New From Here by Kelly Yang.

There was once a boy, called Knox Wei-Evans. He has ADHD, which makes him to blurt things out and hyper-focus.

Knox and his family lived in Hong Kong. He had a big brother (who was kind of rude to him) called Bowen, and a little sister called Lea.

At that time, coronavirus had hit China, which was right next door to Hong Kong. They had been in lockdown and schools had closed.

Knox’s dad, who was American, said that they should move to America to be safer. Knox’s mom, who was Chinese, knew that this was dangerous too, due to Asian-hate, but continues to take the risk.

But as Dad said that he wouldn’t be coming with them, Knox, Bowen and Lea were very sad and angry. Their tenses became higher as Mom told them that they were going the very next day.

Fourteen cases had already spread in Hong Kong, and a homemade bomb just went off in the hospital, which would mean, even if they haven’t caught the coronavirus, they wouldn’t be able to go to hospital!

The next day, as Lea, Bowen and Knox get into their plane, they wave back at dad. They would miss him very much, even though that he promised that he’ll FaceTime every day and night.

As they arrived at their new house, Mom told them that she had lost her job, for moving to California. This means that they didn’t have a health insurance!

***

The next day, they went shopping for new school supplies. Mom said that they needed a new cart, so Knox went and got one. Unexpectedly, however, he rode one and smashed into a tower of soda cans.

Mom had to charge one-hundred dollars! Knox hung his head down sadly.

But as the next day, was their first day at school. Knox had really great time there, unlike Lea who hadn’t made a friend, and Bowen, who was forced to play coronavirus tag and be ‘it’.

Perhaps because he looked more like Mom than Knox and Lea.

But after three months, America had more than thirty COVID-19 cases, with ninety people dead. It was announced that it was lockdown.

Knox and Bowen really missed Dad, and Lea needed him for her bad miss-daddy blues.

So they applied a job for him and passed on their second interview, pretending to be him.

It went so good, that they celebrated by biking around the pavement!

But on one unexpected day, Bowen found his little brother lying on the top bunk of their bed. Bowen tried to wake him up, but Knox replied with sore throat.

Bowen held his hand and shouted for Mom.

She quickly checked his temperature, which was unusually high.

She asked them what they had been doing. Bowen told her with bad anxiety. Knox was taken to the hospital and had to be taken a swab test. The nurse took him to an isolation room, where he couldn’t be with Mom.

Knox told Dad about his application, on FaceTime. Dad wiped his own wet eyes.

Knox really wanted Dad to come over. But it wasn’t possible, unless…

Knox was discharged three days later, the test coming out negative.

Bowen, Lea and Knox were very happy. Dad surprised them by visiting. It was a miracle! Knox and Lea were in Dad’s arms as Bowen put his around.

Sadly, Dad was leaving the next day.

Bowen, Lea and Knox showed him the folders. Dad shook his head and was off next morning.

But he came back, however, saying that, ‘being the man doesn’t mean you have to be harsh, but means you’re there for the ones you love’.

He gets the job that his children applied, and until now, they live together in their little house in California.

:: THE END ::

Third Place (Gold Medal)

On a Saturday morning…

I woke up earlier than I thought. Everything seemed usual…until I remembered that today was Saturday. I kept wondering, what happens on Saturday…especially the one on this week?

I didn’t even get up, until a few moments later, I heard my mom say, “Wow, you’re having a competition and already woke up early!”

Third Position (Gold Medal) POSI Olympics

I reacted quickly. I got up, tidied myself up, took a shower, and changed my clothes.

I went out of my room with white and red clothes (the uniforms that Indonesian students wear).

I quickly had breakfast, which were eggs, and ate quickly. I looked out of the window and saw, many students. Primary, middle school, and even high school students were outside.

I was pretty lucky that the competition was in the place that I live in. Unlike other students, I don’t need to go by car, or wake up at four o’clock to catch the bus.

***

I was outside the Ninth Building (Industry Faculty), the place I would be doing the competition. There were three subjects for us Prime Years: Science, math and English. Obviously. I picked English.

All of my friends picked English as well. I saw two of my friends in the same room as me.

I waited nervously for the test papers to be handed out. Our supervisor came late. I was glad after I saw the questions.

After all was done, I went home to rest and have lunch. Then, me and mom went to the Theatre to hear the announcement.

We waited for two hours. After the science announcement, I waited for the English announcement, which was supposed to be next. But, actually, the teacher’s test announcement, social studies and a few games were taken first.

I was grumpy and kept complaining.

Finally, it was time. It was taken from the thirty best. I went to the stairs and waited for my name. Twenty seven students went up on stage. The ten lowest score made it out with bronze, whilst the next students had silver. The first, second, and third places were taken off with gold!

One by one, my friends left me off the stairs. I was all alone waiting for my name.

It was third place. I thought to myself “I couldn’t have made it that far…”

I was pretty unsure. But the announcer read the name of my school!

“SD Catholic San Francesco Balige!”

I looked around. It was only me from my school who didn’t get a medal yet. I looked at mom as they said: “Agatha Ester Feodora Simanjuntak!!!”

I was shocked as I went up on stage. Mom was full of enthusiasm with her hands up in the sky.

I got lots of money, a medal, and a certificate.

It was wonderful that I got third place. I was pretty sad because I didn’t get first. But, it’s okay. Because it was my first time. It went very well, actually…

Good Friday

On Good Friday, 2023, it went… fabulous!!!

I woke up pretty early, because we had to go to church. Well not really like a church, but an auditorium which is used usually for events. Jesus Christ died on the cross that day, and we went there to remember it.

I was pretty sad at the first part of the church, because one of the famous people in Indonesia (Mr Luhut Pandjaitan, who had come and visited) didn’t join the rest of us in the auditorium.

The church lasted until half-past ten. I stayed there to practise vocal singing and dances for Easter Sunday. I waited there with a few of my friends, and then we waited for LOTS more children. As soon as all of the children (more than twenty actually) got to the auditorium, both preachers (who were teaching us) got to their feet and started organizing positions. Afterwards, we got into our positions and started dancing.

They sometimes changed the positions (even the moves of the dance) which made a few of us pretty puzzled, confused and stressed. Apart from that, all was fine, and I was quite happy too.

Finally, everything was done, and all moves, positions were chosen and moves were glued to time.

I went home to have a quick lunch, and then go back to the auditorium to remember Jesus died on the cross, at that very time. We sang songs and heard a sermon of Jesus going up to Golgotha (Calvary) hill. My eyes were squinting in the direction of Mr Luhut Pandjaitan who was sitting at the other side on the first row. After all was done, I shook hands with a few people (some important) and said “have a blessed Good Friday”.

Eventually, I got to take a picture with THE ONE AND ONLY Mr Luhut Pandjaitan. First, we took one with my parents, then with me and him alone. He asked how much I scored on my math test. I replied, around ninety. He said that I should get more than my dad. This made me flush so hard. He suggested to take another photo, before I went.

Eventually, I got to take a picture with THE ONE AND ONLY Mr Luhut Pandjaitan. First, we took one with my parents, then with me and him alone. He asked how much I scored on my math test. I replied, around ninety. He said that I should get more than my dad. This made me flush so hard. He suggested to take another photo, before I went.

As I looked at the photos, it remembered me of the time I met him two years ago (yes, I have met him before…). At that time he asked me what my favourite subject was… and HE CALLED ME CUTE! Well, that was because I didn’t have many pimples at that time, but now…

I really enjoyed Good Friday, and I mostly enjoyed Easter Sunday today! See you Mr Pandjaitan (fans like me call him “Ompung Luhut”). Nice meeting you for four days!

Sunday, 09 April 2023

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