15. Return Trip

Ali started to drive his car out of the housing complex and into the main Street. The two boys were engrossed in chatting without noticing my presence here. I feel nervous every time my eyes meet Ali's through the rearview mirror, his gaze feels so warm.

I quickly turned my gaze to the phone I was holding. I immediately looked for Harsya's contact and wrote a short message, "Otw", and immediately I saw two black ticks on my cellphone screen below the letters I typed. I really didn't expect Harsya to immediately reply to my message because it was just a notification. I'm sure Harsya is in the operating room right now.

"Going to your house or boarding house, Zie?" asked Ali surprising me, I immediately averted my gaze from the phone screen and immediately met again with Ali's warm eyes through the rearview mirror.

"Ho.home,"

Ali and Arif chuckled.

"Let's take Zie to his house, Al. We'll meet the future in-laws." joked Arif without noticing my reddened face, I immediately looked down pretending to see my cell phone.

"Hush, he already has brother Harsya, Rif," Ali's voice sounded a little shaken.

"Hahaha," Arif laughed. "When are you going to marry Sis Harsya, Zie?"

"A few months after I graduate, depending on the parents," I replied.

My eyes then fell on the ring on my left ring finger. I became palpitated, my memory immediately drifted to that night. I unconsciously looked at Ali, the guy looked indifferent he directed his gaze to the road in front of him.

"You're very lucky, Harsya, Al,"

"Hahaha," was Ali's only answer.

"I didn't expect you to get married so quickly, Zie," Arif turned around and looked at me.

"I didn't think so either," I laughed in response to Arif's statement.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who will be hurt when you get married."

I laughed and my laughter immediately stopped when I unconsciously stared at Ali's unconcerned face.

"The important thing is don't forget to invite us,"

"Okay,"

Arif then changed the subject by talking to Ali, then they started talking about many girls on our campus. They seemed enthusiastic when they talked about the girls. The conversation between the two guys did not interest me at all and made me sleep until I finally fell asleep.

I don't know how long I fell asleep, I woke up when I felt a handshake on my arm, I opened my eyes and saw Arif was looking at me smiling.

"Wake up, Zie," Arif's voice entered my eardrums.

"We have arrived?" I asked absentmindedly. I looked at Ali who was parking his car.

"We pray maghrib first," continued Arif.

"That surprisingly, you ask for prayer, usually late," I laughed as I took my mukena (the clothes that women wear for prayer) from my bag and then got out of the car.

"Hmmm," replied Arif, glancing at Ali.

I smiled, Arif would want to pray because Ali was there, the guy was always on time for prayer and always made time for congregational prayers. Hmm, he really is the ideal husband-to-be. Huft.. I immediately shook the ridiculous thought out of my brain.

Ali that I've known all this time is a guy who is arrogant but also ignorant. I really hate him and vice versa. Almost every time Ali and I fight and there is always something that makes us fuss, even a small thing can cause us to have a big fight. What is clear is that none of us ever wanted to give in because each of us felt we were right.

The mosque we went to was not too big but very beautiful and clean. Above the entrance, there is a running text containing a welcome sign and other appeals. The sound of the Maghrib call to prayer echoed when we arrived at the terrace. I immediately went to the women's ablution place while Ali and Arif went to the men's ablution place, after that we joined the congregation to do the maghrib prayer.

After praying and praying, I folded the mukena and put it in my bag after that I looked around to find Ali and Arif. The two people were no longer seen in the mosque, so I decided to go to the car maybe they were waiting for me there..

"Zie!" I heard Arif's voice as I passed in front of the Soto (an Indonesian traditional food) stall in the mosque's courtyard.

I turned my face into the stall earlier and found Ali and Arif already sitting there. Both smiled at me, Arif waved his hand for me to enter the shop. I immediately entered the stall and sat in an empty chair next to Arif. Ali immediately offered to order food and drinks because he and Arif had already ordered. Actually, I didn't want to order anything but the delicious smell of Soto made me hungry, I shyly ordered a bowl of Soto and a glass of sweet tea.

We immediately ate the soup that we ordered. This hunger makes the food we eat taste delicious. Ali and Arif seemed to enjoy their food deliciously. Arif even added.

After eating, I took a sip of my sweet tea while holding the glass with both hands and feeling the warm glass I'm holding. I choked when my eyes met Ali's, the guy just smiled at me while Arif immediately grumbled telling me to be careful.

After eating, we continued our trip, along the way I was mostly silent and didn't pay attention to what they were talking about

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