Anthologies {MIKHAIAH AU}

sugar and spice pt 3/4

— MIKHA —

A week had passed since that tense, quiet walk home. Mikha and Aiah had barely spoken since, their usual flow of conversation fading into stiff, polite exchanges. Each time Mikha messaged, Aiah's replies felt guarded, like an invisible wall had gone up between them.

Mikha would send simple texts, like:

"Hey! Kamusta araw mo?"

And hours later, Aiah would reply, "Okay lang. Ikaw?"

Or Mikha would try to lighten the mood with, "May nakita akong meme, sobrang ikaw!" But Aiah would just respond with, "Haha, funny."

Every exchange felt forced, like they were drifting further and further apart, and it hurt. Deep down, Mikha knew why—she could feel Aiah's anxiety and hesitation widening the gap. But she didn't know how to close it without making things worse.

She tried to focus on other things, hanging out with friends, going to family gatherings, but no matter what, her mind kept drifting back to Aiah. For the first time that summer, a heavy, uncertain feeling crept into her heart about where things were going.

Needing to talk to someone, she decided to video call her best friend, Colet. Sitting cross-legged on her bed, she clutched her phone, waiting for Colet to pick up. After a few rings, her friend's familiar face popped up, grinning as usual.

"Uy, Mikha! Tagal ah! Musta?" Colet's cheerful voice was exactly what Mikha needed.

"Hey, Colet," Mikha managed a small smile. "Miss na kita. Medyo... rough week lang."

"Ano nangyari?" Colet's smile faded, her face growing serious. "May kinalaman ba 'to kay Aiah?"

Mikha nodded, letting out a deep sigh. "Oo... parang, simula nung naghiwalay kami nung galing kay Maloi, may nagbago. Ang layo niya. Alam ko naman na she's struggling with everything—family niya, yung feelings niya sa situation—pero ramdam ko na nagdidrift kami, tapos hindi ko alam paano ko aayusin."

Colet's expression softened. "Mahirap nga yan, Mikha. Alam mo, baka natatakot lang siya, diba? Yung mga ganito, minsan nagpu-pull away sila para protektahan sarili nila, kahit masaktan ka pa."

Mikha looked down, nodding. "Parang ganun na nga. Pero ang hirap... inaasahan ko na sana mas maging close kami pagkatapos ng lahat. Pero feeling ko lalo kaming lumalayo."

"Alam mo," Colet said gently, "baka kailangan mo muna siyang bigyan ng konting space. Alam niyang nandiyan ka para sa kanya, 'di ba? Pinakita mo na yun. At kung may isa kang talent, Mikha, it's being there for people. Bigyan mo lang siya ng oras. Hahanap din siya ng paraan na bumalik."

Mikha gave a small smile, feeling a flicker of hope. "Salamat, Colet. Sobrang kailangan ko lang ng kausap... parang mababaliw na ko."

"Anytime, Mikha. Tsaka tandaan mo, hindi mo naman kailangan ayusin lahat. Ginagawa mo na yung best mo. And that's enough."

They continued chatting, talking about other things until Mikha finally felt a bit lighter. She knew Colet was right. All she could do was give Aiah the space she needed and be there when she was ready. And even though it hurt to keep her distance, Mikha knew that love sometimes meant patience—and she was willing to wait.

//

Mikha's heart felt heavier with each passing day. She had tried messaging Aiah several times, suggesting they meet up, but Aiah always seemed to have an excuse ready. The distance between them was painfully obvious, and Mikha didn't know how to close it. Then, that morning, her mom sent a message asking her to return to Pampanga earlier than she'd planned. Mikha was supposed to spend the entire summer in Cebu, but now everything felt uncertain.