A Match for 'Izzah
Chapter 2 (Meet kang Adnan)

“Mbak Izzah, there is a co-inventor sampean, Mbak.” Syifa told Izzah the news.

Of course, it made Izzah curious. Who wants to meet him. In fact, never before, including Adnan kang. He would meet her only at his parents' house. It was accompanied by his sister or mother.

“Who, Ma'am?” ask Izzah curiously.

“Kang Adnan.”

‘Deg’

Syifa's reply instantly tightened Izzah's heartbeat. Of course, because Izzah knew, Kang Adnan had returned home at the beginning of the holiday yesterday. How could he currently be in the cottage again?

And, this is the first time also kang Adnan dare to ask to meet him in the cottage. Maybe because of the holiday atmosphere as well, the condition was quiet, so he ventured. If salary time was normal, he wouldn't be able to do that. However, Izzah was still astonished. Why else would he ask her to meet.

“What do you want, yes, Ma'am? How did Adnan meet?” ask Izzah again to know.

Perhaps, Syifa knew of Adnan's intentions beforehand. As Izzah knew, Syifa was quite close to Adnan. Close because both houses are in one city, and more often go home together in one bus to his village. It could be, as a friend who is quite close to Izzah, kang Adnan will entrust his personal affairs to Syifa.

“Meet me first, Ma'am. When something is important,” Syifa said give advice. “I'm with you, Ma'am. Come!” Syifa invited Izzah who seemed still worried.

Without asking again, Izzah nodded and began to step up to immediately meet Adnan kang who said Syifa was in the backyard, precisely behind the kitchen of the princess cottage.

On the one hand, Izzah was so happy to be reunited with kang Adnan. There was a glimmer of longing in his mind, which was long enough buried. However, on the other hand, he seemed to have no right to meet him at this time, or even until so on. The dilemma is between sadness and guilt.

“Mbak Izzah, I ning kene ae, yo. Kono, until you meet sek,” said Syifa who let Izzah walk alone approaching the Adnan kang who seemed to have been waiting near the fence. He just waited with a distance of four meters from Izzah and kang Adnan stood.

“Assalamu’alaikum, Kang. Sorry, what's up, yeah, Genengan called me?” Izzah opened the chat without staring at his interlocutor.

As usual, Izzah just looked down when he met Adnan kang. Even at his house. That's the science Izzah practiced during his years in the pesantren, and the last six years in this cottage.

“Wa’alaikumussalaam, Mbak Izzah. How is it going?”

“Alhamdulillaah, fine, kang,” say Izzah short.

“Gini, Ma'am Izzah. I was asked by my mother, he said until he was told to go back to the village first,” explained kang Adnan explained.

In contrast to Izzah who just looked down, kang Adnan just seemed not to blink when Izzah was in front of him. He continued to stare fixedly at the sweet face of Izzah while smiling.

Izzah was surprised to hear the words of kang Adnan. Apparently, she had been to his house during this vacation. Then, if he was asked to go home immediately, what for? Is it possible, Kang Adnan has told me about the match? An arranged marriage that did not concern Izzah with the Adnan kang, but with another man.

“Oh, yes, Kang. God willing tomorrow I will go home.”

Izzah deliberately did not ask why he was asked to go home. He only avoids long conversations with Adnan kang. With that said, of course, the conversation can be finished. However, even though he felt hard to accept the match with Farid kang, it was hard if he finally had to part with Adnan kang, but Izzah had to keep his pride. Even with kang Adnan.

“Ya, already, Kang. I say goodbye first. Assalamu’alaikum.” Izzah soon passed leaving the Adnan kang still riveted. In fact, his greetings were answered after a long pause.

Izzah realized, if kang Adnan also felt heavy take off from him. The love and affection of Adnan kang, very illustrated in the look of a happy face every time he met Izzah. Whether it's in the cottage when passing in the street, or when visiting his home despite the company of other families.

Izzah immediately returned to the second floor of the princess cottage. His pace was so fast that several times he almost hit the wall and the door. The meeting with Kang Adnan just now, made Izzah cry again. His heart ached again, when he imagined having to really take off from kang Adnan.

Seeing her friend a little troubled, Syifa immediately followed and approached her. He knew Izzah wasn't okay.

“Mbak Izzah,” exclaim soft Syifa after arriving at the balcony. His hands clung to Izzah's shoulders, strengthening the seemingly weak friend.

“Mbak Syifa ..!”

Izzah turned to face Syifa, and immediately hugged her tightly. Breaking his cry, and vaporizing all the lingering flavors in his chest. Many times Izzah cried as he continued to say the name of Adnan kang. The crying that had subsided in one day, now broke again.

“Crying, Ma'am! If by crying can make it quiet.” Syifa continued to calm the heart of Izzah who was raging.

Syifa did not know exactly the problems faced by her close friend. What he heard was that Izzah would indeed be betrothed to Farid's kang. It was only he heard vaguely from Mbak Ndalem. The problem is true or not, Syifa does not know. Because during the holidays, Syifa was asked to help the south Ndalem. So, he had not asked Izzah directly, because he had just met today.

It's just that, seeing Izzah who was so sad and kept crying, made Syifa understand that the news was not a mere rumor. Because usually, what is discussed Mbak Ndalem is indeed a lot of truth. It's just that, he feels less confident if he has not bertabayun directly with the experiencing.

“That means real, Ma'am, if the samo was betrothed to kang Farid?” Syifa opened the chat, when she saw Izzah already feeling calm leaning on her lap.

Izzah nodded. He then woke up, sweeping away the remains of tears that were still wetting his cheeks. Then ask, “Sampean know where, Ms Syif?”

“It's rame, Ma'am, reportedly.”

“Hah?” Izzah surprised. He thought that the news had not spread, because the condition of the cottage was quiet after the beginning of the holiday yesterday.

“No, Ma'am. Many, really, mbak-mbak on holiday in the cottage. In fact there is a Shofa mom too,” Syifa said when Izzah asked santriwati who still lives in the cottage. (*)