Chapter 3 – Getting Acquainted

Ever since Ranti made my Instagram account, I had a new habit.

Every time someone liked or commented on my posts, I would open their profile.

At first, it was just curiosity.

I just wanted to know—who was looking, who was paying attention.

But slowly…

it became something else.

I started noticing details.

Profile pictures.

Follower counts.

The way they posed in photos.

The way they wrote captions.

And without realizing it, I began to tell the difference—

who was just passing by,

and who was actually interested.

My WhatsApp wasn’t quiet anymore either.

Numbers I didn’t save started showing up.

Sometimes classmates.

Sometimes juniors.

Even seniors I had only seen in the hallway.

Some called.

Some texted.

Most of them—

I didn’t reply.

I just read.

Then left them there.

Strangely, it never even crossed my mind to remove my phone number from my profile.

It was right there.

Open.

For anyone to see.

And yet…

I left it.

Like it wasn’t a problem.

Or maybe—

I didn’t really want it to disappear.

Of course…

I wasn’t handling all of this alone.

Ranti was the busiest one out of all of us.

“Come on, Rio! Don’t waste that face!” she shouted from the side of the court. “Stand there—no, not like that! Relax! Try again!”

I stood there, half annoyed, half amused.

She already had her phone up.

Click.

“This one’s good!”

Click.

“This one’s better!”

“Ranti…” Teguh shook his head, tossing a bottle toward her. “It’s Rio’s account, but you’re the most excited one.”

“Hey! What was that for?” she snapped, immediately chasing him across the court.

The atmosphere turned chaotic.

Aryo laughed.

Teguh ran.

Ranti chased him without mercy.

I stayed where I was.

Watching.

Without thinking, my eyes shifted toward Dina.

She was watching them too.

Smiling.

Relaxed.

Like she was enjoying everything.

And somehow…

that was enough for me.

Aryo suddenly stepped closer.

“You like her,” he whispered, grinning.

I turned quickly. “No.”

“Sure?”

I smiled faintly. “No.”

He nodded.

“Good,” he said.

His tone felt… off.

Almost relieved.

I didn’t respond.

Just looked back at the court.

Took a slow breath.

There was no way I was going to say yes.

After school, Aryo and I walked together toward the minibus stop.

The sky had started to shift.

Orange blending into gray.

The air felt cooler.

We walked side by side.

Quiet.

Until—

“I’ve liked Dina for a long time.”

His voice was low.

Almost careful.

I stopped for a second.

Looked at him.

He didn’t look back.

His eyes stayed forward.

“Seriously?” I asked.

He nodded.

“So…” he continued, still quiet, “you’re good-looking. You can get any girl.”

I stayed silent.

“Just find someone else,” he said. “Have some mercy. I’m already average-looking. Don’t take the only one in my radar.”

I didn’t answer right away.

His words weren’t light.

There was something underneath them.

I exhaled slowly.

“Relax, Yo,” I said finally. “Girls aren’t my focus right now.”

He glanced at me.

“School is,” I added.

A brief silence.

Then—

“Good. Good,” he said with a goofy smile.

I smiled back.

But inside…

it wasn’t that simple.

That night, I sat at my desk.

Books open.

Lamp on.

The room was quiet.

I tried to focus.

Reading.

Writing.

Memorizing.

Buzz.

My phone vibrated.

I glanced at it.

A notification appeared on the screen.

Instagram.

I sighed.

Didn’t open it.

I lowered the volume and went back to studying.

A few minutes later—

it buzzed again.

And again.

It started to get annoying.

But I ignored it.

Tried to stay focused.

Tried.

Time passed.

I didn’t know how long.

Until finally—

I gave in.

For no clear reason…

just a small sense of curiosity.

I picked up my phone.

Opened Instagram.

Notifications everywhere.

I tapped on one of the photos Ranti had uploaded earlier.

The comments had piled up.

I read them one by one.

“So handsome ”

“What class are you in?”

“Follow back please!”

I smiled faintly.

Then I started opening profiles.

One by one.

My new habit.

Pointless.

But somehow… interesting.

Some were normal.

Some…

not bad.

I kept scrolling.

Until—

my finger stopped.

One comment.

Short.

“Handsome.”

I stared at it for a moment.

Then opened the profile.

A girl.

Around my age.

She was…

beautiful.

Not overly styled.

Just clean.

Simple.

Her photos were neat.

Not many.

But enough.

She was following me too.

I stayed on her profile a little longer than I should have.

Then—

I tapped.

Follow back.

A few seconds passed.

I was still looking at her profile.

And somehow…

my hand didn’t stop there.

My thumb moved.

I opened one of her photos.

Paused.

Then typed.

Slowly.

“Beautiful.”

I stared at the word for a second.

Making sure.

Then—

sent it.

That was it.

Simple.

Nothing strange.

I placed my phone on the table.

Leaned back in my chair.

Took a slow breath.

This was normal.

Just a comment.

Just a reply.

Something small.

Something harmless.

Ping.

A notification.

Fast.

I picked up my phone again.

Instinctively.

She replied.

“Thank you :)”

I smiled.

Without realizing it.

It felt… easy.

Light.

Like none of this really mattered.

I opened my profile again.

Watched the numbers rise.

Likes increasing.

Comments stacking.

Messages coming in.

I didn’t reply to all of them.

Just some.

The ones I chose.

The ones worth it.

The ones that kept things…

interesting.

I leaned back again.

Staring at the screen.

For the first time—

I wasn’t just being seen.

I was enjoying…

what it felt like to see back.

Outside my room, the night went on as usual.

Quiet.

Still.

Nothing had changed.

But inside the small screen in my hand—

something else was moving.

Growing louder.

Closer.

And without realizing it—

I had already stepped deeper into it.

Little by little.

Without hesitation.

Without thinking.

And maybe…

without a way back.

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