The first recess bell rang sharply. It was a lifesaver for Jingga, who hadn't been able to focus on digesting the Chemistry formulas on the board. Her mind was filled with two things clashing against each other: Reno's stern warning and Niskala's black-ink warning letter about someone named Saskia.
"Jingga, cafeteria? My stomach's already staging a protest for some taro ice cream," Fanya said, tugging at the edge of Jingga's uniform sleeve.
Amara, who was tidying up her pencil case, turned to look as well. "I heard there's a new siomay stand at the back cafeteria near the auditorium. Let's go check it out."
Jingga hesitated. The back cafeteria was the seniors' territory, especially the rowdy boys who hung around there. But her curiosity about reclaiming her pink umbrella, along with a hidden urge to confirm the mysterious letter, finally made her nod.
"All right, let's go. But we have to be quick."
The three of them walked down the corridor, crowded with hungry students. The closer they got to the back cafeteria, the noisier it became. The fragrant scent of siomay's peanut sauce and savory meatball soup greeted their noses.
The back cafeteria at Pajajaran High School definitely had a different atmosphere. It was more open, directly bordering the school's back fence, where shady trees grew thickly. In the farthest corner, atop a long wooden bench with peeling paint, a group of the Guntur Pajajaran crew had gathered.
Bara was happily strumming an acoustic guitar while singing a love song in a terribly off-key voice, while Genta busily promoted extra-spicy chips to the underclassmen. And in the middle of them all, lounging with one ankle resting over the opposite knee, was Niskala.
His worn denim jacket hung over the back of a chair. He was wearing nothing but a plain black T-shirt that fit snugly across his broad frame. On the table in front of him, a bright pink folding umbrella lay waiting. It had been placed beside a glass of sweet iced tea covered in condensation.
"Hey, look. The Princess everyone's been looking for finally showed up," Genta whispered, nudging Niskala's arm with his elbow.
Niskala immediately looked up. The moment his eyes caught sight of Jingga standing stiffly near the siomay stand, that familiar cocky smile spread across his face. He grabbed the pink umbrella, rose from his seat, and walked over to the table where Jingga, Fanya, and Amara had just sat down.
"Good late morning, Jingga Maheswari. So you really did come. An excellent choice—you wouldn't want to let your stomach go hungry," Niskala greeted her in a breezy, playful tone.
Jingga sighed, trying to keep her face as blank as possible. She immediately held out her right hand in front of Niskala's chest. "Where's my umbrella? Give it back."
Niskala didn't hand it over right away. Instead, he hid the pink umbrella behind his back, then bent down slightly so they were eye to eye. "Whoa, just asking for it back like that? Nothing in this world is free, Jingga. There's a rental fee for the umbrella that kept my good looks intact this morning."
"Niskala! Don't start," Jingga hissed irritably. "That's my umbrella. You barged in without permission this morning!"
Fanya, beside Jingga, was already holding back a smile as she nudged Amara again and again. The two of them felt like they were watching a teen drama unfold live.
Niskala chuckled softly. "Okay, okay. I'm not asking for money. I just want payment in the form of an answer."
"An answer to what?" Jingga asked suspiciously.
"You read the little letter I left under your desk drawer, right?" Niskala lowered his voice, his eyes turning a little more serious while still retaining their playful sparkle. "I just want to know—do you believe what that guy with the overly neat clothes said, or do you trust your own instincts?"
Jingga fell silent for a moment. She remembered Reno calling Niskala street trash. Yet when she saw the honesty in Niskala's eyes beneath his delinquent attitude, something made her hesitate to judge him.
"I don't believe either one of you," Jingga replied curtly, looking away. "Now give me back my umbrella."
Niskala smiled knowingly, as if he had already guessed the girl's firm answer. He pulled the pink umbrella out from behind his back and gently set it on Jingga's table.
"Here, I'm giving it back. But remember, Jingga... rain in Bogor can come anytime without warning. And if you ever need shelter again, my chest is always ready to be your canopy."
"Ohhh! Get it, man! That's a god-tier pickup line!" Bara shouted from across the cafeteria, followed by a raucous cheer from the other bikers. Jingga's face instantly turned a perfect red, outdoing the color of the taro ice cream Fanya was ordering.
But the warm, playful atmosphere suddenly evaporated when a tall shadow approached their table. The firm, rhythmic sound of shoes made the commotion in the back cafeteria die down a little.
Saskia stood there. A senior known for her fashionable appearance and the sharp, piercing look she always had in her eyes. She folded her arms across her chest, looking Jingga up and down with open disdain before finally turning her gaze to Niskala.
"Oh, so this mama's boy is why you hardly hang out at Warpat anymore, Kal?" Saskia asked in an intentionally loud voice, forcibly cutting off the cheerfulness that had just filled the area. "Your taste has really gone downhill, huh? You went from girls who know how to enjoy life to a homebody whose only job is reading books?"
Niskala's smile vanished. His eyes turned as cold as ice frozen atop a mountain. He took one step forward, positioning his tall body directly between Saskia and Jingga, as though becoming a living shield for the sophomore.
"Saskia," Niskala said in a low voice charged with dangerous pressure. "I think our past ended last month. Don't ever drag other people into whatever mess you're involved in. Especially not Jingga."
Saskia only laughed scornfully, completely unafraid of Niskala's threat. She glanced at Jingga, who was now staring at her with a deeply furrowed brow and a face full of questions. "You call it over? Do you think the secret from that night can just end like that, Niskala? Don't forget, I have something that can destroy your position at this school in a matter of seconds. And you, spoiled little girl..." Saskia pointed at Jingga with her long, manicured index finger. "...don't expect your life to be peaceful after this."
After delivering that threat, Saskia turned and walked away with an arrogant stride, leaving behind a tense silence in the corner of the back cafeteria.
Jingga gripped the pink umbrella tightly in her hand, her heart pounding as sudden anxiety swept over her. She stared at Niskala's still-tense back. What exactly was the secret from that night? And what other storm would Saskia bring into her life?