SHE'S NOT A SAINT (MIKHAIAH) by: Pinkvettes

Chapter 10: she thinks i'm psycho

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Mikha

“Mikha, si Aiah?”

I could spot the worried look on our coach’s face as she asked me. I turned around, and hindi parin ako sinusundan ni Aiah from where I left her. I was afraid na pag-uutusan akong bumalik para tawagin siya, and that would be a waste of the willpower I had gathered up just to escape that agonizing situation.

I couldn’t tell what’s worse-– my best friend going through the worst possible lengths just to try and sabotage my relationship, or the sight of her anguished face like I had just thrown a wrecking ball to her world. It killed me, how through it all, it felt like a spool of my heartstrings were still tied to her and she could tug at them as she pleases. She did this all to herself, I repeated the thought hoping it would cut those strings apart.

“Mikha, did you hear me? Asan si Aiah? Hindi to matutuloy nang wala siya!”

“Uh… Coach, tawagin ko na la–”

“I’m here.”

Suddenly, Aiah was approaching. Mascara dripped from her eyes, bloodshot from crying. She looked deranged. There was wildness in her eyes, something I’ve never seen, something telling me to run.

Aiah just walked past me and the coach to make her way over to the field. Is this girl crazy? Magpeperform siya with her makeup ruined? It would make sense, if our theme was Girls Gone Fucking Wild.

Our coach took a few steps forward. “Aiah! What the hell are you doing? Magpeperform ka ng ganyan? Go get cleaned up. You look insane.”

Aiah halted in her tracks at the last sentence and turned her head to face our coach, to face me. She narrowed her eyes at us and remained quiet, and for a moment, there was nothing I feared more than her silence. “Is that so bad?”

And then she continued walking all the way to where the rest of the girls were already taking formation. Wala kaming magawa ng coach namin kundi magtinginan na lang, confused and in disbelief, until she eventually urged me to just follow foot. Bahala na.

I made it all the way to my position, right beside Aiah. Only this time, I remained focused on what was right in front of me, just waiting for the music to start so I could sink and lose myself in it.

The beat started thrumming. Now, all eyes were on us. Orange and blue filled the buzzing bleachers. The vibration of school spirit surrounding us and endless cheers were music to my ears. Naghihiyawan silang lahat, their mouths all mirroring the big smiles on ours.

After a long time, ngayon ko lang ulit naramdaman ang thrill na bigay ng cheering. Performing in front of a crowd was never my strongest suit, not until a young freshman girl with an irresistible glimmer in her eyes encouraged me to try out for the cheerleading squad.

She was so full of life, smiling ear to ear, while handing me the flier she had gripped in her hands like it was a one way ticket to her own personal heaven. She wanted me along for the ride, and I just couldn’t resist my best friend. There was no denying that she had been the one to open these doors for me. Siya ang nagtulak sakin palabas ng comfort zone ko. And now, as my adrenaline synchronized with the upbeat drum of the music, I was experiencing a rush in levels unimaginable. Something we both always indulged together, even now that we had reached rock bottom just moments before. Our passion blended together in a way that not even the lowest depths could crack.

The whole squad’s chemistry reached its peak at just the right time. Mas lalo lang umiingay ang mga tao sa bawat galaw namin, and it felt so fucking good. We were hitting every stunt, every routine, and every sequence perfectly. I admit, malaking dahilan nito ay si Aiah. She had really glued us together, despite her every-so-often sadistic approaches to leadership. And so when it was time for the final pyramid, there was nobody else more fitting for top girl than her.