Embracing Scars

3: cake and stitches

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Aiah had been lost in thought all week, replaying that painful moment in the kitchen over and over in her mind.

The weight of knowing that Mikha, the person she loved most, resented her very existence gnawed at her.

She realized too late that Mikha had moved on and found happiness, while she remained stuck in the past, surrounded by friends but still feeling utterly alone.

The void Mikha left behind felt impossible to fill when the plans for a beach outing with the squad fell through because of Stacey and Maloi's new endorsement shoot, and with the others busy as well.

Aiah found herself at home with Colet, feeling the emptiness more acutely.

They sat in the living room, watching a movie and chatting about random things, waiting for Jhoanna to arrive with Summer, Aiah's niece, who had been missing her.

But Aiah couldn't shake her thoughts of Mikha, and an idea suddenly struck her.

"I want to bake, let's bake!" She exclaimed, catching Colet off guard. The look of surprise on Colet's face made Aiah's expression fall, but Colet quickly laughed it off, agreeing to help.

As they headed to the kitchen, Colet couldn’t help but ask, "Bakit bigla gusto mo magbake?"

"It's for Mikha," Aiah admitted. "I was thinking earlier about the things she likes. Gusto ko bumawi and let her know that I am sincere for pursuing her. I remembered she loves carrot cake, so help me make one."

Colet crossed her arms and made a face, teasing, "Gagawin mo lang pala akong alalay para sa cake niya. Akala ko gusto mo ng bond—like tayong dalawa."

Aiah frowned at Colet’s feigned disappointment but couldn’t help smiling. "I thought you'd help me?" She said, reaching for a bowl.

"Sus, sige para sa love life mo," Colet sighed, reaching for the bowl and handing it to Aiah. "Do you even know how to bake?"

"Still learning," Aiah replied, as she started measuring out ingredients. "Hand me the eggs, please."

Colet handed over the eggs, mumbling, "Favorite ko rin ang carrot cake, pahingi ah."

"No, it's for her muna" Aiah said with a playful pout.

"Sakit mo naman" Colet sulked.

"I'll treat you later" Aiah offered, trying to appease her.

"We'll go out?" Colet's eyes lit up.

Aiah nodded, which made Colet grin. "Idedate mo pa ako ha, sige lang. Tama 'yan."

"Hindi date, assuming ka," Aiah quickly corrected her, rolling her eyes at Colet's cheeky grin.

They continued bantering as they prepared the cake, with Colet suggesting they go to a seaside spot near El Nido after delivering the cake to Mikha as the latter agreed on it.