CHAPTER I

AMBER JOSEPH: AMBER’S LIFE AND AIS

 

 

 

‘HELL!’ THAT HOW AMBER JOSEPH thought about the end of semester holiday was. 

 

With a little help from his annoying alarm, he woke up. Called all his particle soul back to the owner as he fathomed about his thrill life just began again. Yelled out an average cursing that could have been forgiven by washing his mouth with non fat dairy milk, he thought, whosever Angel who supposed to protect knob door of the hell should've been punished. Okay, sounded really hyperbole but let clear this kind of imagination.

 

Today was Monday, like what was mentioned before, also the end of semester holiday. Run-of the-mill, like the general fact that was happened to every high schooler in the whole universe, eh maybe? Amber Joseph did hate Monday too, (can I say) more than anyone else in this universe. 

 

Back to an average cursing, it was symbol how he described about the Monday hating. Let’s drawing the same imagination with him, imagined that yesterday and today had a separation tiny lining. Then imagined yesterday as his box —kind of his sarcophagus. And his annoying alarm played a role as Stupid Angel that knocked his sarcophagus, and ta —ra —ra… that Stupid Angel dragged him out from his serene sarcophagus and said in gentle that he had to face his sting judgement (What a judgement?), probably this how The Stupid Angel said in reality, ‘Kick your b*tt out kid from this box! Your judgement’s day is started right now!’ 

 

What I do wrong in my previous life actually?  That what he thought. 

 

Horrible imagination! Maybe! But there was always a good side —the good news. In proudly presented that silly judgement’s day (silly? For who) was held in the prestigious school, no other that AIS. The Acronym from ABBEY International School!

 

AIS for Amber? COOL!

That was first impression when he had accepted in with full scholarship. He had never imagined that AIS would accept him. This how its feel was, AIS was the excellent school ever in town —the highest place of education area. A lot of student wanted to study there, willingly gave everything that they had just to taste AIS. One more thing, the student not only came from the town but outside the town, the country, and the continent also! (Call me hyperbole, it’s okay).

 

But the first impression slowly changed, turning cool word into col! If he could turn back time, he would run away from the scholarship that was offered to him. For him, AIS wasn't more than lowest point —gross place! The place that brought him to the lowest part of his life. 

How could my life be lowest that this? Sometimes Amber thought about it.

 

He knew about tittle-tattle that haunted AIS, but he had never thought that AIS was really the lowest place on earth, the col. He had thought that slammer could be better that AIS (Forgive him, He never goes there!). But at the end, he had to face his faith, he faced AIS and slowly he also changed. Firmly promised to himself that he could graduate from AIS no matter what. 

 

How could this school really that bad? It wasn't about the dead building but talking about the student there. Almost all of student at AIS was acted so in-civility. At least that was on Amber’s opinion of course, maybe, he was hyperbole. How could a school became so annoying —terrifying? Who knows!

 

Btw who’s the Stupid Angel? Forget about it, just imagination!

 

Back to the annoying alarm, the sound hit all the nerve in his head. The dizziness couldn't have been tolerated, forced himself to wake up. Amber hit the small round button from the waker and got up from his tiny bed. Let the deep breath as remembered today was Monday (How many times saying this… huff).

 

He stood firmly on his concentrate floor and shuffled to the bathroom that just distance about 1.5 meters from his bed. He took a shower. 

 

===

 

Amber Joseph was 17 years old —orphan boy that lived in small rent room. That 3x3 meters room was included with bathroom, so officially Amber just had around 2x2 meters air space for breathing. Like what mentioned before, this room also depicted as a sarcophagus for an alive human. Pathetic maybe for everyone who had never lived under the poverty’s line, yeah poverty and he had been living under that line. How he could be? Don't dare to imagine how his life was. But for Amber, honestly, he never tired to pray as feeling grateful to himself every night. 

 

That rent room was belonged to Bob as Bob’s inseparable part of intact property. Okay, call him liar, the truth was, it wasn't a building —kind of property but just a small house that had 4 rent rooms which was rented by 2 renters. One of them was Amber. The other renter was a boy who named Leo. Didn't mean to be rude but just skipped Leo’s part at this moment. His story probably would have been heard more pathetic than Amber or maybe so-so, no big difference.  

 

Who Bob was, Bob was Leo’s father friend of friend of friend… Uhm didn't remember who he was actually, in short way, Leo knew Bob well. Fortunately for Amber, Leo was his friend. So he could stayed at Bob’s house though as renter. 

 

And how Amber paid for the rent? This the deal! Bob had agreed to let him stay while Amber had agreed to work at his saloon, more like a cheap pub. Salary from Bob could pay the rent though just left couple of penny that enough to keep his life till mid of month.

 

However in every day, spare time that he had, Amber used it for work at the other place for keeping on the other half month so his life could still radiant. Sometimes, Leo offered him a work, in other time he tried to get part time job like this semester holiday. He spent all his time to make cash. Saving for later, what a wise advise! 

 

It was difficult, he had known but what else he could do. What he knew right now just to keep his life. Trying hard to change his hard life, hope someday it would be changed though just amend.  

 

It was fine for Amber, seriously! 

 

For Amber, Bob was the only step-parent that he had and indirectly backed his life too. So did Leo. Leo was like his step brother, real brother without a blood line of course. Still, Amber was feeling grateful over this.

 

But it was so humanism, that people always had other something which wasn't always a good thing —for Amber, there was something that he felt disappointed although just a little —small amount like penny that he could get from Bob. Why God took his parent faster till he couldn't remember how their face was. In some random night, he could remain his parent from photo. 

 

Okay, honestly it isn't the only thing. Appropriately more like ashamed? Maybe? 

 

Sometimes he felt like an abandoned crap (Wait! Crap always abandons, right?) He realised that till today he could still breathing because of those helps. Since his parent passed away when he was only 5 years old, there was a lot of people that helped him out, staying on earth and keeping him alive. Sometimes, he wanted to prove himself that he had a place in civilisation. Not only lived as fungi. But he knew well that he couldn't do anything since he was in amidst of trouble, chiefly into poverty.   

 

This thought was getting stronger when he got in AIS. 

 

===

 

The water that crawling on his face was vanished after he had rubbed with whitey towel which was white when he had had for the first time. He had finished his shower session. Grabbing his uniform and wore it. The maroon suit covered his white shirt complete with black tie that had a diagonal yellow golden strips. He put his black belt after zipped his maroon pants which was kind of khakis. 

 

Now, Amber Joseph already stood in front of 30x30 centimetres mirror that hung on the wall above table which across his bed. He combed his black hair and as the last touch he parted his hair inclined in right side. 

 

He spoke in trusty voice, “You can pass this last semester, Amber Joseph! Only one semester again!”  

 

Before he walked out from his sarcophagus, eh, his room, he grabbed his glasses which in sunglasses version would be categorised as aviator. But it was glasses! So when he used it, he wouldn't look like Antonio Banderas in Police brand pamphlet that spread  all over the town but more like uhm… Antonio Bad—eras!

 

He greeted Bob who sat down on his tiny terrace, probably not greeted but sent a farewell, the sorrow one not kind of bonfire. Hope, he could back home in intact. As he reached outside the house, Leo ran behind him, cramping toast on his mouth which wasn't toast yet (What it is actually?) So called casual white bread without butter, plain! But, it was better than bitter like a familiar taste that they had eaten together. 

 

“Hey Amb! Fighting! Festus!” Leo said.

Amber replied, “Yeah Festus! Hope could see you again.”

Leo grinned as he had heard how Amber had replied. Both of them guffawed, didn't really sure what the reason but they did. 

 

Amber smiled in smug, showing that he still had a ball to face the last semester on AIS as Leo ran through the opposite direction, still faced Amber.

Then Leo shouted from distance, “Take care of jack-jack Amb!” Amber nodded his head as a sign that he would do that. 

 

Luckily for Leo, Leo didn't attend AIS. He studied at other school which was common, usual, average. Sometimes, Amber had a hope that he didn't school at AIS, just common school like Leo. Probably it would be great, had Leo the joker as buddy in home and school. His joke sometimes was sensed crunchy but it was okay for Amber. He didn't mind at all. 

 

As Leo disappeared, Amber rode his bicycle or ex-Leo’s bicycle. Leo gave it to Amber since Leo felt Amber needed that bicycle more than him. Leo had said to him as a joke ‘You have to more glamorous Amb! You go to AIS! Don't make Leo Valdez ashamed!’

 

It was joke between brother. Leo knew, so did Amber. And once again, it proved that Amber accepted help from other though they stood in the same line, in AIS they called in same hierarchy, in the line under the poverty. What an ashamed! But Leo was so sincere, gave it to him, and Amber was appreciate it. Really! Since that acquisition bicycle was happened, Amber named the bicycle as jack-jack. Didn't have an idea where that name came from. And Leo was glad that his half indirect brother named his ex bicycle with jack-jack. 

 

After all, Amber was feeling grateful that had friend —brother like Leo Valdez. 

 

===

 

Amber moved his legs on the pedal and the wheel rolled on the road till he arrived at Henry’s work place which was 500 meters distance from AIS. Henry was also his friend, he worked in coffee shop. 

 

Since the tragic scheme that had happened to his bicycle in semester before, Amber didn't want to left jack-jack in AIS parking lot again. Didn't want to remain the old wound, but it had to be told that there was a day when he found his bicycle hung in the tree precisely in the front of AIS’ main building. It wasn't worse, the worst part was, the bicycle slowly swung in the tree without its wheels. 

 

If Amber had to say the truth, actually it wasn't the only tragic scheme arranged by those sh*te boys. At least Amber was okay since he could prevent the bicycle before they had an idea to turn it as an ash. Imagined how they could do, causing Amber was goosebumps.  

 

“Henry, take care jack-jack, okay?” Amber shouted from the outside of the coffee shop. Parking his bicycle.

“I know. I’ll protect your treasure Amb!” Henry chuckled as he cleaned the table. 

 

Amber didn't say anything or inclined he couldn't since the watch on his wrist already showed 6.51 AM. Henry only shook his head and smiled in coincidence as Amber dashed through AIS. 

 

‘Okay, jack-jack’s operation is accomplished! Now, save my own life. Hang on for 8 hours and 9 minutes. It’ll be over!’ Amber thought to himself whilst running on the solid gravel path sidewalk through his hell. 

‘Welcome home son.’ The imagination voices rang on his head, probably the Stupid Angel was make sure the door’s hell already opened for him.

 

When the imagination voices vanished from his head, Amber saw her. For a while, he only looked at her. He wanted to run and gave her his brightest smiles. One of the reason why he could still stand in there and why he bore with this school’s atmosphere? No other than she!

 

But before he could stepped his right leg as sign for his first step to approach her, the bell rang as sign that all students had to entry class. 

 

‘Okay see you later.’ He said in mute as she walked casually through the building, alone like him. Probably she didn’t aware that Amber already stood distance 30 meters. Who would aware if that far? 

 

=== 

 

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