# Chapter 8
Big News That's No Longer for You
6:48 a.m.
Lara woke up with the email still open on her phone screen.
Congratulations. You have passed the final stage of the Meridian Student Mobility Program.
She read it again.
For the umpteenth time.
It hadn't changed.
Her name was still there.
The departure date was still there.
The sentence saying that for one semester, Lara would be studying at Universitas Velmora in Elvarsa was still there.
Four weeks from now.
Back when she filled out the application, Lara hadn't even thought she'd get in.
She applied because Mirea forced her to.
Because her academic advisor said an opportunity like that didn't come around twice.
Because at the time, spending a semester in another city sounded fun.
Now?
Lara stared at the ceiling.
Four weeks sounded incredibly short.
She opened her chat with Raka.
There were no messages.
The sentence she'd typed and deleted last night came back to her.
Rak, I got in.
It should've been easy.
Raka would definitely be happy.
Maybe he'd tease her.
Maybe he'd say:
finally, this campus gets some peace for a semester.
Then five minutes later, he'd secretly ask for every detail about her departure.
That was Raka.
Or—
that was how he used to be.
Now Lara didn't know.
Her phone vibrated.
Mirea
Mirea: YOU UP?
Lara:
Lara: yeah.
Mirea: THE MERIDIAN RESULTS ARE OUT.
Lara smiled faintly.
Lara: I got in.
Three seconds later, her phone rang.
Mirea.
Lara answered.
“HELLO?”
The shriek from the other end made Lara pull the phone away.
“Lower your voice.”
“YOU GOT IN?”
“Yeah.”
“LARA ADHISTI!”
“Yes, Mirea.”
“ELVARSA?”
“Yes.”
“VELMORA?”
“Yes.”
“ONE SEMESTER?”
Lara let out a small laugh.
“Yes.”
Mirea sounded way happier than she did.
“Holy crap. Holy crap. I'm so proud of you.”
Lara smiled.
“Thanks.”
“Why are you so calm?”
“I'm happy.”
“Liar.”
Lara fell silent.
Mirea understood immediately.
“Raka?”
“Why does it have to be him?”
“Did you tell him?”
“Not yet.”
“Why?”
Lara pulled the blanket up to her knees.
“I don't know.”
“Lara.”
“I'm keeping my distance.”
“Keeping your distance doesn't mean you can't tell him news this huge.”
Lara stared at Raka's chat.
“I just…”
“What?”
Lara bit her lip.
“I just want to know.”
“Know what?”
“If I don't tell him…”
She stopped.
“…who will he hear it from?”
Mirea was silent for several seconds.
“And if he hears it from someone else?”
Lara didn't answer.
Because honestly, she didn't even know what kind of answer she was looking for.
Maybe she wanted Raka to get mad.
Maybe she wanted him to ask why he wasn't the one she'd told.
Maybe she wanted proof that even though they were growing apart, she still held a different place in his life.
Childish.
Lara knew that.
She still didn't send the message.
9:12 a.m.
Raka was in class when Sena nudged his arm.
“Rak.”
Raka kept his eyes on the professor.
“Hmm?”
“Did Lara apply for Meridian?”
Raka's pen stopped.
“What?”
Sena showed him her phone under the desk.
“That exchange program.”
“Why?”
“Her name's on the announcement.”
Raka immediately took Sena's phone.
“Hey.”
The list of accepted participants filled the screen.
Raka read it.
Once.
Then he found that name.
Lara Adhisti — Universitas Velmora, Elvarsa.
Raka didn't move.
“What is this?”
Sena took her phone back.
“A one-semester mobility program.”
“I know what Meridian is.”
“Then what?”
“Why is Lara on it?”
Sena raised an eyebrow.
“Because she applied?”
Raka stared at her.
“She never told me.”
The words came out quietly.
Sena had been about to joke, but chose to stay silent.
The professor was still talking at the front of the room.
Raka didn't hear a word.
He opened his phone.
Lara's chat.
No messages.
He typed:
Did you get into Meridian?
He stopped.
Then deleted it.
Why hadn't Lara told him?
They were keeping their distance.
But this wasn't small news.
One semester.
Another city.
Four weeks from now.
Raka opened the official announcement.
Read the details.
The program lasted almost five months.
Elvarsa was hundreds of kilometers from Ranuwena.
Five months.
Raka leaned back in his chair.
Sena whispered, “You seriously didn't know?”
Raka shook his head.
“No.”
For the first time, that word hurt far more than it should have.
When class ended, Raka didn't leave right away.
Sena stood beside his desk.
“Text her.”
Raka put his books in his bag.
“Later.”
“Why later?”
“She didn't tell me either.”
Sena sighed.
“Don't start.”
“Start what?”
“The game of who cares less.”
“I'm not playing a game.”
“You're playing it right now.”
Raka closed his bag.
“If she wanted me to know, she would've told me.”
“Maybe she hasn't had a chance.”
“The results came out last night.”
“It was just last night.”
“She was online until midnight.”
Sena fell silent.
Raka gave a humorless laugh.
“She knows.”
“Knows what?”
“That I'd want to know.”
Sena looked at him.
“Rak, you two are being weird. Maybe she doesn't know how to bring it up either.”
“So I should pretend I don't know?”
“No.”
“Fine.”
Raka walked out of the classroom.
Sena followed.
“And then?”
“I'll wait.”
“Until?”
“Until she tells me herself.”
Sena clicked her tongue.
“If you two get married someday, I don't want to be a witness.”
Raka shot her a sharp look.
“Don't be ridiculous.”
“I don't want to catch your stupidity.”
For the first time that morning, Raka almost laughed.
Almost.
By eleven, news of Lara's acceptance had spread through the committee group chat.
Tavia started it.
Tavia: LARAAAAA
Tavia: MERIDIAN?????
Kevar: Congratulations, Lara.
Tavia: ONE SEMESTER IN ELVARSA, THAT'S INSANE
Sena: You owe us a treat.
Lara: thanks 😭
Lara: sena only ever thinks about food.
Sena: Happiness should be celebrated.
Raka read all the messages.
He didn't reply.
Tavia sent another message.
Tavia: @Raka Elvano your best friend is about to run away
Raka stared at the mention.
Lara was online.
He knew she must've seen it.
Raka typed:
Raka: Congrats, Lar.
Send.
A few seconds later:
Lara: Thanks, Rak.
That was it.
Two sentences.
In the group chat.
Not privately.
Sena, sitting beside Raka, read it from her own phone screen.
She slowly turned to him.
“Seriously?”
Raka slipped his phone into his pocket.
“What?”
“‘Congrats, Lar’?”
“What about it?”
“That sounds like something a clubmate would say.”
“We are friends.”
Sena stared at him for a long moment.
“You're hurt.”
“No.”
“Liar.”
Raka stood.
“Let's eat.”
“You always run to food when you don't want to talk.”
“Weren't you the one always thinking about food?”
“Don't turn this back on me.”
Raka walked ahead.
Sena sighed and followed.
On the other side of campus, Lara was still staring at the message in the group chat.
Raka: Congrats, Lar.
No private chat.
No:
Why didn't you tell me?
No:
When are you leaving?
No:
Five months?
Just congratulations.
Lara locked her screen.
Mirea sat across from her.
“Happy now?”
Lara looked at her.
“What?”
“Your experiment.”
“What experiment?”
“You didn't tell him. He found out from the group chat. And now all he says is congratulations.”
Lara lowered her head.
“Good.”
Mirea raised an eyebrow.
“Good?”
“It means he respects me.”
“Respects what?”
“The distance.”
Mirea didn't answer.
Lara opened her laptop.
She tried to read the document.
Nothing sank in.
She opened the group chat again.
Raka's message was still there.
Congrats, Lar.
Those two words hurt far more than they should have.
“What should he have said?” Mirea asked.
Lara stayed silent.
“Exactly.”
“I don't know.”
“You do know.”
Lara stared at the screen.
Slowly, she said, “He should've gotten mad.”
Mirea didn't look surprised.
“Why?”
“Because I didn't tell him.”
“And then?”
“He should've asked why.”
“And then?”
Lara let out a breath.
“He should've…”
She stopped.
Mirea waited.
“…not been so calm about knowing I was leaving for five months.”
There it was.
Mirea leaned back.
“Now for the real question.”
Lara looked at her.
“If Raka got mad because you're leaving, would you be happy?”
Lara didn't answer.
The answer was too obvious.
That afternoon, they met at Gedung Samasta.
It couldn't be avoided.
A major meeting.
Every division was there.
Lara arrived first.
Raka came in five minutes later with Sena.
Their eyes met.
“Hi,” Lara said.
“Hi.”
Raka sat down.
Not beside Lara.
Sena looked at the empty chair next to Lara.
Then at Raka.
Raka chose a seat two places away.
Sena slowly shook her head.
The meeting had been going on for almost an hour when Kevar suddenly said,
“Lara.”
Lara looked up.
“Hmm?”
“Since you're leaving in four weeks, we need to start handing off the post-event report.”
“Oh. Yeah.”
Raka, who had been writing, stopped.
Four weeks.
Hearing it directly was different.
Kevar continued, “Coordinate with Tavia later.”
“Okay.”
“What date are you leaving?”
“The twenty-third.”
Raka automatically calculated.
Thirty-one days.
Not even five weeks.
“How long is the program?” one of the members asked.
“About five months.”
“Wow.”
“You'll be back next semester?”
“Yeah.”
Raka stared at his notebook.
Not a single word made it into his head.
Five months.
For five months, Lara wouldn't be at Kedai Sela.
She wouldn't be on Tangga Timur.
She wouldn't be at meetings.
There'd be no chance encounters.
No distance of a few meters between them.
What there would be was an entirely different city.
And for the first time, Raka realized something terrifying.
If he kept waiting—
the time he had was no longer unlimited.
It had a date.
The meeting ended at five thirty.
People began to leave.
Raka stayed seated.
So did Lara.
Sena stood.
Looked at both of them.
Then said, “Tavia and I are heading out.”
Tavia, who had no idea that was the plan, stared at her.
“Huh?”
Sena grabbed her arm.
“Come on.”
“Where?”
“Destiny.”
“What the hell?”
They left.
Kevar also went out.
The room slowly emptied.
Only Raka and Lara remained.
Lara put her charger in her bag.
Raka finally said,
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Lara's hands stopped.
She didn't turn around.
“About what?”
Raka almost laughed.
“Seriously?”
Lara closed her bag.
“Meridian?”
“Yeah.”
Lara finally looked at him.
“I hadn't had a chance.”
“Who were you texting last night?”
The question sounded sharper than Raka intended.
Lara frowned.
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“You said you hadn't had a chance.”
“I hadn't had a chance to tell you.”
Raka let out a humorless laugh.
“Okay.”
Lara immediately got annoyed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“If it's nothing, don't use that tone.”
Raka stood.
“I just found out I'm not someone who needs to be told.”
Lara fell silent.
The words had come out before he could stop them.
Raka realized it too.
But this time, he didn't take them back.
Lara looked at him.
“You're the one who pulled away.”
“Because you asked me to.”
“I never asked you to become a stranger.”
“I didn't know what else to be.”
Silence.
Lara held onto her bag strap.
“A friend.”
Raka gave a hollow laugh.
“We're still friends, right?”
Lara froze as her own words were thrown back at her.
Raka continued, “Do ordinary friends need to be told everything?”
“This isn't everything.”
“Then what is it?”
“This is big.”
“Exactly.”
Raka looked at her.
“That was my point.”
Lara didn't answer.
“If this is big news, why did I hear it from the group chat?”
Raka's voice wasn't loud.
That was exactly why it felt so heavy.
Lara swallowed.
“Because I was scared.”
Raka went still.
“Of what?”
Lara lowered her head.
“I was scared to tell you.”
“Why?”
Because I wanted to know whether you cared or not.
Because I wanted you to ask me not to go.
Because I was scared you'd just say congratulations like you did earlier.
None of it came out.
Lara finally said, “I don't know.”
Raka nodded slowly.
“Okay.”
Lara immediately looked at him.
“Don't keep saying ‘okay.’”
“Then what am I supposed to say?”
“I don't know.”
“You never say what you want, Lar.”
That made Lara go quiet.
The irony wasn't lost on her.
The exact same thing could be said about Raka.
“You don't either,” she shot back.
Raka froze.
Lara met his eyes.
“You never say what you want either.”
There was no denying it.
They stood in the empty room with too many unfinished sentences between them.
Finally, Raka asked,
“Are you happy you got in?”
Lara nodded.
“I'm happy.”
“Do you want to go?”
The question was different.
Lara didn't answer right away.
“I should.”
“Not should.”
Raka looked at her.
“Do you want to?”
Lara gripped her bag strap tighter.
“I don't know.”
Raka gave a faint smile.
“Why not?”
Lara wanted to say:
Because now there's you.
But the words felt too naked.
So she said, “There are a lot of things I'll be leaving behind.”
“Darel?”
That name again.
Lara sighed.
“Why is it always Darel?”
Raka regretted it immediately.
“It isn't always.”
“It is.”
“I was just asking.”
“I have Mirea. My friends. Campus. My family can still come here too.”
“Yeah.”
“Why is Darel the one you think about?”
Raka didn't answer.
Lara looked at him.
Then something seemed to click.
“Are you jealous?”
The same question.
Again.
This time, Raka didn't laugh.
He didn't deny it right away.
He just stayed silent.
Lara waited.
One second.
Two.
Three.
Raka opened his mouth.
“What if I said yes?”
Lara's heart seemed to stop.
“What?”
Raka looked at her.
For the first time, there was no joke on his face.
“If I said I was jealous, would that change anything?”
Lara didn't know how to answer.
Raka let out a small laugh.
Not because it was funny.
“Exactly.”
He picked up his bag.
He was about to leave.
Lara reflexively grabbed his wrist.
Raka stopped.
They both looked at Lara's hand.
She didn't let go.
“Don't go.”
Two words.
Raka looked at her.
“Why?”
Lara didn't know.
Or she did, but was afraid.
“I'm not finished.”
Raka stood in front of her again.
“Okay.”
Lara took a breath.
“Are you mad that I'm leaving?”
“I don't have the right.”
“I didn't ask about rights.”
Raka fell silent.
“Are you mad?”
Raka looked away.
“Yeah.”
Lara held her breath.
“Why?”
“Because five months is a long time.”
The answer was honest.
But it wasn't everything.
“And?”
“Because you didn't tell me.”
“And?”
Raka looked at her again.
Lara waited.
“Because…”
He stopped.
His heart was beating too hard.
Lara was still holding his wrist.
Raka could feel her fingers.
“Because I…”
The door opened.
“Lara?”
Darel.
Of course.
Raka closed his eyes for a fraction of a second.
Lara immediately let go of his hand.
Darel stood in the doorway.
His gaze moved from Lara to Raka.
“Sorry. Am I interrupting?”
“No,” Raka answered too quickly.
Lara turned to him.
Raka picked up his bag.
“I was heading home anyway.”
“Rak—”
“Congratulations again.”
Raka gave Lara a faint smile.
“This time, directly to her.
“You deserve it.”
There was sincerity in his voice.
That only made Lara's chest tighten more.
Raka passed Darel.
“See you, Rel.”
“Rak.”
Darel nodded.
The door closed.
Lara stood still.
Raka's words hung in her mind.
If I said I was jealous, would that change anything?
For the first time, Raka hadn't really denied it.
And that was far more dangerous than all his answers before.
Darel didn't speak right away.
He helped Lara carry several documents downstairs.
Only after they reached the courtyard did he say,
“Can I ask you something?”
Lara knew.
“Sure.”
“Are you really going?”
“I think so.”
“You think so?”
“I got in.”
“That isn't what I mean.”
Darel stopped walking.
“Do you want to go?”
The same question Raka had asked.
Lara sighed.
“Why is everyone asking me that?”
“Because getting in and wanting to go are two different things.”
Lara looked across the campus grounds.
“I have to go.”
“Again with ‘have to.’”
Lara gave a hollow laugh.
“You guys are really in sync.”
Darel smiled faintly.
Then his expression turned serious again.
“Don't cancel because of anyone.”
Lara turned to him.
“Not even me.”
“Rel.”
“I'm serious.”
Darel put his hands in his pockets.
“If this is something you wanted before everything got complicated, don't throw away the opportunity just because there are people making it harder now.”
Lara knew who he meant by people.
“Five months isn't that long.”
Darel continued, “If something is truly worth waiting for.”
Lara looked at him.
“Would you wait?”
Darel smiled.
“If you asked me to.”
Again.
Clear as day.
Lara didn't have to guess.
And again, instead of feeling reassured, her head filled with someone who couldn't even finish a sentence.
Because I…
What?
Because I what, Rak?
8:11 p.m.
Raka was sitting on the balcony at home when Nayel came over carrying two ice cream bars.
One was tossed to him.
Raka caught it.
“You stole mine?”
“Bought it.”
“With whose money?”
Nayel sat down.
“Yours, Kak Raka.”
Raka turned to him.
“So you stole it.”
Nayel laughed.
They opened their ice cream.
For several minutes, neither of them spoke.
Then Nayel said, “Lara's leaving, huh?”
Raka turned to him immediately.
“How do you know?”
“She posted it.”
Raka opened his phone.
Lara's story.
A photo of the acceptance email.
Caption:
turns out I really do have to go this far away.
Raka read it several times.
Nayel licked his ice cream.
“Where to?”
“Elvarsa.”
“How long?”
“Five months.”
“Wow.”
Raka stayed quiet.
Nayel turned to him.
“You sad, Kak Raka?”
“No.”
“Liar.”
Raka gave a short laugh.
“Why does everyone suddenly love calling me a liar?”
“Because it's obvious.”
Raka looked at the road in front of the house.
Nayel said, “If you're sad, just say so.”
Raka turned to him.
“To who?”
“To Lara.”
Raka laughed.
“Easy for you to say.”
“It is.”
“You don't understand.”
Nayel shrugged.
“Maybe.”
He bit the tip of his ice cream.
“But if Lara leaves for five months and you regret not saying anything, it'll be harder, right?”
Raka fell silent.
A sixteen-year-old kid.
Why did everyone in his life make more sense than he did?
10:26 p.m.
Lara was putting the Meridian documents into a folder when her phone vibrated.
Raka
Her heartbeat immediately changed rhythm.
She opened it.
Raka: The 23rd?
Lara knew what he meant.
Lara: Yeah.
Raka: What time?
Lara: Haven't gotten the ticket yet.
Raka: What are you taking?
Lara: Probably the train.
Raka read it.
Then:
Raka: Five months?
Lara smiled faintly.
Lara: That's what they said.
Raka: That's a long time.
Lara's fingers stopped.
Raka didn't delete it this time.
He'd really sent it.
Lara: I thought you said you didn't have the right to be mad.
Raka: I'm not mad.
Lara: Then what?
Three dots appeared.
Raka: I just don't like it.
Lara held her breath.
Lara: What don't you like?
Three dots.
Gone.
Back.
Gone again.
Lara almost laughed.
Same old habit.
Finally:
Raka: You're leaving for a long time.
Lara read it.
A small smile appeared without permission.
Lara: I'll come back.
Raka: Five months later.
Lara: Are you even going to notice I'm gone?
Raka didn't reply right away.
Lara immediately regretted sending it.
Too honest.
But the message had already been read.
One minute.
Then:
Raka: I'd notice on the first day.
Lara froze.
She read it once.
Twice.
Three times.
Warmth spread through her chest in an incredibly annoying way.
Lara: Why?
Raka was typing.
For a long time.
Raka: Because campus will be quieter.
Lara rolled her eyes.
Of course.
She was about to put her phone down when another message came in.
Raka: For me.
Lara stopped.
There was no joke afterward.
No lol.
No emoji.
Just two words.
For me.
Lara didn't know what to reply.
So for once, she didn't try to be clever.
Lara: I'll miss you too.
Message read.
Raka didn't answer right away.
Then:
Raka: Who?
Lara frowned.
Lara: What do you mean?
Raka: Who are you going to miss?
Lara let out a small laugh.
She knew Raka was looking for another escape route.
Not this time.
Lara: You.
No reply.
Five seconds.
Ten.
Twenty.
Lara watched the status.
Raka is typing…
It disappeared.
Then came back.
A message finally arrived.
Raka: Oh.
Lara stared at the screen in disbelief.
Lara: THAT'S IT?
Raka:
Raka: What, you want me to do a backflip?
Lara:
Lara: YOU'RE SO ANNOYING.
Raka:
Raka: lol.
And for the first time in several days, their conversation felt like it used to.
Lara smiled.
Raka smiled at home too.
But this time, something was different.
Their clock was counting backward.
Thirty-one days.
11:04 p.m.
The conversation didn't stop.
Raka: Does Velmora have dorms?
Lara: It does. Meridian participants have to stay there.
Raka: How many people per room?
Lara: I don't know yet.
Raka: Don't room with anyone weird.
Lara laughed.
Lara: How am I supposed to screen them before meeting them?
Raka: Ask if they like papaya.
Lara: And then?
Raka: If they do, red flag.
Lara:
Lara: I'M THE ONE WHO DOESN'T LIKE PAPAYA.
Raka: That's why I remember.
Lara stopped.
The sentence was simple.
That's why I remember.
She stared at it for a long time.
Then typed:
Lara: Rak.
Raka: Hmm?
Lara: Before I leave…
Raka immediately sat up straighter.
Raka: What?
Lara typed.
I want us to talk about what we really are.
She stopped.
Read it over.
Her heart pounded.
Four weeks.
If not now, when?
Lara's thumb moved toward the send button.
But then Darel's image came to mind.
Darel, who had already been honest.
Darel, who was waiting.
Darel, who had never made her guess.
Was it fair to ask Raka for an answer while she was giving someone else a chance?
Lara deleted the sentence.
Replaced it.
Lara: I want to go to Kedai Sela more often.
Raka stared at the message.
For some reason, he felt like something had gone missing before the message even arrived.
Raka: That's it?
Lara fell silent.
As if Raka knew.
Lara: Yeah.
Raka:
Raka: Sure.
Lara:
Lara: Are you coming?
Raka smiled faintly.
Raka: If you invite me.
Lara: I'm inviting you now.
Raka: Fine.
Lara: Tomorrow?
Raka didn't need to think.
Raka: Tomorrow.
The next day, at four in the afternoon, the table by the window at Kedai Sela was occupied by two people again.
Just like before.
Raka arrived first.
Lara came five minutes later.
Two drinks were already on the table.
Milk coffee, no sugar.
Iced chocolate.
Lara put down her bag.
“You ordered for me?”
Raka nodded.
“You still remember?”
Raka looked at her.
“There are a lot of things I remember.”
The answer made Lara fall silent.
Raka only then realized how honest it sounded.
He immediately picked up his coffee.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Lara sat down.
For a few minutes, they talked about ordinary things.
The Meridian program.
Event preparations.
Classes.
But there was a strange feeling between them.
As if they both knew that their meetings now came with a limited number.
Lara was telling him about the dorm when her phone vibrated.
Darel.
Raka saw the name.
This time, he didn't ask.
Lara replied briefly.
Then placed her phone facedown.
“Why?” Raka asked.
“Why what?”
“You usually take a long time to reply when Darel texts.”
Lara looked at him.
“You pay attention?”
Raka immediately took a drink.
“I saw wrong.”
Lara held back a smile.
“Jealous?”
Raka stared at his glass.
He would've denied it immediately before.
Today, he only said,
“A little.”
Lara froze.
Raka froze too.
The words were out.
Really out.
He couldn't delete them.
Lara looked at him.
“What?”
Raka rubbed the back of his neck.
“Forget it.”
“No.”
“Lara.”
“You said a little.”
“I was joking.”
“Liar.”
Raka laughed nervously.
“You're really into interrogating me now.”
“Because you're really into giving half-answers.”
Raka fell silent.
Lara leaned forward slightly.
“A little what?”
Raka looked into her eyes.
This time, there was no screen.
No delete button.
But there was still fear.
“Jealous.”
Lara didn't move.
Raka continued before he lost his nerve.
“A little jealous.”
Lara swallowed.
“Why?”
That question had always made Raka run.
He looked out the window.
Then turned back to Lara.
“I don't know how to answer it yet.”
Lara looked disappointed.
“Of course.”
“But…”
Raka stopped.
Lara waited.
“…I will answer.”
“When?”
Raka smiled faintly.
“Before you leave.”
Lara stared at him.
“Promise?”
One word.
Raka didn't like promises.
Because promises created something he had to keep.
But maybe that was what he needed.
Something that couldn't be deleted.
Raka nodded.
“Promise.”
Lara smiled.
Small.
But enough for Raka to know he'd just given her hope.
And strangely, this time he didn't want to take it back.
Outside Kedai Sela, someone stood a few meters from the glass.
Darel.
He had come because Lara told him she was there.
At first, he intended to go inside.
Then he saw who was sitting across from Lara.
Raka.
Darel couldn't hear their conversation.
But he could see Lara's expression.
That smile.
He recognized it.
Not because Lara had ever given it to him.
Precisely because she hadn't.
Darel slipped his phone into his pocket.
He decided not to go in.
He turned around.
His phone vibrated a few minutes later.
Lara.
Lara: So you came here?
Darel stopped walking.
He stared at the message.
Then replied:
Darel: Never mind. Something came up.
Lara:
Lara: Okay. Be careful.
Darel read the last two words.
Then locked his screen.
He liked Lara.
That hadn't changed.
But now he was beginning to understand something he'd actually known from the start.
An opportunity didn't mean someone's heart was empty.
And waiting didn't mean he'd be the one chosen in the end.
That night, Lara opened her calendar.
The departure date was marked.
23.
Thirty days left.
Then she remembered Raka's promise.
I'll answer.
Before you leave.
For the first time since receiving the Meridian email, Lara was truly afraid of her departure date.
Not because of Elvarsa.
Not because of five months.
But because there was an answer that now had to come before that date.
An answer that could make leaving much easier.
Or much harder.
At home, Raka was staring at the calendar too.
The same date.
Thirty days.
He opened Lara's chat.
Typed a sentence.
I already know the answer, actually.
Raka stared at it.
Then added:
I'm just learning how to be brave enough to say it.
He almost sent it.
Almost.
Then he smiled faintly and deleted it.
Not because he wanted to run again.
This time was different.
For the first time, Raka didn't want to say something that big through a screen.
He wanted Lara to hear it directly.
Without three dots.
Without a deleted message.
Without the chance to pretend he'd typed the wrong thing.
Thirty days.
And for the first time, Raka stopped thinking he had forever.
Now he had a deadline.
And a promise that couldn't be deleted.