“Assalamualaikum.” A young man’s greeting came from the front of the house.
“Who is that?” Tuti asked Nadeera.
“I’ll get it,” Tuti said again.
“No, I’ll do it!” Nadeera said to Tuti, setting down the knife in her hand before quickly walking toward the front.
Just from his voice, Nadeera already knew who it was.
“Waalaikumsalam,” Nadeera called from inside the house, her heart leaping with joy.
“Oh, Rangga! Come on in!” Nadeera invited the owner of the voice inside.
“Yeah,” he replied curtly, then walked in without paying any attention to Nadeera.
“You’re here early,” Nadeera said. She realized Rangga was ignoring her but still tried to be friendly.
“Mom told me to come,” he replied indifferently.
“Then let’s have breakfast first. I haven’t eaten yet either,” Nadeera said calmly.
“No, you go ahead.”
“It’s okay. You haven’t eaten breakfast yet, have you?” Nadeera pressed.
“Grandma, Rangga’s here!” Nadeera called out to her grandparent before Rangga could refuse her again.
“Tell him to come here, Ra. Invite him to have breakfast with us,” Nadeera’s grandparent called from the kitchen.
“Yeah, Grandma. I already invited him,” Nadeera replied.
“Come on, Rangga, to the kitchen. Grandma told you to,” Nadeera said, gently pulling on Rangga’s arm.
“Yeah.” Rangga answered shortly, then gently pulled his arm away from Nadeera. Nadeera noticed and let go, and the two of them entered the kitchen.
“Sit here for a minute. I’ll get your food ready,” Nadeera said, pulling out a chair for Rangga before heading over to Atik to get the food.
“Grandma, just sit with Rangga. I’ll bring the food to the table,” Nadeera said, taking the plate of food from her grandparent’s hands.
“Grandma, please sit here,” Rangga said, pulling out a chair for her. . . “Where’s your luggage?” Rangga asked Nadeera after they finished breakfast.
“In the living room. Please carry it to my room,” Nadeera said.
“Okay.” Rangga answered shortly and walked toward the living room, with Nadeera following behind him.
“You don’t have to help carry anything. I’ll do it,” Rangga said when Nadeera moved to lift her suitcase.
“It’s okay. Suitcases are easy—you just have to pull them,” Nadeera said.
“You don’t have to. Just organize what’s already in your room,” Rangga said, emphasizing his words.
The two of them arranged Nadeera’s belongings from Jakarta and decorated her room with the trinkets she had prepared beforehand.
Tuti and Nadeera’s grandparent came by to help from time to time, then went back to their own work. The two of them rarely spoke. They mostly worked in silence, each trapped in their own thoughts. Nearly noon had arrived by the time they finished tidying Nadeera’s room and unpacking her belongings.
“Thanks for helping me,” Nadeera said to Rangga when they were done cleaning up.
“Yeah,” Rangga replied shortly.
“Rangga, how have you been?” Nadeera asked.
“Pretty good.”
“What about you?” Rangga asked.
“Alhamdulillah, I’m good too.”
“Oh, that’s good.” Rangga said, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.
“Why?”
“Nothing. I guess you’re doing just fine after leaving without a word,” Rangga replied with a blank expression.
“I…” Nadeera began, wanting to explain, but her tongue suddenly froze.
“Whatever. I’m going home,” Rangga said, trying to get up from where he was sitting.
“Wait.” Nadeera pleaded, grabbing Rangga’s arm.
“What now?”
“I want to explain everything to you, Rangga.”
“There’s nothing to explain, Ra. I already understand.”
“Then why are you being so cold to me?”
“I just need time. It isn’t easy to forget your betrayal, Ra.”
“No, I never betrayed you.”
“Forget it. It’s in the past anyway,” Rangga said before leaving Nadeera’s room and abandoning her there.