The next day, I went back to my usual routine.
Wake up early. Pray. Have breakfast. Work. Attend class.
Everything went as it was supposed to.
Nothing was different from the days before. Even the atmosphere at work felt the same. The sounds of people busy with their tasks, piles of work, my friends’ jokes, and the occasional clatter of a keyboard from the next desk.
And yet, one thing was different.
My thoughts.
Ever since yesterday, Rizal’s words had kept circling through my head.
About his friend.
A woman who, according to him, was beautiful, my age, single, and had never been in a relationship with anyone.
I wasn’t really interested.
At least, that was what I kept telling myself.
I didn’t even know what she was like. What her personality was, how she spoke, or what her smile looked like.
And yet, for some reason, ever since Rizal had mentioned her, my thoughts kept returning to her.
Maybe it wasn’t because of the woman.
Maybe it was because of what Rizal had said about my life.
About how I’d been too afraid to open my heart all this time.
When lunch break arrived, Rizal came over to me.
“Rai.”
I turned toward him.
“So, what do you think? Want me to introduce you?”
I let out a long sigh.
“Does it have to be now?”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to say.”
Rizal laughed.
“You just say hi.”
“That’s not the problem.”
“Then what is?”
I fell silent.
I didn’t know the answer myself.
Maybe I was just overthinking things.
Maybe I really wasn’t ready to get to know someone new.
“Forget it,” Rizal said as he took out his phone. “Don’t overthink it. I’ll give you her contact information later.”
I only nodded.
But before he could do anything, my phone vibrated.
One new message.
From Nayla.
Rai, don’t go straight home after work later, okay? I want to see you.
I froze for a few seconds.
Rizal watched my face.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
I quickly locked my phone screen.
But my thoughts were already a mess.
Why did Nayla want to see me?
What was going on?
Had something happened?
Or could it be...
I shook my head.
No.
Don’t jump to conclusions.
That afternoon, I finished my work earlier than usual. After saying goodbye to a few friends, I immediately headed to the place Nayla had chosen.
A small café not far from campus.
When I arrived, I immediately saw Nayla sitting alone in the corner of the room.
She looked different.
Usually, Nayla always greeted me with a huge smile and an endless supply of jokes.
But that afternoon, she only stared at the table in front of her.
“Nay.”
She raised her head.
“Oh, you’re here.”
I pulled out a chair and sat across from her.
“What’s wrong?”
Nayla didn’t answer right away.
She only stirred the straw in her glass.
“I want to ask you something.”
“Go ahead.”
“Do you still have the letter from the other day?”
I smiled faintly.
“I do.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Why do you ask?”
Nayla slowly shook her head.
“I was actually just joking when I gave you that challenge.”
“I know.”
“But...”
She stopped.
I looked at her.
“But what?”
Nayla took a long breath before finally looking at me.
“I’m scared.”
I fell silent.
“Scared of what?”
She lowered her gaze.
“Scared of losing you.”
For some reason, that simple sentence felt so heavy.
My heart began beating faster.
“Nay...”
“I don’t know why, but lately I keep thinking about it.”
Her hands were still fidgeting with the edge of her sleeve.
“If you get into a relationship someday, will you still have time for me?”
I didn’t answer right away.
Her question made me think.
Nayla had always been there.
Whenever I needed someone to talk to, she was there.
Whenever I was tired, she listened.
Whenever I wanted to laugh, she always found a way to make me forget my problems.
I had never really imagined what my life would be like if Nayla weren’t in it.
“What about you? If you get into a relationship, what then?” I asked in return.
Nayla smiled faintly.
“I’m scared too.”
We fell silent.
For a while, there was no conversation between us.
There was only the sound of vehicles outside the café and the voices of a few people talking at another table.
I looked at Nayla.
For the first time, I felt there was something behind her gaze.
Something we might both have been hiding all this time.
“I don’t want to lose you, Rai.”
I drew a slow breath.
“Me neither.”
The words slipped out just like that.
Nayla looked at me.
Then she smiled.
But we still didn’t say what was truly in our hearts.
Maybe because we were too afraid.
Maybe because we weren’t ready.
Or maybe because we were still waiting for the right time.
That night, after I got home, I sat alone in my room.
I deliberately left the light dim.
I opened Nayla’s challenge letter again.
The paper was already slightly crumpled from being read so many times.
I smiled when I saw the line about who would be the first to find a partner.
Back then, I’d thought it was just a game.
A ridiculous challenge between two best friends who were equally determined not to lose.
But that night, I began to see it from a different perspective.
Maybe the challenge really wasn’t about who won.
Maybe it was about who would be brave enough to admit their feelings first.
I placed the letter on the table.
Then I looked at the sky through my bedroom window.
Nayla...
Have you been feeling the same way all this time?
I didn’t know.
I wasn’t even sure of my own feelings yet.
But for the first time, I no longer wanted to run from those feelings.
And maybe, without realizing it, something between us had changed.
Something that didn’t have a name yet.
Something that might lead us to an answer.
Or perhaps make everything much more complicated.