It Turns out There's Love
12 - THE LOVER

Before long Fariz had returned, the blue handkerchief in her hand had now been wet.

The handsome man again sat down and repeated to clean the inside of Zafira's shoes with a handkerchief that he had washed clean with water in the toilet.

Zafira continued to pay attention to Fariz's work, which he said was patient and painstaking. The girl smiled looking at Fariz, feeling lucky to have a best friend as Fariz.

"Now it's clean, put it on," Fariz took the pair of brown shoes and put them right in front of Zafira's feet still standing with her bare feet.

The girl immediately obeyed Fariz's words, immediately put her feet into shoes that were clean but still wet.

"Cold huh?" asked Fariz looking towards Zafira.

"Little, it's okay to dry yourself, too" replied Zafira.

Fariz simply nodded then threw the handkerchief into the litter box not far from where it was.

"It's a pity that your hand was a victim" Zafira said with a sorry face.

"It's okay, there's nothing to think about, let's go to the cafeteria," Fariz stepped up following Zafira's nod.

"Where are your friends? Why aren't they with you?" asked Fariz again.

"Occasionally, they are busy with personal affairs, some go to the cafeteria with their girlfriends, some go to the library to accompany their girlfriends, I am always left alone, annoyed!," Zafira grumbled.

"Misone by yourself, find a distant boyfriend. Why not find a close one?," Fariz smiled teasingly at Zafira.

"You mean it?" Zafira reflexively turned to the side, looking at Fariz.

"Yes, that's also if you're willing," Fariz smiled again, even though that smile was just a fake smile engraved on the lips, even though in Fariz's heart he always felt sad.

"No want! I just want to be friends with you, nothing more, but I also don't want you to be away from me" Zafira said honestly.

"you mean? Don't want to be far? How are you, just wanting to be friends with me but not getting away from me?" asked Fariz to clarify Zafira's words.

"Yes, just like me with Zafran. I don't want Zafran to be away from me. Because if anything happens to me, Zafran is always there to protect me. Just like you, every time I need something, you're the one who helps me and prioritizes me all the time. You and Zafran are brothers who will not be replaced with anyone, that's why I don't want to be away from you two" Zafira said.

Fariz was stunned, a throbbing pain sliced through his heart hearing Zafira's words that considered him only a brother.

"That means there's no hope for me to get into your heart?," Fariz asked starting seriously.

"Start again, right? Discussing this issue continues," said Zafira manyun.

"Well, if you don't want to talk about this" Fariz said, sounding disappointed, and breaking off the conversation about his feelings.

Five minutes later, they had reached the cafeteria and were sitting at tables facing each other.

"I ordered meatballs and mineral water. What message do you want?" Zafira asked the friend.

"I ordered chicken noodles and ice cappucino only,"

"Can't! You ordered ice yesterday, today you want another ice message. It is not good to drink ice every day, later you can get tonsils. Order mineral water only," Zafira reminded Fariz.

"Yes, it's up to you" Fariz relented and will always follow Zafira's wishes.

As they were still waiting for the order to arrive, Fariz suddenly remembered Zafira's shoes that were still wet.

"Take off your shoes, let your feet not cool" Fariz suggested.

"Oh yes, I almost forgot, thanks you always remind me," said Zafira immediately remove the shoes he wore.

That's what Fariz always does, every minute, every moment always pay attention to everything about Zafira.

After finishing the meal, the two still sat relaxing in the cafeteria while playing their respective phones.

Fariz saw Zafira smiling, typing something on the screen.

"You're having a chat with Ronald?" Fariz guessed very precisely, because he knew, if Zafira was playing with a cell phone and making a smile, it must be that she was texting Ronald.

"Yes," said Zafira short, still with eyes fixed on the mobile phone screen.

Suddenly the cellphone held by Zafira rang, Zafira's smile seemed to expand when he saw the name listed on the phone screen and immediately lifted the phone connection.

"Hallo honey," Ronald's voice from across the street sounded friendly.

"Hallo too honey," Zafira replied no less friendly.

Fariz's originally bright face was suddenly gloomy, his eyes glancing at the girl sitting opposite him then lowered their heads.

"What are you doing?" asked Ronald.

"Just finished lunch with Fariz," Zafira replied then glanced at Fariz who was looking down playing the phone, not without reason Fariz lowered his head like that, he kept his moping face.

"Nothing happened between me and Fariz. You just calm down. Fariz is my best friend, from the beginning until whenever he will be my best friend and also my brother. I love Fariz just as much as I love Zafran," Zafira explained honestly.

That's why Ronald doesn't feel jealous of Fariz and allows Zafira to remain friends with Fariz, because for decades Zafira was friends with Fariz but the girl's feelings remain the same, unchanged, always consider Fariz his friend and brother, that is the belief for Ronald if the lover will never turn to Fariz.

"Alright then, I trust you. Be careful there, keep your heart from your loyal admirer! Don't fall in love with him!" Ronald reminded Zafira.

"Well, I'll take care of my heart, you don't have to worry" Zafira assured the lover.

"All right, I'll hang up. I'll call back later tonight. I miss you honey." said Ronald then in a very friendly voice.

"I Miss you too honey." replied Zafira smiling and turning off the phone.

Fariz was still looking down pretending to be busy with a cell phone in his hand. While his heart for the tens of times slashed to hear the romantic talks between Zafira and Ronald that he always heard.

"Fariz, do you want to get into class now?" Zafira asked the figure who was still down playing the phone.

But Fariz did not listen to the question of the girl in front of him, his mind and heart were troubled, so his ears became hearing loss.

"Fariz!," Zafira snapped his best friend's finger, making Fariz aware of the burden of the mind that was wrapped around him.

"I-yes, what's the matter?" asked Fariz in surprise.

"That you, I asked back and asked!," Zafira grumbled.

"I'm sorry, I was busy answering the chat," Fariz tried to lie about the feeling of his heart being slashed.

"Who are you talking to?" Zafira asked curiously, extending her neck, trying to glance at Fariz's phone.

"What do you know? This is my secret, "Fariz tried to brighten the look on his face that had been grim.

"Douh, it seems that you have now started to turn away from me, when do you want to introduce me who is the lucky girl?," Zafira smiled happily to see that her best friend had opened her heart to another girl.

"Nobody," Fariz murmured at Zafira for never caring about the feelings in his heart.

"So you said you were replying to a chat? Who else if not a girl" said Zafira still teasing Fariz.

"Hmm, I'm not that easy to like another girl," Faris grumbled.

"Riz," suddenly a girl had been sitting on a chair beside Fariz.

Zafira and Fariz turned to the girl who had sat at a table with them.

"Wilda?," Fariz mentioned the girl's name.

Wilda is a faculty friend of Fariz, who has always tried to get the handsome man's heart.

"Have you eaten Riz?" Wilda asked while looking at the bowl on the table.

"I just finished eating. What are you doing here?" asked Fariz in surprise.

"Later home in the afternoon, I'm going to Gramedia to find some books, you want to not take me?" asked the girl, hoping that the handsome man would fulfill her request.

This is to the many times Wilda tried to find an excuse to invite Fariz to go with her.

"Sorry Wil, I can't. Later in the afternoon I'll take Zafira home,"

Hearing that, Zafira immediately let out a voice.

"Fariz, I'm going home with Zafran, so you can drive Wil.." Zafira suddenly interrupted after the girl saw Fariz's eyes swooping sharply at her, signaled that Zafira would not continue with her sentence.

"Zafira says he's coming home with Zafran, why would you want to drive him?" Wilda asked in surprise.

"So Zafran called me, he said this afternoon he wanted to see his friend, so he told me to take Zafira home" Fariz said.

Zafira shook her head at Fariz's reply, the girl knowing that Fariz had deliberately made an excuse to reject Wilda's request.

"Come on Zafira, let's go to class," Fariz said.

"First yes Wil," said Zafira rising from his seat and accompanying Fariz's steps.

Wilda did not answer, he hit the table, sniffing angrily at Zafira.

Wilda knew Fariz and Zafira were best friends. And Wilda also knew from Fariz's own mouth that the handsome man actually liked Zafira, for that reason Fariz always ignored Wilda and always refused whenever the girl tried to ask him out.

Highlight Wilda's sharp eyes full of hate watching the two friends who continue to walk away from the canteen.

...*******...