My student's my future husband?
Episode 121
Daniel Bedingfield's old 2000s song If You’re Not The One revolves around a television musical that Patricia turns on in her room. I don't know why the song was like he was expressing his heart these past few days.
I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand,
If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?
Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?
If I don't need you then why am I crying on my bed?
If I don't need you then why does your name resolve in my head?
If you're not for me then why do this distance maim my life?
If you're not for me then why do I dream of you as my wife?
To be honest, Patricia did like Ridho who was very unique in his eyes. The man was innocent and very silly. Just a few days to know him made him always imagined. He did not spend much time together, because Ridho always tried to avoid it when he would approach in spare hours. But precisely with Ridho's attitude like that, the more he was interested.
However, that night was indeed pure folly. Ridho's thick lips are very tempting, especially with the plain face of Ridho makes it even more crazy. He had not expected Ridho to curse and stay away from him this week. His heart felt more guilty when he knew the story of Ferdian, it turns out that Ridho keeps himself from promiscuity-no.
Patricia sighed, why could she fall in love at such an inopportune time. Moreover, he knows his feelings have been rejected when Ridho said that the man will only prioritize women who are religious to be his lover.
I never know what the future brings,
But I know you are here with me now,
We'll make it through, though,
And I hope you are the one I share my life with
Ah, the song is still spinning and why should it be repeated? It was as if making fun of the blond woman's feelings. Patricia turned off her television, she took her cardigan. Intending to get some fresh air, he decided to go again to the shores of Lake Michigan.
Patricia pressed a button next to the elevator door that would deliver her to the ground floor. Luckily, the elevator had just come from upstairs so he didn't have to wait long. Ting. The elevator door was open.
The woman's wide eyes were rounded when the elevator door opened. There was a figure of a man who was always in the shadows in his mind at this moment. It was Ridho, standing alone in the elevator. His eyes were just as wide as seeing it.
Patricia legs suddenly like buried cement that quickly dries. His feet were stuck where he stood. Instead of getting into the elevator, he just stood staring while watching Ridho who also saw it. The elevator door closed again. Patricia looked down sad.
Ting. The elevator door opened again.
“You want to go down?” tanya Ridho held the door button open, making his heart flinch in shock because the man wanted to greet him.
“Eh-ah, i-yes!” patricia answered stiffly.
“Come in!”
With heavy and hesitant steps, Patricia stepped her foot inside the iron box. He stood beside Ridho. There was a distance between them, as there were only the two of them inside there, heading for another 35 floors towards the ground floor. Silent.
Both of their hearts are equally misbehaved, awkward, and do not know what to do. Each of their thoughts were also raging, there was an apology that wanted to be thrown out but was still stuck in their mouth.
Twenty more floors to the ground floor. Ridho played his big toe inside his shoes. While Patricia shook her body forward and back while holding her own body.
“Ridho!”
“Pat!”
Say them together when they look.
“Lady’s first!” said Ridho bowed.
Patricia sighed. “I want to apologize to you, for everything that ever happened between us. I didn't mean to do it and I'm sorry. Please forgive me,” pinta Patricia looked down lethargic without seeing Ridho. He was very shy and did not dare to look at her.
“I'm sorry. I'm sorry I pushed you yesterday too,” replied Ridho briefly.
Patricia smiled in relief, hearing Ridho's reply. He did not expect much from the man other than the apologies he was given. That was enough for him. As for his feelings now, let time determine them.
“It's okay.”
He threw a smile at Ridho who was looking at him. Ridho returned the smile even though it was only a few degrees at the corner of his lips.
The elevator doors opened, sending the two to the ground floor which was directly in the building's spacious lobby room. Ridho invited Patricia to walk first out of the elevator, while he would be behind him.
Patricia walked in front of Ridho who was behind her by several meters. He smiled at himself, then looked at the vast sky when he was outside the building. He did not want to look back, even though his heart told him so. Then he crossed the street and started down the sidewalk along Madison Street.
While Ridho was staring at Patricia's back which was already far in front of him, his bright brown hair glittered in the sunlight, occasionally blowing in the wind. During these few days, the bule woman filled her mind, making her heart beat upon seeing him. He recalled how the woman stole his first kiss, making his mind fall apart and his heart flounder. He had to be honest, Patricia made her defensive wall become smashed into pieces even slightly lulled. He had to start reassembling the wall.
Ridho decided to go to the Islamic Center. He had to go to Ustadz Ahmed to answer, although he had told Ferdian that he would not come today. However, this is as an effort to rebuild the wall that has been destroyed earlier.
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The Islamic studies were over that afternoon. Ferdian was asked to stay there by Ustadz Ahmed for a short chat. The congregation has disbanded and the condition of the prayer room is empty. Ustadz Ahmed took Ferdian to the secretarial office of the mosque and sat down on a sofa.
“Ridho not coming today huh?” asked Ustadz Ahmed who kept a thick book on the shelf. Then the bearded man sat down in front of Ferdian.
“He's not feeling well lately,” replied Ferdian.
“Syafahullahu. May God grant her healing.”
“Aamiin.”
“Begini Fer, do you remember the ta’aruf offer I submitted to you?” tanya Ustadz Ahmed linked her fingers.
Ferdian's eye brows lifted. “Ah, the. Why, Tadz?”
“Akhwat is in need of a companion immediately. I heard from my wife that she was suddenly attacked by locals. His hand was injured, but it was fortunate that a Muslim man had helped him. He needs protection during his stay here, so he needs an immediate answer from you, I mean between the two of you.”
Ferdian's heart flinched. It seems that the woman he helped was the one who filed ta’aruf via Ustadz Ahmed.
“Didn't you help her? Is that right, Ferdian?”
Again Ferdian's heart flinched. “I-iya looks like. I helped that newspaper.”
“Name Namira. She is a Muslim woman from Palembang, studying S1 in the Department of Design and Art at one of the universities in Chicago. It's been almost three years here. Cases of Islamophobia are increasingly widespread lately, so he asked me to find a prospective husband. There have been some brothers I tried to meet with him, but there seems to be no match. Therefore, I offer to you fellow WNI, who knows if there is a match between the two of you. It's just, it looks like this Namira is more interested in you. He told my wife this afternoon. How do you think?” bright Ustadz Ahmed made Ferdian's heart hit by a nuclear bomb.
“I'm sorry Ustadz, but I can't...” Ferdian's sentence is truncated.
“Why? Do you have no intention of getting married anytime soon? You only need to know each other in ta’aruf, if suitable can go directly to the wedding. If it is not suitable, it may not be paired.”
“I mean not so, Tadz! I feel flattered, it's just that I'm married and have children, ” Ferdian replied making Ustadz Ahmed's eyes round and he was aghast.
“God's Assya!” he said surprised and unexpected.
“Betul Tadz, I was married three years ago,” replied Ferdian again with a smile.
“God willing, Ferdian is married?! Afwan I don't know. You are still young and do not look if you are married. How many kids do you have?”
“Still one, Tadz! Boy.”
“Alhamdulillah, may your son be a sholeh child yes!”
“Aamiin Yes Rabb!”
“Oalah, so yes! I have to tell my wife later, to be delivered to Namira. But do you know what kind of answer Ridho?”
“Sorry I don't know yet, Tadz!”
“Good, fine! I'll call my wife first a minute.”
Ferdian shook his head when he remembered Ustadz Ahmed's offer to him earlier. I don't know what his wife would do if she knew this. He walked outside and stood in the main hallway of the building while picking up a cell phone in his pants pocket. He's looking for Ridho's number there. But before he pressed the ‘call’ button, his best friend had arrived behind the door of the mosque. Ferdian looked at him in wonder at his best friend who was wearing a black t-shirt with his red jacket.
“You're better, Dho?” tanya Ferdian approached her best friend.
“God willing, I want to see Ustadz Ahmed,” he said.
“Alhamdulillah is such a coincidence. Ustadz Ahmed waiting for your answer!”
Ferdian took Ridho to the secretarial room where Ustadz Ahmed was in.
“Assalamu’alaikum,” greetings Ridho when entering the room. Ustadz Ahmed came out of his room.
“Wa’alaikumsalam, healthy Dho?” greeting Ustadz Ahmed reached out his hand as Ridho wanted to kiss the back of his hand.
“Alhamdulillah Tadz, it's been quiet,” they sit back on the sofa.
“Alhamdulillah.”
“So we've talked about ta’aruf that I've proposed to you. I just found out that Ferdian is married. Haha,” bright Ustadz Ahmed laughs crisply.
The two young men before him laughed.
“Ya already, so I'm waiting for an answer from you alone, Dho! Are you ready to ta’aruf with this newspaper?” ustadz asked Ahmed not to mince words anymore.
“Can I find out the physical characteristics of this office before starting ta’aruf?” tanya Ridho hesitated.
“You will find out when you exchange CV. Already prepared biodata ta’arufnya?”
“Tadz Already!” answer Ridho steady.
“Good. If you have exchanged CVs, can you decide whether to continue to the next stage or not? It depends on each of you,” bright ustadz.
Ridho. He has been preparing biodata for ta’aruf for a long time, even when he was on campus first. Since the rohis friends in his campus were numerous, he came to know how to make biodata for taaruf. He always updates as time goes on.
“So are you ready?”
“Insya Allah I'm ready, Tadz!” answer Ridho firmly.
Ferdian patted his best friend on the shoulder, giving support.
“Alhamdulillah, may Allah give smoothness to you and show everything to the best.”
“Aamiin,” replied Ridho and Ferdian.
“I will send that akhwat biodata to your email yes, Dho!”
Ustadz Ahmed gave his email, so that Ridho could send his biodata to his ustadz email and also vice versa, Ustadz Ahmed will send his bio akhwat in his email.
“Well I'll send it later this afternoon after coming home huh? Patience for a moment,” said Ustadz Ahmed.
“Good, Tadz I will also send this afternoon.”
“I'm going home now, you guys have another agenda again?”
“No Tadz, it looks like we will also go home,” replied Ridho glancing at the nodding Ferdian.
“Good.”
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Small green foliage swayed in the afternoon breeze, its shadow clinging to the asphalt of a small road leading to Lake Michigan. Ferdian and Ridho decided to revisit the vast and beautiful lake to refresh the mind. A glass of cold latte was held by them. Then they settled themselves in a wooden iron chair under a shady tree on the side of the lake.
“Dho, your intention is straight for this ta’aruf?” tanya Ferdian opened the conversation.
“What does it mean?” his eyebrows frowned.
“I doubt you like Patricia too. Especially after that kiss,” somehow Ferdian revealed what was on his mind. He just wanted to confirm what his best friend was feeling.
Ridho.
“Why can you think of Fer?”
“We have been in office since childhood. There's nothing I don't know, including your guts for a few days. Tell you what, really not?”
Ridho was silent, he turned his gaze to the lake filled with small ships.
“If you were me, how would you Fer?” Ridho asked him back.
“Maybe, I'd love her, let alone her leaving a beautiful impression even if we try to reject her.”
Ridho chuckled again. “You got the answer!” the answer.
“My self-defense is broken, Fer! And why am I willing to ta’aruf, it is because I want to build the defense that I have been holding. I realize one thing, I like him the same, but I will remain the same principle I, as my answer was the same him at that time.”
“Oh God!”
“Honestly Fer, the more I deny all these feelings, the greater my desire for him. But I can't, Fer! I will kill this fondness with this ta’aruf, before the bigger my feelings for Patricia.”
Ferdian stupefiedly looked at his best friend. Ridho never told me his heart problems all this time, because indeed he had never felt or maybe not thought too much about it. But once he felt that, he had to kill that feeling.
Ferdian could only appreciate his best friend's decision.
“Straightin your intentions, Dho! If you want to be happy with your future wife, clean your heart first before starting ta’aruf this.”
“Yes, I know Fer. My heart is steady, so I immediately gave the same answer Ustadz Ahmed,” explained Ridho.
“I can only pray for you, so you can get the best!”
“Thanks Fer!”
A gentle breeze blew softly, giving it freshness as it passed by. The leaves rippled merrily touching each other.
“Back yuk, I want to send you a CV! Let Ustadz also send him,” exclaimed Ridho when Ferdian had just sipped his drink.
“Yuk, ah! Uh I know you know, people who want to ta’arufan,” said Ferdian chuckled.
“Eh really, who?”
“Gak ah, secret! Let me know for yourself later.”
“Eh is not cool ah. Naha you can nyaho (Why do you know)?”
“Decision, fear of being wrong. Mending a quick flip!” exclaimed Ferdian standing up from his seat.
“Eh maneh mah!”
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Curious about the story of Ridho, wait for the next story
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