The Scars

0"Where is she?" asked one of them. Those five men were still scouting me, searching through any spot they thought was my hiding. I sneaked into a bush behind a big tree, a bit far from them. I could still catch their voices though. Sheltering in the dark, I had to bear the stung of mosquitoes and pinch my nose due to the bad smell of rubbish in the bins just near me. Those men cut through the shrubs, ran here and there, and cursed every time they found nothing but the tiny night creatures.    0

    

"She may be hiding in that old building," yelled one of them while pointing to the vacant building. They all were out of my sight in a short time. After ensuring that those five men had gone, I sneaked out and fled.    

    

The area was located far from the downtown. No public transport or let alone a taxi I could find around here. I assumed that it was another outskirt of Jakarta. Despite living in Jakarta for almost eighteen years, I just commuted from my neighborhood or its surrounding to my school and vice versa. So, I was uninformed about the other parts of this city.    

    

Being haunted by anxiety that those men might follow my pace, I trotted with the remnant energy I had. The road lying ahead gave me no clue where it would go or what place I would encounter. The destination seemed out of reach. Nevertheless, the only choice provided for me was running and running toward whatever was, waiting for me at the end of this street. Those stranger men were much scarier than anything I might discover ahead.    

    

Gratefully, there was a truck parking at the edge of the road. The driver was smoking next to his vehicle. He might be resting there or something. That was not of my concern. As long as I could get home as soon as possible, it did not matter what vehicle took me home. The man in his early fifty looked startled when I greeted him. It was a bit late at night; he met a teenage girl in this deserted area that made him jolt back.    

    

He was kind and humble, driving me home after I begged him and reassured him that I was not a ghost. At his age, he still believed in the myth of a spirit or something like that. So, he examined me from top to toe to make sure that my feet landed on the earth. I was not disturbed by that. It was no wonder he did that as it was strange to see me here at this late night.    

    

He gave me a lift so that I could safely arrive home. It was useless regretting what I experienced tonight. I should have realized earlier that Angeline would not easily accept me in her world, in her friendship circle. Onee her would only engage with those coming from high-class families.    

    

The event still lingered in my head even after I left for school on Monday. I was taking a seat in the classroom after our routine, participating in a school assembly when a group of students gossiped about me. And Angeline was one of them excitedly telling her friends about how glamorous her party was, and how she fooled me with the false address and the fake invitation card. It burned me with anger. However, understanding who she was and who I was, I decided to keep it inside me. She was not a battle I could win.    

    

It still took ten minutes to go for the first class to start. I read the book while waiting for the bell. Angeline raised her voice particularly when she emphasized how stupid I was to come to her party. Focusing on my book, I ignored those who were still chatting about me.    

    

"Who do you think she is that I want her to be my friend? She will never be at my level no matter how hard she tries." Angeline jeered at me.    

    

"Still, isn't it too much for you to trick and trap her around that old building?" One of them argued.    

    

"What did you say?" Another student disagreed. "She has been accustomed to being in that area; I mean she lives in an outskirts area, right? It wasn't that bad if she got lost there."    

    

"That is a dangerous place, especially for girls." The other girl added. "It's good at least she did not face any obstacles there."    

    

"I am a little bit disappointed that she was fine that night," Angeline said assertively.    

    

"What do you mean? Is it why Ilana did not show up that night at your birthday party? It was not because she didn't want to, but you sent her to an unknown place. How could you do this to your classmate?" It was Kevin who spoke. Nobody realized that he had been in the classroom when the gossip girls were talking about me.    

    

"Kevin...it isn't like...."    

    

"You...," he referred to me because he looked at me in the eye, "if only you had come with me, it wouldn't happen." I was silent. I did not need his defense. Angeline was going to defend herself, but the bell rang and the teacher's shoes were knocking on the floor outside. In only a few seconds, a tall slim cute teacher walked into the room. The lesson prevented Angeline to speak up.    

    

I immediately went out of the classroom when break time came. I strode to the park rather than go to the library. This place was peaceful where I could stay away from the frenzy and primarily Angeline and her gang. I had no other friends being here but my books. It was another good place to read besides being in the library.    

    

"Here you are!" That boy, Kevin, I didn't know for how long he had been in the park, sitting on the other bench next to the big tree. He addressed me with a drink in his hand.    

    

"What for?" I asked when he gave me a drink.    

    

"I think you are the stupidest girl in the world. You don't even know what mineral water is for." He did not mean to mock me. "Have a drink."    

    

"I'm not thirsty."    

    

"You have rejected the chocolate, and the drink I offered you. This time, I won't let you refuse it again." He grabbed my hand and put the bottle of drink in my hand. "What happened to your arm? Is it a scar?" I swiftly pulled my hand back.    

    

"It's nothing. Mind your own business. I took all the books with me and went from that place.    

    

"Ilana...I am just curious. Are you okay?" I quickened my steps and ignored his shout. I strolled down the corridor too fast. One of the books fell from my hand. I had to go back to pick it up. My hand had reached that book. Unfortunately, someone stepped on it. Looking up, that girl tossed me with her glare. She was not Angeline, yet not better than that girl was.