The Elevator Avoidance Plan

Derek has a plan for avoiding his ex-girlfriend Renata in the elevator. He has been perfecting it for three weeks.

Derek punya rencana untuk menghindari mantan pacarnya, Renata, di lift. Ia sudah menyempurnakannya selama tiga minggu.

Step one: check the lobby before walking in. Step two: if she's anywhere near the elevator bank, take the stairs instead. That means all eleven flights, no matter how unpleasant that sounds at eight in the morning. Step three: if he's already in the elevator and she gets on, stare at his phone. Keep staring until his floor arrives.

Langkah pertama: periksa lobi sebelum masuk. Langkah kedua: kalau Renata ada di dekat lift, pakai tangga saja. Itu berarti sebelas lantai penuh, seberat apa pun kedengarannya pada pukul delapan pagi. Langkah ketiga: kalau ia sudah di dalam lift dan Renata masuk, tatap ponselnya. Terus menatapnya sampai lantainya tiba.

It has worked, more or less, until today.

Rencana itu berhasil, kurang lebih, sampai hari ini.

This morning, Derek checks the lobby carefully and sees no sign of Renata. He steps into the elevator feeling confident. The doors are almost closed when a hand reaches through the gap, and the doors slide back open.

Pagi ini, Derek memeriksa lobi dengan teliti dan tidak melihat tanda-tanda Renata. Ia melangkah masuk ke lift dengan percaya diri. Pintu hampir menutup ketika sebuah tangan menyelip lewat celahnya, dan pintu pun bergeser terbuka lagi.

It's Renata.

Itu Renata.

Derek's stomach drops. He immediately pulls out his phone and stares at it with real intensity. He looks like he's reading something extremely important. The screen is actually just his lock screen.

Perut Derek terasa mencelos. Ia segera mengeluarkan ponselnya dan menatapnya dengan sangat serius. Ia tampak seperti sedang membaca sesuatu yang sangat penting. Padahal layarnya hanya menampilkan layar kunci.

"Derek," Renata says, sounding amused. "You can put the phone down. I already know it's you."

"Derek," kata Renata, terdengar geli. "Kamu boleh menaruh ponselmu. Aku sudah tahu itu kamu."

"I'm just… checking something," he says, not looking up.

"Aku cuma… lagi memeriksa sesuatu," katanya tanpa mendongak.

"For three weeks?" she asks. "Because I've noticed you taking the stairs every single morning, even in that ridiculous heat last week."

"Selama tiga minggu?" tanya Renata. "Soalnya aku perhatikan kamu naik tangga setiap pagi, bahkan waktu cuaca panas banget minggu lalu."

Derek finally looks up, caught. "You noticed that?"

Derek akhirnya mendongak, ketahuan. "Kamu menyadarinya?"

"Everyone in the building has noticed that. Security asked me if you were training for something."

"Semua orang di gedung ini menyadarinya. Petugas keamanan sampai bertanya padaku apakah kamu sedang berlatih untuk sesuatu."

He laughs despite himself, mostly out of embarrassment. "Okay. I was avoiding you. It felt easier than an awkward conversation in a small metal box."

Ia tertawa di luar kemauannya, sebagian besar karena malu. "Oke. Aku memang menghindarimu. Rasanya lebih mudah daripada percakapan canggung di dalam kotak logam kecil."

"I figured," Renata says. "For what it's worth, I've been doing the same thing on the third floor. I hide behind the vending machine whenever I see you coming."

"Sudah kuduga," kata Renata. "Asal kamu tahu, aku juga melakukan hal yang sama di lantai tiga. Aku bersembunyi di balik mesin penjual otomatis setiap kali melihatmu datang."

They stand there for a second, both a little stunned. They've each put real effort into avoiding a five-second interaction.

Mereka berdiri diam sejenak, sama-sama agak tercengang. Masing-masing sudah berusaha keras menghindari pertemuan yang hanya lima detik.

"This is objectively ridiculous," Derek says.

"Ini benar-benar konyol," kata Derek.

"Completely ridiculous," Renata agrees. "Want to just… take the elevator normally from now on?"

"Konyol sekali," Renata setuju. "Mau naik lift seperti biasa mulai sekarang?"

"Deal," Derek says. "Though I might miss the stairs. My legs have never looked better."

"Sepakat," kata Derek. "Meski mungkin aku akan merindukan tangga. Kakiku belum pernah terlihat sebagus ini."

Renata laughs. For the first time in three weeks, they ride up together without staring at their phones.

Renata tertawa. Untuk pertama kalinya dalam tiga minggu, mereka naik bersama tanpa menatap ponsel.