The Start

A/N: All the contents inside this fantasy novel it is only the fruit of the author's imagination, same names, places. experiences, happenings, and others are just coincidently written. Enjoy reading and Read at your own risk. 

START

As an innocent child, I also wanted to live a normal life in a world where I just wanted to have friends and be given a chance to play with my dolls with other children. At the age of twelve, there was nothing to do with each stroke of my dolls. Seemingly mad talking plastic children's toys.

"You know what? I am too happy that I had you like my toys because you're not afraid of playing with me. You know that I'm not biting, but why does almost everyone avoid me?" I was talking to one of my toy dolls, stroking her hair on her head.

I looked at the altar of our house, which was made of bamboo roofs and cement floors, and the roof was made of nipa.

"Nanang, why?" I shouted back when nanang called me.

"Come up here first, you have a visitor," Nanang shouted back.

I suddenly felt happy with the said guest.

Nanang Antopina, she was my mother. I know she is not my real mother. But I do not know my true identity either. It is not new to me that when I was only five years old, Nanang told me that I was not her real child. But other than that, she did not mention anything else to me. I did feel also that mysterious in my personality.

I was walking down the lawn to our little home.

"Nanang, I'm already here," I called Nanang.

I was surprised by what I saw. Nanang's two peers. And they look rich because of their outward appearance.

I approached them and waved, as a sign of respect. That is what Nanang always preaches to me that I need to kiss whoever is older than me.

"Oh, you’re too respectful, young lady." Said the elderly woman.

"That's the way it should be, Harris. You should respect the elders, go to Manang Antopina and kiss her too." I walked around with the man of were same as Nanang's age was also talking to.

If he hadn't gotten up from sitting in a dark space, I wouldn't have seen him. I followed in the footsteps of a man who was a few years older than me. We are probably two years apart.

He approached Nanang and waved. He is obedient. But my eyes widened at what he did. It was as if he smirked after he kissed her.

"How rude," I whispered to myself.

The woman next to Nanang heard me. "What is that, hija?" Tender inquiry.

"N-None, madam." I immediately bowed down and was embarrassed by the behavior.

The woman laughed slightly, "Oh, hija. Why did you bend down?" He held me once and then lifted my shoulder.

"There, don't be ashamed of your Tito Gustavo. I am your Aunt Divina. You are no different from us, hija, because your real parents are my best friends." Her husband held her by the arm as if still preventing her from continuing to speak.

"Ah, Don Gustavo, don't worry because Dralia knows that she has a real mother who gave birth to her," Nanang explained to the two guests.

"It's good that way, Antopina, because it's better if she knows the truth about her." Don Gustavo replied.

I replied. "I don't know everything. But that's okay, at least even with a little information I know the truth that Nanang Antopina is not my real mother." I have a lively statement to Don and Madam Palmora.

"You raised her well, Antopina." ongoing conversation with seniors. As I fixed my eyes on the boy I had observed earlier. I could not stop my feet from walking towards him.

When I was in the front, I talked to him only a few centimeters away from him.

I was so thirsty for the friend I had always dreamed of. But no one tried to be my friend.

"Ah ... hi?" I held out my hand.

"I'm Dralia, Dralia Vara Caldaraba." I was shocked when he slapped my hand.

"I don't care! Tsk!" He got up and left the house. I just followed him with my eyes even though there were tears in my eyes that is about to drip, because of the pain I felt in my heart and mind.

Someone caressed my two shoulders. I looked at the guest then smiled hard. To hide my true feelings.

"I'm sorry, hija, to my son huh? That boy is just like that to all the kids who approach him. We can't even understand why he is like that, because since his childhood friend died, he has been like that. Maybe he hasn't moved on yet from what happened to his childhood friend, so he acted like that to all his peers." Harris' mother explained emotionally to me.

I suddenly realized what the lady had said, so the previous pain I felt in ignoring my handshake was replaced by sadness.

While I was still watching Harris at the exit, I replied to Madam Divina.

"I understand, Madam," She stopped me from speaking again.

"Aunt Divina, hija, Madam is a very formal call sign, we look like here a boss and a worker." And Aunt Divina laughed slightly.

"Okay, Tita Divina." I said.

"Hija, to alleviate your sadness, you can visit us, when working time of your Nanang Antopina, you can go with her." Aunt Divina invited me.

"Ahh, yes, Nanang always tells me, Tita, but it's almost afternoon because I came home from school too late. Especially I just walk home to school that long. So I can go home for a long time." I have a long explanation. There was joy on Tita's face.

"Are you studying yet?" She asked me.

Nanang suddenly answered that she was behind Tita and Tito was just with Nanang.

"Ahh, yes, madam, Dralia is already studying. That's Grade 6. She'll graduate this end of the school year." Nanang's happy statement to the two guests.

The pairs of their eyes shifted to me. "Is that so? Oh! If so, it would be better for you to go to high school at Harris school, so that you can be together every day, and that might be the way for my son to regain his energy and meet a new friend." the lady's facial expression suddenly changed, so her husband approached her and comforted her.

"I'm sorry, Divina is really sad when she thinks Harris is too quiet, that boy wasn't like that back then." Tito's speech suddenly stopped when Harris suddenly answered.

"Papa, mama, Manang Lolita called. She said there was a visitor at the house." He will inform his parents.

"Tell your Manang that we are on the way," Tita said again.