The morning sun rose brightly, carrying the remnants of the winds that had shaken the city where Davina lived the night before. The seventeen-year-old girl sat reading the teen romance novel she always brought to school to keep boredom at bay.
“What in the actual what? Is that really an elite high school in the city that collapsed because of a tornado last night? Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, how could this happen? Whew, thank goodness our school was safe from that raging wind attack. Otherwise, our school would’ve ended up just like theirs!” Amira exclaimed. She sat beside Davina, looking at the news about the elite high school that had collapsed in yesterday’s tornado.
“Can wind really knock down a school like that? There’s no way an elite high school could just collapse, right, Mira?” Amina, whose face looked almost identical to Amira’s, shot back. The two teenagers were twins. One was wild, while the other was known as the slowest on the uptake in the entire school.
“Of course it can if the wind is raging, especially if it’s raging because you’re so slow, Mina!” Amira retorted, exasperated by her twin sister’s response.
“Uh, it’s not the wind that’s raging, Mir—it’s you! You’re always yelling like a middle-aged mom who didn’t get her monthly allowance!” Amina shot back, making Mira glare at her.
Amira punched the chair over and over in frustration. She felt like her head was about to split. It was still early in the morning, but Amina had already pushed her patience—which was as thin as tissue paper divided by ten—past its breaking point!
“See, Davi? Amira really does spend all day getting mad, and now my chair has become her victim. What if it gets damaged?” Amina said, glancing at Davina, who was giggling as she watched the twin duo argue.
Hearing Amina’s words, Amira groaned in frustration. “Please, God, why did I get a twin sister like her?” she cried, resting her head against the wall.
“Aww, poor thing. My friend is really suffering. Hang in there, and stock up on patience until Judgment Day, because no matter what, you two are stuck living together forever!” Davina said, unable to hold back her laughter. She was thoroughly entertained by the frustrated look on Amira’s face.
“Ugh, you’re so annoying, Davina!” Amira sulked.
Meanwhile, at the elite high school that had collapsed in the city, many students had gathered to stare at the rubble where their school had once stood.
“What’s going to happen to our school now that it’s completely collapsed? Are we seriously supposed to go to school on top of this rubble?” asked Rena, a girl with braids and star-shaped clips all around her head, as she stared at her beloved classroom, which was gone.
“You’re so dramatic, Ren. Just go study in the middle of the road. Maybe some car will want to run you over!” Rendra called out.
Rena smacked Rendra’s arm in annoyance. “Watch what you say, Rend! Do you really think I want to get hit by a car? I still want to live! My life is way too precious to lose so tragically—and then you’d probably go viral with it!” Rena grumbled, pouting as she shot Rendra an angry look.
Rendra grinned. “I’m kidding, Ren. Oh my gosh, why’d you take it so seriously? Don’t sulk like that. I’ll treat you to STMJ from that viral café!” Rendra draped an arm around Rena’s neck, bribing her with the girl’s favorite drink. Although Rena was a girl, she acted like a total tomboy.
“Dun, dun, dun! The Chinese drama is over. Back to the principal’s laptop!” Arjuna said, interrupting the show unfolding in front of him.
“What’s your problem, Jun? You’re interrupting our flirting!” Rendra complained sharply.
“Yeah, right. Flirting with that tomboy? Look at the fate of all your girlfriends in the storage room. They’re probably lining up to dump you after seeing how ridiculously cheesy you two are!” Arjuna sneered.
Rena pouted and pointed at Arjuna’s chest. “Stop being such a pain! Go away. I’d rather be with Devan!” she said, shoving Arjuna away from Devan.
Devan, the boy standing nearby and ignoring their argument, merely shrugged. He only gazed around his school with a heavy sigh.
“Announcement for all smeneke students: please gather at the town square!” The announcement boomed from the loudspeakers, sending all the students toward the town square not far from their school—only a few yards away.
“Devan, come on, let’s go gather at the town square!” Rena said, taking Devan’s arm. But the boy shook it off, making her let go.
Rendra and Arjuna immediately burst out laughing at Devan’s rejection. Rena stomped her foot in annoyance as Devan walked away from them.
All the students of SMA Negeri Kertajaya, commonly known as smaneke, gathered at the town square. Fortunately, it was quiet there, making it easier for the school staff to give everyone instructions.
“Since our school has just suffered this disaster, you will be dismissed for the next few days while the school works to obtain approval to partner with another school and accommodate our students, so your education won’t be disrupted by the disaster we’re facing. Let us pray that the rebuilding of our school will be completed quickly so we can move into our new building!” the principal announced in front of his students. His face looked deeply saddened by the disaster that had befallen the school.
“After that, you may all return to your respective homes. Don’t wander around, because the school will continue to keep an eye on you. Remember that!” the principal added, sweeping his gaze over all of his students, numbering in the thousands.
“Yes, sir!”
All the smaneke students dispersed. But the four friends headed to the viral coffee shop a short distance from the town square.