The Halal Love
25
The monitor screen is brightly lit. A page of active word processing software and pointer flickers in the middle of the paragraph. The keyboard was forgotten, untouched for a few minutes. Nothing moves except the light from the mouse. The red light from the bottom of the black mouse shimmered illuminating a thin rectangular object. One of them was imprinted with a faint gray fingerprint.
“Hmmm.” There was the sound of a girl thumping from the door.
Samuel who sat in front of the PC. Her hair fell over her temples. The man was only fully aware of his daydream, as Vika approached and sat beside him. “Where is your relationship with Nisa?”
Samuel took a deep breath. “Ya gitu.”
“Ya how is it? Aren't you guys dating?”
Samuel shook his head, “There is no courtship in Islam. He said it.”
Vika frowned wonder, “Even Islam does not allow courtship? Why?”
“Say Islam never offers a solution for two people who fall in love with each other other other than commitment.” Answer Samuel.
Vika was still dissatisfied with Samuel's reply. “Not going out is also a commitment?”
Samuel slicked his shoulders. “Ilmu I'm in that direction is still shallow. I don't want to misunderstand. If you want to know more details, meet Nisa.”
“Gue hasn't seen him since Ramadan Safari ended.”
“Gue can nemenin you meet him.” Samuel.
Vika glanced at Samuel at a glance then turned the matany ball. “Mode right, lo?”
Samuel laughing, “Gue just good intentions.”
The creaking sound of the door being pushed from outside stopped Samuel and Vika's conversation.
“Gue tired, tired, careless kayak ginian.” Fathur slammed the thick envelope onto the floor.
Samuel and Vika just stared at Fathur's behavior.
“All speakers on busy. There are no more of them in his room.” Fathur took a sitting position next to Samuel. “Prof. Nurman could not be the speaker this year. You think, who is suitable to be his replacement.”
“Pak Saher?” Vika finally opened her voice.
Vika's idea was met with a snort from Fathur's lips. “Lo sure? This will be a welcome. Can be two hours if he who ngisi.”
“For the reception already there is a rector I equal rector II. We also have a public influencer, what if the author? They can share the science of authorship while growing interest in reading.” Samuel, who had been silent since, responded this time.
Vika flicked both her fingers, “Good idea. It is not easy to make a promise with a writer. It's already H-6 loh.”
“We are looking for original writers from Jakarta. Let me take care of.”
Like getting an injection of spirit back, Fathur stood up excitedly. As if forgetting, that he had come with a look of despair.
*****
“What's up?”
Nisa stood in front of the Gazebo, looking sideways from Samuel's standing position. The girl had just finished college at the last hour, even she had just gotten a step out of the classroom door, when Samuel suddenly stood in front of his class with the deathly smile he used to crush women.
“You're back together?”
Nisa glanced at Samuel. A watchful antenna was flashing on his head.
“Eh I mean, I ride my own motorbike, you ride your own motorbike. I'm going to the Pesantren. All together, so.” Samuel corrected his words when he saw Nisa who had changed her facial expression.
“You go first. I still have business.”
“I waitin.” Sela Samuel fast.
“I'm still a long time.”
“Ngak papa's. Stay me waitin.”
Nisa exhaled a rough breath. He had forgotten who he was dealing with now. Samuel was the most stubborn of all creatures. Even everyone knows about it.
“There is no need what to go to Pesantren?” Nisa asked in a calm tone.
Samuel straightened his back after leaning behind the pillar. “
“You learn njai. You told me, right?”
Nisa was about to curse herself. Besides being stubborn, Samuel was an accomplished claimant. The man never forgets what people say to him that is considered important, especially if it is a promise, then until death he will remember it. And unfortunately, Nisa just found out about it.
“Then please wait.” Nisa looked at the clock that was coiled around her wrist. “About half an hour I'll be back.”
Samuel nodded. Her sweet smile. If you do not immediately turn your face away, then Nisa will be hypnotized with the smile. The girl spoke Istighfar many times in the heart.
“Cautious.” Samuel waved his hand as Nisa left. And again Nisa's heart beat unnaturally.
*****
When he arrived at Pesantren, the first thing Samuel saw was the sight of the Santri who were busy preparing to enter the maghrib prayer. There are those who have been sitting in the head of the mosque, some are wearing full prayer clothes but are still busy here and there, some are still frenzied scrambling for the turn of ablution.
Samuel himself just stood watching the noise. Until a running santri accidentally hit him. “Eh, sorry, Bang, sorry.” Said the santri while bowing his head.
Samuel smiled. He never saw children their age who were so polite to older people, so that every santri who passed him always looked down with the word “permission” when passing. And the santri in front of him is currently apologizing like a person who just made a big mistake. He accidentally hit Samuel.
“Santri here is indeed taught to respect people who are older than them. Adab on the science.”
A man wearing a white robe and skullcap approached Samuel. The man's face was clean and glowing. There were two black marks on the temple.
Seeing his different appearance, Samuel could guess, that the man before him was not a santri. Because his face still looks young, if estimated age is still around 28 years.
“I Naim. One of the teaching staff at this Pesantren.” The man first introduced himself.
Samuel stretched out his hand, looking friendly.
“What do you need, yes?” Naim reopens the sound.
“I no need same Ustadz Agam.”
Naim smiling. “Oh Ustadz Agam. He is preparing for Maghrib. We better pray together first, yes.”
Samuel nodded with a friendly smile. He followed Naim to perform congregational prayers at the Pesantren Mosque.
*****
Nisa had been waiting in the Mulaqot Room for the Pesantren son, to wait for Samuel's arrival. The man had said he wanted to perform maghrib prayer first, but it was past the time of Maghrib prayer since then, he had not shown his nose in front of Nisa.
“Ngapain here, Nduk?”
Almost Nisa lurched backwards if only the balance was not good. The familiar voice surprised him. When he looked up, he found Abinya's face full of questions.
“Wait until Nisa, Bi.” Nisa replied hesitatingly.
Abi took a comfortable position by sitting in front of Nisa. “Temen? Wh who? Sarah's? How in Pesantren putra?” Abi hides Nisa with a few questions, making her want to answer which one first.
“Ehm, one Bi..”
“Assalamu’alaikum.”
Nisa did not have time to finish her sentence when two people were seen entering the Mulaqot room. Just about to breathe a sigh of relief, Nisa was made again shocked and was was was was to see the presence of Samuel.
Samuel kissed Abi Nisa's hand with reverence. “What's up Mr. Kyai.”
Abi was still observing the young man before him. Secretly Nisa glanced at her regional interactions.
“Alhamdulillah, fine. You did not have a Ramadan safari here yesterday, right?”
Samuel nodded, plus with his flagship smile that featured a neat row of his teeth. “White Mr. Kyai. I'm Samuel.” Politely said.
Mr. Kyai mangosteen. “What do you need, son?”
Nisa plays the tip of her hijab, she's gelish. He was making sure that at this time Abinya must be glancing at him with a questionable glance that he used to throw when he was suspicious of Nisa.
“Oh, then have you met Ustadz Agam?” Instead of – showing an expression of dislike, Abi threw a question to Samuel in a friendly tone.
Samuel nodded. “Already, Mr. Kyai.”
“Then is your business done?”
Samuel nodded again, “Already, Mr. Kyai.”
“Already, please finish your business first.” Abi glanced at Nisa, making Nisa like a cat who was caught helping a fish. “I'm sorry. Come, Im.”
Nisa gawks, amazed by Abinya's usual super overprotective temperament, but at this time she gives Nisa the opportunity to spend time with Samuel.
After Abi's departure, Nisa still remained silent in her place. Even his eyes were still watching Abi's back moving further and further away.
“Why Nis?”
Samuel broke Nisa's daydream.
“Ngak papa's. So how? Have you seen Ustadz Agam?” As usual, Nisa looked calm.
Samuel sat down on the rattan chair, which was right in front of Nisa. “Already. I have to come here regularly to learn njai, he said.
Nisa nodded. “Then you can go home.”
“You evicted me?” Samuel was offended by Nisa's words that impressed him to tell him to leave immediately.
Nisa laughing. The first laugh the girl showed me was when she knew Samuel. Nisa almost never smiled or laughed in front of Samuel, at best nodding her head or putting on her innocent face. He showed more of the cold and serious face he had.
*****
Time chases and demands that Alila quickly leave the mirror. But until this moment, he still set himself in front of the mirror. Facing the reflected shadow and showing the figure of a girl who looks at meu. He added mascara to the eyelashes and daubed brown eyeshadow on the eyelids.
The sound of a phone ringing loud on the nightstand makes the attention of the girl distracted.
“Halo, Alila, I'm already ahead.”
Alila nodded. He knew clearly the man across there would not have seen his nod. But he was just being lazy to speak, even when the connection was broken unilaterally. For the last time, Alila observed herself, just checking if anyone was left behind. He closed a gray hood that was only wrapped in a piece of tissue over his head. Sighing deeply, he closed his eyes for a split second, then stepped out.
“Aready?”
Alila nodded, then stepped into the car.
“Rileks aja, no papa. There will be no one who will bully the past lo.”
Alila closed her eyes again. “Do I still deserve?” That voice sounded soft.
The man next to him chuckled, “Sure.” Optimistic said.
“Kahfi, I fear being judged for my past.” The voice sounded vibrating.
Kahfi smiled, trying to channel power to his cousin. “These are not the places of gossip that you often encounter. There's a holy place, where everyone values privacy and keeps in touch the disgrace of others.”
Alila sighed softly. He observed the solid street outside the window. There is always a door of repentance, for those who were filthy in the past. There is always a chance, while the breath can still be freed freely. The girl fell silent, contemplating her unfortunate fate. Fortunately, there are still people who want to accept it, when he was rejected, even by his own mother. Kahfi is her cousin who has been helping Alila in the girl's difficult times. Since losing communication with her nuclear family, Alila no longer gets a dime of money to meet her needs from her parents. Luckily he has Kahfi, who for the past 2 years has been a big sister figure who never left Alila. Even Kahfi was the one who advised Alila to seclude herself in a place that was not met by people she knew. He sent Alila abroad, with the girl's consent.
“La, bengong anyway. Also talked about.”
Alila looks up, “Hah? Why?”
Kahfi refocused his gaze towards the streets. “Gue said, are you sure you want to stay there?”
Alila nodded hesitantly, “Yakin?” His statement is more like a question.
Kahfi turned the car towards a much more deserted passageway compared to the streets of the capital. As soon as he got in front of the big gate, Kahfi turned off the machine. “Disini.”
Alila observed every inch of the region. There were many trees in front, including a large mahogany tree located next to the gate.
“Come in.”
Alila fixed the position of her hood that was being flown by the wind. With a rowdy movement he stepped into the gate.
After passing through the gate, the scenery that can be captured by the two Alila netra is a group of small children who are playing, some are running around, some are playing hide and seek, swing, ball bekel, and others are playing, cranks, dakons, their faces looked elated. Seeing that scene, Alila stroked her slender stomach.
“La, come.”
Kahfi's voice broke his daydream. He returned to his consciousness, then moved following Kahfi's long steps.
“Assalamu’alaikum.”
A girl who was watering plants in a garden overgrown with lots of flowers turned her head, as Kahfi said his greetings. Hurriedly the girl removed the hose in her hand to the ground, then approached Alila and Kahfi who were standing not far from the park area.
“Wa’alaikumussalam. Abi again in Pesantren son, Mas.” Soft talk.
Kahfi smile. Alila was able to catch a different kind of smile that Kahfi threw at the girl before them.
“Then let me meet him there. Before, he knew her, she was Alila. My cousin yamg I told you first.”
The girl looked at Alila, she smiled kindly. There were two faint dimples imprinted on both of his cheeks. Real pretty. She wears a long black headscarf that covers her chest, combined with a plain navy blue robe. So simple, yet she looks graceful. Even Alila had thought, that he was an angel who incarnated into a human being.
The girl reached out her hand. “I Nisa. You must be Alila?”
Alila hesitantly nodded and reached out and shook hands with Nisa.
“Then I excuse you.”
Alila held Kahfi's arm. There was a worried look inside the girl's eyes. Nisa who saw that hurriedly assured. “What if we go in first? Mas Kahfi would like to meet Mr. Kyai first.”
Slowly Alila released her grip on Kahfi's arm.
“Gue Just jerked. And she's a good girl.” Kahfi's whisper to Alila.
As soon as Kahfi's back was out of sight, Nisa held Alila's hand into the House. Nisa knew exactly, there was a sense of unease that Alila was currently feeling. Seen from the movements of the girl who was fidgeting, and the look of her face that showed alienation.
“Wait here.”
Nisa leaves Alila alone. Afterwards he brought back a green tea whose aroma was soothing. “People say, green tea can make the mind calm.” Nisa showed off a beautiful smile of hers.
Alila smiled, this time much more relaxed than before. The girl drank the green tea made by Nisa while inhaling the aroma deeply.
“I just found out, if Mas Kahfi has a cousin as beautiful as this.” Nisa is still trying to build a conversation.
Alila smiled back. “Indeed she never told me?”
Nisa shook her head, “Mas Kahfi rarely stories personal issues with me. At best, she's a fantasy kingdom story version of her.” Nisa chuckles to remember her memories with Kahfi about 10 years ago.
Alila laughed. “You've been deket since when?”
“Since childhood. At that time Mas Kahfi often came here because Om Sahar remained the donor of this foundation. He often comes along, because he wants to meet with the sisters of the home, even though if he has arrived here, what I am looking for. Like to ngerecokin if I again muroja’ah, until the Ustadzah samples on duty hear my rote once chased him to the front of the gate there, because I was bullied until nangis.”
Alila could not hide her laughter. The girl looks friendly now. “I used to not deket Kahfi, even though we were cousins. Mama Papaku rarely attend family gatherings, because my home is in Tasikmalaya, while a large family in Jakarta. But when I started to enter Junior High, my parents moved to Jakarta, but still I did not deket same Kahfi, because my son needed an old adaptation can be familiar with people.”
“But now you guys even look like sister brother.” Nisa.
Alila looked down, trying to hide the sadness in her eyes. But it did not last long, because after that he seemed ordinary again. “Oh yes? Maybe because I don't have a brother time, yes.” Alila ended her sentence with a laugh.
The second conversation ended after seeing the arrival of Kahfi together with Pak Kyai. As soon as they sat down, Kahfi immediately conveyed the purpose and purpose of his arrival.
“So like this Mr. Kyai, Alila here would like to go. He wants to study religion more deeply, please guide him.”
Mr. Kyai smiled, “We open the door for anyone who wants to study religion in earnest. For Alila, you're welcome here. Demand as much science as possible here, son.”
Hearing Mr. Kyai's soft words, like a father talking to his daughter, made Alila remember her late father. In the past, his father was also a gentle figure who almost never spoke harshly to him. His father loved him so much that whatever he wanted would be realized in the blink of an eye. But the feeling of excessive love from his father also caused the man he loved to leave him forever.
