Exposure | MikhAiah

Frozen Mornings

"So, you panicked?" Maloi frowned, "You. Panicked."

Mikha groaned, her shoulders slumping even more as she stared at the blank sketch book in front of her. "Stop saying it. It doesn't help."

"I just— I'm having a hard time..." Maloi pursed her lips together, "You panicked?"

Mikha dropped down onto her stool, "Yes. I panicked. I left her there and stood outside in the snow, freezing my ass off like an idiot."

Maloi gave her a sympathetic look, "Oh sweetie."

Mikha started mumbling to herself as she lifted her pencil, placing it near the page then pulling it back. She did this a couple times, never actually making a mark on the white page, before dropping her arm and sighing. She had been staring at that blank page for 20 minutes now but all she could think of was how dumb she had been when it came to Aiah.

Maloi scribbled out a few more lines on her paper before turning back to a distraught Mikha. "Do you know why you panicked?"

"Cause I'm an idiot." Mikha grumbled, lifting her hand again before dropping it a second later. "She told me I was the problem."

Maloi was about to interject, positive there was more to it than that, when Mikha stood up and lifted her arm, finally making a mark on the page in front of her.

"Things have been great. Perfect even. She was kissing me and we were—"

"I really don't need the little personal details." Maloi frowned and watched Mikha's pencil continue to move smoothly in her hand.

"Point is, suddenly all I could think about was what she told me before. About not wanting to be a challenge, just another girl and I freaked out." Mikha's eyes narrowed at her sketch, adding a bit of shading before continuing to mark the page with larger lines. "What if that's what would happen? I didn't want to just sleep with her and have it mean nothing."

"Well, would it mean nothing?" Maloi asked, her eyes moving from Mikha to her sketch.

"Of course not." Mikha stopped moving her hand, turning to look at Maloi with a serious expression. Slowly her expression softened as she realized what she just said and what it really meant. "Huh."

Maloi raised her eyebrows, curious what Mikha's sudden realization was. It was clear on her face she was less frustrated but still lost in thought.

Mikha finally took in her sketch and smiled at the sketch she hadn't even realized she
has created. "It would have meant something."

The rest of the class had already started packing up their things and most of the room was empty by the time Mikha had slung her bag over her shoulder and was standing by the door waiting for Maloi.

"Hurry up, I have hot chocolate to get." Mikha nodded towards the hallway before she walked out of the classroom, clearly done with waiting.

Maloi hurriedly finished packing her supplies up and was about to follow when she noticed Mikha had left her sketch. She ripped it from the book and folded it small enough to fit in her bag and rushed after Mikha.

They made their way outside and as usual, got in line at the coffee kart. Mikha's silence went unnoticed as Maloi held a conversation with herself easily, about what Mikha wasn't sure. She smiled when she was handed two cups at the same time that Aiah showed up.

"Hey, cream puff." Mikha smiled and handed over the cup of hot chocolate.

"Oh my gosh, thank you!" Aiah took the cup and lifted it to her lips, taking a sip. "I don't know what my problem is today, I just can't stay awake."