Chapter 6.1 Getting Closer
Kak Ros observed Nabila's restless demeanor ever since they arrived at the park. Without thinking twice, she gently grabbed Nabila's hand and led her towards Rizky and his friends, who were chatting casually under a shady tree.
"Wow, you all look like you're having so much fun that even I got interested in joining," Kak Ros said as she approached them.
"Kak Ros!" Rayan responded, slightly surprised.
"Come, sit with us, Kak. Join the fun," Zikri said, making space between them.
"Oh, alright, alright." Kak Ros smiled, about to take a seat when Nabila lightly tugged at her sleeve.
"Kak, let's go back," Nabila whispered hesitantly.
"Eh, what do you mean go back? We just got here," Kak Ros replied in a firm but gentle tone.
Rizky's friends smirked at Nabila's obvious nervousness. Every now and then, Rizky stole glances at her with a subtle smile, but Nabila just lowered her head further, avoiding his gaze completely.
"Ahmad, Qadir, move a little. Make room for Kakak," Kak Ros instructed, glancing at them.
"Oh, right, right, Kak. Sorry!" Ahmad and Qadir quickly shifted to the side.
Once she sat down, Kak Ros pulled Nabila to sit beside her. "Come on, Nabila. No need to be shy. I'm here with you," she reassured.
Reluctantly, Nabila took a seat next to Kak Ros. But the fact that she was now closer to Rizky only made her even more uneasy. She kept her head down, pretending to focus on the grass beneath her.
"So, what have you guys been chatting about that made you laugh so much?" Kak Ros asked, eyeing them one by one.
Rayan quickly replied, "Nothing much, Kak. Seriously, nothing important."
"Oh? Could it be that you were talking about me?" Kak Ros teased, trying to lighten the mood.
"No way, Kak!" Zikri denied, though his mischievous grin only made it more suspicious.
Kak Ros chuckled, then turned her attention to the lively park around them. "This place is nice. Fresh air, lots of people. Do you come here often, Rayan?"
"Yeah, Kak. Usually on Sundays. But turns out, even on weekdays, it's pretty crowded," Rayan replied casually.
Meanwhile, Rizky kept sneaking glances at Nabila. His focus gradually shifted entirely to her, tuning out his friends' conversation. He thought to himself, Why does she look even prettier up close?
On the other hand, Nabila could feel her heart pounding harder. She knew Rizky was looking at her, but she didn't dare to meet his eyes. Every now and then, she tried distracting herself by glancing at the street vendors nearby, wishing for anything to shift the atmosphere.
Noticing Rizky zoning out, his friends didn't waste the chance to tease him.
"Hey, Rizky, why are you so quiet? You're usually the one talking the most," Zikri teased loudly.
"Ooooh, look at him!" Ahmad joined in, making everyone laugh.
"This actually looks like a good match," Rayan added in a playful tone.
Rizky scratched the back of his head, his smile faint, trying to mask his embarrassment. Meanwhile, Nabila lowered her head even further, silently wishing the ground would swallow her whole.
Kak Ros watched the whole scene unfold with an amused smile, letting them be. She thought to herself, Let them be. As long as Nabila starts to relax a little.
But for Nabila, this was far from relaxing. In her mind, she groaned, Why did I even agree to come here?
Chapter 6.2 Just the Two of Them
"Hey, Rizky, I've been watching you. You've been staring at Nabila all this time, haven't you?" Kak Ros teased.
Rizky, caught off guard, immediately panicked. "Eh, no, no! Not at all!" he stuttered.
"Oh, come on. Do you think I wouldn't notice?" Kak Ros replied, squinting at him with a knowing look.
"For your information, my eyes are like an eagle's. I can see everything from a distance," she added, making Rizky's friends burst into laughter.
Rizky became even more flustered, while Nabila just kept her head down, nervously plucking at the grass beneath her.
"Have you two even introduced yourselves?" Kak Ros suddenly asked, her tone turning serious.
"Eh… uh… not yet, Kak," Rizky admitted, his voice barely above a whisper, his cheeks turning slightly red.
"Well, that's exactly why I brought Nabila here. It's not right for neighbors to stay strangers," Kak Ros smirked.
"I guess you're right, Kak…" Rizky muttered.
"Alright then, go on. Introduce yourselves. I'll leave for a bit so you two can talk freely. But remember, don't try anything funny. My eagle eyes are always watching," Kak Ros warned, giving Rizky a sharp look.
"Yes, Kak," Rizky chuckled, scratching his head awkwardly.
"Come on, Rayan, let's grab something from that food stall," Kak Ros said, pulling Rayan along.
Nabila panicked and quickly grabbed the sleeve of Kak Ros' blouse. "No, no, I don't want to stay here! Let me come with you," she whispered anxiously.
"Oh, how will you ever get married if you get this nervous just talking to a guy?" Kak Ros teased. "Relax, I'm just going to that stall over there. I won't be far."
Before Nabila could protest further, Kak Ros walked away, leaving her sitting there with Rizky.
Nabila sighed in defeat, shifting uncomfortably.
Rizky took a deep breath before extending his hand.
"Hi, I'm Rizky."
Nabila still avoided his gaze but responded nonetheless. She hesitantly reached out her hand, which was covered by her hijab, giving a quick, fleeting handshake before withdrawing it almost instantly.
Rizky blinked, staring at his hand as if processing what had just happened. A small smile formed on his lips. She's really careful about keeping her distance, huh?
"Have you been here long?" Rizky asked, trying to break the ice.
"Yeah, two years," Nabila answered curtly.
"Oh right, I forgot. You just arrived," Rizky realized, understanding the underlying tone in her response.
"Where are you from?" he asked again.
"Aceh," Nabila replied without emotion.
Rizky's eyes lit up. "Oh? I'm from Aceh too!" he said excitedly.
Nabila glanced at him briefly before responding flatly, "Didn't ask."
Rizky chuckled softly. Wow, she's feisty. But for some reason, that just makes her more interesting.
"Hey, don't be so grumpy all the time. You'll get wrinkles faster," he joked.
Nabila ignored him.
"Are you still in school?" Rizky asked casually.
Without missing a beat, Nabila replied sarcastically, "Yeah, kindergarten."
Rizky burst out laughing, enjoying how quick-witted she was.
Rizky chuckled, realizing that he was being "played." But he continued anyway, "Oh, a housewife, huh?" he asked, trying to find a new angle for the conversation.
This time, Nabila looked at him with a half-annoyed expression. "Do I look that old to you?" she asked, her tone slightly irritated.
"That's not what I meant," Rizky quickly clarified, afraid of saying the wrong thing. "If you're already married, I'll step back. But if you're still single… I want to…"
Before Rizky could finish his sentence, Nabila cut him off with a firm tone.
➤ "Dating isn't in my dictionary, sorry. If you're looking for that, you're in the wrong place," she said without hesitation.
Rizky was stunned for a few seconds before finally smiling. His eyes sparkled as if he'd just found something intriguing.
➤ "Oh, God… why does that make me so happy?" he muttered, more to himself than to her.
Nabila glanced at him briefly, still with a cynical expression.
➤ "Because dating isn't in my dictionary either," Rizky continued, his eyes gazing at Nabila more deeply. "Maybe this isn't just a coincidence, huh?"
Nabila remained silent, not responding, but deep inside, something was stirring in her thoughts.
Before he could say more, Kak Ros suddenly reappeared.
"Alright, that's enough. Time to go."
"Ih, Kakak, I was just starting to ask questions, and now you're already taking her away?" Rizky complained, sounding a little disappointed.
Kak Ros laughed mischievously. "Not satisfied yet, huh? If you're not, then just marry her so you can be satisfied all you want!" she teased, bursting into laughter.
"Come on, Nabila, let's go," Kak Ros said, pulling Nabila up to her feet.
Just before leaving, Nabila turned slightly and glanced at Rizky. "I'm leaving now," she said softly, her voice barely audible.
Hearing that, Rizky's smile widened.
As Nabila walked away, she found herself sneaking a few glances back at him, as if a part of her wasn't entirely ready to leave—despite the fact that she had been responding to him in such a cold manner all this time.