17.1 Preparations
In Nabila's Room
Nabila slowly woke up from her sleep, rubbing her eyes gently. She scanned the room, but Cindy was nowhere to be seen.
Without overthinking it, she made her way to the washing area (tempat wudhu), letting the cold water refresh her face in the early morning.
After performing wudhu (ablution), she donned her mukena (prayer garment) and began her Subuh prayer with deep concentration. In the stillness of dawn, she poured her heart into her supplications, immersing herself in the peace of the moment.
Once finished, she neatly folded her prayer mat and gazed out the window. The sky was still dark, but the faint light of dawn was beginning to emerge, signaling the start of a new day.
Yet, a lingering thought stayed in her mind—Cindy's absence.
"Where did that girl go this early in the morning?" she muttered to herself, slightly puzzled.
In Kak Ros's Room
Meanwhile, Cindy was sitting by the window, her face beaming with excitement.
"Eh, Kak Ros, I have something to tell you!" she said cheerfully.
Kak Ros, who had just finished packing her belongings, glanced at Cindy with an amused smile. "What is it now? No wonder you're so energetic, coming here this early."
Cindy giggled before scooting closer. "So, Kak, last night when Makcik Ani called me, I found out that Rizky was actually arranged to marry Nabila."
Kak Ros's eyes widened in surprise, her expression immediately turning intrigued. "Oh, is that so? And yet, here they are… how did that happen?"
Cindy leaned in with even more enthusiasm as she recounted the whole story. "Well, Rizky accidentally went to the wrong event and ended up at Nenek Halimah's ceremony. Embarrassed, he ran away and came here. Meanwhile, Nabila, who was being teased at her university about the arranged marriage, also decided to come to my place. So they met here… but neither of them knows they were arranged for each other!"
Kak Ros chuckled. "That's quite an amusing twist. So Rizky wanted to run away to Jakarta, but no flights were available, so he ended up in Malaysia. Meanwhile, Nabila didn't want to go to Jakarta after hearing that her supposed fiancé ran away there—so she chose to come here instead. Their journeys are quite… ironic."
Cindy nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly, Kak! Now, after we leave for Brunei, you can take Rizky to the airport later in the afternoon so he can follow us there."
Kak Ros pondered for a moment before nodding. "Alright, that works."
"Great! I'll head back to my room now, Kak," Cindy said as she stood up and exited the room.
Back in Nabila's Room
The sudden ringing of Cindy's phone broke the silence.
Nabila, who was tidying up her belongings, glanced toward Cindy's empty bed.
"Where has she gone now?" she muttered.
Curious, she picked up her own phone and attempted to call Cindy. But just before the call could connect, the door creaked open.
"Cindy? Where have you been?" Nabila asked, her voice slightly annoyed.
Cindy blinked in surprise before flashing a sheepish smile. "I was at Kak Ros's room," she replied casually.
Nabila raised an eyebrow, suspicious. "Oh? What for, this early in the morning?"
Cindy scratched the back of her head. "Eh, I just wanted to talk about our supplies with Kak Ros. We'll be gone for a while, after all," she explained convincingly.
Nabila scrutinized her for a moment before finally nodding. "Alright, fine. Go take a shower first, I'll finish packing. Then we'll switch."
Cindy grinned in relief. "Okay, got it!" she chirped before grabbing her towel and heading straight for the bathroom.
Chapter 17.2: The Departure
Farewell at the Villa
That morning, Nabila and Cindy stepped out of their rooms, heading toward the front yard where Kak Ros's car was already parked. The air was still cool, and the sun was just beginning to rise over the eastern horizon.
At the foot of the stairs, Rizky, Rayan, and Zikri were already waiting. Rayan and Zikri swiftly grabbed Cindy and Nabila's suitcases, while Rizky stood calmly, leaning on his crutch, observing the surroundings.
Nabila stole a few glances at Rizky. His leg, still wrapped in a wooden splint, made her feel a pang of guilt.
She let out a quiet sigh. Was she feeling guilty because she was the reason Rizky had fallen? Or was it because she was about to leave, knowing he would be alone in the villa?
Only Nabila herself knew what was truly stirring in her heart.
Once everything was ready, they walked together toward the parking area.
But Cindy, always quick to notice the smallest details, sensed something off about Nabila.
She immediately gave her friend a suspicious look. "Oi, Nabila. Why do you look so sad?" she asked teasingly.
Nabila quickly shook her head. "I'm not sad. Who said I was sad?" she replied, trying to sound firm, though her voice was noticeably softer than usual.
Cindy narrowed her eyes. "Eh, don't even try lying to me! I can tell just by hearing your voice. And your face—oh please, it's way too obvious. You can't fool me!" she said, grinning in triumph.
"Ugh, Cindy! Stop it!" Nabila snapped, her cheeks turning pink.
But Cindy wasn't finished yet. She stepped closer, her tone playful. "Aren't you going to say goodbye to Rizky?"
Nabila hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath.
In a quiet voice, she finally said, "I'm leaving now, Rizky."
Before Rizky could respond, Cindy, ever the troublemaker, added, "That's it? No goodbye kiss?"
"Oi! No kissing! Not allowed!" Kak Ros yelled from inside the car, making everyone burst into laughter.
Rizky, standing outside the vehicle, simply smiled.
Just before Nabila got into the car, he called out in a playful tone, "I'll be waiting here. Take care!"
Nabila froze for a moment before briefly glancing back at him.
She gave him a small nod before finally stepping into the car, which slowly pulled away from the villa.
The Journey to Brunei
Inside the car, the atmosphere was unusually quiet.
Of course, Cindy wasn't going to let it stay that way.
"Oi, Nabila. Why didn't you wave at Rizky?" she teased.
"I did," Nabila replied curtly, sounding completely uninterested.
Kak Ros and Cindy exchanged glances before sharing a knowing smile at Nabila's sudden change in mood.
Kak Ros decided to stir things up a little more. "Eh, Cindy. Why didn't you invite Rizky to come with us?" she asked innocently.
Cindy chuckled before answering, "I was going to, Kak. But Liza asked Rizky to visit her first."
Kak Ros raised an eyebrow. "How does Liza even know Rizky is here?"
Cindy smirked mischievously. "Well, I told her."
"Oh? And why does she want Rizky in Kelantan?" Kak Ros was growing more intrigued.
"She wants him to be her escort for her brother's wedding. But we'll all meet again in Brunei anyway—her brother is the groom, so we're bound to cross paths again." Cindy explained casually, throwing a quick glance at Nabila, whose posture was growing increasingly tense.
Through the rearview mirror, Kak Ros observed Nabila's shifting expressions.
A moment ago, she looked sad about leaving Rizky behind.
Now, her face was a mix of worry, irritation, and mild panic.
All those emotions swirled together, making her look utterly confused.
Kak Ros held back a chuckle. "Poor girl, Nabila. She's getting played by her own friends," she mused silently.