LOVE AND FAITH

A beautiful girl in school uniform hurriedly jogged through her village's gravel road toward her school, the hot sun piercing every inch of her skin. Her temple and forehead were adorned with sweat pearls. Her torso was wet, and the uniform she was wearing was stuck to it.

She fought the exhaustion that was nearly breaking her. As if she had more spirit, the fatigue that struck her meant nothing to her, despite the fact that it took her so long to get to school.

She slowed her stride along the way. However, it was her family's fate that sapped her energy, not her physic. And the memory she had tried to forget resurfaced. That image of his father being dragged into the police station lingered in her mind. The roaring voice of the judge in court then clearly echoed in her head.

"Mr. Hermawan has been found guilty of stealing his neighbor's hens. As a result, he receives a two-year prison sentence for his crime."

After that verdict, she no longer had access to her father.

To survive, she and her mother set up a vegetable and fruit stall with the help of their neighbors and the village chief.

Every morning before school, she had to help her mother at the market. Since then, being late had become her middle name. Fortunately, her teachers fathomed her situation and allowed her to attend the lectures despite her tardiness.

When someone yelled, she continued to walk through the pebbles and stones. She didn't even have to look back to figure out who it was. For so long, his voice had been etched in her mind. Only when she lost her memory was she able to forget his voice.

"Ayu…." He kept calling her name. She jerked around to see a tall boy, his eyes the same shade of brown as his skin. He jumped off his bike with a smile on his face. Their gazes locked briefly before the boy averted his gaze. It was her friend, Ali.

"What brings you here at this time?" Ayu, the girl, questioned his presence. Her pupils constricted in disbelief. Instead of responding, Ali moved toward her, pushing the bike with his hands.

They grew up together as neighbors and friends. Despite Ali's mother's opposition, their friendship endured and grew stronger with each passing day. Ayu was just a child to an ex-prostitute and a prisoner to Ali's mother. She wouldn't be on their level with her status. Meanwhile, Ali was known as a devout, wealthy, and intelligent young man, the only child of the village's most respected man.

Ali's father was humble and wise, in contrast to his mother, who was overly proud of her family. He treated others with dignity as a respected person in the village. People's dignity and status in society, according to him, cannot be measured by their social background. Ali was fortunate to have inherited his father's good demeanor.

"Let's go to school together." Ayu's eyes widened with surprise. Ali had filled the gap between them. His hand tapped the saddle seat at the back, inviting her to join him for the ride. Ayu politely declined his offer, shaking her head. He looked at his wristwatch to see what time it was. "The classes have begun. If you arrive an hour late, the teacher will not admit you." There was no other option for her. Ayu hesitantly climbed onto the seat after scanning around to ensure that no one would notice them. Ali's feet paddled through the cycle to school in a fraction of a second.

On their way to school, they were drowned out by silence. Only the trees and reeds witnessed their union. Ayu's heart pounded, and her face turned pale. Anxiety manifested itself there. If Ali's mother discovered that Ali had given her a ride, she would be in big trouble.

"Are you still there?" Ali's voice jolted her out of her reverie.

She swallowed and cleared her throat. "Yeah...."

"It's just a little unusual for you to be so quiet. Are you in trouble?"

"No... could you drop me off at the gate?" As soon as Ali braked his bike's pedals, Ayu dashed into the school gate. That girl abandoned him without saying anything.

Ali and Ayu were both sophomores in high school. Ali's intelligence placed him at the top of the class of straight-A students. Ayu was placed in the second-level category as an ordinary student.

When Ayu entered her classroom, the lecture had been going on. As a punishment for her tardiness, the teacher let her in after she finished cleaning up.

Ayu walked to the back row. A book was handed to her by one of her classmates. Her classmates genuinely cared about her. They were always willing to lend her their notes for the classes she missed. Ayu scribbled it down in her notebook.

"Excuse me," the school principal, a fat middle-aged lady, said as she entered the classroom, followed by a boy. The 6'1 foreigner boy with blue eyes and blond hair entered the class elegantly and confidently. Except for Ayu, his handsome face with a broad smile on his lips enchanted all the students in the classroom. Girls were in awe of him, and some of them were flirting with him. The boys' jealousy was palpable.

The murmurs swarmed the room like bees, commenting on his appearance and expressing their wonder at his existence. In a minute, the teacher calmed them down and regained their attention. Nonetheless, no one's gaze shifted away from him.

"So you've got a new Canadian transfer student. His name is Dave." Another commotion was successfully induced by the school principal's voice. Their mouths were full of praise and admiration.

"He's so attractive!" Adele, the most talkative student in the room, let out an exclamation. Dave leered at her, startled by her announcement, and his cheeks flushed. Receiving an unexpected compliment was most likely beyond his expectations. He only gave a small smile in response.

"Now it's your turn, Dave," the teacher said, "to introduce yourself to them."

Dave revealed nothing other than his village residence after the school principal mentioned his name. The majority of the girls wanted to know more about him. However, the teacher stepped in and allowed him to sit next to Ayu. The girls' faces were flushed with envy.

After the teacher announced where that boy would sit, Ayu fell silent. She moved as far away from the empty chair beside her as she could. Her gaze was drawn to her book. Dave moved slowly toward the empty seat next to her. His gaze was fixed on her, but she didn't even look at him.

"Hi! I'm Dave. What is your name?" When she turned, Dave's hand reached out to her, but he drew it back when she ignored it.

She muttered her name hesitantly. "Ayu." Her soft voice was cold.

"May I ask you a question?" Dave inquired as to when the class had begun. She simply nodded. "How did you get those scars on your hands?" In embarrassment, Ayu drew her hands and hid them on her laps. Her chin was pressed against her chest.