C3 TWO

“ We must value ourselves well more than anything else. Including leaving people who never appreciate you."

Morning is coming. A beautiful girl was still fast asleep in bed. The room is simple, shared with his housemates.

The little girl who used to be found crying on the edge of the rice fields at night, has now grown up. Like any teenage girl in general. Her height is now 150cm, face with chubby cheeks, irises as blue as the sky, looks mesmerizing. A necklace with the initials ACQAE always hangs around his neck. He remembered the full name only Alvara Catania , while the rest he did not know . From there, people called her Ara.

A woman came then shook the girl's body slowly. " Honey , wake up, come on! Ara dear, wake up!”

None other than, is the owner of the Kasih Bunda Orphanage. Her name is Nia. He was the one who found Ara that night and took care of her until now. Every day she takes care of the orphanage with the help of one or two of her friends. The husband worked as a bank clerk, but he never felt a lack of funds to the point where he was unable to run the orphanage. During five years of marriage, he has not been blessed with children. However, this did not make her lose her romantic relationship with her husband.

This orphanage is also growing because many donors always come to give donations every month. And because of that this orphanage is the best and most famous orphanage in the city of Jakarta.

"Yes, Bun. Ara 's awake , really," said Ara while stretching.

Every day the girl always gets up around five in the morning to help her mother cook, even though she is sometimes refused. Like this morning Ara was forbidden to help cook and Ara chose to tidy up the room and rush to get ready for school.

"Good morning, brothers and sisters, Mother!" said Ara cheerfully when she arrived at the dining table .

"Morning brother Ara!" replied in unison the younger siblings and Mrs. Nia.

" Here !" Nia handed over a plate still fried to Ara which the girl thanked in return. They also ate together with gusto. Enjoy each other's food without saying much.

After finishing, Ara drank a glass of water, then walked over to Mother Nia to say goodbye to school. "Mother, Ara will go first, okay?"

"Yes dear. Be careful on the road," Mother answered with a smile when Ara kissed the back of her hand. "You still work at the cafe, honey?"

"Yes, Mother," said Ara, "as usual Ara came home." Not forgetting that the girl said goodbye to the younger siblings at the orphanage. The foot then walked out to the bus stop to take public transportation to the place where he was studying.

Since stepping on junior high school, Ara has worked as a waitress in a cafe. He works after school until nine in the evening.

The distance from the parlor to the cafe doesn't take too long because it's not too far away. Meanwhile, from the orphanage to the school, the distance taken is approximately twenty minutes. So Ara only pays for going to and from school, because the distance is not too far from the cafe to the orphanage, she just has to walk.

The girl didn't mind at all. Calculated to add to his pocket money. He refused to be adopted even by an affluent family, because he considered Nia as his biological mother, so it was very difficult for him to separate. Fortunately, no one ever objected to it. Of course she hadn't forgotten her old family, though now she didn't know where they were.

Ara is diligent in saving and thrifty. Even at school, he rarely eats snacks because his pocket money is being saved for other needs. That's why he also brings lunch every day so he doesn't go hungry at school.

Finally the girl arrived at her elite school . The school was named A'drson Z'beth high school . A well-known school for high-class children because of its quality education and facilities. Ara is grateful for being able to enter this favorite school in Jakarta through a scholarship. All of that thanks to the intelligence they have.

"Fig!"

Suddenly the girl turned around, looking for someone who just called her. His smile widened when his eyes caught Alika's figure who was now trotting over to him. Ara is grateful because there are still people who want to be friends and be friends with her. Alika belongs to the upper class, but she is not ashamed to be friends with Ara. In fact, they were already high school friends.

"Come on! To class!” asked Alika enthusiastically and Ara replied with a nod of her head.

The two walked hand in hand to class. Occasionally chatting accompanied by laughter. Ara didn't care about the other students who looked down on her. Ara was used to this. As long as they didn't speak directly in front of her, the girl would choose to remain silent.

Arriving at the class, the two of them were greeted by Jessika or usually called Ika. The three of them are good friends since middle school. By coincidence, they met at the same high school, even in the same class. Beautiful friendship, does not discriminate caste, although sometimes there are still not a few who treat Ara like that.

***

The bell signaling the end of class rang loudly. All students are excited to return to their homes and rest tired. Including Ika and Alika who wanted to immediately lie down on a soft bed.

"Ara, come to my house, let's go!" asked Ika while slung the bag on the shoulder.

Ara shook her head weakly with a guilty face. " Sorry , I can't. No, I have to work."

"Why do you have to work, anyway, Ra? Mother Nia can pay for the needs of you and your younger siblings at the orphanage," Ika said annoyed.

"Yes, me know . But I don't want to see Mother tired . I just want to help out while adding pocket money," explained Ara lightly. As if he had never been burdened. Apart from that, he also feels responsible because he is the oldest in the orphanage compared to his other siblings.

"Yes, then when, please , can you be fulltime with us?" asked Alika demanding clarification.

Ara thought for a moment with her hand tapping her chin. "Saturday, okay . I promise I'll come to your house on Saturday ."

"Promise me?" Ika looked at her curiously.

Ara nodded. "Yes. Come on , let's go home! It 's quiet too," he asked by holding the hands of his two best friends heading out of the classroom.