Assalamu'Alaikum Love

Jama'ah

Gibran

I took a deep breath once more before turning off the car engine and grabbed the backpack I had placed in the back seat. The midterm exam was held last week, and that means I have to go back to teaching as usual after a week yesterday I had permission not to come to campus. Well, even though I came to campus on Friday afternoon to pick up some files, it still doesn't count.

And this morning, it's been a bad feeling since I just finished taking a shower and getting ready to teach. Repeatedly taking deep breaths to eliminate that disturbing feeling.

“Seriously, Gibran? It's not your first Monday to teach here.” grumbled to myself before opening the car door and closing it a little too much because of my own annoyance.

Of course, my feelings are not because this is my first day of teaching. Even my first day of teaching two months ago was normal. And I have to admit that my feelings are getting out of hand like this because I remember that at the second hour I was teaching A3 in the sixth semester and that means I'm going to meet the girl. Well, of course I can no longer just think of Faza Aulia as my student after last week my family and I talked about the girl. I even remember Hendri Wibisana's reaction when he heard that his son had found a girl he wanted to make a wife.

“But this is not just an alibi because you do not want to match your partner with Resa ‘kan?” although actually papa was a little hesitant with my statement that I intended to propose to a girl I met in Surabaya, but I did not mind papa nodded as well.

“A girl like her doesn't deserve it just to make an alibi, pa.” is right, in fact, I would not bother to take the train from Surabaya to Jakarta if only to brag to papa about the girl I want to lammar.

“And, mama guess that girl is very special until you are willing to go back to Jakarta to talk about this problem with mama and papa ‘kan?” and of course, my mother agreed with my desire to propose to the girl, who was none other than Faza because all this time she wanted me to get married.

In fact, Aida's departure seven years ago not only broke my heart, but it also hurt my mother so deeply. So I don't blame my mom for being so excited when she heard that her son wanted to propose to a girl after almost six years of being alone.

“So, how long have you been dating? What kind of girl is she?” mama asked as if the woman was asking about where next week's arisan was held.

“We are not dating, ma.” I also still remember the look on my mom's face when I said that the girl I wanted to leave was not my boyfriend. “Yes, she's a typical girl who won't date before marriage. So it's better Gibran apply him first ‘kan than keburu in person?”

“How can you get married without going out first?” my heart even warmed up instantly as mama said the word ‘married’ even with such a tone.

“Can, ma. Even more blessed later. Most importantly mama and papa give your blessing to Gibran.”

“What's the name, son?”

“Faza, pa. His name is Faza Aulia.”

“Come to meet his father. Invite Rudi to be your guardian.”

“And call mom and dad right away after you meet the Faza family, Gibran.”

For the first time in six years I saw my parents so confident in my decision. Although I still wonder why my mom and dad so confidently agreed to my wish to propose to a girl who wasn't even my boyfriend. Is it because my parents only pity me because after six years I finally found Aida's replacement, and don't want to break my heart again. Or because they just want to give me my blessing. I don't know, for the moment I don't want to think of anything like that.

Let them tell me the reason why they are so receptive to my chosen girl without asking about her origin.

“Papa believe that you can choose well the girl you want to make a wife, Gibran. Moreover, if the girl holds firmly to her principle of not dating before marriage, then surely she is a good girl.”

“If mama, let mama later acquaintance with the girl if she has become your wife, son.”

And, may I consider all of that as a path that will ease me in the step of proposing to the girl?

__________

“Ijin for one week?” but the thought of the easy path I would take to propose to Faza only lasted until three in the afternoon. When I heard from Tania that during the week Faza could not participate in LPM activities because the girl had permission not to go to college for one full week.

“It is fitting that I did not see him in the class earlier.” I muttered in response to Tania's sentence. I thought that Faza was not present just for today alone and I did not want to provoke any bad reaction from Faza's classmates by asking too far why today Faza Aulia did not attend class islamic management.

“Aruna says Faza is visiting his place first, sir.” Tania continued, which made the wrinkles on my forehead feel deeper.

“Monday?” I had indeed thought about that possibility since the first time I saw Faza, only I did not think that Faza was indeed a former santri.

“Iya, Faza has been in Blora, sir. Since the age of ten years if not wrong, and only came out after graduating high school and continued college in Surabaya.”

Blora. I thought I met Faza in Blora four years ago at the station because it happened that the girl was on a vacation trip or something because it was school holiday season. So, I met Faza because the girl had just returned from her home in Surabaya and returned to her cottage in Blora. And the girl became a santri at the age of ten? Really, that fact makes me feel two things at once. First I was happy for no reason because my assessment of the girl shot so high, and the second I actually felt doubtful whether the girl would accept my application that does not have an educational background like her even though my current status is a lecturer.

“Tania..”

“Ya pack?”

“Ehm, inform friends that we will hold a meeting once again before the seminar ya.”

“When pack?”

“Next week.”

Actually that's not what I wanted to ask Tania. It's just, the series of questions about Faza back I swallowed and I kept to myself. Actually I want to ask if Faza has ever been close or approached by his male friends? I wonder exactly what Faza looks like in the eyes of his friends. It's also about what the girl's life is like. But I don't think it's appropriate for a lecturer to ask such a thing to a student. Not because I wanted to keep my wife as a lecturer, but I didn't want to judge Faza by what I heard from others.

Let me ask him myself about everything I want to know. But first I had to muster up the courage to ask the girl if there was already a man proposing to her or not.

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