Falling In The Hugs of the Earth
Chapter 10
"Syifa, drink this" Salma handed him 3 pieces of medicine in her palm. "It's a chewable drug." Further. "You can eat it if the stomach acid goes up. Nyai's mom accidentally gave me more medicine."
"Thank you, Salma" Syifa replied sincerely
"All right, you rest first. For your teaching schedule today, I will handle. So just focus on your health"
"Thank you again, Salma"
"Let me go first" Salma moved from her seat, leaving Syifa lying in her room. Just two steps away, Mutia slammed inside.
"Fatimah said you were sick. How are you doing now?" Mutia looked worried
"I'm fine"
"He's lying, Mutia" Salma chimed in. "If he was fine how could he possibly limp like that? While his teaching schedule piles up"
"Handle is first" Pinta Mutia
"of course. I'm a good friend, pretty, not arrogant" he said as he stepped towards the door. Two steps later, he stopped back. Salma turned around and looked at Syifa.
"What?" Ask Mutia
"Syifa, you get greetings from ustadz Fadil"
"Ustadz Fadil?" Mutia looked shocked while Syifa looked ordinary.
"Hm" Salma nodded reverently. "He asked you to activate your phone. He said he had a hard time contacting you"
"Ah, yes. I also find it difficult to contact you" Mutia said.
"All right, let me go first" answered Salma.
Now only Mutia and Syifa left in the room. They stared at each other with their own thoughts. The last chat with Mutia, made Syifa a little worried about her relationship with Fadil. And what he was more worried about was that Mutia told Fatimah the truth.
Silent..
Silent..
They were still staring at each other by diving into each other's thoughts.
Clack.
Fatimah came into the room. They both cut off eye contact.
"How are you?" It was obvious that Fatimah was worried about her best friend.
"I'm good." Syifa smiled with relief. On the other side he was anxious when he saw Mutia and Fatimah were in one room.
"Thank God. Activate cellphone. There's a lot of ustadz-usta......"
"Ustadz Fadil?" sela Mutia
"Ustadz Fadil?' Fatimah asked back
"What asked you for Syifa to activate her phone is ustadz Fadil?"
Fatimah's confused. He looked at Mutia and Syifa alternately. "Well, why?"
***
Fadil looked frustrated at her hair. After returning from Nyai's house, Fadil commanded several ustadzahs to ask Syifa to activate his phone. Many times he tried to call Syifa, but many times his call was answered by the operator.
"Lunch, bro!" Muammar came to greet the friendly
Fadil just sighed. His mind was full of Syifa
"Why you?" Ask Muammar.
Again Fadil just sighed, hinting he was worried about something.
"I'll bring here our lunch rations. I don't know what's going on, but it looks like you don't want to go to the cafeteria" Muammar passed by leaving Fadil alone.
Drt. drt..
Fadil's smile developed a look at who was sending the message.
"I'm doing fine. I'll make sure my illness doesn't recur"
"Alhamdulillah. Very happy to hear it, may it be healthy always. I missed you"
Silent..
Fadil smile. Although repeatedly Fadil stared at the screen of his phone, hoping for a reply to the message back, but hearing the Syifanya is fine has been a great relief. All of a sudden..
"Since then."
"Oh" Fadil cleared his throat so as not to look clumsy.
"Who?" Although Muammar knew who Fadil was contacting, he had to confirm with an answer from his best friend's mouth directly.
"He's the one I like" Fadil replied lightly.
"Shyfa?"
Fadil stood clumsy looking into the eyes of his best friend.
"Come, Fren! Who is Queen Purdah in this pesantren if not her?" Muammar explained as if he knew what Fadil was thinking. "I also often see the general Mading. Her work is awesome." After seeing the name of the contact in Fadil's message just now, Muammar could guess who it was.
"You're right" little smiling Fadil confirmed. "But Queen Purdah...."
"Yes, yeah, I know. I know because I've heard the chat with Fatimah"
"Oh.." Fadil yelled while nodding sharply. He began to understand where this conversation was going.
"You also know all the santri's pen names and who the real people are"
Fadil nodded in confirming. Obviously he knows because of Fadil's coordinator
"So, is she your future wife?"
"Who?"
Fadil and Muammar turned their heads towards the source of the voice. Fatih was standing on the doorstep. Although he did not hear it all, he had heard the word wife candidate. From the rumors that were blowing loudly, of course Fatih was very curious.
"Who?" Recharge Fatih
Fadil and Muammar looked at each other. Silent..
"You guys..."
"It's complicated" Fadil cut in and made Fatih stop talking instantly. "I don't know if I should tell you or not." Further
"Eat first" Muammar chimed in while preparing the meal he had taken from the canteen.
***
"Ustadz Fadil said what?" Mutia began to interrogate Fatimah.
"none. She just asked if Syifa changed her number"
"That's all?" Mutia felt strange. Like something was missed.
"Hm"
"That's it, guys." Syifa started her phone. I really did not want his mood to get damaged by hearing a small dispute from Mutia and Fatimah. He chose the middle way by activating his phone which he had nearly two days to deactivate. Deep down, he misses his dad. But his sane mind and mind said it should be as soon as possible to remove Fadil. Healing was quick to see Fatimah marry him.
"Why is everyone today asking about ustadz Fadil?" Cheers Fatimah suddenly
"Hm?" Mutia demanded an explanation
"You. Nyai, Salsa, Najwa, Ustadz Fatih, Ustadz Ali. All the. Everyone I met"
Mutia and Syifa.
***
"I have no appetite" Fadil sighed
"People say that falling in love will always feel full." Fatih chimed in occasionally to feed rice into his mouth. Muammar remained silent, he focused on chewing.
Silent..
"Are you really full?" Fatih reopened her voice. Fadil is not flinching.
"Come, Fren! Pretending to be happy also needs breakfast. Rice will make you stronger for heartbreak" This time Muammar chimed in
"Who is hurt?" Fatih raised her eyebrows next to
"Yes, Fatih. You didn't hear? Fadil said it's complicated. That means he's not okay. There's a wound he's covering up. Maybe because I'm not ready to tell a story, or because of something else I don't know, but Fadil hasn't decided to tell a story"
Fadil took a long breath. "I'm in a match"
"WHAT?" Fatih and Muammar simultaneously asked as if they could not believe what they heard. Their mouths, which had been crowded with food, now stopped chewing. Trying to make sure they didn't hear wrong, and busy guessing what Fadil said was the truth?
