32 GB - Mikhaiah Fanfiction

20 - Friends

Cebu City - May 16, 2024

I started to notice that Aida was growing restless. She'd been pacing around the house, absentmindedly flipping through old books or staring out the window for longer than usual. It was clear she was bored, stuck in a routine that didn't suit her. After all the world outside was unfamiliar to her, scary even. 

"Ai," I said one morning as I caught her fiddling with the TV remote, "you wanna go out for a bit? Just to get some fresh air. You look like you're going stir-crazy."

Aida looked up at me, surprised. "Out? Where to?"

"I don't know. Anywhere. We could walk around town, maybe grab something to eat. Actually," I said, an idea forming, "my friends are hanging out later. You could come with me. It'd be fun, and you'd get to meet more people."

She hesitated, fidgeting with the remote. "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to intrude."

"Nonsense," I said, waving off her concern. "They're gonna love you. Trust me."

Later that afternoon, we headed out to meet my friends at a café downtown. Aida stayed close to me, glancing around nervously as we walked through the busy streets. She was trying to take it all in—but I could tell she was still a little overwhelmed. When we finally arrived, I spotted my friends immediately.

"Hey, Micah!" My friend Niko, Nikolai Vergara, waved from a table by the window. She had her usual carefree smile and waved us over eagerly. Next to her was Soleil Sevilleja, who looked up from her phone with a smirk. "Finally! We were starting to think you bailed on us." And then there was Selene Catacutan, who was already sipping on her iced latte.

I introduced Aida to the group. "Guys, this is Aida. She's... new to town."

Aida gave a small, shy wave. "Nice to meet you."

Niko immediately grinned and scooted over to make room. "Come sit! We don't bite—well, not unless you ask nicely." She winked playfully.

Aida's eyes widened slightly, clearly taken aback by Nikki's humor, but I could see the tension starting to ease from her shoulders. We sat down, and soon enough, the conversation flowed naturally. My friends were warm and welcoming, asking Aida harmless questions about where she was from, what she did, and all the usual small talk. I steered the conversation away from anything too revealing, knowing how sensitive her situation was.

As the afternoon wore on, I noticed Aida was starting to loosen up. She even laughed a few times at Soleil's sarcastic comments and Niko's playful teasing all tied together by Selene's playfulness— or should I say talkativeness.

At one point, Aida leaned over to me, her voice low. "Your friends are... very lively."I chuckled. "Yeah, they're a lot, but they're good people. What do you think? Not too bad, right?"She smiled softly. "No, not bad at all. It's nice. I haven't... had this kind of company in a while."We spent the rest of the afternoon with them, just talking and laughing, and for the first time in days, Aida seemed genuinely happy. It was good to see her like that—to see her relax and enjoy herself.

As we all sat around, Soleil excitedly shifted the conversation.