When she reached her room, Lintang was still upset. Her conversation with her stepfather had once again revolved around the marriage plans, making her even more certain that letting Kevin go really was the best decision.
Even though Lintang knew Kevin hadn't fully accepted it and would obviously look for his own answers.
“Should I tell Selvi about this marriage?” Thinking about everything, Lintang's heart wavered.
She knew Selvi had no idea about it yet. Besides, she'd asked Kevin to take his car to Selvi's house instead of bringing it to her own. She'd done all that to keep Kevin from running into either her father or her mother.
Their long-standing relationship was known only by Selvi's family, Selvi herself, and Kevin's own mother.
“But why hasn't Selvi contacted me? Has Kevin not brought the car to her yet?”
All kinds of theories ran through Lintang's mind, leaving her at a loss as she sat deep in thought on the carpeted floor of her room. With the one-month deadline her father had mentioned drawing closer, she was sure she would hear something—or receive some kind of surprise—related to the marriage.
“All right. I guess I have to call Selvi, even if she'll have a ton of questions.”
After weighing her options, Lintang finally settled on Selvi. She quickly dialed her best friend's number—the two of them hadn't spoken in a month.
The clock read twenty minutes past seven when Selvi answered.
“Hello …”
“Lintang, are you seriously getting married? Why didn't you tell me?”
Lintang sighed when Selvi's shrill voice burst through the phone even though she'd only said one word.
“I'll come to your house, okay? We need to talk.”
“Okay. I'll wait.”
The call ended. Lintang hurriedly changed clothes, then grabbed her wallet and jacket. She left without saying goodbye to her mother, only asking Mang Dullah not to lock the front gate.
Fifteen minutes later, Lintang arrived at Selvi's house by motorcycle taxi. The slightly broad-built girl greeted her with a questioning look.
“Let's talk in my room,” Selvi said, pulling Lintang along as she obediently followed.
As soon as they reached Selvi's room, Lintang sat down as if she were being interrogated by her friend. A barrage of questions immediately poured from Selvi's lips.
“Did you really break up with Kevin?”
Lintang looked at Selvi without answering.
“Just because your father wants to set you up in an arranged marriage with another guy?” she pressed.
Lintang remained silent.
“My God, Lintang. Think it over one more time, girl. A thousand guys wouldn't compare to Kevin, who loves you just the way you are, sincerely and without asking for anything in return, until—”
“Can I get something to drink? I'm incredibly thirsty from listening to all your questions, Vi,” Lintang interrupted casually.
Smack!
“Ow! That hurt!” Lintang protested, rubbing her shoulder where Selvi had slapped her.
“Can you be serious and listen to my questions for once? You always make Kevin think the worst about you, Lintang!” Selvi grew even more furious.
“You're more aggressive than the Kevin I broke up with, Vi.”
“Lintang Ayunda Tanuwirya!” Selvi snapped in exasperation.
Lintang turned away when Selvi shouted her full name in that piercing voice.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The sound of knocking made them both turn toward the door.
“Selvi, here's your drink and some sponge cake.”
The moment they heard the familiar voice of the homeowner outside the room, they both ran to the door.
The door opened.
“Yes, Mom.”
“Yes, Auntie. Oh gosh, we're troubling you.”
Once the door opened, Lintang and Selvi put on sweet, polite smiles for the hijab-wearing woman holding a tray.
“Auntie … I was only teasing her, but you really made us drinks,” Lintang said sheepishly.
“Hee-hee-hee … don't act like you're some stranger, Lin. Here, take the drinks. I want to get back to my soap opera. And don't shout while you gossip, or Selvi's father will think you're fighting,” Selvi's mother warned with a chuckle at Lintang's comment.
The two women nearing thirty exchanged a glance and rolled their eyes.
“Aren't you going to take the drinks?”
“Oh, we are, Auntie. Thank you so much.” Lintang hurriedly took the tray from Selvi's mother's hands.
The older woman then left her daughter's room.
“Can our voices really be heard all the way downstairs?”
“They can when you yell like a mosque loudspeaker,” Selvi shot back, pushing Lintang back into the room before closing the door.
Lintang furrowed her brow at Selvi's answer. She'd been yelling like a mosque loudspeaker ever since entering the room. Lintang could only sigh.
The two of them continued their conversation while snacking on the treats Selvi's mother had made.
“Seriously? Tomorrow, the guy who's going to be your husband is picking you up at your office for lunch?”
Lintang nodded helplessly at Selvi's question.
“Ugh, I feel so bad for Kevin. Why did you have to break up with him when you two had been together for practically forever, Lin?” Selvi complained.
“I didn't know my father was planning to set me up with his business partner's son. But—”
“But your parents just didn't know about your relationship with Kevin,” Selvi finished.
“I'm sorry. I guess the mistake was mine for hiding our relationship.”
Resigned, Lintang blamed herself as well for deciding to let Kevin go.
“Who is this guy your father wants to set you up with? Maybe I know him. The kids of businesspeople all run in the same circles, especially the kind of businesspeople your father is,” Selvi said a moment later.
“His name is Argan. That's all Dad said—that Argan would pick me up tomorrow and take me to lunch. I don't know whose son he is, let alone know him.”
“Oh my God, Lin. Your father is practically handing you over to a den of criminals. He hasn't even told you whose son he is or where he works,” Selvi said, unable to believe it.
Lintang merely shrugged.
“But … are you sure your father doesn't have some other plan behind setting you up with his associate's son, Lin?” Selvi asked suspiciously.
“Hmm, I've been thinking the same thing. You know how Dad has treated me since I was little. The difference between how he treats me and how he treats my younger brother, Ivan, is obvious.”
“Yeah. The difference was already obvious back in college. How about this? Give me the name of the guy you're supposed to marry, and I'll try to find out who he is and what kind of track record he has out there. What do you say?” Selvi offered.
“What for, Vi? I'm still going to marry the guy no matter what.”
“Don't be such an obedient little girl! Before some shady guy takes your virginity, at least let me try to help Kevin have his first night with you. Don't you want your first night to be with Kevin, your first love?”
Lintang was suddenly speechless, unable to respond to Selvi's blunt outburst.
“Just do what I say. Give me that guy's full name so I can find out what he's like. Okay?”
Lintang hesitated at first, unsure whether to agree to Selvi's request. But then she remembered all the stories she'd heard about businesspeople's children being forced to marry the children of their parents' business partners without even knowing each other. A shiver ran through her, and she agreed to her friend's request.
The two of them then made plans for everything they would do to begin their investigation.