THE LOVE OF MY LIFE
87. Planning something different

##Exercise room.

Rory asks her friends not to go back to the room after they finish training. With their bodies still full of sweat, they sat on the floor waiting for Rory to speak.

"I,,, plan to propose to Nayla" Rory said after a long silence.

Trance. . . . .

Silence enveloped them when they heard Rory's statement. For a few moments they just look at each other as if they want to unite their minds whether they are mendegar or not.

"EEEHHHHHHH,,,,,??????" they all made a surprised voice.

"Are you serious?" ask Thomas.

"Yes, I've been thinking about this for a long time, it's just that I haven't been able to say it to all of you" Rory said.

"I don't have any complaints about this, I will be in full support" Ethan said.

"Two voices" Nathan chanted, raising his hand with a smiling agreement.

"Three," Thomas continued.

"How could I refuse someone like that to our family? Of course I agree," Kevin said.

"With this, it means all agree" Martin continued.

"So you agree too? No complaints about it?" ask Rory.

"Absolutely not" replied Martin. "When are you going to propose to her?" tanyakanya.

"Is it possible if I do it when we come to the show?" please Rory.

"Hey, I think it's the perfect moment" said Ethan.

"That means you have to make sure he comes" Nathan said.

"I'll make sure he comes, even if it's to pick him up" Martin said.

Gets the full support of his friends, presenting a smile on Rory's lips. He looked at them in turn, things that had passed as if twisted back in front of his eyes.

The moment Martin and Kevin oppose their relationship, the moment he almost wavers and doubts Nayla, as well as all the struggles Nayla has made as well as the sacrifices she has made.

Now, they are in full support without the slightest complaint. Not infrequently they just fight over Nayla just to come with them just to eat together or do something to spend time. Especially if it's about books.

Rory was filled with gratitude looking at her friends.

##### In the office.

The next day, Nayla came to the office for a reason. When he gets the aa he needs and plans to go straight home, he immediately undoes his intentions when he sees Adrian has a lot of work to do. Unbearable with that, Nayla turned to help instead of going home but her mind was only on Rory.

"You got an invitation to be a guest star on a live broadcast. Do you want to accept the invitation or as usual I refuse?" adrian kept busy with his work.

"Are they in a hurry to get the answer?" ask Nayla.

"Ti-dak, wait, wait, wait, " Adrian turned his head quickly to look at Nayla in disbelief.

"Are my ears in trouble today? Did you say something, Nay?" re-adrian.

"You clearly heard me, why should I repeat it?" welcome Nayla laughs lightly.

"So you'll think about it? Not resisting without reason as usual? Really? You're Nayla, right?" berondong Adrian's.

"Your words sound like I've said something weird, you know?" welcome Nayla.

"Don't blame me" said Adrian. "You're the one who made such an impression" he continued.

"What do I usually tell you in response?" ask Nayla curiously.

"Ehem, look," Adrian cleared his throat, then straightened his body. "Make any excuse that sounds reasonable to reject their offer without offending them,"

Adrian exhaled after successfully mimicking the way Nayla spoke by folding her hands and putting on a flat face.

"That's what you always tell me. Hearing you say different things makes me doubt whether the one in front of me right now is Nayla or not" Adrian continued.

Adrian's spontaneous attitude made Nayla fail to hold back her laughter. It made him realize one thing, that he had been shutting himself from the outside world all along.

The change in attitude that happened to Nayla was seen when Rory entered into his life. And he is aware of that.

Adrian is not the only one who is aware of the change. But, Chris, his office friends even some of his fans feel the changes that occur by saying his new work feels more alive.

After Nayla's statement agreeing to be a guest star, Adrian takes care of everything necessary.

...****************...

### A few days before the show.

Nayla parked her car in front of the building where Rory lived and got in. On the way to the practice room, he checked his phone again to make sure Rory asked to see him there again.

When Nayla opened the door, she immediately caught a different mood. Thomas, Ethan and Nathan are visibly upset but try to hide their feelings when they see Nayla coming.

"Finally,, you came, you,,,"

I don't know since when, Rory had been hugging him from behind. Rest his head on Nayla's boat.

"What took you so long?" his weakness.

"Hey, can't you see the situation?" hiss Nayla glanced at those inside the training room.

"just ignore! After all we have just been able to rest after a long workout," Rory replied without raising her head.

"Should we go out? You really don't think we're here, Rory," said Ethan.

"Or, at least go out and buy us something with the rest of your energy" Nathan said.

"That would be more helpful than just spending the rest of your energy standing like that" Thomas continued.

Nayla immediately set her sights on the three of them. A little amazed by the voice of sarcasm coming out of Thomas' mouth which he knew as the wisest figure compared to the others. At his side, Kevin just shook his head while putting his hands on his forehead, feeling frustrated.

"What's wrong with the three of you? You look upset when I come in" asked Nayla.

"Don't ask," greeted Rory began to raise her head.

"The three of them managed to make Martin's head burn because of their attitude" explained Rory.

"Workouts that should only be four hours to eight hours, just imagine," Kevin continued.

"Hey,, stop!" exclamation Ethan.

"Why? Feel your pride fall?" rory smiled skeptically.

"It's funny that you behave like that because you feel that Nayla will be on your side" Nathan said.

"Oh,, obviously. Because it is a sure thing where you are on the wrong side right now," welcome Rory confidently.

"Tck,," decak Ethan.

"What's the matter exactly?" nayla.

"They just didn't get their favorite book and vented their frustration at us not being involved in anything" Rory said.

"That's not just JUST," Nathan greeted quickly.

"We've been waiting a long time and lost the chance to get a book, even two books" Thomas said.

"Books? You guys fight just for books?" Nayla narrowed her eyes.

"You're even acting the same way as Martin, Rory and Kevin" Ethan complained.

"I don't mean it, but I just don't understand why it's like this because of books?" nayla.

"Aren't you able to get books easily at any bookstore?" ask Nayla.

"It's not that simple" Nathan replied.

"The book was not reprinted and only published once when there was a new title, and it was sold out" Ethan continued.

"We failed to get a special edition even a later edition" Thomas grumbled.

"Is he the Thomas I know?" chirps Nayla scratches her head while smiling wryly.

Kevin immediately let out a laugh, continued Rory who was beside him by wrapping his hands on Nayla's boat.

"Nayyy,," protested Thomas.

"Okay, Ok, I get it," Nayla raised her hand.

"What book are you talking about?" ask Nayla.

"NYLOES,," the three of them simultaneously replied.

Nayla widened her eyes hearing a simultaneous answer from them.

'Either why I feel so grateful that they failed to get the book, ' Nayla smiled stiffly.

"Did you get the book?" ask Ethan.

"You know I'd do anything to get Sir Arthur's book, right? Not that book," said Nayla.

"Tck, it looks like you didn't get it either" Nathan said.

Nayla let out a long sigh, confused by the situation before her. He thought hard to remember if one of them had ever sent him a letter. However, Nayla clearly did not remember anything about the letter from them. Perhaps, he could give books to them through letters. But, if he advised them to send a letter, they would instead have many questions for him.

"Hey,, come on, don't be like this" comforted Nayla.

"If you don't get it, there's still another word, right?" continued.

"Or, you guys just want to show me this kind of fight?" syndicate Nayla.

"Where is possible!" refute Ethan.

"Rory asked you to come because we also need to talk to you about something" he added.

"It matters?" asked Nayla with raised eyebrows.

"Yes and no" said Thomas.

"So tell me what it is!" nayla Pinta.

"Wait for Martin to come back, he'll explain everything" Nathan replied.

"Why Martin?" Nayla frowned.

"Because it's about the event that we're going to attend, of course all the schedules and things that are needed are on it" explained Kevin.

"Ahh, so. I get it," welcome Nayla.

"Alright, now stop putting on your sour faces!" nayla Pinta.

"Have you ever heard of the concept of Stoicism?" ask Nayla.

"What's that?" ask Rory.

"The ancient Greek philosopher Zeno of Citium in the city of Athens in the early 3rd century BC?" thomas asked.

"Right," greeted Nayla with a smile.

"What else is that?" sela Kevin's.

"Don't use a language that only you two understand means!" ethan Protest.

"The Theory of Stoicism focuses on what you can control and realizes there are many things beyond your control" Thomas explains.

"Stoicism teaches us not to rely on things beyond our control. If we don't get what we want, don't ask why? Wouldn't it be better to do something else that we can count on, instead of just venting out our resentment that is actually harming ourselves?" Nayla.

"We can't always keep getting what we want, can we? This is all about books. You don't think that books you can get because you feel you can control other people not to get them, do you?" ask Nayla.

"I just_,,," Ethan failed to continue his sentence.

Nathan and Thomas were silent. Now they feel silly about themselves. Although their hearts are still sad because they cannot get what they want, they feel much better.

"PROO,,,! PROK,,, MAN,,,! PROK,,,!"

A round of applause emerged from the doorway, showing Martin smiling with satisfaction at what he had never seen with them.

"It seems like there's something I can rely on to reduce the stress I feel as a result of your actions huh?" said Martin.

He looked at Nayla with a smile of thanks. Feeling her burden slightly lessened just by Nayla can put a damper on the silly squabbles of her friends.

"alright. We're going straight away because Nayla has come" Martin said without further ado.

Nayla accepted their schedule for the weekend where she would attend the event. The schedule of the event was exactly the day before the event that Adrian had scheduled him. That made Nayla hide her smile.

...****************...