FIRST MEETING

Ten years ago...

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter."

"Didn't I cross out your uniform with my pen?"

"Just soak and wash with soap, the stains will also disappear." The boy replied indifferently and seemed not to care whether the uniform he was wearing was dirty or not.

It seemed that he's not affected by the long scribbles on the uniform he was wearing.

Erika laughed regretfully, "I'm really sorry."

"Never mind, forget it."

"I really didn't know you were behind me."

"It was also my fault for not telling you that I was behind you."

Erika smiled politely at the boy. He is a handsome boy. In addition, his body is sturdy for the size of a high school student. He is tall, thin but he is also muscular. He wears a school uniform which is lined with a plain black hoodie jacket and zips up the front. Even though the hoodie that he was wearing without a motif, and there was only a brand logo pasted on the back, it looked so simple. But, with selection of soft and comfortable cotton, it gives a cool impression for who wears it.

Erika glanced at the hoodie. If someone else was wearing it, it's would definitely look bad. However, it was different with that boy. When he wears the hoodie, it makes him so mysterious and radiates of masculine aura.

A wide smile tugged from his lips, showing a row of white teeth, it's adds his charm. His smile looked alluring with the mouth slightly open, and the gaze full of warmth. And that's how Erika felt. At least, his charming smile and sharp eyes were able to make her heart feel a little warm.

"Erika Kumala." She puts down the pen that she held. So she could shake hands with the boy.

"Edo Gumilar." He's immediately welcomed Erika's outstretched hand and greeted her back.

"That transfer student, right?" Erika repeated with a big smile. She wished she could stay on those warm and strong hands. For a moment, that was how she felt. Then, she quickly pushed the ridiculous thought out of her head.

"Is there such a name?"

The corner of Edo's eyes crinkled as he tried to smile. It's so natural if many girls student were curious about him. Not only girls at the same class, other girls from another class also crushed on him. Having a handsome face like an energy drink model, he's also has well-groomed tan skin and looks like a Hollywood actor. His athletic body will also remind for Asian action stars. Most importantly, his cold, stingy smile could make almost all the students in this school kill each other just to get acquainted with him. "Don't you really know that you're famous?"

Edo bowed stiffly, "No."

"It's hard to believe, a transfer student which is talked a lot of people be in this class" Erika smiled slightly as she turned her face towards Edo. "More than a year, we will often see each other. Hope you can survive. You can do it." She says with clenched her two hands and she winked at him.

Edo approached Erika while whisper to her with low voice "But I'm happy, especially has same class with you."

Erika slightly stood up and lifted her head to see the expression of Edo who's standing in front of her, "Really? Wow, you know how to praise one well."

"Not really, just for some people."

"I guess, you're not as innocent as you look?" Erika stared while squinting up her eyes as if in judging.

Edo's approaches as low tone, and this time whispering in Erika's ear, "You'll be a lot more surprised later, when you get to know me better."

"Oh, really?"

"Just take this as a way to get to know each other, don't you think?"

Quite satisfied with each other's assessment, they looked at each other and just realized when a classmate accidentally nudged Edo from behind.

"Oh, yeah…I forgot to mention earlier, that I-----"

Edo raised one hand to stop Erika's words. "You're the head of this class, right?"

"How do you know?"

"The homeroom teacher told me. And the one who asked me to meet you."

"Meeting me, for what?"

Edo looked around the classroom. Then, staring at Erika again, "The homeroom teacher said that you will help me adapt to this class and school environment." he raised his hand and pointed his index finger at Erika and several people there. "Our homeroom teacher also left a message for you." Edo smiled, this time folding his arms in front of his chest.

"What's that?"

"You will accompany me around this school." added Edo spontaneously shrugging his shoulders as if he couldn't refuse their homeroom teacher's orders.

Hearing the information that just heard, Erika frowned at the times. Actually, she didn't feel like doing what their homeroom teacher told her to do. If she has to introduce Edo to their own classmates, that's not too difficult for her. However, if she had to accompany Edo around the school, then this would be a problem for her. There would be many girls student stop and interrupt them. Every time they walked there would be girls who stop them which is saying hello and asking phone numbers. That would be very tiring. And, it takes more time than just a break.

Apart from having to give up her lunch break, Erika also has to postpone the homework that the homeroom teacher has assigned to her. She must collect the personal data of all her classmates, including her new friend, before go home from school. With a deep sigh, Erika realized that she had no choice. She looked at the books and notes lying scattered on the school desk where she was sitting. Reluctantly, she pushed the chair back and stood facing Edo and smiling, "So, where do we start?"

"It's up to you."

"Okay-----" Erika looked at who was still in the classroom; "Because its break time and not everyone is here-----" She approached the student attendance board to check who was absent that day, while looking up at the girls in the classroom. They started whispering and gossiping so loud makes Erika had to remind them that their voices must not be heard until the next to classroom, while placing her index finger on her own lips.

She also instructs his male classmates to close and guard the classroom door so that no other students enter besides their classmates. "Considering that there are also some of us who did not enter because of illness and permission, and then we start with them." She said as she stretched her arms out in front of class.

Edo began to introduce himself in front of the class and in front of his classmates. "Hi, everyone…My name is Edo Gumilar. Just call Edo. I moved from Montianai, West Salimantan. It's nice to meet you."

After the introductions, there was a question and answer session about biodata that led to the personal matters who raised by the girls in the class. Of course, which is responded Edo immediately by giving them what they asked for.

"All right, my friends, we'll end the question and answer session first." Said Erika, who immediately got loud protests from the girls in her class, she rushed to calm them down, "You can continue later outside school hours. After all, you guys already got the number, how about it?" She tried to offer choices to the girls while giving her sweetest smile. "Since you don't seem to mind my offer, then me and him-----" Erika gave a pointed index finger at the man next to her, "Let's we go, Edo?"

"Uh, okay, then."

"Go where?" asked one of the girls in her class.

Another friend also asked, "Can we come with you?"

Another girl followed, until finally almost all the girls in the class also asked the same thing.

"Listen to me, everyone-----" Erika's voice boomed in the noisy classroom because the girls were busy buzzing around. "Please, be quiet-----" She continued in a loud but controlled voice. When her voice had received full of attention, she continued, "Thank you." She said with a wholehearted smile. "So guys, our homeroom asked me to accompany our new friend on a mini tour of our school." She explained while glancing at Edo briefly, "And all of you can't possibly accompany him."

"But, why?" One of the girls protested.

"Because of fifth lesson will be started." She replied with regret. "And, it is Physics. Surely, we all don't want to be punished, right?" She said trying to give them understanding. "And, furthermore if our homeroom finds out…we all-----without exception will be punished." She added with a serious face. "We wouldn't expect it does will happen to us, right?" Erika repeated and still was trying to persuade them not to do anything stupid.

"Just you two?"

"Yeah, just two of us." Edo's answer is short and clear