The Arabic Teacher

Rejected Again

Vita felt guilty because of her misunderstanding to ustadz Dafi who thought he already had a prospective companion. Vita met Fitri, Dafi's sister who had just returned from her studies in Cairo.

Vita told me many things about ustadz Dafi including his rejection.

"Geez, you are blind maybe, beautiful gini kok rejected," said Fitri.

After talking for a long time, Vita decided to go home soon. Now there is no reason to stop pursuing his love, just need one more step to be able to get love ustadz Dafi, which is through a deep path. Yes, through her family, Vita was very sure that ustadz Dafi would not refuse this time.

*****

The day of determination for his efforts in studying for three years in this gray uniform is plastered on the leaves of the names of graduating students.

Everyone was jostling to see each other's names. Lala and Vita take pains to get in front of the mading looking at their names.

"Vit, I graduated. Thank God, I graduated," Lala cheered, happy to see the writing pass in the row of her name.

"Find my name, La!"

Lala nodded, with her index finger, she went down the line of writing on the sheet of paper.

"Vit, you passed the highest grade" Lala cried.

"Seriously? Let me see!" Vita stepped closer to be able to feel the writing that he said graduated with the highest score.

"Thank God, my efforts have not been in vain" Vita shed her tears. His effort and learning did not disappoint, the result made him very satisfied.

Ustadz, I graduated! My status is no longer as a student, hopefully this time ustadz do not refuse.

*****

To two parents Vita asked him to continue college, Vita himself was still worried to continue his school or not. To be sure, he was currently waiting for someone who managed to disturb his heart and mind.

Vita grew closer to the Ustadz Dafi family, especially Umi Kulsum. Meanwhile, Fitri, now he replaced ustadz Dafi as a maple teacher of Arabic at the school Aliyah Aliyah As-Salam.

"Umi, when will ustadz Dafi come home?"

"God willing in a week, son," he replied with a smile.

"Really, Umi?" Vita sparkled as Umi Kulsum nodded. His heart was growing more flowery, he felt impatient to meet and question the feelings of Ustadz Dafi at that time.

So missed..

It had been almost two months since Dafi left, but the longing that Vita felt was already mounting. He could not speak but be happy waiting for his return.

Vita decided to go home considering it was already very late afternoon.

"This is for your mother, do not forget to say hello Umi!" Umi Kulsum gave Vita a bushel for her parents.

"Thank you very much, Mi. Sorry to bother."

"Not at all, tomorrow-tomorrow play again huh? Umi!"

Vita nodded,"God willing, Umi. Vita came home first, assalammualaikum."

"Getishalight."

Vita drives her bike down the stretch of road. After arriving at home, Vita saw Lala was walking back and forth on her porch like a broken iron.

Not yet he got off the bike, Lala approached him with a bunch of questions.

"Where are you trying? Why not convince me? Don't you just find a new guy? Or go somewhere I don't know?"

"That's just?"

"Belom, you haven't answered my question."

"Seriously? There is no Ustadz Dafi, do you often go there?"

"Why is there no Ustadz Dafi? Umi is the same Ustadzah Fitri, right?"

Lala finally understood the purpose of Vita. Actually interweaving silahturahmi because there is a certain purpose is the wrong thing. But how else? Life has to go on, right?

"Vit, you sure ustadz Dafi will nerima lo after your status is not a student anymore?"

"Must be sure dong, ustadz Dafi is my soul mate, period!"

"Persuator of destiny, lo."

"It wasn't wrong before."

Lala herself felt unsure of Vita's too high expectations for the love of ustadz Dafi. Given the rejection he had been up to, there must have been many reasons for it besides age and status.

*****

Early in the morning, Vita asked her mother and father for permission to take ustadz Dafi to the airport.

A feeling that could not be expressed in words, Vita was only able to imagine that she would soon become the mistress of Dafi.

The car has arrived at the airport parking lot, Vita, Umi Kulsum and Fitri walk to the place waiting for the return of passengers.

About fifteen minutes of waiting, the long-awaited figure finally appeared. Vita looked unblinkingly, ustadz Dafi was seen pangling after two months of not seeing him. Ustadz Dafi saluted Uminya, then continued with his sister. He only caught a glimpse of Vita's whereabouts there, ustadz Dafi did not greet her, his gaze and expression did not change, still flat as before.

"Assalammualaikum, Umi."

The veiled woman approached Umi Kulsum and endured it.

"Vaalaikumsalam. It's Rania?"

"Na'am, Umi, time forgot."

"Where maybe Umi forgot, you used to play together with Dafi, often cry if Dafi had other friends, what else women. MasyaAllah if you want your childhood, Umi misses," he said with enthusiasm, memory about their childhood suddenly twisted.

Degs...

Vita who heard that only suddenly her heart was filled with pain. The woman was a childhood friend of ustadz Dafi who was very familiar with his family. And he's with ustadz Dafi? Does that mean that this woman is the real candidate?

Like strangers, Vita is only a listener among those who treat each other longing. No one asked him to speak, not even Ustadz Dafi said that.

Vita asked permission to go to Toliet, but when she was about to go out, her body accidentally collided with ustadz Dafi.

"I'm sorry, Ustad I accidentally," said Vita.

Ustadz Dafi nodded, "It's okay." He was about to resume his steps, but a second later Vita called out to him.

"The same question as two months ago, ustadz. Does ustadz love me?"

Ustadz Dafi was seen breathing deeply."How many times have I told you, Anty is too young to understand love. And status any..

"I graduated, ustadz. My status is no longer a student. For age, I don't think love can be measured by its age, but how genuine it feels."

"I'm very grateful, but I'm sorry..."

"Is it because of a woman named Rania?" Vita slashed the words of ustadz Dafi, his eyes were already foggy feeling unable to hear the rejection answer that always ustadz Dafi gave to him.

"It may be," the short answer ustadz Dafi but very clear meaning for Vita.

"Thank you for this pain, ustadz. Thank you for the rejection that many times ustadz gave, thank you for everything. Hopefully with the last we meet here, I can organize my heart well while burying my feelings deeply. I can only say, may ustadz Dafi be happy with his choice, I excuse ustadz, assalamualaikum."

⁇ ️TBC️