02

Resa sat on the bed with pain. He tried to take off the shirt which had a bloodstain on the shoulder. A lot of blood was still flowing, making his skin also have blood stains that were still wet and those that were dry.

He tried to clean the blood with a cloth that he had given a little water to. It hurt so badly, but Resa held it so Regina wouldn't hear him groans. He was afraid that the little girl would force him to go see a doctor in the emergency room to get the right treatment.

"Older brother?"

That small, hoarse voice made Resa turn around, he saw Regina standing in the doorway with puffy eyes. Her eyes radiated deep sadness. Resa gave a smile while gesturing with his hand for Regina to come closer.

"Why don't you want to go see a doctor?" Regina looked sadly at Resa's blood-stained shoulder, she took over the wet cloth and began to slowly help clean the blood stains.

"It's not a problem I don't want to or I want to see a doctor, Regina," Resa said quietly.

"Then what's the problem?"

"We don't have enough money to go. Mother is struggling to sell rice and donuts in various places. The money we get is only enough to pay for school, household needs, and food expenses for a month. We don't have money to go the hospital," said Resa. His gentle voice made Regina sober, and sad again because she just found out how poor she was.

Resa also knows they are poor, even very poor. But he is very grateful to God because he is still given the opportunity to laugh with his beloved sister and his own mother. He is grateful because he can still see the sun even though his family's economy is mediocre. It looks sad, but that's only how it looks because not everyone feels the suffering and happiness that he feels.

"If God gave us a choice, would you want to live like this?" Regina asked after being silent for a few moments.

"I will choose this family without a father, only the father needs to be removed. You, Mother, and poverty are unnecessary because I believe that effort will never betray results."

"But results often betray effort." Her expression was so flat, but did not sound annoyed when she spoke. Regina took a bandage, wrapped Resa's shoulder with a white bandage so that blood would no longer come out.

Resa could only chuckle, he confirmed Regina's words just now. "You're right, but we need action more than once, Regina. The effort that must be expended must be a lot, we must exert all our energy and time in order to get the appropriate results. You can't blame the effort or the time, and with God who don't think it's fair."

Regina was silent again, now there was nothing more she could do after tying Resa's shoulder with a bandage. She started to sit down when Resa started wearing new clothes that were cleaner, and smelled good. The boy gave a sweet smile after ruffling Regina's head.

"You're not going to sleep tonight?" Resa asked finally.

faul

"I don't feel like sleeping, but tomorrow I have to go to school because I have a test. What would you do tomorrow if you were me?" this time Regina looked at her interlocutor, she still gave that flat expression.

Resa was a little surprised at his sister because she hadn't smiled since earlier. He missed Regina's sweet smile, and to be honest he would rather see that smile than see his sister's sad face with puffy eyes. It hurt, but none of this was his fault.

"What do you think, Regina?" Resa hugged Regina slowly, patting the little girl's back with a smile that Regina couldn't see. "Why do you like to think about something that won't happen? Wishing is fine, but never tell someone else to choose."

"So what?"

"Not everyone thinks the same as you do. You'll feel hurt later because they don't match your wishes, and you'll feel like no one understands you."

Regina gulped, she just realized that. She also just realized that deep down, she wants Resa to choose what she chooses. Even though she didn't know whether Resa knew what her choice was or not. "I'm sorry. I was never aware of that part, I should have been more mature after everything that happened."

"One always grows in a different way. You will grow up to be a beautiful, smart girl one day. Patience is the right way so that your growth is neither slow nor too fast." Resa let go of his hold, the corners of his lips were still pulled up so that a row of teeth were now visible. He tucked Regina's long hair behind her ear, and then said, "Go to sleep, give Mother a warm hug!"

"I'll do it, good night to you, Dude."

"Good night, Regina."

****

Silva entered the kitchen playing with her cellphone, she was too focused on the device so she tripped over the dining table when she was about to sit down. Tengku – Silva's father, who was busy reading the newspaper, chuckled behind the width of the morning newspaper.

"Silva, did you play the piano last night?" Sofi asked after placing the boiled vegetables and the pecel sauce on the dining table.

Silva buried her lips as Sofi went to get some water. She had a bad feeling now, she was sure there would be a small showdown as usual.

"Why play the piano in the middle of the night?" Sofi asked again, this time sitting next to her husband. She looked at Silva without smiling, as if her daughter was annoying. "You don't understand or never knew that we all go to bed at ten in the evening?"

"Sorry, Mom," Silva said quietly, she was too scared to meet Sofi's scary eyes.

"Another bad dream, honey?" Tengku folded his morning newspaper into a fairly small section, then looked at Silva with a faint smile. "What dream again, Silva?"

"Another ghost dream?" Sofia added. Her eyebrows are quite deep together.

Silva shook her head quickly with an expression of disapproval. "No, there wasn't a ghost last night. I dreamed that I was chased by someone in the forest, but... it's like there's a spirit too."

Sofi, and Tengku sighed heavily while looking at Silva wearily. They both always feel worried about the state of the daughter, especially at bedtime. It's not only once that Silva has had to wake up early in the midnight because of nightmares. Or because she's been disturbed by spirits, this isn't the first time, but the umpteenth time. They also performed several exorcisms without Silva knowing.

However, unfortunately there was no result for their efforts. Exorcism never works, Silva still has dreams and disturbances from other realms. Sleeping pills from doctors never managed to make their daughter sleep soundly, sleeping only four hours at most. Then she returned to guard until morning, until her eyes turned black. Luckily it's not so obvious after wearing makeup.

"Silva, I have an acquaintance who can help you, so you don't have that ability anymore," Sofi said confidently. There was no word of giving up in her life since long ago.

"What are you doing, Mom?" Silva frowned in confusion.

"So that you don't see ghosts and have nightmares again, honey," Tengku replied, his tone so low that the daughter would not get annoyed with their plan.

"I've never felt that this ability that God gave me is a burden, Mom, Dad. I've never felt like that, instead I'm happy that I can help the ghosts, I can even know their dark stories."

Sofi and Tengku were silent without ever touching their breakfast, not even Silva. The girl's appetite had disappeared ever since her mother mentioned the piano. No, she didn't hate her parents who were always worried, but she didn't like the way Sofi and Tengku saw spirits asking for help. In their eyes the spirits are always disturbing, even though they are not.

They came while giving sad stories that must be heard after telling God. Asking for help so they can return to the afterlife because the human world is not their eternal home.

"You forgot that you were bullied just because you talked to a ghost in class?" Tengku spoke again with a flat expression. "Mom and Dad don't want that incident to happen again, Silva."

"Dad and Mom want the best, but now I've never talked to them openly. Dad and Mom don't need to worry about me, I'm an adult now. I'm old enough to protect myself."

"No, I'm not sure you can do that. You're still too small for such big things, Silva. Please listen to Mom and Dad just once!" answer Sofi.

Silva sighed heavily, she didn't know what to say to Sofi and Tengku anymore. Neither of them wanted to hear anything, not even to believe. Even though so far Silva has been fine, never had a long fever like before.

Not wanting to argue any longer, Silva chose to enjoy his breakfast which had been cold for a long time. Even her chocolate milk is cold, even though she likes hot milk in the morning before starting her daily activities. "The peanut sauce is delicious," said Silva, trying to lighten the mood.

"What are you going to do at school, honey?" Tengku gulped down the nearly finished black coffee slowly so the dregs wouldn't be swallowed up too.

"Later there will only be classes like usual, later there will also be a piano class after the last class. I think I'll be going home later in the evening if there's no extra hours anyway."

Sofi smiled happily at Silva's enthusiastic explanation. She added tempeh to Silva's plate, and said, "Eat a lot of it so you have a lot of energy when you practice the piano."

"Mom and Dad also used to like to eat a lot?"

"Of course, Dad eats all the food in large portions. To the extent that grandma tells Dad to diet even though Dad isn't really fat."

"How much did Dad really weigh until Grandma told you to go on a diet? I don't think you have ever gotten fat."

Tengku laughed out loud at Silva's question just now. He remembered again how big he used to be, even he was embarrassed to tell now. He shook his head and closed his eyes for a moment. "Dad was really fat when i was in elementary school, but i didn't know how much my weighed. But i played basketball so i was slim."

"Wow!" Silva was amazed, she even gave applause to her father. Exercising made her father's body much better, even now. His age which is no longer young does not make him look old, in fact he looks younger. "What is the main key to staying young?"

"If you eat vegetables and fruit, you can't be late, drinking lots of mineral water is also the main key."

"But you can't miss sports either," said Tengku.

"Uh, I'm even lazy. What if I don't stay as young as Dad and Mom?" Silva had a sad face, but her parents laughed at her expression.

"You are so cute Silva," Tengku said. "You are still very young, no need to be confused or afraid of getting old! Everyone will feel old at the right time. So now you better focus on health, focus on caring for your skin, focus on fun things!"

"The fun stuff?" Silva frowned in disbelief.

"Having a boyfriend and spending time with friends at school are fun activities. You won't be in high school anymore after graduation, enjoy your high school life before you regret it!"