SMA Merah Putih had a rivalry with SMA Tanah Merdeka. It all started one day during the dry season. The weather was bright and cheerful, no thunder, no rain. And the birds were chirping happily on the tree branches. Boim, whose eyes wander whenever he sees a girl, even grandmas, was accused of checking out a girl from SMA Tanah Merdeka.
“She’s pretty cute, that girl. At least she’s sweeter than Boim in a skirt. Her name is Lila. She has long hair and inviting lips. Turns out, Lila is the crush of SMA Tanah Merdeka. So, to witness with their own eyes that Lila was checked out by a guy named Boim, who clearly isn’t cool, the boys from SMA Tanah Merdeka who felt more entitled to have Lila instantly got fired up for war. They were furious. Boim, who was going solo at that time, ended up getting beaten up by everyone.
“Calm down, guys! Calm down! I’m Boim, a good guy!” Boim shouted, trying to defend himself. But… smack!
“I’m Boim!”
Slap!
“I…”
Thud!
“Help! Help!” Boim finally ran away. He even managed to pick up his scattered money. Poor Boim, his face was all swollen.
This incident had long-lasting consequences. Boim reported it to the kids. Lupus was shocked to see Boim in that state. Aji didn’t even recognize him. Some thought Boim was a creature from another planet. After realizing that it was Boim and understanding the situation, the kids couldn’t contain their anger.
“For heaven’s sake, and the storm in the ocean, as friends, we must teach them a lesson, Pus, the people who laid their hands on our friend Boim. Let’s beat them, Pus, with unwavering spirit, with open chests. We can’t let our friend be treated like he’s not human. Even if he’s just a hedgehog!” Gusur shouted, taking a stance. He squinted his eyes. His chubby belly expanded and deflated. Boim was touched by Gusur’s solidarity, even though he was a bit annoyed by his last statement.
“Now what’s our plan?” Lupus asked. The kids fell silent for a moment. Pretending to think. But Gusur looked serious. He occasionally plucked his sparse beard. That’s his habit when facing a serious problem. Acting all wise, even though he’s just a kid.
“Let’s attack them. We have the tools!” Gito suggested.
“Attack? Are you sure?” Gusur asked anxiously.
“Yes, attack!” the other kids answered.
They surprisingly agreed with Gito’s idea.
“Well, in that case, I won’t join you guys, okay? It’s not a big deal. I already hate the idea of going to their school,” Gusur added sarcastically.
The kids were instantly annoyed by Gusur’s excuse. Boim was the most furious.
“Just admit that you’re scared, Sur. Using excuses and all. What about the rest, are you guys in?”
“Well, I’m all for it. Ready to fight anywhere. Anytime. As long as I feel like it. But obviously not now,” Anto replied.
Boim got angry. He was disappointed with Anto’s answer. Finally, he sulked in the corner of the classroom. He tried to look cute, but it just made things messier.
Seeing the situation getting complicated, Lupus took a stand.
“Guys, we can’t just sit back and watch Boim being treated like this. We have to have a strong sense of loyalty to our friend. We have to help Boim. We have to get revenge. I’m really upset. How can they beat up Boim like this? I mean, why not just kill him? problem solved.”
“Lupus!!!” Boim shouted loudly.
“Boim!!!” Lupus screamed back just as loudly.
“You guys are always teasing me. You don’t want to feel my pain. I’m angry!” Boim sulked even louder.
And it turned out Boim was really angry. He got up from his seat and ran around the school. The kids were surprised, but eventually joined in the chase. Including chubby Gusur.
“Boim! Boim!” the kids called.
But Boim didn’t care. He kept running. The chase became more exciting.
“What’s going on here?” asked the math teacher, who happened to witness the scene.
“My duck escaped, Sir. Please help me catch it,” Lupus answered casually. Turns out the math teacher had a high sense of solidarity, so he joined in the chase. But after a while, he began to feel suspicious.
“Which one is the duck? I can’t see it,” he asked Lupus, who was running around.
“That’s it, Sir. The black one!” Lupus replied.
The math teacher frowned. He carefully examined the object Lupus pointed at. His conclusion?
“Oh, that’s not a duck!”
“What is it, Sir?”
“In biology class, as far as I know, that’s called a deer.”
Lupus couldn’t hold back his laughter. Meanwhile, the chase continued until evening.
The next day, they gathered again at Gang Senggol. Oh, by the way, Iho has had a strategic hangout spot at SMA Merah Putih for a long time. It’s hidden from the watchful eyes of the teachers. That’s why the kids love to hang out there. To gossip, for example. Or to plan their warfare strategies like they’re doing now. But it can also be used for skipping class. You know, SMA Merah Putih is surrounded by walls and the gate is always closed. So that alley is the most advantageous route for kids who love to skip.
It’s called Gang Senggol, as the kids nicknamed it. Because every pedestrian who passes through Gang Senggol will definitely bump their shoulder against the walls that enclose it. It’s really narrow. Only 25 centimeters wide. The only person who has never experienced the pleasure of Gang Senggol is Gusur. He’s too chubby to fit through Gang Senggol. But Lupus loves to hide there. Escaping from debt collectors. Although, to be honest, it smells unbearable. Really stinky. Many kids pee there. Anto was caught peeing there once. Even though there’s a big sign that says, “No peeing here, except for rhinos.” But Anto didn’t care.
Another thing that makes Gang Senggol really exciting and dirty is the kids’ mischievous writings. There’s a writing by Boim titled “Sinless Man.” Or this one, a writing on the wall that says, “Fifi Alone, here we were once united, in the sound of our racing breaths. Signed: Gusur, the coolest creature.” – This crazy artist always has such eccentric ideas. In another corner, there’s an even more chaotic writing. It started with Anto writing, “Anto is the best.” The next day, Lupus followed, Lupus is also the best. The day after, Gito became the best. And so on, Aji didn’t want to be left behind in being the best. Obet and his best. Who says Gusur can’t be the best?
Speaking of Gang Senggol, both Gusur, Lupus, Boim, Anto, and the other kids have their own special memories with that alley. Gusur always uses Gang Senggol as his outlet for expression. If he’s really missing Fifi, for example, Gusur runs there. Sits at the mouth of the alley. And happily writes poetry.
You know, Im, it’s no big deal, right?”
“No way. Everyone has to come!” Boim shouted.
Shortly after, Lupus arrived. Followed by Gito. Aji. Robert. Anto. The school janitor. The last one was going home.
Once everyone gathered, they immediately set off. But when they arrived at SMA Tanah Merdeka, they were taken aback. Especially since the school was guarded by security guards.
“Wow, we’re suddenly in a pickle, Im,” Lupus started to complain.
“Let’s just eat meatball there. I’ll treat you guys,” Anto offered. Even though he’s usually the most frugal when it comes to snacks, just like Gusur.
“Yeah, let’s have a meatball feast. I’m starving,” Gusur immediately supported Anto’s idea.
Boim was the only one still grumpy. He was almost sulking again. Luckily, Lupus quickly cheered him up with a hand gesture. Lupus signaled for the kids to hide in their respective positions. Anto immediately jumped into a ditch. Gusur, who was hesitant, ended up being pushed. The water in the ditch moved aside to accommodate Gusur’s arrival. Maybe it was even dirtier than Gusur himself.
“There he is, the guy who hit me the other day,” Boim whispered to Lupus from his hiding spot in the bushes. He pointed his hand towards a tough-looking person who just came out of the gate.
“Is that him? Wow, he’s huge!”
“Ah, come on, Pus, are you scared? I got beaten up too!”
“It’s not that I’m scared, but I’m the kind of person who can’t bear to see others suffer! But alright, let’s just ambush him. Hopefully, God will protect us. God… protect us sweet kids,” Lupus immediately prayed.
After that, he gave the signal to attack. Gusur turned pale when he saw the person, but eventually joined in when the others attacked. A punching party ensued. The person who used to torment Boim was pummeled with punches. But he only fainted when he kissed Gusur’s fist. The kids then cheered in excitement.
“Long live Gusur!”
“Well, then it wasn’t in vain that I didn’t shower for a week!” Gusur commented, blushing.
Boim was very satisfied with his friends’ work. Three days later, he broke his piggy bank and treated the kids.
“This is as a thank you from me. Next time, I hope Gusur gets beaten up. Because he has never treated anyone before,” Boim teased. But Gusur didn’t care. The kids were really happy that day.
But they were actually in danger. Because unbeknownst to them, the students of SMA Tanah Merdeka also had plans for a retaliation attack.
And it happened. That afternoon, Lupus was busy kicking a basketball. School had already ended, but there were still some teachers busy with grading tests in the office. In the cafeteria, Gusur was enjoying his orange ice. His mouth full of fried tofu. Boim, Anto, Gito, and the other kids were there too.
“Aren’t you guys going home?” Bu Kantin asked playfully. Her hands were busy packing.
“We’re going to basketball practice. Yeah, we’re a bit sleepy: It’s nap time,” Anto replied while sipping his cendol.
“Surprising that you guys are practicing basketball. Can Lupus even play basketball?”
“Well, Lupus is not that good at basketball. But tennis… “
“Can you play?”
“Not really!”
“So what can you do? And Lupus is wrong, kicking a basketball instead of hitting it with a racket.”
The kids just nodded foolishly. Meanwhile, in the distance, Lupus was calling out. Like Tarzan. But the kids didn’t pay attention, they were engrossed in their conversation.
“Hey, are you guys going to practice or not? If you are, hurry up and leave!” Lupus shouted. They had planned to practice basketball for the upcoming class meeting. Last year, Lupus’ class was at the bottom. They lost four times in three matches. That’s why this year, they intended to maintain their losing streak. Just to prove the people who thought their class was lousy right.
“We can’t disappoint people’s expectations. If they think we’re bad, we have to prove that we really are worthless,” Lupus commented one time.
So why were they pretending to be busy practicing that day? Ah, that was just an excuse. Their main intention was to hang out. Because during this week of class meeting preparation, many other classes were also practicing. Including the girls. That was Lupus’ chance to hang out
So, like, in the cafeteria on a scorching hot day, Gusur totally broke a record by eating 20 pieces of tofu in just 15 minutes. Poor Aji lost the bet and had to pay up for those tofus. These two not-so-cool dudes were daring each other before. Gusur was challenged to devour 20 pieces of tofu in 15 minutes. If he couldn’t finish, he’d pay up. If he did finish, Aji would be the one paying. And as you already know, Gusur totally aced it. And now Aji is regretting it big time, like seven generations of regret.
To make things worse, the money for the tofu payment was actually meant for their bus fare back home. “Who else wants to bet with me?” Gusur threw out a challenge. Anto quickly gathered some pebbles. “Here, you eat, Sur. I’ll give you one hour. If you can’t finish, I’ll pay!” Gusur took the pebbles and swung them towards Amo as a response.
The kids were getting more immersed in their banter. Little did they know that the students from Tanah Merdeka High School had already arrived at the gate. And boy, there were a lot of them. Twenty-five in total, each armed with a stick.
“Lupus, where’s Lupus?” shouted the big guy who got beaten up a few days ago. He was their leader.
Lupus remained unfazed, still busy kicking the basketball. His eyes occasionally glanced towards Sandra. He was completely unaware. But in the cafeteria, the kids were starting to get restless. Gusur quickly sipped his orange juice but got scolded by Bu Kantin for not paying before leaving.
Boim turned pale instantly. His dark skin didn’t change a bit, still dark. But the coldness flooded his nose.
“Oh, this is gonna be trouble,” whispered Amo.
“Yeah, we’re not ready at all,” Aji chimed in.
“Look, they’re all holding sticks. Oh no, I’m doomed. Fifi, my love for you is eternal!” Gusur screamed.
Right at that moment, the students from Tanah Merdeka High School charged in. Lupus, of course, panicked. He even got hit on the head with a stick. Sandra screamed, followed by the screams of other girls. Luckily, Lupus managed to use his fast running technique. “If you want an autograph, don’t do it like that!” Lupus shouted back.
“Hey, don’t run, you coward!” the big guy yelled.
Lupus didn’t care. He headed straight towards the students. They, who were ready to take a thousand steps, couldn’t bear to see Lupus being chased like a thief.
“Let’s fight them,” Gito, the big guy, suddenly found his courage.
“But there are only a few of us,” Gusur hesitated.
“Ah, as long as we’ve tried,” Gito replied.
And so, an uneven battle began. Thankfully, Fifi, Sandra, Meta, and some other girls came to their aid. But they didn’t dare do much. Gusur got punched a few times. The enemy was indeed strong. Lupus, who couldn’t fight, could only surrender. Gito was surrounded by several people. His karate skills were almost useless. Meanwhile, Boim had already fallen into a pile. Another pile.
In that critical moment, the only thing the kids remembered was Gang Senggol. It was their savior. Lupus immediately gave the signal. The others nodded in understanding. Boim quickly got up from the pile. They all ran. But the enemy didn’t let them go so easily. A chase ensued. Gusur, with his chubby body, lagged behind. He was almost in tears from fear.
But luckily, the enemy lost track of them. The kids intentionally took secret passages. Shortly after, they arrived at Gang Senggol. Lupus, with his small body, sneaked in first. Followed by Boim, Anto, and the others. But what about Gusur? He was so scared that he insisted on joining. His plump body got stuck in the entrance of Gang Senggol. He couldn’t move forward, and going back was just as impossible.
“Friends, please help me. Don’t leave me in this suffering. Please!” Gusur screamed. But the kids didn’t care. They were just trying to save themselves. On the other side, Gusur’s screams alerted the enemy to his position. They immediately surrounded him, armed with sticks. Gusur screamed in pain.
“Help! Help!” he yelled. The kids couldn’t bear to leave Gusur behind. But trying to help was pointless. Gusur was in a tough spot. And the enemy was getting fiercer. In that dire situation, suddenly a commotion was heard from behind. Turns out, it was coming from the girls and some teachers. Apparently, when things got rough, they took the initiative to report. And their report paid off.
“Stop! Stop! What’s going on here?” shouted the math teacher. The enemy was also taken aback by the loud scream. They were ready to run, but luckily they were quickly intercepted.
“Hold on. Who’s the leader here? We should have a chat. Peacefully. School kids fighting? So embarrassing!” scolded one of the teachers. The enemy was caught off guard. They were then escorted to the principal’s office. Lupus and his crew, who had already crossed over to the neighboring elementary school, were also summoned. They made peace in the office.
“Basically, I don’t want to hear about you guys fighting again. Now shake hands!” ordered the math teacher. They finally shook hands. As a result, they agreed to have a friendly basketball match. The conflict was successfully resolved. But now the question is, how can they help Gusur, who’s stuck against the wall? The kid was sobbing uncontrollably. Fifi, who usually hates being emotional, felt sorry for Gusur.
And the idea to help Gusur came from Lupus.
“Just hang in there, Sur, stay here for a few days. Don’t eat, don’t drink. You’ll lose weight naturally. And that’s when you can get out of the wall!”
The kids immediately agreed with Lupus’ idea.
“Lupus is insane!” Gusur whined.
