The Roommate Who Stopped Talking

Bex and Kiran share a small dorm room. They usually talk and laugh every night. This week, Kiran stays quiet and short with her answers.

Bex dan Kiran berbagi kamar asrama yang kecil. Biasanya mereka mengobrol dan tertawa setiap malam. Minggu ini, Kiran diam dan menjawab dengan singkat.

Bex borrows Kiran's favorite mug for her tea. She forgets to wash it right away. Kiran looks at the mug and says nothing.

Bex meminjam cangkir kesayangan Kiran untuk minum tehnya. Ia lupa langsung mencucinya. Kiran melihat cangkir itu dan tidak berkata apa-apa.

Bex starts to worry. She thinks Kiran is angry about the mug. She avoids the room and stays at the library instead.

Bex mulai khawatir. Ia mengira Kiran marah soal cangkir itu. Ia menghindari kamar dan memilih tinggal di perpustakaan.

On Thursday night, Bex finally comes home late. Kiran is still awake at her desk. Papers cover the whole table.

Pada Kamis malam, Bex akhirnya pulang larut. Kiran masih terjaga di mejanya. Kertas-kertas menutupi seluruh meja.

"Are you mad at me?" Bex asks quietly. Kiran looks up, surprised. "Mad? No, not at all."

"Kamu marah padaku?" tanya Bex pelan. Kiran mendongak, terkejut. "Marah? Tidak, sama sekali tidak."

"You barely talk to me," Bex says. "I thought it was the mug." Kiran laughs and shakes her head.

"Kamu hampir tidak bicara denganku," kata Bex. "Kupikir gara-gara cangkir itu." Kiran tertawa dan menggeleng.

"I have a huge exam tomorrow," Kiran says. "I am stressed, not angry." She points to a thick stack of notes.

"Besok aku ada ujian besar," kata Kiran. "Aku stres, bukan marah." Ia menunjuk setumpuk tebal catatan.

Bex feels relieved right away. She sits down next to Kiran. "Let me make you some tea," she says.

Bex langsung merasa lega. Ia duduk di sebelah Kiran. "Biar aku buatkan teh untukmu," katanya.

She washes the mug first this time. She makes two cups of tea. The roommates study together until midnight.

Kali ini ia mencuci cangkir itu lebih dulu. Ia membuat dua cangkir teh. Kedua teman sekamar itu belajar bersama sampai tengah malam.

Kiran passes her exam the next day. She tells Bex the good news first. They celebrate with pizza in their small room.

Keesokan harinya, Kiran lulus ujiannya. Ia memberi tahu Bex kabar baik itu lebih dulu. Mereka merayakannya dengan pizza di kamar kecil mereka.

After that night, Bex and Kiran make a new rule. They talk first about any bad mood.

Sejak malam itu, Bex dan Kiran membuat aturan baru. Mereka membicarakan dulu suasana hati yang buruk.

Every Sunday now, they make tea together. They talk about the whole week. Small problems never last long now.

Kini setiap hari Minggu, mereka membuat teh bersama. Mereka membicarakan seluruh minggu itu. Masalah-masalah kecil tidak pernah bertahan lama lagi.