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It started with lingering glances across crowded rooms, casual touches that sent sparks dancing across Aiah's skin, shared laughter at inside jokes no one else understood. Aiah couldn't pinpoint the exact moment when her feelings for her best friend Mikha shifted from platonic to something more, but now her heart fluttered in her chest like a caged hummingbird whenever Mikha was near.
To the outside world, Mikha seemed as cold and hard as the obsidian of her eyes, her resting bitch face warding off any attempts at connection. But Aiah knew the real Mikha - the one who showed up at her apartment with Pork Sinigang soup when Aiah was sick, who patiently helped Aiah study for her exams even though academia came easily to Mikha, who secretly watched cheesy romcoms with Aiah and pretended to hate them even as she teared up at the emotional climaxes.
Aiah treasured being one of the few people who got to see past Mikha's prickly exterior to the gooey marshmallow center within. Every glimpse felt like a precious gift that Aiah held close to her heart. But now Aiah's growing feelings threatened to ruin everything. She knew that Mikha, with her lone wolf ways, didn't feel things the way Aiah did. Mikha had no time for silly crushes or schoolgirl flutterings of the heart. If Mikha found out about the decidedly non-platonic direction of Aiah's thoughts, she would no doubt retreat behind her walls once more, destroying the trust they had so painstakingly built over the years.
So Aiah did the only thing she could think of - she started avoiding Mikha. Oh, she still hung out with her in group settings, still bantered with her over text, but Aiah made sure they were never alone together. She invented excuses every time Mikha tried to have one of their movie nights or study sessions, ignoring the little stab of pain each time she saw the confused hurt flash across Mikha's face at the rejection.
Aiah should have known she couldn't keep it up forever. Mikha had always been too perceptive for her own good, noticing things that others overlooked. It was one of the (many) things Aiah lo- liked about her. Really, intensely liked in a totally platonic best friend kind of way.
It all came to a head one night when their friend group got together for dinner and drinks. Aiah had been careful to maintain a friendly but distant demeanor with Mikha all evening, making sure to always keep at least one of their other friends between them. But after one too many beers, Aiah's tongue got loose and she found herself giggling at Mikha's snarky comments, her face growing warm as she met Mikha's eyes.
Aiah stumbled off to the restroom to splash some cold water on her face and get ahold of herself. She knew she was playing with fire and if she wasn't careful, she was going to get burned.
As she exited the restroom, still dabbing at her face with a paper towel, she nearly ran smack into Mikha, who was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Bakit mo ako iniiwasan?" Mikha demanded without preamble, her dark eyes flashing. "May nagawa ba ako?"
Aiah's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as she scrambled for a response. She thought she had been subtle but apparently nothing got past Mikha.
"What? No, of course not! Hindi kita iniiwasan," Aiah said with an unconvincing chuckle. "I've just been...busy. Alam mo naman ‘yon e."
Mikha's eyes narrowed suspiciously and she pushed off the wall to step closer to Aiah. Aiah gulped, taking an involuntary step back until she bumped into the wall behind her.
"Don't lie to me, Ate Aiah. I know you better than that." Mikha's voice softened, tinged with hurt. "May sinabi ba si Stacey sa ‘yo? Because I swear, it's just a silly crush. Mawawala rin ‘to. Our friendship is more important to me than anything."
Aiah felt like the wind had been knocked out of her lungs. Stacey? Mikha had a crush on Stacey? Of course she did. Stacey was gorgeous and confident and everything Aiah wasn't. She should have known Mikha would never see her as anything more than a friend. Aiah blinked back the sudden sting of tears, grateful for the dim lighting of the bar's back hallway.
"Hays. Okay, fine, maybe I like you as...more than a friend," Mikha admitted, seeming to steel herself. "Pero sabi ko nga, mawawala rin. I don't want to ruin what we have. Your friendship means everything to me and I– "
"Wait." Aiah held up a hand, certain she must have misheard. "G-gusto mo… ako?"
Mikha huffed in exasperation, a fetching pink tinging her cheeks. "Oo na, okay? Gusto kita. More than I probably should. More than is wise, for sure. Makakalimutan ko rin ‘to, promise. Alam ko naman na hindi mo ako magugustuhan and our friendship is too important to mess up over some stupid crush, and–"
But Aiah wasn't listening anymore. Her heart was too busy soaring, an impossible hope rising in her chest and spreading through her veins like fine champagne bubbles. Mikha liked her. Her Mikha, who gagged at public displays of affection and referred to cutesy couples as "those idiots." Her Mikha, who was currently staring at her with wide, vulnerable eyes, worrying her plump bottom lip between her teeth.
Aiah didn't realize she was moving until she was already crowding into Mikha's space, one hand coming up to cradle Mikha's face. Mikha's rambling cut off abruptly and she swallowed hard, looking up at Aiah through her lashes.
"Ate Aiah? What are you doing?" Mikha breathed, barely more than a whisper.
In response, Aiah leaned in and captured Mikha's lips with her own. They were just as soft as she had always imagined, fitting perfectly against hers like they were made for each other. Mikha stiffened in surprise for a moment before melting into the kiss with a needy little whimper that made Aiah's toes curl in her shoes.
When they finally broke apart, they were both panting softly, foreheads pressed together. Mikha's eyes were still closed and Aiah took the opportunity to drink in her beautiful face, committing every detail to memory.
"You like me," Aiah said again, unable to keep the wonder and joy out of her voice.
Mikha's eyes fluttered open, hazy and unfocused. "I think we've established that, yes," she said, a touch of her usual snark returning. "Try to keep up, Ate."
Aiah laughed, giddy and lightheaded. "I like you too, you idiot. Sobra. Akala ko...akala ko hindi mo ako magugustuhan pabalik."
Mikha's answering smile was bright enough to illuminate the whole bar. "Well then, I guess we're both idiots."
"Mmmm, but we're each other's idiots now," Aiah said, nuzzling her nose against Mikha's.
"Damn right we are," Mikha agreed, leaning in to capture Aiah's lips once more.
They lost track of time, trading soft kisses and whispered endearments in the back hallway as the bar bustled with activity beyond. None of it mattered, the outside world fading away until it was just the two of them, wrapped up in each other and the giddy new reality of mutual feelings finally, blessedly revealed.
Eventually, catcalls and whistles from their forgotten friends broke them out of their private bubble. They pulled apart, matching blushes staining their cheeks. Aiah reached for Mikha's hand, tangling their fingers together and giving a gentle squeeze.
"Kailangan na siguro natin bumalik dun baka hinahanap na tayo."
Mikha groaned, tipping her head back against the wall. "Do we have to? They're going to be insufferable after this."
"Sinabi mo pa," Aiah agreed with a grin. "Pero worth it naman, kasi magagawa ko ‘to whenever I want." She punctuated her words with another quick peck to Mikha's lips.
"Hmmm, okay, may point ka." Mikha straightened up, adjusting her shirt with her free hand. "Okay, let's get this over with. But you're not allowed to let go of my hand for the rest of the night."
"I think I can manage that," Aiah said, already tugging Mikha back towards their friends.
The teasing and good-natured ribbing went on for the rest of the evening, their friends taking great delight in this new development. But Aiah barely noticed, too caught up in the feeling of Mikha's hand in hers, the secret smiles they shared, the knowledge that this was only the beginning of their story.
She knew there would be challenges ahead, moments of misunderstanding and hurt feelings and outside forces trying to come between them. But she also knew that what she and Mikha had was special, worth fighting for. Aiah had spent so long pining, thinking her feelings would forever go unrequited - and now that she knew Mikha felt the same, she was never letting her go.
As the night wound down and their friends began to say their goodbyes, Mikha pulled Aiah close, resting her chin on Aiah's shoulder.
"Stay with me tonight?" she murmured, lips brushing the shell of Aiah's ear and making her shiver. "We have a lot of lost time to make up for."
Aiah turned in the circle of Mikha's arms, looping her own arms around Mikha's neck with a slow smile. "I thought you'd never ask."
Hand-in-hand, they bid their friends farewell and headed out into the warm Manila night, ready to begin the next chapter of their story together. And for the first time, Aiah's steps felt truly light, no longer weighed down by the burden of hidden feelings. With Mikha by her side, she knew she could handle anything life threw their way.
"So sa tingin mo gaano katagal bago planuhin nila Ate Maloi kasal natin?" Mikha asked wryly as they walked.
Aiah snorted. "Bold of you to assume na hindi pa sila gumagawa ng GC for that."
"Ugh, you're probably right," Mikha groaned. "I swear, if Jhoanna tries to make me wear heels, there will be blood."
"Duly noted," Aiah laughed. "Hmm, pero ewan ko ha. Parang ang hot mo tignan kung naka-heels ka tas matangkad ka sa'kin. Dominante kaayo."
"Saba diha," Mikha grumbled, cheeks pinking. "Don't make me change my mind about you staying over."
"You know you love me," Aiah sing-songed, bumping Mikha's hip playfully.
Mikha's steps faltered slightly, her grip on Aiah's hand tightening. When Aiah glanced over, Mikha was watching her with soft eyes, a small, secret smile playing about her lips.
"Yeah," Mikha said simply. "I really do."
Aiah's heart swelled to bursting in her chest. This girl. This prickly, snarky, secretly sweet girl who had claimed Aiah's heart so completely. Life with Mikha was sure to be an adventure, full of laughter and bickering and scorching passion. And Aiah couldn't wait to experience every moment of it, the good, the bad, and everything in between.
But first, they had some catching up to do. With a wicked grin, Aiah picked up their pace, practically dragging a sputtering Mikha along behind her in her eagerness to get her best-friend-turned-girlfriend alone.
The future was bright and brimming with possibility. But Aiah was more than content to live in the now, in the feel of Mikha's hand in hers and the unspoken promises in the heated looks they shared. Everything else could wait.
After all, they had all the time in the world.