Punished Together

Diaz didn't care. He still wanted to order it even if it was delivered after midnight. So, he immediately ordered the food. After he finished placing the order, he just sat back and played the game. In a few minutes, the food will be delivered.

Diaz came out of his room. When his mum was already fast asleep. He rushed down the stairs at lightning speed and opened the door to his house. Because his food order had come.

"How come it’s not that fussy girl who brought the food?" Diaz was surprised that a male courier who delivered his food.

"Which fussy girl, huh?" The courier was surprised at Diaz's response.

"Ah, it's nobody. It's not important," Diaz denied. "Thank you, Mang, for delivering the food."

Diaz handed over his postage money. As usual, there was no need to return the remaining change. Just take it home, he said.

"Thank you then. I'll tell the fussy girl later," the courier said. He drove away on the motorbike that Afika used to use.

Eh! Why are you telling me? Diaz's heart sank in response. Earlier, it wasn't like the courier said he didn't know about 'the fussy girl'. Why did the courier suddenly want to tell the girl that he asked her? That means the courier knew that the person Diaz was talking about was Afika.

***

The school bell rang long ago. There was the sound of someone's footsteps in the corridor during the prayer in each class. Not just one but two people. The two students who were running in the corridor were apparently the ones who were late for school.

"Wait!" prevented a counseling teacher from calling out to the two oversleeping students. His face looked very fierce because he called out while girdling his waist.

"Diaz! Afika! Why are you late?" the counseling teacher asked. How come the counseling teacher knew the names of the two students who accidentally overslept?

Afika and Diaz looked at each other. Apparently the counseling teacher saw the embroidered names on each of their uniforms. Whether coincidence or fate, the two of them would now serve their punishment together for breaking school rules.

"Sorry, Sir. I was late because Abang Ojol's motorbike had a flat tyre on the road. So, I had to wait for him at the tyre patch first," Afika reasoned.

"Why don't you just take an angkot?" The counseling teacher didn't really care about Afika's excuse. He was more interested in hearing an explanation for Diaz's lateness to school. "And you?" he pointed at Diaz.

"Ah ... that ... earlier, I took out the cat litter first, Sir. If I don't clean it up, my parents will nag me at home." Diaz's excuse was so outlandish that it almost made Afika laugh.

"Both of you, run around the field five times. Now!" the counseling teacher ordered Afika and Diaz.

"But, Sir ... 5 times is pretty tiring...." protested Afika.

"Do you want to run 5 times now or do you want to make it 7 times?" the counseling teacher asked.

"Yes, Sir! I'm ready!" Afika hurriedly stowed her backpack in the corridor. She immediately started running around the field. Meanwhile, Diaz followed close behind.

One lap, two laps, and three laps later, Afika could still catch her breath. On the fourth and fifth, her breathing started to become labored. She saw that Diaz was still fit to run and even passed him with ease.

Diaz couldn't bear to let Afika run around the field by herself. He began to slow his pace and accompanied Afika as she ran slowly while catching her breath.

"Oh, yes ... is it true that you pooped the cat first?" Afika became curious about Diaz's excuse that she had stated in front of the counseling teacher.

"No, it's not. That's a lie," Diaz said flatly.

"What, then what did you do? Why are you late for school?" Afika asked. She was already curious and wanted to know Diaz's reason.

"Curious, huh?" teased Diaz with a flirtatious smile.

"Ah, not really," Afika denied. However, the blush on her face was quite obvious in front of Diaz. And it was enough to prove that Afika was holding back her embarrassment at the moment.

"Do you want to know?" Diaz asked. Afika nodded slowly. Although she was embarrassed to admit it.

"I woke up late. Last night, after eating Ayam Geprek you stayed up late playing games. I only went to bed at four in the morning," Diaz explained.

"Huh, playing games until you forget the time. What else do you have to do?" sneered Afika after Diaz explained it at length.

There was still one more lap to go. Afika already felt like she couldn't run anymore.

"Hurry up and run! Don't run like a snail!" Diaz said encouraging her. That was not encouraging but mocking.

"Oh yeah ...." Afika asked Diaz one more question.

"What else?" Diaz urged. "You're so curious about me. I wonder."

"Not really," Afika denied again. Yes, she was curious. But she was too shy to express it.

"Why don't you just make a list of questions and ask me to answer them all. Or should I make a list of my life history so that you know everything about me?" Diaz suggested.

"Yeah, not really. I'm a big fan of yours. Sorry!" An embarrassed Afika continued her run. This time she left Diaz with many questions in her mind.

'What exactly does she want to know about me?' Diaz asked himself. "Hey, Afika!" he called out.

Diaz followed her back. They were together again to complete their punishment. This was already the fifth time they had circled the basketball court.

Actually, Afika wanted to ask about the aunty who picked up Diaz yesterday. However, she didn't have the courage to ask. She was afraid Diaz would take offence at his interference. Ah, never mind! Forget it!

"What did you want to ask?" Diaz urged.

After fulfilling their obligations, both Diaz and Afika returned to their respective classrooms. Afika was immediately hounded by various questions from her two friends, Gina and Febby, who were curious about the figure of a senior named Diaz.

"So, is he called Diaz?" asked Gina. "The one in the same class as Alan, right?" She confirmed it again with Afika.

"You guys have been close for a long time, huh? How come?" said Febby. "What's the connection between you two, why don't you say anything to us?" she protested.

The two immediately attacked Afika with successive questions. When Afika was about to answer their questions one by one, they again interrupted her.

To be continue ….