A Match for 'Izzah
Chapter 9
On the way to the princess cottage through the kitchen door, Izzah was surprised by the figure of a man leaning against the wall that borders the kitchen with the backyard. Instantly, Izzah's steps came to a halt right in front of the entrance.
The figure of the man is not foreign, making Izzah who is half nervous forcing himself to say hello, “Kang Adnan waiting for someone?”
“Iya, Mbak Izzah.” The man who was none other than Adnan's kang then smiled kindly.
Izzah who deliberately greeted only for stale bases, then decided to go inside after a nod accompanied by an answer, “Oh” long. “Ya, already, Kang. I want to enter first,” he said without turning his head, and then continue to move.
“Mbak Izzah.”
Izzah's steps again stalled, when kang Adnan again called his name. “Iya, Kang. What's up?” tanyanya wanted to know the reason.
“Can we talk to you for a minute, Ma'am?”
“Sorry, Kang Adnan. Not that I don't want to, but it doesn't feel ethical if we talk alone here. Moreover—,”
“Get a minute, Ma'am Zah.” Kang Adnan asked in a clear tone.
To be honest, Izzah was worried when the figure of kang Adnan was present again in front of his eyes. Between feeling guilty and sad, having to be in a situation of grave dilemma.
On the one hand, he could not lie to his feelings which still inscribed the name of kang Adnan in his heart. However, on the other hand Kang Adnan also himself, already both have their own prospective partners. Of course, whatever the turmoil in his heart, he must be able to control.
“But, Kang—?”
“Please, Sister Izzah. Just a moment!”
Izzah who had just lowered his head, now slowly turned his face toward the Adnan kang who was behind him. However, his gaze still remained down as usual. It only gives a possible opportunity for a final chat before the two are legally separated by a marriage contract.
Izzah then stepped out of the kitchen door, and approached Kang Adnan with a considerable distance, two meters. He then asked about what I wanted Adnan to say.
“Dik Izzah, are you sure to accept Farid kang as your husband? He's fierce, brother. He's loud, haughty and cold. I'm not willing if you will be unhappy with the killer's manager.” Kang Adnan explained at length about his goal to meet Izzah.
Izzah was still unmoved, digesting the words of kang Adnan that he himself did not understand. It's not what. But, the sentence was not Izzah thought it would come out of the lips kang Adnan. Although he had not yet received Farid's kang, but hearing what Adnan said made him surprised.
“Dik's. We still have time to be together, to be a happy and harmonious couple. Honestly, I don't want you to marry another man, Dik.” Kang Adnan continued his words.
The unfinished Izzah thought, increasingly surprised. Apparently, kang Adnan is still not sincere with the matchmaking of Abah Yai, a teacher whom he must respect. He even dared to come up to her again, and invite her to live together.
With raging feelings, Izzah then said firmly, “Sorry, Kang. Now, we will carry out our respective duties. We have our own candidate, Kang. It's not ethical if we meet like this.”
Izzah paused for a moment of his speech, until kang Adnan again chimed in. However, Izzah swiftly continued, “Oh, yes, Kang. For those who proposed Njenengan yesterday, I apologize if making the Njenengan family so angry.”
“Kang, don't be. We cannot be blinded by love. Maybe we are not fools. We can what?”
“We can run, Dik. We can escape from this pesantren, and get married even without the blessing of Abah Yai.”
“Kang Adnan, stop! Stop!” Izzah began to feel frightened by the attitude of kang Adnan who continued to approach him. It was only half a meter away, even less than that.
The atmosphere of the afternoon, after the ashar reverberate, makes the condition of the outer area of the cottage looks quiet. All santri began busy performing congregational prayers followed by wirid and deresan Qur’an. Of course, no one knows the meeting of Izzah and kang Adnan.
“Dik, come! We're getting out of this cabin. I promise I'll make your life happy.” Kang Adnan began to dare to hold tightly to Izzah's hand. Although pressed with a fast, but the power of a man like Adnan kang is not easy Izzah beat.
“Kang Adnan, what is this? Why dare this?” Izzah stared intently at Adnan's eyes that looked flushed.
“This is because of you, Dik. You made me this way.”
“Kang, release! Do not let me shout and be found out with each other,” Izzah still firmly release the hand of kang Adnan. “I didn't expect, it turns out I was wrong to love men. Maybe, the matchmaking of Abah Yai is really good for me,” said Izzah continued. Now, his hand is gone.
Hurrying, Izzah passed leaving the Adnan kang who seemed to be pounding the trunk of a tree in front of him. Izzah stared at Adnan's activities, and wanted to stop what he was doing. However, he was worried that Adnan's kang attitude would be more terrible than the one he had just gotten.
With mixed feelings, Izzah took a quick step towards his room on the second floor. His heart still could not believe what he was going through. The figure of kang Adnan who he knew gently, turned out to have a side that he never thought. More precisely, the horrible side.
Unknowingly, a clear circle fell from the net end of Izzah. The frightened face is still there. He really felt a deep trauma with the figure of kang Adnan. The man he had loved immediately made his feelings change 180 degrees. The love suddenly disappeared from his mind. No more kang Adnan's name was written on his heart.
“Mbak Izzah!”
Izzah's body was suddenly jolted at the short call from someone who had just entered his room. He who was sitting, slowly raised his face which he had covered with his hands.
“Eh, Mbak.” Izzah tried to be friendly to respond to the greeting of his roommate who numbered four santriwati. “Udah done, pray?” ask her again as casually as possible.
“Already, Ma'am,” said one of them while putting the face into place.
“Mbak Izzah again menstruationh, huh?” asked the others looking at Izzah in wonder.
Izzah was getting nervous. That guilt and fear still fused to fill his chest cavity. Worried, if there is one santriwati who saw the incident earlier, or afraid if kang Adnan do more reckless to him.
“I-iya, Ma'am. Uh, e-not. Earlier, overslept ajah.”
Nayla, Siti, Inayah and Fatimah are Izzah's roommates. Those who were still busy tidying themselves became one look at each other hearing the answer mbak senior who sounded very nervous. Feels surprising. Izzah is not usually like that. He always directs or speaks firmly without twisting.
“I stay first, Ma'am. Want to go to the bathroom,” said Izzah say goodbye. He realized his attitude that made his roommate astonished. (*)
