The Second Woman's Regret
The Promise to Get Married

Trengs. A message came into my phone.

[I'm already outside. A message from bang Andre, the man who has been in a special relationship with me for the past three months.

[Yep. Waita minute.] My reply.

At 17:00. Teng go's. I immediately got up, grabbed the bag on the work desk that had been neat since thirty minutes ago. Almost six months I worked at this company, during that time I just came home on time. Usually even overtime, go home at nine in the evening. Hence, the fellows of one division wondered, tumben, not as usual. Some people question my work. But I respond casually, sometimes it is not wrong to go home early, especially soon I will be appointed as a permanent employee, after a six-month contract. All my obligations today have been resolved.

Once out of the building where I work, my eyes immediately swept the parking lot that was not far from the main building. At the front, already parking car bang Andre. Silver brio, pretty plate I've memorized.

The door opened from the inside when I was next to the car. Don't want to waste any time, I'm coming in.

"I'm sorry I couldn't open the door" he said. He throws a smile.

"Nothing. I'm still happy because in the end you want to pick me up." I said.

It wasn't our first dinner, but it was the first time he picked me up at the office. We usually meet at the restaurant. Today, in addition to having dinner together, he also promised to introduce me to his parents. Actually he should have known my family first, but bang Andre reasoned not ready to meet my parents, so we took the middle path to meet his parents first.

"Older brother's at the restaurant?" I asked, as the car drove.

"Not yet." He answered short, while staying focused driving, splitting the city of Jakarta which began to jam because of the density of vehicles and traffic. That's how if you drive in the hours of returning home from work, traffic jams will be one of the inevitable conditions.

"Ohhh, still on the road?" i'm guessing. But Andre did not answer. I didn't ask him for an answer either because I didn't want to disturb his driving concentration.

The first red light after the office, the car should still go straight, but bang Andre instead turned to the right. I glanced, trying to guess where it was going, because the usual restaurant where we ate straight and couldn't seem to get through here.

"It's not the way to the restaurant" I said.

"Yes, it's not" he said.

"Where are you going?" I glanced at him again.

"To somewhere. A minute, before eating. There's something I want to show you."

I decided to shut up, follow where bang Andre will take. My guess is, there's something he wants to buy. Arau something because tonight he will meet me with his parents. Like he promised last weekend.

"Well, sure, I'm okay with this?" I asked, to break the silence.

"Why is that?" This time he glanced at me.

"Mmmm, put on a work shirt like this. Which was used in the field as well. The smell is forgiving. Wry."

Bang Andre just laughed a little.

"I'll just go home for a second. Or later before going to the restaurant, stop by the outlet first, find a suitable shirt. Yes." I asked. Once I regretted, why this morning did not all bring a change of clothes to the office, approaching the hour home I could change clothes at the office. But because I think the distance of the office and my boarding is not too far away, so it occurred to me before going to stop by the boarding first.

"Psttt, later on. Now we're ready to arrive." bang Andre turned the car towards a fairly luxurious apartment in the South Jakarta area.

"Would we come here?" I asked, as we got down. But instead of answering, he gestured for me to come along.

Room 547. On the fourth floor. As soon as the door was opened, there was an apartment unit that could be said to be quite large. There is a very comfortable living room with luxurious furniture, two bedrooms, as well as a pleasant kitchen. I saw him drooling.

"Who's this, bang?" I asked, watching the rest.

"Have you" he said.

"This is a gift for you. Consider it a gift for our wedding. Do not be rejected again as before. I want you to stay here so I can comfortably visit you. You know, I'm not comfortable if I have to approach your boarding house."

"I mean, did I move here?"

"Yep!"

"No, no. If not now. But if later after we get married, I'm willing!"

"Why the hell, baby?"

"Yes living in an apartment like this alone is too horrible."

"Gruesome nagai? If you need anything, I'll come. Or when we should stay together. How's it?"

"Died together before marriage?"

"Yes. We're not doing anything, so it feels like nothing, right?"

"Not really bang. I don't want to. Anyway, if you want to stay together later if you are married. Okay fine! Already, now you just hold the key to his apartment, now we better go because ...."

Suddenly bang Andre pulled my hand, he tried to hug but with all my strength let go of the handle, we had to pull and push each other, until finally I could get away from it.

"Bang. I told you not to do anything until we're halal!" I reaffirmed.

"Just once Ra, please." He welcomes.

"No!"

"Why the hell? You don't love me?"

"Who said? I love my brother, so much love. That brother was the first foreigner I liked."

"Then prove it, Ra!"

"Proof what, bang?"

"If you love me and want to marry me."

"What, bang? Notwithstanding. I don't want to do anything before we're halal, even if it's just a kiss! Ahhhh, we shouldn't have come here, we shouldn't have to be together like this. Already, let's go, I don't want to be here." I said, while continuing to keep my distance from him because I did not want anything forbidden to happen.

In these conditions I really regret why I also have to meet often before halal. His name is very clever devil at tempting humans, let alone two-dua like this, just as close to adultery.

"Why the hell, Ra? After we get married, we will do it too. It's the same, right?" bang Andre.

"Who says the same, bang. If you are reckless to do now, it is tantamount to adultery, a great sin bang. But if later after marriage, brother even get a reward." I said.

"Ahhh, just tell me you don't believe me. You don't love me!" Bang Andre lashed out, he turned his back on me.

"I'm sorry bang, because I love you so much that I want us to take good care of ourselves so that it will feel sweet when we are both halal." I said, while trying to face him, of course still by maintaining distance.

"Yes, but remember, if it's lawful, don't hold it anymore!' We both came out of the apartment room, walking side by side towards the parking lot in silence.