“Wait, you’re going to meet WHO?” Elga gasped loudly, her voice piercing through the phone. Chandra heard a sharp rustling of clothes and concluded that Elga had abruptly sat up in her seat. “Dra, is this for REAL?”

Chandra laughed quietly. She had expected her friend's disbelief when she had picked up the phone. “Yeah, it's for real, El.” 

“Wait, where? How?! What—”

“El, stop screaming at her for god’s sake,” came Biru's voice through the phone. The two friends lived next to one another in the same kos, a shared house.

“No, listen B, she's going to meet her like, right now.”

There was a pause.

“Are you serious? Wait, give me the—Hello? Dra? Is this for real?”

Chandra bit her lip from laughing, slightly amused at her two friends' reactions. “It is B, I'm serious.”

“Man, I dunno how you went from avoiding her to seeing her on your own, but you got this, okay? I'm rooting for you.”

“Thanks, B.” Chandra smiled. “And here I thought you guys were gonna nag me again.”

Biru laughed. “Oh, if you run away again we’re absolutely gonna nag you.”

“But Dra, is this actually happening?” Elga’s voice was a little distant through the phone and Chandra concluded that their call was now on loudspeaker. “You were so worried about seeing her a couple of days ago, and now you're actually GOING to see her?”

“I know, I know.” Chandra scratched the back of her head. “I didn't expect her to say that she wanted to meet me again, but well, here we are.”

“Actually, you know what I think?” Biru said. “I think this is your chance to finally make peace with things.”

“OH—Biru's right,” Elga said. “Don't run away this time, 'kay Dra? You couldn't have avoided things forever you know, even if you tried.”

“I know.” Chandra smiled quietly. “I’m not gonna run away this time, I promise.”

“We’re gonna hold you to that, Dra,” Biru said. “But it sounds like you're more ready for it now than before, so I’m proud of you.”

“I second that!” Elga said. “Oh—and PLEASE tell us how it goes after, I’m dying to know. Maybe come over later?”

“Yeah, why don’t you stay over, Dra?” Biru added. “We’re all off work now, right? You know Elga’s got nowhere to be tonight.” 

Chandra could practically hear Biru’s teasing smirk as it was followed by a quiet smack and his ensuing laughter. She grinned.

Elga grumbled through the phone. “Hey, you and me BOTH have nothing going on tonight. Come join us in our lonely twenty-something nights, Dra.”

Chandra laughed. “I’ll definitely come over.”

“Alright,” Biru said. “Text us when you get here, okay? Good luck.”

“Good luck, Dra!” Elga said cheerfully.

Chandra smiled. “Thanks guys. I’ll see you later.”

They hung up. Chandra brought her phone down from her ear and looked at the screen with a smile. She made a mental note to pick up her friends’ favorite cakes later on and make sure to listen to how their days were doing in return. 

Only they could cheer her on so unconditionally, reminding her that she didn't have to face everything on her own. 

She leaned back in the chair she was sitting in, a wooden seat in the back of a tucked-away coffee shop near the university campus. The shop had appeared small when Chandra first approached it, but the open ceiling near the cashier created a wide sense of space, allowing the sunlight and afternoon air to drift freely inside. 

The line of parked motorcycles outside completed the atmosphere of this university hangout, students laughing in their seats with ease in light of the upcoming holidays.

Chandra was about to place her phone in her pocket when she noticed that she had received a text.

Kyra Saliem:

Hi! I’m almost there.

Chandra slowly inhaled and looked at the message for several moments, re-reading the two sentences within it. She lifted her head to look out the window, watching the groups of university students walk by. 

She pretended not to notice that their last chat was before their undergrad graduation. 

Her hands placed her phone on the small table in front of her, wiping the surface free of any debris. She then picked her phone back up and placed it on the other side, straightening the paper napkins near her cup of tea. She fixed the collar of her button-up, then the strap of her watch. 

She was considering re-tying her ponytail before she heard the door to the shop jingle open, and Chandra looked up.

There, in the frame of the coffee shop door with one hand comfortably on its handle, was Kyra. She greeted the family who ran the shop behind the counter, laughing at something that they said. She seemed to say something playful in return. 

Chandra saw Kyra nod her head politely to say that she was going inside, glancing around the tables in the shop. It took Chandra a few moments to realize that she was looking for her.

She hesitantly raised her arm to wave to Kyra from where she was sitting, before she finally spotted her. Kyra gave her a quick smile and a wave in return before making her way over. 

And Chandra gave the spotless table one final sweep with the side of her hand.