Friendship Has Changed Destiny

Chapters 11. Love Statement

Rania said goodbye to her two best friends, then stepped away from the apartment Angga to immediately go home, now only the two of them live in the park. Zia who was still awkward and embarrassed again tried to open the conversation.

"Look, I actually invited Nia to come here to ask about your punishment, why you have to admit what you did not do until you took the punishment."

With a smile Angga replied, "I have no choice."

"What do you mean, ng?"

"You remember what Tati said that afternoon, we won't be allowed to go home if no one wants to tell us who broke the flower pot."

"So out of fear of not going home you finally admit it was your fault."

Angga smiled before he continued his words.

"I've never been afraid of anything, not even a suspension sentence, nor do I care if I and my other friends have to stay at school. I just don't want you to be a victim."

"You mean?"

"I know every time after school you have to work in loundry, right?"

Zia was surprised to hear Angga's reply.

"Where do you know I work?"

"That's not important, I just don't want you to be late and fired from your job because we can't go home. Lately you've often been late to work, right, while the work there is very piled up."

Zia was more and more astonished, how Angga could know everything.

"And you remember, you were always cornered by Lusy so you were the suspect."

"Yes right" Zia answered.

"When they all know you're not the culprit."

"You should have let me be a suspect, maybe it's true because my leg was nudged in the morning it made the pot crack and then broke, we won't have time to check if the pot was cracked until now."

"No, I would never let you accept any punishment, even if it was you who did that mistake, you wouldn't have done it on purpose."

"You helped me that morning, otherwise I would have fallen and become the laughingstock of the friends who were there.

Now that you're taking that responsibility away from me, I should be the one who should be suspended. Ever since you were sentenced to suspension by the board of teachers, I've felt guilty. I can't study quietly, I actually don't have any face to see you, I'm ashamed. Why are you so nice to me."

"I'm glad you're thinking of me and I hope the person I've always thought of is okay, there's no need to feel guilty about Zia."

"What do you mean ?"

Angga took a deep breath, he was still confused and afraid to go on with his words, his chest getting claustrophobic. It felt like he wanted to hold these two women's hands in front of him tightly in order for him to gain the strength to immediately express his feelings.

While Zia continued to pay attention and looked into Angga's eyes with curiosity.

Angga looked back at Zia. His heart trembled more and his heart skipped a beat.

Zia who got a strange look from Angga also felt the same way. There was a sense of warmth radiating into the depths of their hearts. A feeling they have never felt for anyone. A feeling so hard to say.

Then Zia lowered her head in fear Angga knew what she was feeling.

While continuing to look at Zia, Angga continued his words, "You know who the person I always think of?, you, yes just you and always you, the girl I think of Zia. From the past, now and God willing forever, I love you Zia" Angga said sincerely.

Suddenly, Angga's courage came to say that after he looked inside the woman's face. He wanted to keep looking at her until the bottom of his heart that he wished there was a name there.

Time stopped when Zia heard it. It seemed to stop for a moment Zia's heartbeat heard Angga's words. He was fixated for a moment and then tried to dare to raise his head to look back at Angga's eyes. He wanted to find the truth of Angga's words in his eyes.

Without tears in both corners of her eyes, she lowered her face again.

The people who saw him felt guilty. Maybe her words had hurt Zia's feelings.

Then he said, then,

"I'm sorry, I'm Zia, my words hurt your feelings. I don't mean to make you cry, I just want you to know how I feel that I've been tormented so far.

I can't hide it anymore Zia. I'm jealous of Zia, I'm jealous when I see you being approached by another man."

"That's what drives me to tell you right away, I don't want to be late and end up regretting my whole life.

Today God is very kind to me, He heard my do'a, He gave me a chance Zia, gave us time to both speak from heart to heart even though it was very difficult at first. Once again I'm sorry Zia, I've said everything, if it hurts you forget Zia, assume this never existed and I never said, I don't want you to hate me, I don't want you to, I want to be your friend and I want you to always be happy even without me in your life."

"Hiks hyks hyks", Zia cries, happy, sad, inferior mixed into one raging in his heart.

Does he accept Angga? a man who is near perfect while he is just a poor, unkempt girl, who must keep fighting for the life of her family.

Angga ventured to hold Zia's hands tightly together. He wanted to get an answer behind Zia's cries. Then he took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped Zia's tears.

"Don't cry, please Zia don't cry, I can't see you like this, my heart is like a slice. Look at me Zia, look me in the eye please, say after this I can still be your friend?"

Finally Zia returned the hand of Angga, tightly she continued to hold it.

He was unable to say a word, unable to open his mouth to reply to the words of love that had been expressed by Angga.

"Thank you Zia, thank you, here's your answer. Look at me Zia and answer me, may I fasten my heart in your heart so that I may be more sure of your answer."

Zia looked into Angga's eyes while smiling and nodding slowly with the rest of the happy tears still floating in her eyes.

"Thank God, thank God that you have granted my prayer. May you be my soul mate of the world and the hereafter, Aamiiin."

Then both pray for their love to be blessed and last forever.

Happiness was in the eyes of both. Two hearts have been intertwined in a bond called love. To convince her heart, Zia now ventured to ask Angga.

"What makes you love me?aren't there many beautiful, kind and rich women out there who love and crave your love, whereas I'm just a filthy woman born into a poor family that doesn't deserve you."

Angga did not directly answer Zia's question, he covered Zia's mouth with his index finger while taking out his cellphone and then playing a song entitled, he said,

" Love Karna Cinta" sung by Judika singer from Medan.

" Let's hear the meaning like that's my heart's answer to your question."

...I'm just an ordinary man...

...I can feel pain and happiness...

...Let me talk...

...So that you can understand too...

...You made my heart shake...

...The taste I forgot to feel...

...Without knowing why...

...All I know is that this is love...

...Love because of love...

...You don't need to ask...

...Without reason love comes and reigns...

...Love because of love...

...Don't ask why...

...Can't explain because this heart has spoken...

...You made my heart shake...

...Your smile means everything...

...Without me noticing...

...Perched into the chest...

...Love because of love...

...You don't need to ask...

...Without reason love comes and reigns...

...Love because of love...

...Don't ask why...

...Can't explain because this heart has spoken...

...Love because of love...

...You don't need to ask...

...Without reason love comes and reigns...

...Love because of love...

...Don't ask why...

...Can't explain because this heart has spoken...

...Can't explain because this heart has spoken...

After the chant of the song ended Angga continued his speech, saying,

"The one who has the right to determine whether you deserve my love is not me, not you or anyone.But He is the one who has the right, He who created us. He's the one who's cultivating that feeling inside here", as Angga points towards his chest.

"This is my love Zia, God willing my love for you is for Allah."