Anthologies {MIKHAIAH AU}

rockstar pt 2

The café they chose was a cozy spot just down the street from Mikha's studio. It had that laid-back vibe that Aiah loved—warm lights, mismatched wooden tables, and the faint smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the air. Enzo practically skipped inside, his excitement palpable as he tugged both Mikha and Aiah along like he couldn't wait to sit down and keep the conversation going.

"I wanna sit next to Teacher Mikha!" Enzo declared, dropping his toy guitar onto a chair before climbing onto the one beside it. He looked up at her with wide eyes, kicking his little legs under the table. "Teacher Mikha, what are you gonna eat? Do you like spaghetti? I like spaghetti!"

Mikha chuckled, settling into the seat Enzo had chosen for her. "Spaghetti's a classic, Rockstar," she said, leaning her elbows on the table. "Pero ako, I'm a rice person. Rice forever. I think I'll go for the chicken bowl."

"Chicken and rice?!" Enzo exclaimed, his voice full of wonder. "Mama loves rice too! Right, Mama?"

Aiah, who had been carefully settling her bag on the chair beside her, smiled as she slid into her seat. "Of course I do. Pero mas gusto mo pasta, diba?"

"Yes," Enzo confirmed with a decisive nod. Then, without missing a beat, he turned back to Mikha and launched into a detailed explanation of how he liked his spaghetti, complete with gestures about the perfect amount of sauce and cheese.

Aiah couldn't help but watch the two of them, her heart doing flips she wasn't prepared for. Mikha was fully engaged, nodding and laughing at Enzo's antics like she had all the time in the world to listen to a five-year-old's thoughts on spaghetti. She didn't rush him, didn't brush him off. She seemed to genuinely enjoy his company—and Enzo, of course, was eating up every second of her attention.

They looked so natural together, Aiah thought, like two peas in a pod. And Mikha? She was being so effortlessly cute—the way she leaned down slightly to match Enzo's eye level when talking to him, or the way her smile softened every time he said something particularly animated. Aiah tried not to fawn too obviously, but it was becoming harder by the second.

After they ordered (spaghetti for Enzo, chicken and rice for Mikha, and a simple sandwich for Aiah), the conversation settled into an easy rhythm. Enzo chattered away, filling the air with stories about his favorite rock band and how he was going to be "the best guitar player in the whole wide world."

Mikha grinned. "I believe it, Rockstar. Seryoso, may potential ka talaga. I mean, sino ba ang marunong mag-real guitar at five years old? Not me."

"Not you?" Enzo gasped, clearly scandalized. "But you're so good now! When did you learn, Teacher Mikha?"

Mikha leaned back in her chair, resting her arms on the sides as she thought for a moment. "Hmm... I was around thirteen, I think. Sobrang hilig ko sa music noon. My dad had this old, beat-up guitar, and I started teaching myself. Puro trial and error. Tapos ayun, I never stopped."

Aiah took a sip of her iced tea, her curiosity getting the better of her. "So, paano ka napunta sa teaching? Did you always want to teach kids?"

Mikha shook her head, laughing softly. "Honestly? Hindi. When I started, I had this big dream na magiging sikat na musician. You know, touring the world, playing in big festivals, living the rockstar life." She smirked a little, as if laughing at her younger self. "I was in a band, and we gave it a real shot for a while. Pero... reality called."

Aiah tilted her head, intrigued. "What happened?"

"Eh di usual story. Bills, life, obligations. Hindi na-sustain," Mikha said, shrugging. "At first, it crushed me. Parang failure, diba? But then..." She paused, her smile softening. "I started teaching on the side just to make ends meet. And it surprised me, but I actually loved it. Yung feeling na you're helping someone discover something new? It's magic. I realized, okay, maybe hindi ako destined to be the next big thing, pero I can help someone else fall in love with music. And that felt just as good."