Ali drove his car at a moderate speed, letting several other vehicles overtake him. Throughout this trip, a smile always graced his handsome face. Ali didn't care about Arif, who protested to drive his car faster, and I couldn't help but smile at their argument.
When passing this city's landmark, a statue of several horses, one of which is lifting its front legs, I immediately collect all my things because we will arrive at an intersection in about five hundred meters. I planned to get off there and continue the bus journey to my parents' house. I haven't been home for two months, and I really miss them.
"I got off at the crossroads ahead, huh."
Ali was silent.
"Seriously, you want to go home?" Arif asked.
"Yes."
"The trip to your house is at least two hours to get there. Is there still a bus there?" asked Arif thoughtfully. "If you go back to the boarding house, it's only three-quarters of an hour or even half an hour."
I looked at my watch, ten minutes past seven.
"Still, usually until eight o'clock, it's still there,"
Ali didn't say anything, and he just listened when Arif and I talked. Arif kept talking to me until I realized we had passed the intersection earlier, and Ali did not take the left direction, but he took the straight path, which means to my town. Ali has also accelerated his car. I felt nervous and uncomfortable, while the two guys laughed when I protested.
"Let's meet the in-laws, Rif, hehe," this time it was Ali who said, his warm eyes staring at me through the rearview mirror.
I felt my heart jump. Arif just chuckled.
Suddenly my cell phone rang. I immediately looked at the screen and found Harsya's name listed there.
"Hello,..."
"Hello, honey, where have you been?"
"Just passing the crossroads, I came home,"
"So, what are you riding? So you're riding with Arif?"
"Yeah.." I intentionally didn't say that Ali also accompanied me apart from Arif. For some reason, I feel bad when I mention Ali's name in front of Harsya. "Here I go straight home, Bro."
"Okay, take care, sorry I can't pick you up. Good night"
"Yes, it's okay, good night.."
I smiled, looking at my cellphone screen and ended the call from Harsya. I shoved my phone into my pocket without realizing my eyes were on the rearview mirror above the wheelhouse, my chest pounding as I felt my heart beat fast. I quickly turned my gaze out the window and stared at the night view along the road leading to my house.
Throughout the trip I was mostly quiet and only spoke when necessary. Every now and then I steal glances at Ali and sometimes I catch him looking at me through the rearview mirror above him or when he deliberately turns to look at me. The sound of love songs playing sweetly from the music player on the front dashboard made my feelings drift away.
I felt the atmosphere around me so awkward as I couldn't stop my heart beating fast. Fortunately, Arif did not notice the strangeness between us, he chattered cheerfully to break the silence between us.
Ali's car drove without a hitch towards the small town where I live. Arif, who had come to my house several times with other friends, became Ali's guide so that the guy didn't have to ask me which way he should take. After almost two hours of driving, Ali's car finally stopped in my yard.
***