LOVE RIVAL

"He's Gita's boyfriend, isn't he? Why did he move here?" Adimas grumbled when he saw Zaki. Then he turned to Gita who was looking at Zaki too. Adimas still doesn't know if Gita and Zaki have broken up. Especially about Gita's engagement.

"Zaki, you can sit next to Gita. Coincidentally, the seat next to her is still empty! Yes, that's the one in the back!" said Mr. Ruslan directing Zaki.

"Hey, we're back in school and now one more desk. Maybe we'll be dating again soon? Is it true or not?" said Zaki with a smile as sweet as honey when he looked at Gita, who was getting more and more beautiful.

"Then I have to congratulate you?" Gita replied indifferently.

'Why are there even more seductive men around me, my God? Why doesn't Bro Barra just go home?' Gita muttered in her heart.

***

The school bell rang. Sean was already waiting for him with Adimas, who knows when they started to get closer.

"I want to go home alone. Please don't bother me!" Gita said to both of them then left.

"This is all because of you! Why do you keep doing what I want to do for the Gita? Why don't you give this senior of yours a little bit?!" Sean scolded Adimas.

"You just don't know, Senior! Today there is a transfer student in our class. And what do you know? He is Gita's lover!" said Adimas who did not accept being blamed by Sean.

"You're lying! I have seen Gita talking to her boyfriend when they made a video call earlier. And her boyfriend is in the hospital!" grumbled Sean disagreed.

Amid a noisy debate between Sean and Adimas, Zaki appeared behind them and followed Gita.

"Gita, come home with me?" Zaki's voice made Gita stop and turn around.

"I just take public transportation. It would be very inconvenient if a family member of my future in-laws saw me with another man besides Bro Barra!" Gita whispered to Zaki so that the two young men behind them wouldn't hear what she said.

"I'm going home first, Bro! It's so hot in here!" said Adimas who left Sean. Adimas is already starting to feel stifled by the closeness of Gita and Zaki, whom he considers being still dating.

"I haven't finished talking to you yet! Wait for me, impolite junior! Why do you keep walking?!" said Sean who also went after Adimas.

Gita and Zaki are still surprised by the strange behavior of Sean and Adimas who just left them.

"You're still engaged to that guy? You're on good terms too, aren't you?" said Zaki who started to casually chat.

"Yes, Alhamdulillah..." Gita replied glumly.

Gita again remembered the beautiful moment of exchanging rings on her engagement day with Barra. She remembered how broken her heart was when she cried for Barra at the airport.

'O Allah, only You know the pain of this longing...' Gita said in her heart and made her tears fall without warning.

"Gita, are you crying? What's wrong? Is your relationship in trouble?" asked Zaki who was a little hopeful that Gita would say yes to his question.

Gita wiped her tears and turned to Zaki as her expression returned to normal as before.

"Do you hope that I will break up with Bro Barra?" Gita asked again.

"Yes, of course! I've been questioning your decision to accept a grown man like you as your fiancé! Is he insane or what? You're still in school but he asked you to marry him instead!" Zaki said a little emotional.

"Bro Barra is not insane. He just fell in love. Just like the reason you expressed your feelings to me before. But the difference between the two of you is real, Zaki. In addition to being eight years older than us, he also dares to defy his family to defend his love for me," explained Gita.

"No one knows what the future will be like, Gita. Three years from now you won't necessarily be his wife. I could be your husband!" said Zaki while looking at Gita seriously.

"Hopefully what happens later, is indeed the best way from God for all of us. I'm going home first, Zaki!" Gita replied and left Zaki.

"Talking is easy, Gita. You don't know what I feel. I hope one day I can be more worthy in your eyes. I can defend you even though my parents forbid our relationship!" Zaki muttered quietly while looking at the figure of Gita who left.

***

The school was almost deserted because many students had already returned to their respective destinations.

Sean and Adimas appear to be sitting in the school parking area.

"Adimas! What did you mean earlier? Is it true that the new kid earlier was Gita's boyfriend?" asked Sean curiously.

"Why would I lie to you? Zaki is indeed Gita's boyfriend since Junior High, you know? You only know that they are in a long-distance relationship, right? Of course. That's because they go to different schools!" said Adimas confidently.

"But what I saw was not him. The man is an adult and the man is sick!" Sean answered who was also sure, "I also asked Anita and Dian, and Gita also confirmed it. So which one of you is right?" he continued confused.

"No way. Gita can't hide things if she changes boyfriends, I'll know for sure!" said Adimas.

"Who are you, Gita? You think too highly of yourself!" sneered Sean.

"I'm Gita's ex-girlfriend! Are you satisfied?" Adimas answered instantly.

Sean spit out the water he had just drunk because he was choking in shock.

"Just like a baby!" ridiculed Adimas.

"You can make jokes too! Maybe you're just imagining!" Sean scoffed back.

"None of my business if you don't believe me!" Adimas replied casually while shrugging his shoulders.

Then Adimas told Sean about his feelings for Gita when he and Gita were little. And that childhood friendship lasted well to this day.

"Gita is always cold when she is with other people, but she will be cheerful when she is with her friends. She is just too careful about anything. Since childhood, her mind has been mature, she doesn't make decisions rashly. Everything must be planned so that she will not be disappointed and regret," said Adimas.

"But until now I still haven't been able to get closer to her and become her lover," Adimas continued sadly.

"You can't be greedy. Be grateful that you have been recognized by Gita as her best friend. Give me a chance so I can be his boyfriend!" replied Sean responded.

"It's still very bright for you to sleep and dream! Besides, I won't be silent if you want to approach Gita!" said Adimas firmly while smiling slyly at Sean.

"So we are rivals now? Who's afraid! But you have to be honest and fair, huh? Deal!" challenged Sean.

"Okay, deal!" Adimas agreed.

When the two of them shook hands in the style of today's young people, one hand extended a fist into the hands of Sean and Adimas earlier.

"I'm coming too!" said Zaki who came suddenly.

Sean and Adimas were a little surprised by Zaki's sudden arrival.

"Are you deliberately making people angry or something?" asked Sean irritably.

"We're not joking, Zaki! Aren't you Gita's boyfriend!" Adimas added.

Adimas and Sean were surprised to see Zaki shake his head with a sad smile on his lips.

"I was his boyfriend. But that was then, and we were only in a relationship for two months in Junior High School. And now, I don't just want to sit back and make up for my mistakes back then!" Zaki replied with a sly smile.

With the urging of Sean and Adimas, Zaki also tells all his stories with Gita until the news of Gita's engagement with Barra.

"If you care about Gita, please don't spread the news that Gita is engaged. It could ruin her education if the school finds out about it. We want to get Gita but we also have to be sporty without making Gita sad. Can we?" Zaki said firmly and made Sean and Adimas nod in agreement.

Do you guys know? Friendship can happen for anything, anytime, and anywhere. Valid for Zaki, Adimas, and Sean at this time. The three of them are close friends because they both like Gita.

***

'Mary, this afternoon I wanted to meet you at the x-time cafe. Do you have time?' said Barra's text message sent to Mary's cell phone number.

Reading the contents of the message immediately made Mary embarrassed and happy. Maybe Barra regretted leaving her in the shower yesterday. That was Mary's current opinion. With great confidence, Mary replied, 'Okay, Barra! I'll be right there!' then the message is sent.

***

Barra, who had arrived earlier, seemed lost in thought while looking at the orange juice he ordered. Before long, Mary came after office break.

"How are you, Barra?" Mary greeted Barra as she approached to kiss Barra's cheek. But Barra refused by pulling his face back while avoiding Mary's approaching face.