"NOTHING LIKE US"

"Let's go." Riri said softly. She felt confused about what to do.

"What the hell. Don't you miss your father?"

"I don't know." said Riri with a feeling of disappointment that returned when she saw her father. Hate seemed to be unable to kill her. Maybe there were too many things that her father did that made Riri hurt.

"Actually, I miss the figure of a father too. But my father seems to have forgotten me, let alone my mother." Riri explained sadly.

Akbar did not ask more about his father. Afraid Riri would be even more sad.

They began to exchange their respective writings. Riri held Akbar's paper and was ready to read it. She threw away her thoughts about her father. She just wanted the wounds he gave her to be buried deep in her heart.

(Why should I see the wound at the other end. The wound I never felt. It's like a thorn in the chest.

Papa, you are supposed to be my role model, but what is wrong with you? Why do you seem to paint black ink and bring bad news.

Don't you remember all this time I have always made you an encouragement in my life? Please don't damage this soul. Your son loves you very much, O leader of the family).

Riri read with compassion for Akbar.

She looked at Akbar.

"What do you think?" Akbar asked with a flat face.

Riri seemed to be able to see the sadness in Akbar's eyes.

"Good writing. I'm honestly sad to read it. What's wrong with your papa?" asked Riri as gently as possible. She did not want to break the wounds that Akbar kept.

"I saw my papa with another woman." Akbar said with his eyes distant.

Riri's eyes widened at Akbar's words.

"Are you serious? Maybe you saw it wrong. I know your papa is a very good person. There's no way your papa would do something like that." Riri felt a little annoyed by what happened. To be honest, she was very surprised by Akbar's story.

"I'm serious Ri, I saw it with my own eyes. I've been spying on my father all this time. And it turns out it's true that my father is having an affair. The climax was when I saw the woman get into my father's car and the two of them did things like husband and wife. That's when I got really angry. My heart hurt. That night I cried." Akbar explained with glazed eyes and then looked down. Actually, he was very embarrassed to cry and tell everything that was pent up in his heart.

"Well, now is the time for you to talk to your mom." Riri gave advice excitedly. As a woman. She felt upset if she was in Akbar's mom's position. Not annoyed anymore, she would probably cry her eyes out.

"No way I'm talking to my mom." Iyan said firmly. He didn't want to hurt his mama. But on the other hand, he wanted to expose his father's rottenness.

"You have to talk Bar!" Riri snapped at that moment. This was the first time she had raised her voice with Akbar.

"I don't want to hurt my mom, Ri." Akbar replied without replying to Riri's high tone. He kept his emotions stable.

"If you don't talk to your mom. That means you are slowly hurting your own mom. Your mother is living in the falsehood of your father's love." Riri accused as if she knew everything. She was indeed feeling very emotional.

"You don't know what it's like to be me. I'm confused, Ri." Akbar ruffled her hair roughly.

"I really don't know what it's like to be you. But I care about you. That's why I'm giving you advice." Riri said, looking away.

"I won't talk to my mom. Maybe I'll talk to my dad first. I want to know how much he cares about me, my mom and Bintang." Akbar said with narrowed eyes. He really hoped that he could talk to his father slowly so that his father would realize.

"Yes, you are right, maybe you should talk to your father first. Hopefully your father will repent soon and return with your mother. Love your mom sincerely." Riri said she really hoped Akbar's family could be harmonious like before. Because she was traumatized by her family. She was afraid that Akbar's papa would be like his own father who married another woman and left his mother.

They were both silent for a moment. Trying to breathe after the fiery conversation that took place. The maghrib call to prayer broke the silence between them.

"I'll pray first, Bar." Riri said softly. She lost some of her strength after the passionate conversation.

"Yes, I want to pray too. Uh, I haven't read your writing yet. I'll read it after dinner. Because I'm really hungry. After the maghrib prayer I want to immediately take my dinner ration." Akbar said trying to entertain himself by throwing a smile at Riri.

"Okay. Here's your writing." Riri handed Akbar's poetry paper to the tall man in front of him.

Akbar took it. Then the two of them walked together then took different paths to go to the toilet and perform ablutions.

"Ri, where have you been? I was looking for you. There was a man looking for you. He said it was your father, right Ri?" said Cahaya curiously.

"Huh? What?" Riri's eyes widened as she couldn't understand what Light was saying.

"What are his characteristics?" Riri asked again.

"Hair has a little gray, thin mustache, tall body and not fat. The man was wearing a jacket." said Cahaya while recalling the person he met.

"So what did you say to that man?"

"Yes, I told him that you were in this refugee camp, and he replied that he would be here tomorrow to see you." explained Cahaya, making Riri incredulous.

"Then the man went by rickshaw?" asked Riri curiously.

"Yes, he drove his own rickshaw." replied Cahaya nodding.

"That's right, he's my father. I saw him earlier. But I could only stay silent." Riri said while looking down.

"Why didn't you come over?"

"Well, I was confused about what to do after seeing my father. When I saw him, it felt like the old wounds had appeared. Your abusive behavior towards my mother instantly popped up in my mind and I felt pain." Riri explained with a sad feeling.

"Be patient, Ri. Maybe your father is here to see how you're doing. Maybe he also wants to apologize to you." Cahaya said trying to calm her best friend.

"Hopefully what you say can come true." Riri hoped fully.

"Let's pray maghrib first." invited Cahaya to embrace Riri's fragile shoulders.

They walked down the hall and queued at the toilet. After it was Riri's turn to enter the toilet. She cried as much as she could. She felt that today was full of emotions. In front of people she could smile. But when she was alone she was in tears.