" The spirit inside me was channeled to the moody Riki. Although only a little spirit, Riki's lips began to throw a smile to keep fighting.

The red light has lit up, Riki and I are back peddling the merchandise. Ask from one car to another. Thank goodness some of my newspapers were sold. Likewise with Riki, some tissues and drinks are already bought. It is nice when we buy something.

Sometimes my buyers say a lot, actually they do not need a newspaper but when I see that busy peddling newspapers they immediately change their minds. Buying a newspaper from a little boy who struggles to earn money without the slightest prestige. Young children are willing to wrestle with the heat or rain. Riki and I never thought about it because the best thing is to earn money.

After how long we sold, the body began to get tired and chose to rest at the usual stop. Just buying 2 glasses of mineral water drinks at the ash pack stalls can relieve a dry throat.

"Oh yes key I want to ask, why do you rarely sell until the afternoon again?" His eyes looked at me with curiosity.

"Hmmm, anu ki" I thought I was still wondering if I could tell Riki about the ball and still wonder for myself in this mind.

"Who is the key, because you sell only 2 hours. Have you got a lot of money key"

"Not ki, I'm playing ball"

"What ball?" I just nodded and reassured myself about Riki's statement.

"Good key" I immediately turned my face and looked at Riki sharply. I don't understand what he's saying. Good words I still don't understand.

"meaning ki? " I was confused as to whether Riki supported me until he said good.

"Gini yes, I used to want to play ball but because my ideals were not achieved, so when I heard you play ball I was happy with the key" Said Riki while trying to explain what he said earlier.

Riki told me everything, while sitting in the 1st grade his father always invited him to watch a ball game. Although only tarkam, but he is very happy so he has aspirations to become an Indonesian national team player.

His father always trained Riki with training like a professional footballer. When there is no good ball at least there is still a plastic ball used to train the kick. His father's support is very great on Riki, his feet are used to being trained by his father.

Because his father's ideals have not been conveyed from the beginning to become a professional footballer. And his father just became a building porter. But at that time Riki and his father's dream was completely buried deep with the Death of Riki's father. His father died when Riki was in the 5th grade.

His lips gripped the deepest sorrow. His dreams are mercilessly buried with the ground. There is nothing more to say because playing ball is no longer the main goal. Because the main goal is to get the rupiah to survive.

On the other hand I am happy with Riki's story because I found a friend who also loves the ball. But on the other hand I grieve because Riki's ideals are buried by force slowly until there is no end left to be revealed.

"Oh yeah, you want to not come with me to the ball field in the afternoon"

"Where's key? "

"Near my house, there are many children who practice even I also practice"

"Seriously you're key, are you in the football club? " Tanya Riki while advancing her face with a questioning look.

"No, I saw him hiding"

"Hahahahhaha" Laughs Riki and I become one because of hearing the word hide. I ended up going back to selling with Riki.

Minutes per minute we passed both, walking from the edge to the edge of the street peddling merchandise. Thank goodness Riki's merchandise stayed a little, as well as my newspaper. Usually Riki will take it again to return to trading. But this time Riki entrust his trading place to the shop of Abi sir. Because we will continue to the field where the kids practice the ball.

"Yuk ki, it's time for them to practice" I said as I pulled Riki into the shop of Mr. Abi.

"Where are you going? " Task abi sir to us who rarely go together.

"Our brother wants to go for a while, I put the merchandise first yes" said Riki who approached the abi pack in the stall.

"Jude, be careful"

"Ready pack" Thumbs have been pointed out by me and Riki to indicate that we understand.