ALIBI

Chapter 18: Jealousy

Trigger warning: violence,alcohol
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Mikha Lim woke up with her mind tangled in confusion.The room was still dim,illuminated only by the faint morning light creeping through the curtains.

As she sat up the fog of her drunken stupor began to clear but a haunting sense of disorientation lingered.

She blinked several time trying to shake off the remnants of her intoxicated state.

The night felt like a distant dream, but fragments of it clung to her consciousness..the soft press of lips,a gentle touch, and a presence that seemed both familiar and foreign.

Mikha touched her lips,feeling the lingering warmth of the kiss that she couldn't quite place.Her fingers brushed over her skin as if trying to grasp the memory of the touch.Her heart fluttered unsteadily an odd mixture of emotions rising within her.

Was it real or just a figment of her imagination?

Her gaze wandered around the room searching for any sign of the person who might have been there with her. The space was empty and still with no traces of another presence.

The absence of a tangible explanation only deepened her sense of confusion.

Mikha stood up her legs feeling unsteady as she made her way to the mirror.She looked at her reflection, trying to piece together the fragmented memories.

The kiss and the touch felt too vivid to be mere dreams yet the emptiness of the room made her question if it had been real at all.

A sudden rush of emotion overwhelmed her.She wasn't sure what she was feeling..longing, regret, or something else entirely.

The fluttering in her chest persisted and she found herself grappling with the strange sensation that the night had left behind.

As she pondered over the fleeting moments, her mind returned to the hazy memories of the night.

Despite the confusion, she couldn't shake the feeling that something significant had happened something that might change the way she saw things.

The lingering taste of the kiss on her lips and the touch of a hand remained etched in her senses leaving her with more questions than answers as she tried to piece together the night's events.

Mikha shook her head, trying to dispel the fog of confusion.

"Pano ako nakauwi?" she asked herself again frustration creeping in.

Then, a flicker of memory surfaced...Aiah.

As Mikha sat in silence and pondered by the thought a soft smile tugged on her lips as memories of that night with Aiah in the bar resurfaced.

The haze of alcohol had dulled her senses but not enough to forget the way Aiah's laughter had filled the space between them.

It had been warm,inviting something Mikha hadn't realized she needed until that moment.

She remembered the way Aiah's eyes studied her,not with pity but with something more... something that made her feel seen, understood even in her vulnerable state.

For the first time in a long while Mikha felt the weight on her chest ease just a little, even if she couldn't fully understand why.

"Aiah..." she whispered, her smile lingering.

Their conversation had been charged, electric, and somehow comforting amidst the chaos of her life.

Mikha remembered Aiah's eyes the way they sparkled with mischief and understanding.