The Traces of Destiny
Each Bend Has Its Own Story

His life, he realized, had experienced a unique simplicity since moving to this place. Although she sometimes yearns for such an energetic life when she becomes a wife of Ardi Bakar, she realizes that slowing down has its benefits. When the rainfall is not too high, she enjoys spending hours working out or visiting a bookstore, or just staring at a sailboat passing by the river on the back side of her apartment.

Even after school started again, he felt no rush anywhere. He worked and walked quietly, in addition to regularly visiting his parents' residence, most of the nights he spent alone, while enjoying classical music and rearranging the lesson plans he brought from Cijengkol. To him, it doesn't matter.

Since he was new to school, his plan still needed a little adjustment. He realized that many of the students in his class did not reach the level they should in most core subjects, and he had to slightly reduce the learning plan and put in more remedial work.

Saras is not surprised by this, because each school has a different development. But he predicted that by the end of the year, most students would reach the appropriate level. However, there is one student who worries him a lot, namely Raka Antonio. Raka is a pretty good boy, shy, and simple, a type of child that is easily overlooked.

On the first day of class, the boy sat in the back row and replied politely as Saras spoke to him. However, the experience of teaching in the elite Cijengkol school has taught him to pay attention to such children. Sometimes it doesn't mean anything, other times, it means they're trying to hide.

After he asks the rest of the class to hand over their first assignment, Saras makes a mental note to examine his work closely. But it turns out that it doesn't have to be done.

That task, a short paragraph about something they had done during the holiday period— was a way for Saras to quickly gauge how well the children could write.

Most of the writing has a wide variety of misspelled words, incomplete thinking, and sloppy handwriting, but Raka's writing stands out, not because of its good quality, but because of its, except because he did not do what he asked.

He had written his name in the top corner, but instead of writing a paragraph, he drew himself fishing from a small boat. When Saras asks him why he did not do what he was asked, Raka explains that Ann's mother always let him draw because."

Alarm bells immediately sounded in Saras' head. He smiled and bowed, in order to get closer to Raka. "Mom want to see Raka's writing?" abugn. After a while, Raka nodded reluctantly.

While the other students were doing other activities, Saras sat down with Raka as she tried her hardest. However, she soon realizes that it is useless because Raka does not know how to write. In fact, Saras finds he can barely read as well. In mathematics, he is no better.

His first thought was that Raka had a learning disability, like dyslexia. But after spending a week with the boy, he wasn't sure that was the case.

Raka did not mix letters or words, she understood everything she said to her. Once he shows her something, she tends to do it right. The problem, she believes, stems from the fact that Raka had never done her schoolwork before because her teacher had never asked for it.

When she asks some other teachers about it, she finds out about teacher Ann's mother, and although she sympathizes, she knows it's not the best outcome for anyone, especially Raka, to let it slide off without direction, just like the previous teacher had done.

At the same time, Saras realizes that she cannot give Raka all the attention she needs because of having to pay attention to other students in her class.

However, in the end, she decides to meet with Raka's father to talk to him about what he knows, in hopes that they can find a way to solve it.

He had heard of Garin Antonio. Although not much, she knew that most people liked and respected her, and more importantly, she seemed to care for her son.

On the other hand, he also met parents who seemed to believe their children could do no wrong.

Both are difficult situations to deal with. However, from the information circulating, Garin Antonio, the person said, is not like that.

At the next corner, Saras finally slowed down, then waited for several cars to pass before crossing the road. He waved to the man behind the counter at the pharmacy, as well as retrieving the letters he had in his mailbox before climbing the stairs to his apartment.

On arrival at her apartment doorstep, she quickly unlocked the door, and immediately scanned the letters before placing them on a table near the door.

In the kitchen, Saras poured himself a glass of iced water and brought the glass to his bedroom. He undressed, threw his clothes into the basket and hoped for a warm bath, when he saw his phone flickering.

She presses the answer button and her mother's voice is heard, telling Saras that she wishes Saras to stop by later, if nothing else happens. As usual, her mother's voice always sounded a little anxious.

"Oh, thank goodness you're home now .." it began. "Mama hope everything's okay.... Come by the house, mama's cooking your favorite soup."

Saras thought for a moment. Should he leave or not? Is he in the mood?

"Well Ma, I'll definitely be there," he finally decided. "I don't have anything else to do anyway."

After giving that answer, he felt relieved to have made the decision to go see his parents.

Saras walked into the bathroom with slow steps. Before visiting her parents' home, she wanted to make sure she felt refreshed and comfortable.

He turned on the lights and removed the rest of the clothes that were still attached to his body. The warm air embraced him as he opened the water tap. Carefully, he adjusted the temperature of the water until it reached its expected comfort level.

Find her favorite soap. Letting the soft scent fill the air, Saras filled the bath with warm water, adding a little scented foam that made her feel relaxed.

He immersed himself in the bath, inhaling a soothing fragrance. His mind flew away from everyday worries as he pondered and digested everything that had happened lately.

After a refreshing bath, Saras felt lighter and was ready for a visit to her parents' home. He dried his body and put on comfortable clothes to gather with his family.

As he was getting ready to leave, he looked at himself in the mirror with a small smile. The shower has given him time to think about everything and prepare himself physically and mentally.