Loving You Through Do'A
7. Slander

That morning Zahra came late to school, as she helped her ummah to pack clothes into a suitcase. But in the classroom there was no teacher, finally Zahra immediately sat beside Bela. As he entered the class all his friends fell silent, the class seemed silent at their respective busyness, as did Bela who did not greet Zahra as usual.

Even Bela seemed to avoid Zahra, he really did not know why the entire disciple seemed to be hostile to him. They did not berate but why was his gaze so cynical on Zahra.

During the break, Bela went straight to the cafeteria with some of her classmates without inviting Zahra. Knowing everyone was avoiding, Zahra decided to go to the mosque and perform the Dhuha prayer. There he met Akbar with his friend who had finished praying. Zahra went straight into the mosque and took the ablution water.

After the prayer, one of his upperclassmen approached Zahra.

"Assalamu'alaikum Zahra." Her speech.

"Wa'alaikumsalam sis." Reply Zahra.

"Emmm... Sorry to bother you, Zahra." Say it again while taking out his phone silently.

"Yes, it's okay. What's wrong?" Ask Zahra.

"It's really you, isn't it?" The class sister showed a photo of a woman who was making out with a man. And the woman is similar to Zahra, but the difference is that the woman photographed is wearing sexy clothes.

"Astagfirullah. That's not me." Zahra was surprised to see it.

"This is the reason one school is avoiding you, so I ask you directly for fear of slander. Oh, yes, but don't tell me I brought a phone. I went to class first huh, assalamu'alaikum."

"Wa'alaikumsalam warohmatullahi wabarokatu."

Zahra only realized this was what caused everyone to look at her cynically, and the photo also made Bela stay away from Zahra. He did not know what to do because what was photographed was not him, but the photo was widespread throughout As-sobirin students.

As he exited the mosque and was about to wear shoes there Akbar was standing there looking at him, this time Akbar blatantly looked at him, but Zahra lowered her head and started wearing her shoes. It did not feel like her tears were dripping considering someone who had dared to slander her with such a photo. Zahra wiped away her tears and left Akbar, who was still looking at her.

There was a sad feeling that Akbar felt seeing the woman he loved crying, he tried to find out the person who had slandered Zahra.

"I don't like to talk behind your back, so I'm holding you back from going to class! How does Zahra feel like this? Aib that has been stored neatly but God is open!" Fitri said the X Marketing class with two friends who looked at Zahra with a cynical look.

"Don't be a holy prick! I thought that was your photo!" Pekik schoolgirls on Fitri's right.

"Why should I? It wasn't me, I was slandered!" Zahra said holding back her cries.

Akbar saw Zahra from a distance before he approached her.

"Defamation?! The photo is clearly you!" Bentak Fitri's.

"What is this?!" Akbar asked Fitri.

Fitri and her two friends were silent as Akbar came and stood beside Zahra.

"Still craving this holy-ass chick, brother?!" Said Fitri looking at the cynical face of Zahra.

"You know what you guys are about holy?" Ask Akbar again.

"The girl that many students admired in school turned out to cover her true nature behind her words and clothes!" Fitri said then went from the school corridor to his class on the 3rd floor.

Zahra immediately ran towards her class with tears that had washed her cheeks.

"It's all slander! It's all slander! O God, help your servant." Zahra said in her heart while wiping away her tears.

In class he saw Bela reading a book on Islamic history. With a hiccup Zahra took out her package book and read it in her heart even though her brain could not concentrate with the diatribe from Fitri.

Zahra felt strange with Bela's attitude so cold, she questioned why she was like that when she was getting tested. He felt disappointed in his best friend but he could not do anything to make Bela behave as sweet as before.

Photos of women similar to Zahra's face still continue to be a byword in her school. Even the third day of the photo was in the school floor until all the teachers found out and called Zahra to the office.

"Is this really you Zahra?" Ask the Headmaster.

Zahra.

"But why is his face with you at all?"

"Maybe edited, or indeed it's a photo of a woman similar to my face." Answer Zahra.

The headmaster sighed while looking at the bowed Zahra.

"Can you prove it?"

Zahra saw the headmaster's face, "i grew up in a Muslim family, and I grew up with parents who valued self-respect. How can I behave like being photographed when I live in Egypt long enough. Should my parents convince this school that this is slander?"

The headmaster just kept quiet and listened to Zahra's words.

"This school is great, and the other mothers and teachers can definitely tell if it's my picture or if someone wants to slander me." Zahra.

The entire teacher was stunned silently hearing Zahra's words so firmly. The deputy principal sends Zahra back to her class and will search for the truth of the photo. Because sooner or later if the photo is spread to social media then it will be tarnished the name of the school As-sobirin. And Zahra will be expelled from school.

Zahra walked to the library and looked for the end of the shelf. He sat down and leaned against the wall crying in the silence of the library.

Akbar looked at the legs and peeked off the shelf, surprised to see Zahra crying alone. He approached his friend who was choosing a book and said that he had stomach pain should be permission from Arabic subjects. Akbar's friend trusted him and returned to the classroom, while Akbar walked towards Zahra who was sitting alone.

Akbar's arrival embarrassed Zahra because she knew she was crying.

"Sorry to disturb." Akbar said sitting to the left in front of Zahra. Zahra was in front of Akbar to his right.

"It's okay." Zahra said trying to smile.

The two fell silent, they did not know what to talk about. Akbar did not want to discuss the issue that was happening to Zahra, because the more he discussed then Zahra will feel hurt. As for Zahra, she also did not know what to say to the man she often mentioned by name in her prayer.

"You're not going to class?" Ask Akbar.

"I've been to hehehe's class a lot." Akbar replied with a small laugh even though it was not funny.

Zahra laughed even though she had to. He knew the reason Akbar was nearby at the moment, only that Akbar was unwilling to talk about it.

Suddenly the sound of steps approached them, Akbar immediately left Zahra because he did not want others to think badly of Zahra.

"Zahra."

Zahra only saw Bela's face and stood up from her place.

"You skipped class, Rudi?!" Ask Bela again.

"I'm a permit." Answer Zahra briefly.

"But friends say you're truant." Bela.

"I don't care what they say to Mr. Rudi, I just care about myself!"

"Sorry I have to go, assalamu'alaikum." Zahra left Bela alone in the library.

"Wa'alaikumsalam."

After school Zahra sat in the school park, he fed the cat who became the school guard. Zahra smiled at her playful behavior as if the cat knew that Zahra was sad.

Akbar smiled seeing Zahra laughing and running with the white cat. Then the cat approached Akbar who was standing not far from them. Zahra was silent, and did not know what to do with Akbar. He felt embarrassed because Akbar must have known about the photo. Even though he was not the one who was photographed, Zahra still felt ashamed of Akbar.

"Why stop?" Tanya Akbar stroked the cat named mocy.

"Mocy's more interested in you." Answer Zahra.

Akbar held the mocy and walked to the saung, "i asked, why did you stop laughing?"

Zahra was silent and lowered her head because she did not know what to answer.

Akbar smiled at the woman he loved.

"Whatever the test you still have to laugh yes, it feels strange for a few days at school, not the spirit as before." Akbar said releasing mocy licking his children.

"You mean?" Ask Zahra.

"I know it's not you, I believe it's slander. No need to change into someone else, no need to change as if you do not care about the words of your friends. Your smile and laughter are the most powerful things in you." Akbar replied at length.

"Thank you, it's just that I didn't know why they would do something like that to me." Zahra.

"It's only natural that someone doesn't like you is in this world, right? Some like it and not ourselves. Even doing good things, some people hate. Do you have the right to be angry? I think it's entitled, because it's human, but it's better to be yourself." Akbar.

"Akbar, how would the school think it was me?" Ask Zahra.

It was the first time Akbar heard his name spoken by Zahra so he smiled in his heart.

"No way, even if the school doesn't know who it is who edited your face, I'll find out." Reply Akbar.

"You're a good man, thank you." Zahra

"Together."

"Emmm... Do you still go to the cafe?" Ask Zahra.

"That day is the last." Reply Akbar.

"Why?"

Akbar shook his head, "it's okay."

"You still see Eve?"

"Not often, why? Tumben once you asked me a lot, hehehe."

Zahra smiled slightly, realizing that she asked Akbar a lot because she wanted to know what Akbar was like before he was in this school.

"Just ask. It seems you were already familiar with him that time." Zahra.

"He was my coworker when I wasn't familiar. Aye right?"

"Huh? Oh, yes."

"By the familiar isn't necessarily what I expected."

"meaning?" Ask Zahra.

"It's late in the afternoon, go home yuk." Ask Akbar to divert his words.

"Yes." Yeah." Zahra.

They also went back to their homes. In the room Zahra was silent for a long time in front of her laptop, thinking about the photo. Almost every day he thought about it, but he did not want to see any problems by his family. Even he does not want to know that he is being slandered, he does not want to make a burden on his general mind who is in Egypt.

"God, may all be well." Zahra said in his heart.

Likewise with Akbar who daydreams about Zahra's feelings lately. If he did not love Zahra, he would still think about it because he could not bear to see women crying. Akbar tries to find out who the mastermind of the slander, he is not dependent on his school because it assesses Zahra's self-esteem.

"Whatever happens, I will always help you. I will always be there for you." Akbar said in his heart.