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"Paos na ako, as in good luck sa akin sa 29! Ngayon pa lang may PCD na ako! Grabe it feels so surreal!" Stacey squealed excitedly, trying to rub the cold from her arms. The girl she was talking to remained unresponsive, focused on her phone, her cowboy hat covering her expression as they both walked towards the parking lot, the security team and assistants trailing behind them.
The BP concert just concluded, and both her legs were numb, but she still felt ecstatic. Aiah, on the other hand, has been quiet ever since the crowd thinned and the cameras focused on them lessened. The small team assigned to them was chatting closely behind them.
"Helllooooo, sino ba yang ka chat mo?"
"Si Miks," Aiah monotoned, still focused.
"Oh, bakit daw?"
"Um, nandito ata siya."
"Huh? Nanood din siya? Sino kasama niya? Diba may event siya kanina?"
Aiah doesn't know how to say it. Mikha did have an event earlier, a sports activity with her fans. And now she's here, because she insisted on being the one to drive Aiah home.
Aiah remembered how it started. She transferred to a new place closer to Mikha's, and Mikha offered to drop her off after training once, which progressed to Mikha picking her up the next day and the day after that, and that's how their little routine started.
Which was totally normal, of course. They are both members of a girl band, and there's totally nothing wrong with it. Plus, Mikha's the member she's closest to right from the start. It's also super convenient for Aiah, especially if Nini's with her and Mikha's been nothing but a sweetheart sa kanilang mag-ina. She doesn't care if Nini makes a mess, despite Mikha being a little bit of a clean freak.
They've been having so much fun, too. They would secretly get drive-thru food and sugary drinks, rebelling against their diet or have convenience store mukbang after training without the other girls knowing (the girls knew but didn't say anything).
Aiah loved every single thing about it. After their sudden rise to fame last year and their busy schedules, Mikha and her kind of drifted apart, and even though she was close to the other girls as well, she would be lying if she said Mikha was not her... what was the word? Bias. She always loved the girl, and well, Mikha felt somewhat the same for her, except it's not.
Colet cornered her privately before, when the other members were preoccupied. They had just debuted and were slowly getting recognized, but Colet, being the sharp one in the group, noticed things faster than anyone else. She also had the guts to speak her mind more than any of the other girls.
"Aiah, si Mikha, parang ano, I mean, di naman ako nagju-judge, concerned lang ako, nahahalata mo ba?" Colet proceeded to talk to her in Bisaya about Mikha's somewhat obvious fondness for her.
Aiah laughed then, knowing the girls loved to tease them, and because she was aware their ship was the most popular, but her smile faded when she saw Colet was dead serious.
"Hindi!" She denied. "Sure, boyish si Mikha, pero she's not ano— hindi naman siguro. Wala naman siyang sinasabi."
"Buang bakit sa tingin mo ba sasabihin niya? Pati si Shee nga na bata nakakahalata,"
"No, anong ibig mong sabihin? Mikha's always sweet naman."
"Sa'yo lang 'day, sa'yo lang."
Aiah didn't know what to say, but she started thinking, recalling every single moment she had with Mikha.
"Di naman ako basher kung ganon talaga feelings niya for you, pero heads up lang sa'yo, and I'm just worried lang sa outcome. Anyway, nag-ooverthink lang siguro ako. Baka crush ka lang."
Aiah chuckled nervously. "Baka..."
But years passed, and Mikha never said anything. Aiah even had a boyfriend at one point, and Mikha never said anything. And when that relationship ended badly, Aiah cried in Mikha's arms, and Mikha never said a word.
Were they best friends for life? Definitely not. Ever since they left their dorm and started living on their own, Mikha has found friends outside the band, and Aiah has reunited with her childhood friends.
They don't even hang out unless it's in front of a camera for a brand shooting, and yet, when Aiah feels like her world is being torn apart and she feels her anxiety start to choke her, she only calls one person, and that would be Mikhaela Janna Jimenea Lim.
No one else knew how Mikha would hold her, tight enough to keep her broken pieces from falling to the ground, and Mikha never said anything.
She didn't need to. Her feelings for Aiah were unsaid but crystal clear.
But lately, Aiah could feel Mikha's feelings were stronger, bolder. Their fame meant more eyes on them, and people pursuing them, which meant Aiah's suitors increased tenfold, and Aiah suspects it's the very reason Mikha has been more protective and territorial, hence the rings, the matching bracelets, and necklaces. She did not care if their fans went crazy; she was attached to Aiah's hip as much as possible, as long as management allowed.
Aiah totally understands, she doesn't mind at all, in fact, she was secretly pleased. She was not very happy when Mikha started dating that athlete, too. Oh, her blood burns just by thinking about it, but she knew Mikha did it because she started talking to a guy in her church as well, and now that both of those phases were over— a phase both of them never talk about ever— they were back to... whatever it is they had. It was like a silent agreement of some sort; none of them wanted to talk about or break free from.
Aiah remembered that Stacey was waiting for her reply.
"Uh, hindi, she's picking me up." One thing about Aiah is that she couldn't lie.
Stacey looked at her for a few more seconds, maybe to gauge if she was joking or not, before smiling knowingly. "Ah, okay. Kanina pa ako kinukulit niyan. Ang daming reminders." She said and continued walking, no questions asked (she knew but didn't say anything).
Aiah spoke with their team and said only that she won't be joining the van back to the city. She was escorted until she was near the familiar Ford Everest, and if the team recognized the car or the driver in the darker side of the parking area, they didn't react (they knew but didn't say anything).
Aiah thanked the team and quickly walked towards the SUV, cautiously looking around for spying fans, but found none.
She sighed in relief. She opened the car door and was greeted with a familiar scent and smile. Her body moved like clockwork; she leaned in and kissed the girl on the cheek, and they hugged briefly.
"How was it?"
Deep voice was softer than usual, only for Aiah's ears. Aiah reveled at the thought.
"So good, pero sobrang nakakapagod,"
Mikha handed her a jacket she'd taken from the backseat, and Aiah smiled gratefully, loving that it also smelled of Mikha, and she wrapped it around her gingerly, soothing the cold seeping through her red, see-through top.
"Trending kayo ni Staks,"
"Kaya nga eh,"
"Love the fit,"
"Hindi too much?"
"No. Sometimes I think it's you that owns that color and not me."
Aiah blushed furiously and was thankful for the dark. She wondered when she started blushing when Mikha complimented her. This girl couldn't flirt to save her life, but she had her moments, leaving Aiah giddy and helpless.
Mikha concentrated on navigating quietly for a few minutes, and Aiah watched her in awe. They joined the heavy traffic of private vehicles, buses, and vans exiting the Arena.
Mikha was a fast learner; she learned to drive during one of their 1-week breaks. Aiah knew why. Mikha learned the guy she was talking to before was offering to drive her around, and the next day, Aiah learned Mikha was with Rajo for driving lessons and eventually enrolled in a professional driving school soon after. She arranged to get her license, got a new car, and was driving solo weeks later.
And now she's driving Aiah crazy.
Something shifted in their relationship when these hatid-sundo sessions started, something unspoken— and yet everyone around them knew.
Sometimes Aiah wished Mikha would do something, anything. Something more.
Like what exactly?
Aiah thought about what she wanted Mikha to do, and she squealed internally.
"Hellooooo,"
Aiah jumped when she felt a light tap on her arm.
"Huh?"
"Sleepy na?" Mikha chuckled. "I asked if you're hungry."
"Ah! Yes, hungry. Super."
"Sige. Drive-thru?"
"Sure."
Mikha flashed her a quick smile and returned to driving.
Aiah didn't realize she'd started staring again until she caught herself. Mikha wore faded makeup and casual clothes, but she was breathtaking, at least to Aiah's eyes, which was weird because she had seen this face almost every day, and the fact that sometimes Mikha still manages to make her heart skip a beat by just existing already meant she's a goner.
She groaned internally.
"Okay ka lang ba? Kanina ka pa tumitingin. Is there something on my face?"
Mikha suddenly said. Aiah doesn't even know she was looking at her. Again!
Aiah shook her head. "Ah, wala, I'm just so tired, bub."
"Ang hyper mo kasi kanina,"
"Hey ikaw nga nag sports pa. Aren't you tired? You didn't have to come get me."
"I want to."
"Awwwww," she fake-cried, and Mikha burst out laughing, but deep inside, Aiah could not contain the kilig. In her mind, she wanted to scream, tell me, Mikha! Just confess right now!
Or Aiah could tell her. That was definitely an option. Just confess she felt the same. Mikha already likes her diba? Diba?
Aiah felt her gut churn at the mere thought of misunderstanding Mikha's feelings. She would die on the spot.
And how would she confess? Sure, she had confessed feelings to boys before, but she was a child then. How do you even confess to a girl? Let alone to a friend?
"Babi, you are making faces. Are you okay?"
Aiah jumped at the sound of Mikha's voice, but she recovered and smiled at the nickname. To the world, Mikha calls her ate Aiah, but privately, as the fans guessed, they call each other babi.
"I'm okay," Aiah smiled at the worried fox, silently enjoying the intense stare.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm okay, babi."
Mikha kept glancing at her worriedly. Aiah reached out and tapped her hand that was resting on the gearshift.
Mikha shot her a smile at the soft touch, and Aiah felt a quiet idea take root — one that could be an answer to her earlier problem.
Before she could back out, Aiah reached out again, this time letting her fingers intertwine with Mikha's.
Maybe she didn't have to say anything. Mikha never had to—she always showed how she felt. And now, it was Aiah's turn.
Mikha shot her a look of surprise at first, as if she couldn't believe what was happening. Aiah only smiled back, holding her hand a little tighter.
Then Mikha's own smile appeared, soft and shy, a blush spreading across her pale cheeks. And in that quiet, fleeting moment, neither of them needed words—they both knew.
The night went on as if nothing had changed. They grabbed food, laughed and talked comfortably, and when Mikha finally drove Aiah home, their hands stayed intertwined until the very last moment.
Aiah usually kissed her cheek every time they parted, but this time, both of them were too aware that it was different and were nervous.
“Same time tomorrow?” Mikha could not contain her smile, blushing.
”Same time tomorrow,” Aiah squeezed her hand once more before letting go, her smile reaching her eyes.
Aiah watched as Mikha drove away, noticing her blinkers flashed 3 times before speeding up.
Aiah frowned for a second, wondering what it meant, but then started smiling widely and shaking her head. She will have to ask Mikha, but deep inside, she already knew.