As the sun climbed higher into the morning sky, Mikha sat on the bench. Her thoughts raced as she glanced around the campus, her sharp eyes scanning every face that walked by, hoping one of them would belong to Aiah.
She couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious in her carefully chosen outfit, she usually wouldn't care of whatever clothes she wear. But today, She had spent extra time this morning ensuring every detail was perfect.
Minutes passed, and the usual morning buzz of students filling the campus grew louder, but there was still no sign of Aiah.
Mikha sighed, her confidence waning.
Maybe she's coming late today?
The sound of laughter and conversation filled the air around her, but Mikha barely noticed. Her focus remained on the spot where Aiah usually sat. She leaned back slightly, her mind replaying fragments of their last conversation, the lingering warmth of Aiah’s smile, the softness in her voice.
Despite the faint worry creeping in, Mikha couldn’t help but feel a flicker of anticipation. Sitting here, waiting, felt strangely reassuring, as if it was a quiet promise that she’d see Aiah soon.
---
At the cafeteria, students chatting and laughing as they lined up for food. Mikha, Johanna, and Colet made their way to their usual table where Gwen was already waiting, scrolling through her phone with a bored expression.
"Finally," Gwen said with a smirk as they sat down. "I thought I'd have to eat alone."
Johanna rolled her eyes playfully. "Relax, we’re here now."
As the group settled in and started eating, Mikha’s eyes instinctively wandered through the crowd.
The vibrant chatter around her blurred into background noise as she scanned the room, searching for a familiar face.
But Aiah was nowhere to be found.
"Looking for someone?" Johanna asked, catching Mikha’s distracted gaze.
Mikha blinked, startled, and quickly shook her head. "Nope, just... people-watching." Johanna raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but didn’t press further.
"By the way," Gwen chimed in, stabbing her fork into her salad. "You look like you’re about to walk a red carpet" She stated
Mikha trying to keep her expression neutral. "You're exaggerating," she muttered, taking a bite of her food. But her mind was elsewhere.
She hadn’t seen Aiah all morning, and it was beginning to bother her more than she cared to admit.
"Uh-huh," Gwen replied, unconvinced, exchanging a knowing glance with Colet.
As the conversation drifted to other topics, Mikha remained quiet, her thoughts lingering on Aiah.
---
After finishing their lunch, Mikha thought to just ask maloi about aiah. "You guys, go ahead. I got something to do"
The three looked confused, and just nodded to mikha as they walked off the cafeteria.
Mikha was sitting at the corner, and immediately rushed up when she spotted Maloi, about to exit the cafeteria, chatting with a classmate.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward and called out, "Hey, Loi!"
Maloi turned, surprised but smiling when she saw Mikha. "Oh, Mikha! How are you?" she greeted warmly.
"I’m good," Mikha replied, her tone a little rushed. Her eyes darted briefly to Maloi’s classmate, and Maloi caught on immediately.
