Youth [MikhAiah] [Book #1]

08

—🐶—

The sight of the message notification has left the girl stunned, the way it was composed and typed properly, she just knew who this unknown number was.. and it has left her concerned. She did believed in a saying that the past really finds its way back to you but this one, it wasn't what she wanted.

Aiah was hesitating, she wanted to reply to the message to stop this before it gets worse, her anxiety starts to build up and eat her mind but another notification pops up.

—🔔—

heather.
are you still awake?

—🔔—

Aiah immediately tapped the message notification, her frightened face was washed up to a relieved one. Feeling a little bit happy from Heather's message, she replies.

——📱——

aiahyah.
hey.
yeah, i'm here.

heather.
heey
i jwu
what time did you get home?

aiahyah
around 1:30 am, we had an after party with my friends along with her staff too

heather.
okay, that's nice
how did it go naman? the after party?

aiahyah
it was nice naman, we drank and all
but i'm not a heavy drinker so ayun, nahilo agad ako T_T

heather.
our little miss aiah, not a heavy drinker?
noted.

aiahyah
HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA BAKIT BA
were you planning to get me drunk when we meet up, hm? 🤨

heather.
hey, i did not say that ha
i

just thought you were a heavy drinker

aiahyah
and what made you think I am?

heather.
the guts never lies B)
anyway, you should get some rest now
you have work tomorrow, no?

aiahyah
yeah, i do

heather.
okay, well, you should sleep na
get rest as much as you can!!

aiahyah
eto na po, opo
oh and also
thanks for checking up on me

heather.
anything for you, aiah.
have a good night!!

——📱——

Aiah sets her phone down, staring at the screen as it dimmed. Heather's messages had managed to calm her nerves, but he unease from Marc's message still lingered at the back of her mind. She rubbed her temples, feeling the weight of it all- her past experience with her ex-boyfriend bearing down on her.

She stood up, pacing around her room, trying to shake off the anxious thoughts. But no matter what she does or how hard she tries to distract herself, the reality was sinking in-Marc is back and he wants to meet her.

She couldn't help but wonder what he wanted. Was he here to apologize? to make amends? or was there something else?

Aiah's mind kept replaying fragments of their past, the memories she once called sweet but now overshadowed by the hurt and betrayal that followed.

She glanced at her phone again, her fingers trembling as she opened Marc's message. The urge to block the number was strong, but a part of her knew that it wouldn't be that easy.

That man is persistent and one hell of a pain the ass.

Aiah thought, and if he was determined to see her, she knew he would find other ways to do so.

Before she could overthink it, Aiah typed a quick response.

—📱—

aiahyah
Ano nanaman ba kailangan mo?

—📱—

She hesitated or a moment before hitting send. The message felt like a release, a small act of defiance against the anxiety that threatened to consumer her. Almost immediately, the typing indicator appeared.

—📱—

unknown
just to talk, please.

aiahyah
i don't think we have anything to talk about, Marc

—📱—

Aiah bit her lip, frustration bubbling up insider her. Marc's tone was familiar, almost disarmingly polite, but she knew better to trust it blindly.

She didn't owe him anything, specially not her peace of mind.

She turned off her phone and tossed it onto her bed, feeling a pang of regret for even responding. Aiah knew she needed to talk to someone- maybe her friends but it was already too late and she didn't want to bother them.

She crawled into her bed, pulling the blankets up to her chin, the room felt colder, the silence heavier than usual. Aiah closed her eyes, trying to focus on Heather's word, the gentle reassurance that she wasn't alone.

But as she drifted into a restless sleep, the unease remained—a reminder that some ghosts from the past finds its way to crawl back to the present.