Mika's Leap of Faith

Last part.

After what seemed like ages, Mika finally starts to wake up, and he leaves the bench. Mika feels disoriented as she wakes up on the bench..

After two days of rest and massaging her muscles. Mika looks for her phone as she searches her desk. She notices a strange yellow shiny object with a card sticking out of the handle, "How did that get there? I thought I lost the competition," she mumbles out loud. Memories of the competition come flooding back, including when Joshua won and she fell asleep on the bench. She recalls thinking she heard Joshua speaking to her when she woke up, but when she opened her eyes, he was nowhere to be seen. Mika wonders if she was just imagining things.

Mika groans in annoyance, squinting at the card. She notices a number and a name on the card, and just as she turns around to face the wall, her phone starts ringing. She picks it up and brings it to her ear.

"Hello?" Mika answers, curious about who could be calling her.
She also checks the time and date, It's 12:21pm on August 16th.
On the other end of the line, she hears Joshua's voice. "Hey, Mika! It's Joshua. If you're wondering how I got your phone number, I asked the woman at the competition."
Mika feels a bit uneasy as she responds, "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Let's meet up at the cat café on Fourth Street," Joshua suggests, already on the move as he dials the Uber number. "Are you free later today?"

Mika hesitates for a moment, not wanting to go outside but also curious about what Joshua wants to discuss. She can't help but feel a bit annoyed that he didn't answer her question directly. "You should have started with that question, but yeah, I'm free."

Joshua tells her to call him as soon as she gets to the café and then hangs up the phone. Mika sighs.

Mika prepares to meet up with Joshua, bringing her backpack and some money just in case he makes her pay. She wears a plaid shirt with a white crop top underneath, loose pants, and yellow boots. She grabs her keys and gets into her car, a brand new Toyota, and drives to the café . She then proceeds to park the car. She enters the café , she spots Joshua sitting at a booth near the windows. He waves at her, and Mika rolls her eyes as she walks over to him. She notices that he's already ordered a coffee for himself. Mika calls over the waitress, who is dressed in a cat costume. "Hi, can I have a coffee with more milk than black coffee, and five sugar cubes?" she asks politely, trying to ignore the waitress's strange mannerisms. The waitress responds in a high-pitched voice, "Of course, meow! Would you like some cat-shaped cookies with that?"
Mika declines the offer of cat-shaped cookies, feeling a bit weirded out by the waitress's cosplay tail and paw movements. She turns back to Joshua, hoping their conversation will be more normal. Joshua gives her a look, as if to say, "Isn't that too much sugar?"

Mika grins as she waits for her coffee, excited to finally have some caffeine. But, she notices that it's nearly closing time and she's only been there for 20 minutes. The café closes at 11:45 PM, and it's currently 11:10 PM.

The waitress brings Mika her coffee and adds the sugar cubes one by one. "1 meow... 2 meow... 3 mew.... 4 meo-ow... 5 sugar cubes..." she says with a playful wink. "Enjoy your drink!"

"Thanks!" Mika says, sipping her hot coffee.

"So, tell me about yourself," Joshua says, trying to break the silence.

Mika responds bluntly, "There's nothing to tell."

Mika decides to bring up the subject that had been on her mind since the competition ended.

"Why did you bring me out here? And why did you give me your prize if you won?" she asks, her voice laced with suspicion.

Joshua turns his gaze away from her, ignoring her question. Mika feels her frustration growing. "Really? That's it, huh?" she says, standing up to leave. "Guess I'll go, and you're paying."

"WAIT!" Joshua says, turning his attention to the door.

She hears footsteps running behind her. Joshua rushes towards her, having paid the bill and caught up to her.

"Wait, I'll answer them!" Joshua says, out of breath.

Mika stops and looks at him crossing her arms unsure of what to do. Joshua tells her, "Can we sit down and talk for a moment?"

Mika hesitates for a moment before agreeing. "Come to my car, it's cold outside." She leads Joshua to her car, and they both get in. Mika waits for Joshua to speak, feeling a mixture of nerves and curiosity about what he has to say.

Joshua begins to speak, looking apologetic. "Mika, I need to apologize for my behavior during the competition. I wasn't trying to make you fall or hurt you in any way. I saw you as a strong opponent, and I wanted to beat you fair and square. But when I realized I couldn't win without cheating, I started using dirty tactics to get ahead."

Mika listens intently, feeling a mix of surprise and anger at Joshua's confession.

"Everyone else wanted me out of the game, but I wanted to keep competing with you because you showed so much determination. You never gave up, and I respected that. I know my actions were wrong, and I'm truly sorry," Joshua continues.

Mika nods, still feeling upset but also appreciating his honesty. "Thank you for telling me the truth. I appreciate your apology, Joshua. But you have to understand that what you did was not okay. I hope you've learned from this and won't do it again."

Joshua nods in agreement, looking remorseful. "I understand. Do you think we could start over again, maybe as friends?"

Mika thinks for a moment before nodding. "Sure, I'm willing to give it a try."

Joshua smiles, looking relieved. "Thanks."

Mika starts the engine, and the car begins to warm up. "Do you need a ride home?"

"No, it's alright. I'll just order an Uber," Joshua says.

Mika turns to him, feeling a bit guilty. "No, you're not. You just paid for me, remember? Let me return the favor and give you a ride home."

She pulls out of the parking lot. Later, Joshua exits the car, and she tells him to have a good night and suggests hanging out again someday. Joshua agrees, saying "for sure!"

Mika drives back to her house, feeling relieved that things went well with Joshua. Once she arrives home, she takes a quick shower and brushes her teeth before changing into her pajamas. She puts on a soft, oversized t-shirt with a cute cartoon Pikachu print and some cozy, matching shorts.

Mika puts away her backpack and keys on a nearby shelf and places her phone on the charger. She checks the time and sees that it's already past midnight, so she decides to get some sleep. She climbs into her comfortable bed, feeling grateful for the chance to start fresh with Joshua.

The end.