In the car...
Zaidan looked confused when he saw Azzahra, who looked sad. The girl had been wiping away the tears that kept coming out of the corners of her eyes, and the boy didn't dare to interrupt what was happening to his best friend. A few moments passed, and Zaidan looked at a pair of men and women who were also hurrying into the car.
"What actually happened? It seems that Zahra's eyes were directed towards the two people who had just gotten into the car. Who exactly are they to Azzahra..." Realizing the two people who had just entered were the cause of Azzahra's sadness, Zaidan asked himself.
His eyes looked at the car the two were riding in, and until the car left the parking lot, Zaidan still looked at it attentively. Zaidan even took his cell phone and took a picture of the car plate Gus Azzam was wearing.
"Zaid… why are you taking pictures of that car? I don't want to see it; don't show me the picture..." suddenly, from the chair next to her, Azzahra gave Zaidan a warning.
Zaidan turned his head and looked at Azzahra, who seemed to be able to control herself. The man smiled, then...
"Don't be in your thoughts, Zahra... I'm just curious because it seems you became like this because of them." The man was silent for a moment.
"Luckily, I was following you from campus and saw you get into an online motorcycle taxi. I followed behind you and immediately entered this bakery when I saw you go inside." the man continued.
Zaidan's eyes tried to penetrate what was going through the girl's mind in front of him. Azzahra didn't even realize when she was standing behind the girl. Because they often come to the cake shop, Zaidan also knows what cakes Azzahra likes. However, when the man was about to greet Azzahra, Zaidan was stunned by the situation. When Azzahra seemed shocked by what she saw and ran out of the shop, Zaidan immediately chased her and took her into the car.
"Maybe it's time for me to tell you all this, Zaid. But let's just get out of this parking lot. On the way to my apartment, I will tell you what I have experienced." In a low voice, Azzahra finally responded.
But tears seemed to fill his eyelids again, and some flowed out through the corners of his eyes.
"Zahra... I'm not forcing you to tell me if you're not ready. I won't find out what's wrong with you if telling the story hurts you..." Zaidan tried to neutralize the atmosphere as he stepped on the gas pedal of the car because he saw what happened to the girl.
Azzahra sobbed again for a few moments, and then Zaidah deftly grabbed the tissue with her left hand and gave it to the girl.
"Thank you..." the girl said, taking the tissue from Zaidan's hand and wiping the tears that wet her eyes. A few moments later...
"You're right, Zaidan... those two people cause my sadness today. "When my heart tried to accept it sincerely, it was destroyed because of that man's actions." Finally, Azzahra spoke softly.
The girl wiped her tears again with the tissue in her hand. Even though Zaidan had many questions, the man seemed to be patiently waiting.
"Zaid... tell me, Zaid..! Do I, Azzahra, not have the right to be happy...?" Suddenly, the girl looked at Zaidan with tears still filled with tears.
The man was confused about how to act because he didn't know the problem.
"Answer Zaidan... is there a right for me to feel happy..." feeling that if Zaidan didn't respond immediately, Azzahra looked urgent.
"Mmmpphh... I'm confused about giving Zahra an answer. If happiness, all humans in this world have the right to feel it. "But... what actually happened to you, Zahra..., or happened to you, if the three of you are actually in a relationship." To be able to provide a response, Zaidan asked the girl for an explanation.
Azzahra fell silent again, then seemed to take a deep breath...
"Zaid... that man is my husband Zaid. I deliberately didn't tell you because I don't know the direction of our marriage in the future..." Tears flowed from the corner of Azzahra's eyes again.
The words that came out of Azzahra's lips were like knives that stabbed all nine men. The man suddenly stepped on the brakes and pulled the car to the side of the highway. Looking enthusiastic, Zaidan looked at the girl who had filled his heart for a long time. Between believing and not believing Azzahra's words, Zaidan stared confusedly at the girl, who still looked like she was crying. In his heart, Zaidan himself felt confused about the feelings he was currently experiencing. Between anger, disappointment, and worry... all mixed into one.
"I know you must be shocked to hear this news, Zaidan, or maybe even disappointed. "But I also couldn't do anything, and I returned to East Java last month to get married to that man." While in tears, Azzahra continued her story.
Hearing the story told by the girl herself, Zaidan didn't know how to act. For a long time, the man had pinned his hopes on the girl who was very close to him. However, to protect Azzahra's feelings, Zaidan deliberately delayed conveying what was in his heart to the girl. This time, the news of the marriage of the girl who was expected to be his companion seemed like a hammer hitting his heart.
"Speak, Zaid... tell me what I should do, Zaidan. Actually, my heart was already intending to try not to disappoint my parents and the parents of Gus Azzam, my husband. However... in reality, I only swallowed false hope..." the girl urged Zaidan to help her.
"Honestly, Zahra... I'm confused about it myself. Everything happened so suddenly and suddenly, and this really surprised me, Zahra. And once again, I say Zahra... honestly, I'm disappointed in your attitude..." Without inputting what Azzahra should do, Zaidan unconsciously conveyed what was in his heart.
"I'm sorry, Zaid... I didn't mean to hide my marriage from you, my friends. But I felt helpless and didn't know what to do. I've tried to take care of myself, and even now, I have never had husband and wife relations with Gus Azzam..." Feeling guilty, Azzahra made an explanation.
Without even realizing it, Azzahra vulgarly conveyed the situation she was experiencing.
The girl lowered her head down, confused about what had happened to her. Only Zaidan, his closest friend in this city. And to this man, Azzahra felt it was easy to share all the problems she was facing.
"Zahra, don't continue your story. It's enough that the privacy of your marriage is the privacy of both of you. Don't tell anyone, just me." Not wanting the girl to talk about her personal problems, Zaidan stopped the girl.
"Why Zaid... are you angry with my dishonesty and don't want to hear my story...?" Feeling ignored by the man, Azzahra looked disappointed.
"Understand me, Zahra. I'm now confused about how I should act towards you. According to the Islamic faith, you and I made mistakes. Where is your husband, but you are traveling with me instead?" Zaidan tried to explain.
"Zaidan... please don't blame me now. I need Zaid's moral support... and between me and Gus Azzam, there has never been any intimate closeness. Understand me... and give me help..." Trying to forget what almost happened to her husband this morning, Azzahra tried to convince Zaidan.
The girl tried to explain to Zaidan because the young man was currently the only good friend who was always ready to help. Zaidan was just silent, trying to digest the words Azzahra said. In Zaidan's heart, he thought Azzahra should not have told him about her relationship with her husband. But because he understood the girl's confusion, Zaidan did not comment.