Thomas and His Regret

by Jeni Nurmawati

Thomas was under arrested by a cop after had caught in Fenaro Street. That police car gave the gloomy sensation to his soul, he felt like he has already in prison even he had not arrived yet. Tears flew over his face remembering the biggest mistake he have taken. He hadn’t have any clear idea except try the new instant way he had never imagined, as long as he could afford his daily needs and his little sister, Lily. All seemed very hard since their parents had passed away 5 years ago.

He has been so tired of being a part-time worker in Chinesse restaurant every night, besides he should have been struggling to keep his grades remain excellent. At least if he could remain his grades, he didn’t have to pay the fees. The fact was he could not remain the grades because of his very limited time to sleep, yet he had to do many school assingments. So, his final decision was like the best solution to take, and he regretted it the most.

At that time there was nothing to do with his deep remorse, because all of sudden Lily’s face glanced in his mind which made him started to worry about her, then he found himself become next to an unforgiven human being. There was nothing for him except God, who could possibly hear and grant his wishes though he knew he did not deserve it.

 In Fenaro street, a white-porcelain skin woman with her long black hair, Perina, had glimpsed of someone who she thought she knew, the boy which tried to run away from a cops but did not make it. She had a strong feeling that the boy she saw has the same characteristic with Thomas. Then she decided to go to the police office to made sure that boy is Thomas.

Perina is a highschool teacher in Pnompenh National School, the same school where Thomas studied. She was well-known by her kind-hearted and warmness to everyone. She always put a high dedication for teaching the students, including Thomas. She often get him looked terribly weary and sleep during the class, but she did not even get mad of him. She asked what was actually wrong with him that made him looks very tired and overwhelmed in maintaining the grades. Then after Thomas had explained it, she took a deep breath and tried to looked emotionless but her eyes never tell a lie. “Just so, I’ll help you then”, said Perina. After that, she started to give him extra hours for study so that Thomas could focus into subjects which had left behind.

As Perina arrived at police office, she saw a crowd of people and she recognized someone who looks familiar. Yes, it was Thomas. “Why he could be arrested? What happened?”, said her in gently voice and puzzled. It encouraged her to asked to the cop what actually happened to Thomas. The cop told her that he was involved by a local group who run an illegal gambling. Her heart was shattered, but soon she remember her duty of him by declaring her as Thomas’s mother, and handled the requirements to get him freed from this problem. Thomas was so grateful to knowing such a beautiful woman like her. He thanked his teacher as best as he could do and stood in the light of halo from her heart.

From that moment, Thomas died. Of course not literally dying in particular, but dying from his old Thomas, the terrible person who trapped in darkness in finding the path of his journey. He convinced himself to study hard. He did not want to be fooled again with the wrong desire and wanted to start a new goal.

He began the new chapter of his life to become bright and colorful. He painted it with all his dreams of becoming the succesful person, by being an architect. He really wanted to be an architect, with all his creatures stands and become a legend in the entire world.

Now he can feel it. Sit in the back of his large desk, he has just close his eyes and recall his past. Sometimes he wonder that all of them is really hard to believe, but he is the type of person who always trust in miracles, because it has been proven that he is an architect now.