Anthologies {MIKHAIAH AU}

barking mad pt 2

Mikha sat slumped on the edge of her gaming chair, one foot propped against the desk, the other planted on the floor. She stared at her phone, scrolling aimlessly through her messages. She had just come back from walking Jellybean, and as usual, she had left before Aiah got home. It was safer that way—safer for her sanity, at least.

The truth was, Mikha couldn't keep doing this. Not when her stupid, completely unrequited crush on Aiah had spiraled into something she couldn't ignore anymore. Every time Aiah smiled at her or tilted her head in that thoughtful way when she was trying to figure out what Mikha was thinking, it felt like Mikha's chest was caving in.

The worst part? Aiah was completely unaware. She was warm, friendly, and just naturally magnetic. Of course, she didn't know Mikha was fighting the urge to collapse into a puddle of feelings every time she walked into a room. Why would she? Aiah probably thought of her as nothing more than the dog walker.

Mikha groaned, dragging her hands down her face. "I need to quit," she muttered to herself.

"Quit what?"

Mikha flinched, spinning her chair around to see Colet standing in the doorway of her room, arms crossed.

"Hoy! Knock ka naman!" Mikha exclaimed, clutching her chest like she'd just survived a jump scare.

"Your door was open, genius," Colet said, unimpressed. "Now, explain. Quit what?"

"Nothing," Mikha said quickly, spinning back toward her desk.

Colet raised an eyebrow, moving to lean against the edge of the desk. "Okay, if it's nothing, then why do you look like someone just unplugged your Wi-Fi?"

Mikha glared at her but sighed in defeat. There was no point in trying to hide it. Colet always had a way of digging the truth out of her eventually.

"I'm thinking about quitting the dog walking job," Mikha admitted, slouching further in her chair.

Colet's eyebrows shot up. "What? Why? You love Jellybean! And don't even pretend you don't love seeing Aiah every other day."

Mikha winced, the words hitting a little too close to home. "That's... the problem," she mumbled.

Colet tilted her head, frowning. "Okay, now you have to explain. Ano bang nangyari? You were fine a few weeks ago."

Mikha hesitated, fiddling with the hem of her hoodie. "I wasn't fine. I just... I didn't realize how bad it had gotten until recently. Colet, it's not just a stupid little crush anymore. It's a problem."

Colet's expression softened, though her tone remained firm. "It's only a problem because you're making it one. Bakit ka ba nafi-fluster? You like her. Big deal. Crushes happen all the time."

"Not like this," Mikha muttered, staring at her hands. "I can't be around her without feeling... whatever this is. Like I'm setting myself up to get hurt. She doesn't even see me like that, Colet. She's polite and friendly, sure, but she's Aiah Arceta. Model, goddess of Instagram. And I'm just... me."

Colet sighed, sitting on the edge of Mikha's desk. "Okay, unang-una, huwag mong maliitin ang sarili mo. You're more than just you. Secondly, hindi mo pa nga sinubukan eh. Bakit mo iniisip agad na wala kang chance?"

"Because I know I don't have a chance," Mikha said firmly. "She's probably got a line of guys—or girls, for that matter—trying to get her attention. Remember Aaron? The flowers? The dinner plans? He probably sees her every day now, and I'm just—"

"Stop right there," Colet interrupted, holding up a hand. "One, Aaron is a nobody. Hindi mo nga siya kilala pero sinasapawan mo na sarili mo. Two, kung hindi ka magiging honest about how you feel, of course walang mangyayari."