Unspoken

CHAPTER 25 : Brewed confessions

THIRD PERSON POV

Y/n sat on the edge of a cozy booth in the campus café, absently stirring her coffee, her mind replaying the events of last Friday. The fair, the fortune teller, Mikha... it felt like a dream, but the feelings were all too real. She was grateful for the distraction of Jhoana, Rajo, and now Stacy, who had randomly invited herself along and was currently arguing with Jhoana over who got the better seat across from Y/n.

"Jhoana, move over. You're hogging the booth," Stacy said, nudging Jhoana with her elbow. Her teasing tone matched the mischievous grin tugging at her lips.

"I was here first," Jhoana shot back, rolling her eyes but with the faintest hint of a smile. "And besides, this is my seat of honor. Y/n likes me best."

Stacy scoffed dramatically as she dropped her bag onto the bench beside Jhoana. "Oh, please. I'm clearly her favorite." She flashed Y/n a playful wink before adding, "Right, Y/n/n?"

Y/n smiled weakly, thankful for their antics. "You're both delusional."

Rajo snorted from the far end of the booth, sipping his iced tea. "You two sound like an old married couple. Can we focus on why we're here? Y/n has news."

Stacy raised an eyebrow, leaning forward with intrigue. "News, huh? What did I miss?"

"Exactly what I'm trying to find out," Jhoana interjected, smirking as she turned back to Y/n. "Spill it. You've been acting weird. We all know you don't just go to a fair with someone like Mikha Lim and then keep it to yourself."

Y/n groaned inwardly. Of course Jhoana wasn't going to let her off the hook. And now with Stacy here, she could already feel their combined curiosity pressing in on her like a wall.

Rajo chimed in, his tone casual but pointed. "You're not exactly the type to dive into anything that involves, you know... feelings—" he raised an eyebrow—"and yet you spent the whole day with the Mikha Lim? Something's up."

"Hey! I never said I have feelings for Mikha!" Y/n shot back, a little too quickly.

Rajo smirked knowingly, his voice laced with amusement. "Girl, it's so obvious you didn't have to say it."

Y/n took a deep breath, trying to ignore the warmth creeping up her neck. There was no escape. "So, we went to the fair," she began carefully, her voice soft but steady. "It was Mikha's way of making up for being so busy lately. She... I think she felt bad for not being around, especially with everything going on with Jaz. And honestly, I didn't mind. I know she was just looking out for her."

She said it as if the explanation settled it, but deep down, Y/n was trying to convince herself that Mikha's absence because of Jaz hadn't bothered her more than it should have.

Stacy's eyes sparkled as she exchanged a glance with Jhoana. "Ohhh, this is getting good."

"Shh," Jhoana whispered dramatically, leaning closer. "Let her finish."

Y/n sighed, fiddling with the handle of her coffee cup. "We hung out, spent the night together, talked, laughed ... It felt so effortless, like we were just two people having fun. But..." She hesitated, her heart hammering in her chest.

Rajo leaned in slightly, his interest piqued. "But what?"

Jhoana nudged Stacy. "Bet you twenty they had a moment."

Stacy smirked. "I'll take that bet."

"Guys!" Y/n groaned, exasperated. "Focus."

The two leaned back obediently but shot each other smug looks. Stacy mouthed, I'm winning this.

Y/n let out a breath, her thoughts a bit more scattered now. "It was... magical. I can't really explain it, but the whole place, the atmosphere—it felt like time stood still. And then there was Mikha. She made me feel something... something more. The whole night, she made me feel special. Like I was the only one there. The way she looked at me... how she held my hand..."

Jhoana and Stacy both squealed, their reactions matching their excitement. Rajo couldn't help but join in as well.

Sophie's cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink, unable to control the warmth creeping up her neck at their teasing. "You guys are ridiculous," she muttered, trying to hide her embarrassment behind her coffee cup, but she couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips.

Jhoana's grin widened, and she elbowed Stacy. "You owe me twenty. Pay up."

Stacy huffed, pulling out her wallet. "I hate you."

Y/n shot them both a look. "Would you stop?! This is serious."

Stacy raised her hands in surrender, though her smile remained teasing. "Okay, okay, continue."

"We went to a fortune teller booth," Y/n continued, trying to ignore the chaos. "Just for fun, you know? Mikha didn't seem like she was taking it seriously at first, but... when the fortune teller gave us a reading, things got real."

Jhoana's jaw dropped. "A fortune teller? Seriously?"

Y/n nodded. "I didn't expect much, but the fortune teller... she gave us two cards. Mikha got The Lovers card."

"Oh." Rajo raised his brows, the word stretching out slowly.

"The Lovers card?" Jhoana's eyes sparkled with intrigue,

Y/n hesitated, her voice quieter now. "The fortune teller said Mikha's card means she tends to hide her feelings. That eventually, the truth will come out, and she'll have to face it."

The table fell silent for a moment, absorbing the weight of her words.

"Damn," Rajo muttered.

"And what about you?" Stacy asked softly. "Did you get a card?"

Y/n nodded, swallowing hard. "Yeah. I got The Moon card. The fortune teller said I'm stuck at two paths, but deep down, I know which one to take. I just have to trust myself... even though it's scary."

Jhoana's teasing expression faltered, her gaze softening. "Whoa. That's... kind of a lot to unpack."

Y/n offered a small, sheepish shrug. "Yeah. And it's been on my mind ever since. It feels like the cards were talking about Mikha and me. I don't know. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but..." She trailed off, staring into her coffee. "I think I have feelings for her. Real feelings."

Rajo leaned back, his expression thoughtful. "Took you long enough to admit it. So, what are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know," Sophie admitted softly. "What if I'm wrong? What if I'm just imagining things?"

Stacy tilted her head, a slow smile spreading across her face. "You're not imagining it. I mean, she might be Mikha Lim, but you're Y/f/n. What's not to like about you? She brought you to the fair, after all. That has to mean something."

"Exactly," Jhoana chimed in. "She likes you, Y/n/n. Whether she admits it or not."

Y/n groaned softly, overwhelmed. "But what if I screw it up?"

Stacy shot Jhoana a sideways look, smirking. "Funny. Sounds like someone we know, huh?"

Jhoana's cheeks reddened immediately. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, please." Stacy turned to Y/n and Rajo. "She's been at her own crossroads for years."

Jhoana spluttered. "I do not—"

"Bantering is her love language," Stacy said with a cheeky grin. "She just won't admit it."

Y/n couldn't help but laugh, the tension easing slightly. Rajo joined in, shaking his head. "You two are something else."

Y/n jumped in, teasing Jhoana. "Kinda cute, huh?"

"Can we not make this about me?" Jhoana groaned, face still red, as she snatched a sip of Stacy's iced coffee in retaliation.

"Fine, fine" Stacy replied, still grinning.

Y/n smiled, the teasing fading into the background as her thoughts settled. She couldn't ignore her feelings for Mikha. She might not have it all figured out, but she would trust her heart—one step at a time.