"I'm awful, Ca'. I almost ruined someone's marriage. His wife is a woman, and I'm a woman too, so I completely understand what it would feel like to find out her husband was playing with another woman. Thank Allah He's been so good to me. Otherwise, I'd have sinned terribly and brought shame on myself, my education, and my profession of educating the nation's children."
"Come on, let's go home. Or do you want to wait for the handsome teaching assistant?" She winked to the left as a signal. I was still staring blankly, completely unable to understand what my friend meant.
"Hisss... Zainab Salsabila Khairunnisa, Babe Firdaus's daughter! Jeez... move on already, girl. Someone over there on your left is watching you—the curly-haired teaching assistant with glasses. Do you realize that?" Caca whispered into my ear, her whisper making my ears ring immediately.
My eyes darted toward the person Caca meant, a man matching the exact description she'd just given. By accident, his eyes met mine, and he immediately lowered his head, pretending to focus on his laptop screen.
"Hmm... love at first sight..."
"What? Come on, let's go. My brother's waiting outside the campus. Are you coming with me or not? Hurry!" I cut her off so Caca Marica wouldn't cause any more trouble in the cafeteria.
"Of course I'm coming. Might as well take advantage of the free ride. Your handsome brother, right? Does he want me?"
"I'm the one who doesn't want a sister-in-law like you! Nyeh!" I immediately left Caca Marica, also known as Sueb. Yes, her father's name is Sueb Sopian. Remember, it's Sopian—don't drop the last two letters, hehe.
From a distance, the man could only watch the two students who were so close. One of the women was the person he'd been watching. He didn't know what he was feeling. All he could do was keep it buried in his heart.
"Sorry it took so long, bro. That Caca Marica was acting up, so we got held up." Meanwhile, Caca Marica was gazing at my brother with sparkling eyes.
"Hey, blink before your eyes get something in them." My brother only laughed as he headed toward the car door, ready to drive.
Caca tried to get in through the front door, but I blocked her.
"Hey! You sit in the back. Otherwise, you'll use up my brother just staring at him."
Pouting, Caca Marica obediently moved to the back, though not in any particular order.
The car moved through the evening traffic. In the front seat, Zainab leaned casually against the window, while Caca in the back was still muttering under her breath and readjusting her seat.
"I'm ideal sister-in-law material, you know, Nab! At least give me a little room so your brother can see my charm in the rearview mirror," Caca chattered, refusing to be outdone as she poked her head between the two front seats.
Zainab's oldest brother, Rian, who was behind the wheel, only chuckled softly. He was already very used to the antics of the two best friends who were practically inseparable; they were always together but never stopped trading jokes.
"Ca, the more Zainab teases you, the worse you get," Rian said casually as he gently pressed the brakes at an intersection. "Besides, Zainab's right. If you sit up front, I'll have no idea whether to focus on driving or listening to you chatter."
"See? Even my brother agrees with me," Zainab remarked, glancing at Caca in the upper rearview mirror and sticking her tongue out slightly.
Caca leaned back against the rear seat again and folded her arms, pretending to sulk. "You'd better watch out, Nab. If that curly-haired teaching assistant with glasses really asks for your number, I'm going to charge a premium for any information about you!"
At Caca's words, Rian's hand, which was turning the steering wheel, suddenly paused for a moment. "Which teaching assistant? Zainab, are you being approached by someone from campus again?"