BIG DISCLAIMER
In the evening Barra's family gathered to discuss Barra's plan to propose to Gita. The night, which should have been quiet, turned tense.
"What are you doing, Barra? Have you gone mad, huh? Mr. Hasan's daughter is still young. She is still in school! What was on your mind that made you want to propose to her?" Barra's uncle snapped, his late mother's brother.
"And Bro Dani, why did you allow Barra's crazy idea? He's not thinking straight, Bro! You as a parent should advise Barra to think a thousand times about this!" The uncle's target moved to Mr. Dani who just chose not to answer. Yes, because Mr. Dani was tired of advising his son.
"Barra, isn't there any other woman you can marry out there? Think carefully if you two are married! While you are working, she might go out and play with her friends!"
"It could be that while you are working she goes out with other men she knows. Just think about it, Barra! She was young, her mind was immature, still wanted to be free, and at that time a girl her age was still new to the outside world. Is that what you want to be your wife for?" snapped his uncle Barra again.
While the rest of the family just listened to Barra's uncle's voice echoing everywhere. No need to ask what they thought, it was clear that all of them rejected Barra's decision.
When the uncle had stopped talking and seemed to have calmed down a bit, Barra sighed and started talking to get his point across.
"Without reducing respect to parents and older families here, I have thought carefully and thoroughly, not just a one or two days, even for months, I have thought about all of this. Whatever conclusions are drawn tonight, will not change I've made the decision!"
"I've decided to propose to Mr. Hasan's daughter with the family's approval or not because I've got the blessing of my father as my parent!" Barra said, which made the parents widen their eyes.
"After all, why the trouble and harsh words that sound now? I want to marry Gita but not now. I just want to propose to her and tie her up as my fiancé."
"I'm not crazy about marrying a teenager either. I'm not stupid enough to destroy the ideals of a child as bright as Gita!"
"Uncle, I'm sorry in advance. I don't agree with your bad words about Gita. I have seen how Gita behaves every day. I don't agree with your assumption that Gita is a naughty girl. She is different, Uncle… She is very different. That's what made me choose it!" Barra confirmed once again.
"Barra, why are you so stubborn? What made you think like that and make hasty decisions? Have you two had sex? Is the girl already pregnant with your child?" Uncle Barra accused him harshly.
It wasn't just Barra who was shocked, but also all the family there.
"Oh my God, Uncle! Why do you think like that? We're not even dating, what's on your mind to accuse us of doing such a despicable thing?" Barra said angrily but as much as possible his emotions were still being suppressed because he thought about etiquette to older people.
Even that night's debate did not produce any decisions because Barra's decision was firm.
"I'm sorry, without any respect for my elders, that I've decided this. I hope everyone can wish me the best," Barra apologized.
"Dad, Mother, Uncle, and Aunt all… I hope that as parents you will give me your blessing so that the life we will lead in the future will be better and more blessed. Rest assured that Gita is a good girl. Even though she is still young and still considered young small but she shows the seeds of good women who in their teens were spent studying and reciting and worshiping,"
"Once again I'm sorry if I offended you. The plan is that soon I will talk to Mr. Hasan about this proposal. If Mr. Hasan has agreed, I beg Father, Mother, Uncle, and Aunt all to send me to propose to Gita,"
"I want us to have an engagement bond if one day the head office gives an order to send me back to Malaysia. I want everything to go well…"
"For those who object, it's okay, I understand how you feel like parents who love me like you love your children," added Barra before greeting the parents and saying goodbye.
***
'Bro, I have additional painting lessons. Maybe I'll be back in about two hours. You just go home and rest. I can go home by myself later!'
Barra read the contents of the message that came into his cellphone and it turned out that the message was from Gita. Even though Barra was ready to leave and only had to wear his jacket to pick up Gita.
But never mind, at least there's still time for Barra to rest after coming home from work this morning.
Either Barra's dream was too beautiful or because his body was tired from working all night until Barra missed the time to pick up Gita at school.
It was the sound of repeated incoming messages that woke Barra from his sleep and made him jump in surprise when he read a message from Gita.
Meanwhile at school…
Gita kept glancing at her cellphone screen because she was waiting for Barra's message to reply. Will Barra pick her up or not, and if not, Gita will go home alone by public transport.
When Gita is still very focused on looking at her cellphone screen, a bottle of mineral water that looks cold suddenly is in front of Gita's eyes.
Gita immediately turned to the giver of fresh drinks and immediately fell silent.
"Why haven't you come home yet? Still waiting for your brother, hmm?" Zaki asked her in a soft tone.
"Yes, I'm waiting for Bro Barra to pick me up..." Gita answered a little awkwardly.
The atmosphere became quiet when Zaki sat next to Gita.
"Why are you silent?" Zaki asked breaking the silence.
"I'm just confused by your attitude, Zaki. Sometimes you look at me with angry eyes and other times you look like you want to cry looking at me. And now, your attitude is like before, it turns out that you still care about me…" Gita answered honestly.
"I never hated you. I'm just mad that you ended our relationship. And I also don't like it when the two of you are with other men even though I know at that time you only rejected those who asked you out."
"I still hope that we can re-establish this broken relationship, Gita. I don't even care if my father still forbids me to have contact with you!"
Zaki's words made Gita raise her eyebrows.
"That's why I don't want to date you anymore. I don't want to be the cause of you being a disobedient child. So please, don't expect to date me again. Better friends for us, Zaki!"
"Until now, I've always tried to keep my promise. I don't want to date anyone. I want to focus on studying for this Junior High School graduation. I hope you can understand well!"
Gita refuses with a smooth way of speaking and good thoughts about the future.
"I'm going home, Zaki. Be careful on the road!" Gita said as she got up from her seat and started walking away from Zaki.
However, after only a few steps Gita walked, Gita's hand was pulled from behind by Zaki who chased after her.
"Come home with me! I brought the motorbike and wait here for a while. At least I'll take you to the public transit station. You want it, right?" Zaki said and ended with Gita's agreement to come with him.
But before Gita answered, an adult male voice that Gita knew very well sounded angry.
"Let go of Gita's hands right now!" said Barra who had just walked into their school gate.
"No! Gita will come home with me. We have things to talk about now. You can just go home, Bro!" Zaki replied who rejected Barra's words.
"Who are you to hold her hand and force her to come with you?" Barra said to Zaki then turned to Gita while pulling Gita's other hand, "Gita, let's go home!"
Now both of Gita's hands are pulled from both sides by Zaki and Barra.
"And who are you to arrange for Gita to come home with you too? You're not Gita's brother! I know Gita's brothers never pick her up at school!" Zaki turned the question to Barra.
Barra smiled slightly at Zaki's words.
"I'm not Gita's older brother and now I'm still Gita's adopted brother. But soon, I will be Gita's fiancé and from now on, once you know who I am, please take your hands off my fiancée!"
Barra spoke in a calm tone but it was clear to Gita and Zaki that Barra was trying to hold back her annoyance.