"I'm Dhani," he replied quietly. Dhani looked so nervous that he avoided eye contact with Lia on purpose.
"How about you, Aunty?" asked Lia again, this time turning to the woman next to him.
"I'm Rindu, Mr. Dhani's future wife." The woman's answer made Lia's breath catch.
"Future wife?" Lia wondered inside her heart, "why, Dhani? You keep hurting Abel?" she went on mumbling on herself.
Dhani looked at Lia from the rear-view mirror in front of him, the man was seen gulping down uncouth and was also caught several times open-closed his eyes. Maybe he's growing more and more freaked because his lie has been caught up again by Lia.
"How nice to someone who will get married. Um, thanks for helping us out. If Aunty and Uncle didn't come, I don't know how to save Abel," said Lia. She has deliberately raised her voice to panic Dhani even more.
"Don't call me auntie. I still twenty years old, you know?" she blurted out, chuckling.
"Apart from hurting girls, the pervert looks like a pedophile. Eesh. He likes young people," cursed Lia was disgusted.
The car had stopped in front of one of Jakarta's private hospitals. Without a lot of words, Dhani stepped right down and carried Abel. He also asked the security guard standing by the entrance to get the gurney, while Lia was cupped by Rindu, walking slowly into the hospital.
Abel was rushed to the emergency department, and so was Lia. While both are undergoing treatment, Dhani and Rindu waited at the front of the room.
Rindu observed her future husband's movements, she kept wandering around, looked so panicked because that man's stare stick out at the blurry door of an emergency room.
"Honey, why don't you sit down?" she said. Rindu started to suspect her future husband.
Frantically, Dhani tried to calm down in an attempt to dissuade his future wife from becoming suspicious of him. They sat next to each other, Rindu rest her head on Dhani's sturdy arms while closing her eyelids.
Twenty minutes have passed, Lia gets out of the emergency room. Her wounds had been bandaged and she smiled slightly on that future couple. Slowly closing, then sitting next to Rindu who apparently didn't realize that Lia had already been treated.
"You all right?" Dhani asked.
The guy looked a little pale. "How's Abel?" he asked again.
"But Abel went back to the hotel to make sure that you did come back there or didn't. What do you mean, why continue to give hope to Abel if--"
"Dhani," whispered Rindu, "Lia... how is your condition," the woman asked.
Instantly, Lia was silent. Dhani also threw a bitter smile at his future wife. Rindu apparently dozed off, even for a short while but could ward off any drowsiness caused by city travel last night.
"I'm fine, aunt. Thank you for bringing me and my friends here. Hmmm, you guys have something to do, don't you? Feel free to leave if you want to get home first," Lia said politely.
"Thank god. Like if we go home, can you take care of your friends by yourself? By any chance we have to meet the photographer, who wants a photoshoot for the pre-wedding," Rindu explained.
Rindu's speech made Lia even more surprised. What kind of man Dhani is, who was willing to spread his words at Abel while his wedding is right in front of his eyes. Dhani who had been caught red-handed by Lia can only bow deep, inhale and exhale slowly trying to calm the rumble in his chest.
"I can do it, aunt. Thanks again, yeah. Good luck until your wedding day," said Lia sincerely.
"Honey, come on, we have to hurry to the hotel to meet your photographer." Rindu stepped out and then followed by Dhani who's his arm hugged by the woman tightly.
"See you, Lia... get better quickly," Rindu said before passing.
Lia nodded deeply as a sign of her gratitude. Then, they both left. The long breath wafted from the girl's lips, imagining how disappointed Abel would be when she came to her senses and learned the truth that her beloved man was about to marry.
They came and go the visitors of the hospital, also the doctors and nurses were busy with each other's business. A long chair on the edge of the wall sat only by Lia, she thought to whom he would turn for help? She wasn't close to Abel's parents until finally, she had Dirga's name on her mind.
That guy would have been happy to help, especially if he had been told that Abel just had an accident. Lia quickly took her phone from the bag and looked for the contact number of her classmate.
Lia would call at first, but her cheeks ached as she moved her lips so that she would send a text message. "Ga, I need help. Can you go to Cahaya Bunda hospital now?" That's what Lia's text was.
A second later, the text on one of the chat apps showed a double checklist, from what was originally gray and then turned blue. Lia was happy, Dirga alwasy fasts response so she doesn't have to wait long.
"Who's sick, Li?" the reply from Dirga was Lia read already.
"I had an accident with Abel, Able is still unconscious." Instantly, the reply from Lia was read by Dirga.
Dirga is typing.
Lia was still monitoring.
"Wait a second. I'm going there."
"Okay, hurry up."
A slight smile rose at the corners of Lia's lips, grateful there is Dirga who is always there to help under any circumstance. Although they have only known each other since high school.
Sometimes Lia feels sorry for that guy's kindness that is so sincere to Abel. Yet, Abel would hardly consider him more than a classmate. In fact, in the last few months, Lia had noticed a strange feeling lodged in her heart to Dirga. Whether it's love or just a pity, pity because Dirga's love is just one-sided.
That girl drowned in her reverie until she finally came to her senses when the two nuns had just come out of the emergency room, followed by the male doctor who had treated them both.
"Doctor, how is my friend?" Lia rushed asked that.
The doctor smiled brightly. "Your friend is fine. That hit on her head was loud enough to knock her out," the doctor explained.
"Thank god. Um, could I take a look inside, doctor?" asked Lia.
"Sure, but she's been transferred to the infirmary. Chrysanthemum number 17 on the third floor," the doctor said, "if you'll excuse me, then," he continued.
"Oh, yes, doctor. Thank you." Lia nodded on respect.
The doctor then left. Lia immediately searched for a room where Abel was being treated. She's looking for an elevator around, but it looks like it's under construction. Even if it seemed impossible to climb the stairs, Lia would still not have the strength to climb up to the third floor.
She leaned in front of the inactive elevator, waiting for a moment if someone passed by to ask for help. It's just happened Dirga come in, seemed fiend's body running into the hospital hall. He looked so handsome that afternoon, without his round glasses and the random hairdo made Lia almost unrecognized him.
"Li, how's Abel?" That question made Lia blink out from Dirga made her amazed.
To be continued