Will You Read with Us?

Break time has lasted for five minutes. There was nobody in his classroom but Rafif himself. He sat at the back corner chair, right next to a window overlooking the playground. The others were playing there. A group of girls were playing jump rope, some others were playing hide and seek, and most of the boys were playing soccer. Looking at them playing joyfully has made him envy. After a few moments, something just caught his attention. Right under a shady tree, there were sitting on the grass two other boys. Their eyes were struck on the book each of them was reading. They seemed to enjoy their reading time. 

Without noticing it, his homeroom teacher has stood right next to him for a few second. "Rafif, don't you want to join them reading? Why don't you go for it?", Ibu Ryanti asked him that it made him a little bit shocked. The introduction in front of the class this morning made everyone in the class, including Ibu Ryanti, know that he was fond of reading. "I know you are hesitating, but I have something to show you,"Ibu Ryanti added. She then showed him a note on a piece of small paper with the writing that says "Will you read with us?" "What is this?", Rafif hesitantly asked. "It's a message that Raka and Dimas handed in me right before they left for the playground." "Are you sure it was for me?" Rafif still hesitantly asked for confirmation. "Yes, I am, they told me when they were about to go to the playground. They were hesitant to invite you since you look unwilling to do so, then they had an idea to ask for my help," Ibu Ryanti explained. 

She continued, "Go grab your book and read with them". "I believe they were waiting for you, as well." Ibu Ryanti's saying boosted his confidence. And, quite unexpectedly, his mother's saying this morning, too. "It's a new place for you, Rafif. It is not them to adapt with you, but instead, it's you who need to adapt to the new environment. You need to be confident to make friends." urged his mother. 

Remembering that, he looked for the book he brought in his bag and started to walk heading to Raka and Dimas. When he came nearer, the boys didn't catch his glimpse. They got shocked to know his sudden appearance. "Wow!!!" they said together. "You shocked us!" BTW, did you read our messaged?" Dimas, the more confident boy asked. "Yes," Rafif answered. "We weren't brave enough to invite you directly because you looked unwilling. I don't know, but that's what I think," Raka added. "I'm sorry, but that always happens to me. When I'm in the middle of an environment where I know nobody, I would be very nervous look unwilling to do anything. My mom keeps telling me that I need to be more open. But it seems to me really hard. It's not as easy as what people say," Rafif replied. "It is NOT easy, I believe," Dimas replied. Last year, I was worse than you. When I first got here, I did not respond to any greetings from anybody, even from Bapak Risal the Principal. Alhamdulillah, Ibu Ryanti is a very nice teacher. Instead of getting mad at me, she started to write me a short message on a small piece of paper, until it was like a normal conversation, but was written on small pieces of paper." "Then, as I'm the quietest student in the class, I could not think of anything but to get to know to a student who is a little quiet, too. It was the time when I dared my self to find a friend. He likes reading, and me, too. That was how we started to be reading buddies. Then, will you read with us now? Will you be our reading buddy?" Raka responded. I spread my lips and smiled, then answered, "Yes." Then we laughed together. "Hahahahaha". "Let's read, buddies," we said it loudly.

Cebongan, Tlogoadi, Mlati, Sleman