Love Literacy: Chapter Four

 We met almost every day during chapter four. This is because we had approximately one-month long distance in chapter three. And I’m glad that we did what we did, which is hanging out every other day. Why? Well, because we’re having another long distance now, and quite possibly not only going to be around a month but a year. At the end of chapter four, I moved to the farthest north part of north Maluku, while she’s going back home to her island in the farthest south.

Never have I ever thought I would eventually move to another island for work, leaving my home and family and comfortable messy bedroom. Here I am, once again being far from home only after five months being back home after completing two years of grad school. You know what? I miss home more than ever right now, and of course I’m missing her all the time. I make a wish, a tiny little wish to the deepest parts of my heart and soul, that one day when we’re together again, I want it to last forever and no more long distance is necessary in the future.

Fights and misunderstanding still can be found in chapter four, and I think that totally makes sense. She hurts me sometimes, I hurt her the other times. But then we met again and made up at the end because deep down I know I can’t live my life alone anymore. My life has changed forever and for the better and will never be the same. I used to be strong but now I’m stronger than ever thanks to her. It’s not me against the world anymore, it’s us now.

Another milestone unlocked during chapter four is that I finally set the dinner so that I can introduce her to my mom and sister in a serious note. I mean, I always mention her to my mom, but all of us never actually sat together at a dinner table until recently. It was a bit awkward I think, at least for her for the most part. And I can’t thank her enough for having the courage to finally meet my mom that night. Because that’s not the first attempt we came up with the plan to do it.

We went to almost every corner of the island. We laughed and cried and so many other things in between. Oh, we also did that silly little thing where couples went to the photo box and had multiple cute pictures taken and then printed. And she looks cute on each and one of them.

She’s super real now because she met my mom and my friends. Not all my friends but almost all of them because I don’t even have a lot of friends to begin with. She’s not my secret anymore.

We went out to eat out anywhere, we watched movies every time we got the chance to do it, we talked about the past-the present-and the future. We’re healing each other’s pain from the past, slowly, I hope. I’m not hiding anything from her and she’s starting to do the same. The most important thing is we’re spending time together so much, but we don’t drain each other’s energy. That’s how comfortable I’m around her and hopefully that’s the same thing from her point of view. And sometimes I just look into her eyes and think all these years of longing for a companion have been answered. She arrived sooner than I expected and made me happier every day.