It Turns out There's Love
25 - PERSUADING FARIZ

Fariz still did not answer the words of his mother. Actually the man's heart was still very hard hit knowing Zafira had made plans to marry Ronald. And he's not ready to meet Zafira today either. The emotions inside him were not yet stable enough to speak four eyes to the girl.

"Just go in, son, the door is not locked" Tina shouted from the inside.

The door leaf was slightly pushed from the outside then opened wide. A beautiful girl with long hair tied up originally and still with work clothes appeared from behind the door and with her tiny legs stepped into the room.

Tina walked out of bed to the girl.

Zafira kissed Tina's hand and hugged her.

"Auntie is here apparently? Zafira thinks aunty is resting in the room. How's aunt? okay?," asked Zafira while letting go of a hug.

"Thank you son, good aunt. You're getting prettier, "praise Tina smilingly looking at the young girl in awe and stroking her soft cheeks affectionately.

"Auntie could have. Later Zafira became big head if praised like this," continued Zafira as her eyes glanced at the man sitting pensively on the bed, but the man who glanced at did not notice them at all. His gaze remained fixed on the television screen.

"Alright, auntie get out first. You guys talk first. Remember that! Should be resolved properly. You are adults, you must be able to finish with a cool head," Tina's message was replied Zafira nods.

"Yes aunty Zafira understood," replied Zafira according to Tina's message.

The woman walked out and closed the door tightly.

Zafira put her briefcase on the table next to the bed on the right, then walked up to the bed and sat on the right lip of the bed, beside Fariz who still does not respond to the arrival of Zafira. Now, their distance was only one meter.

"Fariz, we're eating out yuuk... I will treat. We haven't had time to finish the food. I know, your intestines are long, surely now your stomach is still hungry asking for food. I could hear the sound of crayfish, crisps, coming from your stomach" Zafira tried to create a joke to persuade Fariz to point at the man's stomach.

Zafira looked at the disheveled face in front of her. The girl understood, Fariz must be angry and disappointed with her wedding plans. He will try hard to persuade and calm his best friend.

The man was still silent, his eyes still staring at the television screen regardless of the girl beside him.

Zafira moved her head, turning her gaze towards the television. Marvel movies are on the television screen.

"You watch Marvel movies? Your favorite movie, it must be exciting" the girl looked at the television for a few seconds, then turned her eyes back to Fariz, trying to talk but still no response from the man.

The puppet-eye's son was still silent. Zafira was silent. For a few minutes the two were silent to each other until finally the girl shifted her seat closer towards Fariz.

"Fariz, I beg you, forgive me. I don't know why you're being cold to me? Please tell me, what made you suddenly shut me up?" Zafira ventured to feel and hold the man's hand, but Fariz quickly pulled his hand until Zafira's grasp slipped off.

The girl was stunned to get an unpleasant response from Fariz. It was not usual for Fariz to behave like this to him, was it possible that the man's heart was already too sick that he was no longer as tender as he used to be?

It was heard that Zafira took a deep breath and got a cold attitude from her friend. There was a hint of unease in that pretty look.

"How do I apologize to you? I don't know, are you mad at me or at Ronald? Wasn't it okay to eat at the restaurant? but why are you becoming like this now? Is it because I was planning to marry Ronald, which made you mad at me?," asked Zafira in a soft voice, the girl was already feeling pessimistic, he felt Fariz would not forgive him and would stay away from him as the man said in the car park.

Fariz remained silent, not shuffling in the slightest from his place.

"Fariz, speak up, don't shut up" Zafira asked.

Silent mood. Fariz was silent, and Zafira was silent. Only the sound of a slightly noisy television warms the atmosphere in the room that looks stiff and cold.

After a few minutes of silence, the girl finally reopened her voice.

"Fariz, please don't keep quiet. I was tired all day. Tired of work, tired of thinking about you. Please understand. I want to go home, take a shower and rest. If you keep acting like this, how can I go home?" Zafira's voice began to hoarse, his face continued to clear.

Fariz is still tight-lipped. His mouth was locked so tightly. He still could not cool his jealous heart and the enormous inner wound because the adored girl would soon end her bachelorhood by accepting her lover's proposal.

"Fariz, please speak. If you're upset about my wedding plans, then I'm sorry. If you want to be angry, be angry. Don't be quiet like this" the girl repeatedly apologized but Fariz's heart remained untouched.

Fariz still survives by locking his mouth as tightly as possible. Zafira was out of words and ways.the man remained unmoved. Let alone to scold Zafira, a word did not slide from Fariz's mouth.

Twenty minutes Zafira sat there, patiently persuading the friend but with no results. Fariz remains silent a thousand languages. The girl felt overwhelmed and ended up opting out of the room, as the man still had no intention of forgiving her.

Outside the room, Tina deliberately sat in the living room waiting for Zafira to come out of the child's room.

"Hows it? Did Fariz want to talk to you?" Tina stood with a curious look.

Zafira shook her head with a lethargic-looking face.

"Fariz just shut up, aunt. Zafira did not know how to persuade him anymore," the girl's voice sounded resigned.

"Fariz's heart must be messed up, you're patient, baby," comforted Tina rubbed the girl's shoulder.

"Yes aunty, Zafira could understand Fariz's feelings. Zafira's out for a bit, Zafira's coming back here,"

"Where are you going, son? It's almost magrib," Tina worriedly glanced at the wall clock that had been showing at 17:30 p.m.

"Zafira just went a little aunty. Magrib must have gone home," said the girl to calm Tina's heart.

"Well, you be careful. Slowly take the car," Tina's message followed Zafira who had stepped out of the house.

And it only took two minutes for the girl to dart away driving her fancy car out of Fariz's parents' house.

Tina could only shake her head at Zafira's departure. The woman had no idea what the girl would do outside.

Actually, Tina really hopes Zafira can be her daughter-in-law, in addition to being smart, Zafira is also a good and caring girl. Tina believes that if Zafira becomes Fariz's wife, her son's life will be very happy.

But a cloudy look suddenly appeared on the woman's face. He knew that Zafira had no feelings for his son.

That's what makes Tina always think about how the future of Fariz if Zafira married another man? And what was the fate of his son after he was left married by Zafira? Every time she thought about it, Tina made her heart ache to see the love of the child who just clapped one hand.

Thirty minutes later, the voice of the adhan Magrib resounded, and Zafira's car had entered Fariz's parents' yard.

The girl came with a lot of luggage in her hands.

There were about ten boxes of rice she brought.

Tina who had been worriedly waiting for Zafira's arrival on the porch of the house, immediately greeted the girl who had just come out of the car.

"Tante, this is Zafira buying rice boxes, all for the workers here," Zafira raised a little plastic bag in her right hand showing Tina.

"There are so many children, in this house there are only seven people," Tina replied looking at the plastic in Zafira's hands.

"It's okay aunt, if it doesn't run out, it can be for tomorrow. The food can be put in the refrigerator so it does not stale," said Zafira gave advice.

"Yes already, let's go in, here aunty helps bring it," Tina's hand grabbed the plastic in Zafira's hand but the girl rejected it quickly.

"Eh no need for aunts, this is just a rice box, not a treasure box. Zafira can still bring her alone," said the girl who made Tina suddenly laugh at Zafira's jokes that were always warm in Tina's ears.

"There's just this auntie," Tina laughed happily.

The two immediately entered the house and headed for the kitchen.

"These two boxes are for Fariz and Zafira, please separate aunty. Zafira prayed for a while" said the girl, putting her luggage on the dining table.

"Yes, pray first, aunty also wants to pray. You pray in the guest room only, there are mukena and prayer mats there. The name's gonna separate, auntie,"

Zafira nodded then walked to the guest room which did not need to be shown again by the host because the girl had memorized the ins and outs of this house. Since childhood Zafira and Zafran used to play in this house until adulthood they still often visit here with Laras and Arga. So no wonder, if the girl had considered Fariz's parents' house like her own.

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