What We Can Afford

Screw You, School!

Ah, finally. School's out - a breath of fresh air.

It had been a long time since she had felt that relieved. No more homework, no more pop quizzes, no more pretentious rich-ass kids trying to tell her who she was and where she stood. She was finally freed of the treacherous socialite culture.
She walked out of school grounds and took off the nylon blue silk robe that had her drenched in sweat for three hours straight. She rolled it up like a dirty towel and dumped it into a nearby garbage can. Not only did that feel good; it was another beginning of a new chapter.

She went inside her red car, started the engine, and her ultimate favorite song, "Ikuti" by Edane, and drove away fast. It was the first day of her freedom, of her adulthood, of her life. She was going to rule summer.

She made her way past the two malls opposite each other, Plaza Senayan and Senayan City, and made a left for her neighborhood. South Jakarta was a bitch, what with all the hideous traffic and the scorching sun radiating right through her bones, but that moment, she didn't even care anymore. She kept smiling from ear to ear and turned up the volume of the radio.

She parked the car inside the garage and went into the house. She took off her agonizing fifteen-inch nude heels from her throbbing feet, put them on the rack right next to the back door, and threw her body to the sofa in the living room. She took the remote and started surfing through the channels.

"Assalamualaikum, neng!"

She turned to her 'domestic helper' - as her mother, Mrs. Denisa Brawijaya would call it to sound more sophisticated - Mbak Nur, with a polite smile on her face. Her father, Mr. Andreas Brawijaya had just hired her to clean up the entire house thrice a week last month.

"Waalaikumsalam, mbak," she greeted back.

"How was your graduation?"

"It was alright," she said nonchalantly.

Mbak Nur just stared at her. For a moment, she didn't speak. She looked a bit worried.

"Neng Nadine, it's okay to feel disappointed," Mbak Nur said, "You went through your graduation alone."

Nadine Brawijaya blinked a few times, her eyes suddenly feeling so dry. She heaved a quiet sigh and maintained her smile. Her parents were stuck at the airport due to whatever the Hell their reason was that time and Bryan, her twenty-four-year-old half-brother was still on his business field trip. Of course, she felt disappointed. 

"It's okay, mbak, I kind of got used to it," she finally said, "Plus, I bailed right after."

Mbak Nur made a dramatic gasp.

"You didn't take any photos?!"

Nadine shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't have too many friends in high school and all their parents hate me, so no."

Mbak Nur tusked and went up the stairs to continue cleaning up the rest of the house. Nadine sighed heavily and turned back to the TV. Moments later, her phone sounded. On the fourth ring, she picked it up.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Where are you?" It was her half-brother, Bryan.

"I'm back at home, why?"

He didn't answer for a very long time. Just then, the front door opened and three people made their way inside as they shouted in unison.

"Congraduation, Nadine!"

Her frown turned upside-down when both parents and her half-brother were there with a big round chocolate cake and three presents. She jumped from the sofa and went over to them.