The Wasted Bride

New Friends

The hustle and bustle of Calgary City has started to become an everyday sight for Arwaa. He was a little worried when Uncle Jhonny left himself, but was now getting used to it. Moreover, the neighbors of the apartment are friendly, also attentive.

Yeah, except for Seba, and Eric.

With Seba and Eric, Arwaa does somewhat understand the reason the two people are always cynical if they meet him. Seba, he did have a rather bad idea about a Muslim after the death of his brother as a result of the September 11, 2001 attacks, in New York City and Washington DC. So Emma told me when Arwaa complained about Seba's changing attitude, especially after Uncle Jhonny left. Before that, the man was quite friendly to her.

Eric, he doesn't like it because Arwaa always keeps her distance. Not arrogant or anything, but according to Arwaa the man really just wanted to play around with him.

Even Eric until he called himself a holy pretender when Arwaa refused his date some time ago, by comparing if many Muslim women who have a relationship before marriage.

However, Arwaa still tries to be friendly to Seba and Eric because after all they are his neighbors. People he might ask for help if something happens. Especially if you remember that Seba is a police officer.

In addition Arwaa also met Grace, she is a neighbor in front of Arwaa's apartment. Their first meeting was actually on campus when Arwaa helped Grace when the girl was in the bully.

Arwaa thought in this country there is no bullying as is common in the country of his birth. But it turns out he was wrong, it was worse, and what made Arwaa inexhaustible was the people around who witnessed no one tried to stop it.

If Arwaa had not come to stop the 3 girls who bullied Grace they could have pulled the girl's feeding tube.

Yeah, Grace she's kind of special about having to use a feeding tube or nasogastric tube to get her the nutrients or the food and medicine she needs.

After the incident they became close, moreover they were neighbors. From what Grace told me, she had previously experienced stomach bleeding due to difficulty swallowing food due to trauma from bullying done by family and school friends because she used to say she was a fat child.

Hence it requires the installation of nasogastric tube/feeding tube. This process is known as nasogastric intubation (NG). During the installation of this tool, the doctor or nurse will insert a thin plastic tube through the nostril, then down into the esophagus and to the tip inside the stomach. Once these tubes are installed, they can use them to give the wearer the food and medicine they need.

Arwaa just clenched her lips as long as Grace told her about her sadness, trying to understand and manage everything that had happened in her life was not as bad as Grace had to go through.

The 22-year-old girl is indeed very easy to gain weight, even though she only eats a little. Plus he said he was very different from his family members who could be said to have a beautiful face, and a diluted brain.

Her mother was a show host. His father was a lawyer who trusted many people. And her sister is a famous model. While he was only the last child that was not expected at all, especially the face he was a little different from his family because only he had freckles.

That is why he is always restless and not confident at all times. And eventually he becomes reluctant to eat, after eating will surely vomit. That is why now he uses feeding tube to keep the nutrients that enter his body after previously he had to be treated for almost a month due to malnutrition.

Arwaa's blood rippled. What a great girl 2 years younger than her. Can be this strong to face the trials of life that are so heavy.

That was how they became friends. Not infrequently they also leave together to campus when they have the same schedule. Grace also stayed at her place.

"I can sleep well if you're Arwaa's. Especially when you read your sacred book, it's so quiet that my heart feels" he said.

Arwaa was happy to hear that. He hoped that God would send his best friend down someday. Seeing how Grace was very curious about everything related to Islam.

***

Drrt... Drrt...

Arwaa looked at Grace's phone on the dining table.

'Marius', the name on his best friend's phone screen.

Arwaa is confused, should she lift it because Grace is in the bathroom.

Yasudah rather than say presumptuous later, Arwaa also knocked on the bathroom door.

"Grace called" Arwaa said after the sound of water in her bathroom stopped.

"Who?" Shouting Grace from inside made Arwaa chuckle a little.

"Marius."

"Oh, you just pick up. He's my cousin, just tell him I'm in poop."

Arwaa scratched her head in confusion. As close as Arwaa is to Grace, she has never met or spoken to any other family member.

With a slight hesitation Arwaa touched the green button on Grace's phone screen.

"God..."

"WHERE'S YOUR GRACE? WHY ISN'T THERE AT HOME TONIGHT LIKE THIS. DON'T ACT STUPID ANYMORE!!"

Arwaa put away Grace's phone as the person across the street shouted making Arwaa's ears ring a little.

"Grace... Grace... HELLO! You're there, right?! Hey answer me!!"

Arwaa put Grace's phone back in her ear as soon as she heard the caller speaking more slowly.

"Call..."

Silence moment. There was no word from the caller.

"Pulse... Hi, I'm Arwaa Grace's friend. Grace's on the toilet, so she can't pick up your phone..."

"Where are you?"

His voice sounded so cold enough to make Arwaa shudder.

"I... That, in the sa..."

"Where?!"

Arwaa grumbled annoyed because from earlier her words continued to be cut.

'Tut'

Arwaa stared in disbelief at Grace's dead phone screen. It's not polite, my cousin Grace.

'Tiii...'

The sound of Arwaa's apartment bell rang. With a stomp of his feet he headed forward after he put on his instant veil that was hung on the chair.

Already Arwaa can estimate who the person who rang the bell of his apartment. Slightly taking a breath, calming down in order to greet his guests kindly even though Arwaa's heart was grumbling with annoyance. Guests should be respected, right?!

'Ckek'

A man of great stature and height, standing with his brows in chains looked at Arwaa from the front of the door. He noticed the way Arwaa dressed which could be said to be quite foreign to him.

While Arwaa himself was fascinated by the good looks of the man in front of him. With thick eyebrows, blonde hair, a firm jaw, and eyes that can make anyone who sees it as if sucked into it.

Athaghfirullah!

Arwaa. He immediately shook his head, awakening himself. He was almost tempted by the promptings of the devil to continue to enjoy the beauty of one of God's creations which clearly should not be.

Allahuahbar... Allahuahbar...

"You're Grace's friend?" The man's question made Arwaa look up at him, but immediately lowered her head.

The blonde-haired man's forehead was wrinkled to find Arwaa's attitude which he thought was strange. But he did not care because he immediately barged in after saying that Grace was in Arwaa's apartment.

"That means he's here!"

Arwaa chills to see a man who looks like Grace's cousin just walk into her apartment, but he has not yet let her know.

His eyes were round when he saw the man he knew named Marius from the name stored on Grace's phone was about to open Arwaa's room.

"Hey!" Shouted Arwaa immediately ran and held Marius' hand which was willing to open his room.

"Why are you so disrespectful. Main broke through to my apartment and was now about to enter my room" Arwaa exclaimed, removing Marius' hand from the doorknob of her room.

"You think I believe."

"What?"

Arwaa stared at the blonde-haired wonder.

"You said you were Grace's friend, right?!"

"I am his friend..."

"Bullsh*t!"

Arwaa's hands clenched. What did he mean to curse like that.

"You are the umpteenth person who would care if they were my cousin's friends. In fact, all they did was use and hurt Grace,"

"So what's your purpose in approaching it? The money? Hah well I'll give it to you as long as you don't bother Grace anymore!"

Arwaa let out an annoyed breath and closed her eyes for a moment before she stared at her best friend's cousin sharply.

"Alright, you want to see Grace, don't you? Then please come out and wait for your cousin in his apartment. I'll have Grace meet you right away after she finishes her business on the toilet. Ok?!"

"My apartment door is still wide open. Please go first because I don't accept brash guests like you" Arwaa pressed with a hand that let Grace's cousin out.

Arwaa sighed looking at Marius who was just silent in his place with a glare of eyes piercing towards him.

"Come on, follow me. In case you can't find the way out, I'll guide you!" [Come, follow me. If you can't find a way out, let me show you!] Arwaa's circus flicked her head for Marius to follow her towards the apartment door.

Just as Arwaa was walking a few steps back to Marius, the man suddenly pulled his hand and pushed Arwaa up against the wall, and Marius locked Arwaa with both hands.

Arwaa tried to shift her face so as not to come into contact with the face of Marius who was only 5 cm in front of her.

In his heart, Arwaa relentlessly chanted do'a and beristighfar in order to face this ordeal. He cannot be weak and trouble others. Especially Uncle Jhonny.

"Sounds like you don't know me hum?! Just this time the person who claimed to be Grace's friend dared to treat me like that."

Next to Arwaa's eyebrows raised and gave a small smile, trying to hide her fear. Not until the man sees himself as a weak woman. There are enough pebbles of life that can make it stand alone.

"Of course I know you" said Arwaa paused her sentence.

"You're someone who needs oxygen to live, like me and everyone else on this world. Am I right?!" [You are the one who needs oxygen to live, like me and everyone else in the world. Right?!]

Arwaa answered so merely to show the man if for Arwaa there is nothing to fear or respect other than the Creator.

But it seems that the answer given by Arwaa even made Marius more offended, until he raised one hand to hit the wall intending to make Arwaa afraid.

"Yes....!"

***