The rain still fell lightly outside my apartment balcony. I sat there, phone in hand, but didn't dare open her chat.
"Argh… why can't I stop thinking about her," I muttered to myself.
I took a long breath, staring at the city lights starting to glow. Jakarta never sleeps, but it felt like my small world revolved entirely around her.
I finally opened my laptop. Timeline empty. Deadline still far away, but my mind kept drifting to Yogyakarta.
A few minutes later, I scrolled through an old group chat from my high school friends. A message from Rizky caught my eye:
"Hey, Ga, just realized… you're skipping the game tonight? Busy?"
I smiled faintly and replied simply:
"Yeah, just thinking a bit. It's fine."
Rizky replied again:
"Life doesn't wait for us, bro. Take a step, little by little. Don't just zone out too much."
I nodded to myself, even though he couldn't see it. Simple words, but they hit. Sometimes motivation comes from small, natural things, not long speeches or quotes.
The rain began to ease. I stepped onto the balcony, looking down at the wet streets. People hurried into transportation, motorcycles speeding past. I walked slowly, my shoes soaked, but I felt… relieved.
My phone buzzed again. A chat from her:
"Arga… it's pouring there too? Don't forget to eat."
I smiled softly. My reply was short:
"Yeah, just ate. Rain's heavy here too."
Blue ticks appeared. That alone warmed my heart, but she was still far away.
That night, I sat by the window with my little notebook. Old notes were still there. I added a new one:
"Tomorrow I'll keep going. Small steps matter. Slow, but steady."
I closed my eyes briefly, phone resting on my chest. The city lights shone outside, but it felt a little warmer inside.
I realized life isn't always fair or easy. But one thing was clear: every small step that goes unseen still matters. Slow, but steady.