A large light-blue suitcase nearly knocked Adiba over as she balanced it on the stairs of Unires Block C. The morning air in Yogyakarta was still fresh, carrying a faint scent of frangipani from the garden in front of the dormitory. Her right hand still gripped the envelope containing her room assignment: Room 307, Block C, three occupants.
"Ugh, why is this thing so heavy..." she whispered with a sigh, finally setting the suitcase on the floor when she reached the door marked 307. Her heart fluttered slightly. This was the first time she would be living far from home and sharing a room with people she had never met.
As her thumb touched the doorknob, a muffled voice from inside the room came through clearly. "Could we just split this bookshelf in half? I think I'll only have enough space to read if it goes in that corner."
The door opened slowly. Inside, a girl with brownish-blonde hair and a T-shirt printed with a world map was unpacking her backpack on the bed to the right. On the other side of the room, a girl arranging a pillow with a parang batik pattern immediately turned around and gave Adiba a warm smile when she heard the door open.
Adiba curved her lips into a warm, gentle smile. Her bright eyes shone with hope. “Peace be upon you…” Her voice was soft yet clear, carrying a peace that touched the heart of anyone who heard it.
“And peace be upon you, too. Hello! You’re Adiba, right? My name’s Zahra,” said the girl with the batik pillow as she stepped closer to help Adiba lift her suitcase.
“We already saw your name on the list of residents posted on the door. And this”—she pointed toward the blonde-haired girl—“is Alya. She was just asking about our bookshelf."
Alya lifted her chin with a bright smile. "Hey, nice to meet you! Sorry if our voices startled you. We only got here five minutes ago, and we're trying to figure out how to fit all our stuff in this room."
“Yes, nice to meet you, too,” Adiba added politely, giving a slight bow as a sign of respect.
“My name is Adiba. I just moved into the residence on this floor and happened to see that this room’s door was slightly open. I’m sorry if I disturbed you both."
Adiba looked around the fairly spacious room, where three beds stood neatly arranged, each with its own study desk and bookshelf. A shared wardrobe stood in the corner, along with an en suite bathroom that still looked spotless. The anxiety that had been weighing on her chest slowly faded, replaced by curiosity. How would her new life with these two strangers unfold?
Alya and Zahra smiled broadly as they welcomed their new roommate.
“Come on, Diba, have a seat first. Let’s get acquainted so we can become closer,” Alya said, inviting her in with a distinctly Javanese accent.
“Where are you originally from? I’m from around here, actually, from the same region as Yogyakarta,” Alya asked curiously.
Zahra chimed in with a cheerful smile, her firm yet sweet East Javanese accent clearly audible.
“I’m Javanese too, but from farther east... I’m originally from East Java,” she replied proudly.
Adiba nodded attentively. “Oh, I see... I live in Central Java now. But my family is actually originally from West Java."
At that, Alya’s eyes lit up. “So you can speak a little Javanese, right?"
Adiba gave a small laugh, her cheeks turning slightly pink. “Hehe, yes, just a little. I’ve lived and grown up there for a long time, so I understand and speak a bit of it."
“Wow, so you’re bilingual? You can mix Javanese and Sundanese too?” Zahra asked in amazement.
“Yes, I can speak a little of both,” Adiba replied modestly.
The atmosphere grew more relaxed and warm. Alya then looked at her two new friends with an expression full of determination and camaraderie.
“Well, from now on, let’s think of the three of us as sisters—as family. We have to help each other and understand one another’s strengths and weaknesses. Especially since we’re all away from home, far from our parents and our families. So we need to look out for one another, support each other, and protect each other, okay?"
Touched by her heartfelt words, Zahra and Adiba smiled broadly and nodded firmly.
“Okay!” all three exclaimed together, joining forces to build a close friendship.
“Are you and Zahra also first-semester freshmen here?” Adiba asked, breaking the silence as she looked at her two new friends with curiosity.
“Actually, I’m already in my third semester...” Alya replied casually as she smoothed a few stray hairs. “But I just moved into this dorm. My parents are often away on business or working out of town, so the house is usually completely empty. Rather than living alone and feeling lonely in that big house, I decided to move here. Thankfully, it meant I got to meet kind-hearted girls like you."
“I’m exactly like Diba,” Zahra chimed in cheerfully. “We’re in the same year, Diba. We’re both still innocent freshmen, hahaha."
Adiba smiled broadly, feeling incredibly lucky. “Oh, I see... So Alya is automatically our upperclassman, right? Please guide us, okay? Help Zahra and me so we don’t take a wrong turn or get lost around here."
“Hey, don’t call me that—it’s so cumbersome!” Zahra immediately cut in, waving her hand to reject the title. “Just call me Zahra. We’re the same age, so why make me sound old? Hahaha."
“Okay, got it, Zahra!” Adiba replied with a bright laugh.
Alya nodded in agreement, then gently patted both her friends’ thighs to get their attention.
“Hmm... Then the rules are settled. Now, instead of talking until it gets dark, we should get back to work. Come on, let’s finish tidying up so the room will look nice as soon as possible!"
“Got it!” Adiba and Zahra shouted together enthusiastically, returning to cleaning the room with hearts much lighter than before.
It was 4:30 in the morning. The world was still wrapped in darkness and profound silence, but Adiba’s day had already begun. She woke with renewed energy and immediately prepared to perform the dawn prayer in congregation at the dormitory prayer room. The peaceful atmosphere helped her pray with even greater focus, followed by Quran recitation and morning dhikr, beginning this new chapter with a heart full of peace and blessings.
After fulfilling her religious obligations, she returned to the room to freshen up, straighten her bedding until it looked neat, and put on modest clothing that fully covered her body, ready to welcome her first day as a college student.
Though they lived under the same roof, fate placed Adiba and Zahra on different paths. They were in different majors and classes, so they could only spend time together at certain moments.
Once they were ready and their hearts were at ease, the three friends gathered briefly to fill their stomachs with a light breakfast and gather their strength before facing the day on campus.
“I’m heading out first. I have something important to take care of this morning,” Alya said as she straightened her bag.
“Okay, go ahead... Be careful,” Adiba and Zahra replied together.
Zahra then turned to Adiba with a cheerful smile. “Come on, Diba, let’s go together. Once we reach the faculty area, we can split up and head to our respective classes."
“Okay, let’s go,” Adiba replied with a firm nod.
Together, they left the dormitory grounds and headed toward the university campus. As they stepped through the campus gate, the cool morning air greeted their skin, drifting through the lush green walkways and filling them with an extraordinary sense of peace.
When they reached the intersection leading to the faculties, Zahra said goodbye. “I’m heading in now, Diba. See you later! Bye!"
Adiba simply answered with a sweet smile and waved, watching her new friend leave with warmth in her heart.
Before entering her classroom, Adiba decided to sit for a while in a shady garden. She took out her small notebook, but her eyes remained fixed on the scenery around her. She wanted to savor every second of this beautiful morning and absorb the realization that her long journey through life had officially begun.
Her eyes slowly scanned the surroundings, taking in the bustle that was beginning to fill the campus. The sky, gray at first, gradually brightened, welcoming the arrival of students who began filling the grounds with renewed energy.
Yet amid the sea of people passing by, her gaze suddenly stopped on a single point. There was someone she knew, someone who, for some reason, always managed to draw her attention wherever he went.
The corners of Adiba’s lips curved into an incredibly sweet smile, subtle and barely visible. It appeared on its own, as though it were her soul’s natural response to seeing someone she knew standing before her.