A CHANCE WILL NOT COME TWICE

I never thought that being the first kid in a family had such a big pressure as I was feeling right now. I thought I was free when I had graduated from my university. I had finished my study, then I could do everything I wanted to do. For I had done my duty as a kid, which was studying. But, It wasn’t that easy guys!haha.

            As the first kid, you were the expectation from your parents to make their life better, even when their life had actually already been good. You know, people were craving for something better, they weren’t satisfied with what they already had right now until death came. And this case definitely happened in my environtment.

My parents weren’t one of these people who forced their kids to make their life better because my parents were rich people, but people around me, which are my neighbors, would keep gossiping on me for being a useless kid for the family.

            “Ah... Oneng! The kid of Sunanti and Jaka! Yeah, she is really a bad girl. She is really lazy. She never helps her parents, and—“

            “Yes. She is indeed—“

            “Yes! That’s true! There is no use of having a graduated kid if the kid can’t make their parents richer!”

            “Yup, she is unemployed!”

            “Poor them! Her parents must have spent a lot of money for her study. But, now.. look at the kid! Oh, God, they must be upset over their kid”

            I didn’t have any option except following this custom, or I would be gossiped forever and ever.

            “Neng.... your phone is ringing ceaselessly” I heard my Ibu, mommy, called me from kitchen. My phone was being charged in living room when I was watching TV this morning.

“Yeahh, buu” I walked into living room seeing my mother was cooking for today breakfast, then walked away to my bedroom again. When I looked at my phone, unknown numbers appeared on my phone, Who the hell is this person who calls me?

“Hello,” I sat on my bed and leaned back to the head of my bed, placing myself on my comfort position. “Oneng’s speaking? Who’s there?”

“ONENG!!!” I know exactly whose voice was this. She was Cika, my university classmate who always asked me to do her task. She just asked me to revise her paper three days ago when I met her in the aisle at the administration room.

“Yes, why Cik? Need any help?” I pointed her straightaway, for I was lazy for her long-winded speaking.

“Nope. Do you think that I just call you if I need your help?”

OF COURSE, YES! “Mm.. kinda. So, what’s going on?”

“What are you doing right now?” Cika asked me.

“Me?” I asked myself, “I am on a call with you.”

“I know that, smart Oneng,” she seemed to bear her voice, “I mean, have you gotten a job? What are you doing recently? Are you waiting for an interview?”

“Ohh, nope. I just stay at my home.”

“Good girl. So, where have you been? Why didn’t you come to our graduation?” Cika literally had prepared a lot of questions for me. She was really curious about my life.

“Me? I went to Bali at that time, you know... a short holiday. I’m bored just staying in Purwokerto,” I lied to her, it was impossible for me to tell her the truth. She would mock at me, “I’m not interested in coming such as that event” added me.

I indeed didn’t come to my graduation yesterday although Ibu had forced me to come. She said that I had to come because there would be a lot of people who was looking for the best student as their employee. But, I was indeed a stubborn girl, so I didn’t come at the end.

“WHAT?!,” She screamed loudly, “Did you just go to Bali for a day? How jealous I am. Did you bring me something?”

“Nope, I’ve told you that it was a short holiday. I don’t buy anything.” I made a reasonable reason, but I could her that she was complaining about it.

“Ah I see, never mind. I’m okay.”

“Okay...”

“I just wanted you to know that today I’ve become officially as a worker. Someone hired me in the graduation because of my paper. Thanks to you who had revised my paper. Next week I will fly to Jakarta to start my career, then I will--- “ there she told me about how he could be hired, how good her paper was, and so on.

I was busy with my own mind, imagining if I had come to the graduation then it would have be me who was hired by the boss. I missed the chance, actually chances. I missed my chance to go to New Zealand for student exchange, become a representative of English Literature Student in an international conference, join competitions, and there were still alot of chances I had missed. Now I realized that I shouldn’t have let those go. Damn, I felt regreted for being a coward to take the chances. 

 

***

            Today, I just finished applying a job in a company in Purwokerto named Batara Company. I was on my way to back to my home after submitting the requirements and money as much five millions. From now, I would take any chance that faced me. I wouldn’t miss anything anymore.

            “Neneng, is that you?” a voice stopped me from my walking, and I looked toward behind. It was Julaeka, my classmate, when I was in Senior High School.

            “Heyy, Julekha!! Where have you been?” I almost screamed if I didn’t realize that I was on the street. “How have you been? You look really great this time!” I was really happy to see my old friend who had not been seeing for almost 4 years.

“I’m good, Jul, thanks. I just came back to Indonesia this week. How’s yours?” Julaekha seemed not as happy as me, but I don’t know why. Her face looked fake.

“I just graduated from my university, and now I’m looking for jobs,” answered me. “W-wait, where do you from if you just back to Indonesia this week? Wow... time flies. You have been a success person, haven’t you?”

“I just came from Netherlands. I work there.” Julaekha replied me. “But, could you please just call me July? Julaekha is too odd.”

“Hahaha Okay...” I just said yes for her wish. My eyes were shining, realizing that I met a right person. This is trully called a chance.

“Eh.. Julae—“ My word was cut by her.

“Stop” She added more, “July! July neng, July!” Julaekha or July looked different with herself for the last time we met.

“Okay, sorry. July, how can you work in Netherlands? I wanna too! Please help me!” I begged her with my hands on my chest as a sign for a help.

“You can search stackoverflow in google for jobs in overseas. Everything is available on google, Neng. Don’t be a lazy person.” July was really different, now she spoke really bluntly. God, she said that I was a lazy person? Gosh.Experiences indeed had changed her.

“Got it.” I answered her respectfully.

“Go searching on google. Anyway, you just said you just applied a job, right? What is that?” she asked me.

“I applied in Batara Company as a secre—“

“What?? Did you just say Batara Company?” She was shocked.

“Mm.. Y-yeah. Why?” I asked her gently.

“You are over. That company is deceiver”

I was speechless by her explanation. My five-million money went for nothing.

 

***

            I was sad of losing my money when I applied a job in Batara Company. Ibu didn’t know about this at all because I made a reason, and she believed me. I’m a good liar, right?

            I was still looking for a job in stackoverflow that had been recommended by Julae—July. I had tried many jobs while waiting to get a job in that web, but those indeed didn’t suit me well. I was an online driver, but I got an accident. I was a reseller, but no one bought my good. I even tried to be a teacher, then I ruined it when I yelled on my students because they took a long time to understand my explanation.

            You probably would be surprised that I kept in touch with both Cika and July. I became closed with Cika for no reason. I told her everything that happened. She said that she was satisfied with my story instead of gave me advice when I was telling her my problem. I didn’t know why. Sometimes I kept asking July about working in Netherlands, but she rarely replied my message. How arrogant she is!

            Recently, July was hard to be contacted. I didn’t know why. The last time I had a call with her was about my job in Netherland that was just replied. I was happy about the reply, so I didn’t much care about July.

            “Neng....” my daydream was wakened by the voice of Ibu. We were sitting together on a bench top. I looked at her, “Our neighbors were uproar because of Cika, your friend. She’s going to work in Netherlands and will fly there the next Sunday, which is 3 days left from today.” explained her.

I was furious at Cika, so she was a betrayer. Good. She stole my job, my dream, my plan, and now she stole my chance. She stole everything that was mine. F*ck.

            “Oh, really?? Wow. How smart she is.” I smiled suspiciously. “But she will not be able to go to anywhere without my permission” added me happily.

            “Good.” Ibu seemed understand with my smile, and she was on my side.

***

            Today weather was really good. I couldn’t wait to meet Cika in my university. We had an appointment there. I lied that I was going to work in USA the next month. She must be curious and wanted it too. I would make her curred this time. I was a coward person to take action over something, but it was the past. Now, I was brave enough to keep my lovely friends up.

             When Cika arrived in the second floor in the building where I was waiting for her, I stared at her who was smiling on me. When Cika was about in front of me, I straightaway punched on her face twice.

            Cika stepped backward, “Arggh.. what’s wrong?” I went forward, then kicked her waist twice. I didn’t even care about  her groan. She fell on the floor. I went more forward.

“Neng!!! WHY??” She shouted like a scaredy cat.

            “Ups! I don’t mean it,” I laughed and kicked her body continously.

            “Stop, neng!”, “STOOPP!! Arghhh..” Cika was full of blood, yet I was happy seeing her in this condition.

            “STAND UP!” I pulled him to stand. She hardly put one foot in front of other, but I forced her to stand. Cika seemed to bear her pain. Her face was full of bruise and blood.

            “Do you see below?” I tore out her hair down to the field below. She was grimace because of the pain. “So happy to know that you are going to go to Netherlands,” Cika was shocked by my words. “But, only in your dream” I pushed her to the field below, and I could hear people screaming at once seeing a person fell from the second floor.

            For the first time, I didn’t miss this precious chance. This chance would only happen once in my life, and I was proud of myself.

After pushing Cika, I went to the parking lot straightaway where my motor cycle was. I sit in and took my tumbler on the dashboard. I drank the drink like a fish, for I was rather tired. When I was drinking, suddenly blood came out from my mouth. I choked, then vomitted much blood. My throat felt really hot, I needed a help, but I could say nothing. Blood kept coming out from my mouth. Then I fell on the ground with my motorcycle upon me. I yielded, this pain was too hard. My body was even painless, blood choked up my body. I gave up, then I realized before closing my eyes to death, Damn! I was mistaken. That tumbler should have be July’s.