Fame, Lies, and Love (Mikhaiah Fanfiction)

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Mikha Lim.

The sun was blazing, the heat prickling my skin as I stood under the harsh lights of the set. Around me, the crew was bustling—adjusting cameras, fixing props, and shouting directions—but their voices were nothing but a distant hum in my head.

"Action!" the director called out, his voice slicing through the haze of my thoughts.

I took a deep breath and stepped into the scene, wearing my character's confident smile. My co-star, a seasoned actor, greeted me with a line I barely registered. I was supposed to deliver my reply with equal charm, but the words caught in my throat.

"Cut!"

May halong inis na sa boses ni Direk. "Mikha, okay ka lang? Para kang wala sa sarili mo."

Tumango ako, kahit pa ang totoo, hindi talaga ako okay. Focus, Mikha. Hindi mo 'to first time. Pero kahit anong pilit kong mag-focus, may isang tao na hindi ko maalis sa isip ko.

Aiah Arceta.

Siya na naman.

But no matter how much I tried, my thoughts kept circling back to her. To Aiah.

Aiah Arceta, the cause of my headache and sleepless night. The memory of her sharp words and stubborn expression from this morning played on a loop in my head. I couldn't believe I had to deal with that level of attitude, only to wake up and find her sleeping on the floor of our room like nothing happened.

Hindi na nga siya nag-sorry sa parents ko, ako pa ang sinisi sa lahat ng bagay kagabi. My jaw clenched at the thought. I shouldn't be letting this affect me, but it was hard to ignore the frustration bubbling in my chest.

"Alright, Mikha, ready?" the director called out again, more patience in his tone this time.

"Yeah," I replied, forcing a smile. I turned back to the set and tried to push Aiah out of my mind. But even as I delivered my lines, her voice echoed in my head. "Kung masama ang loob mo, hindi mo naman kailangang ipilit na sunduin ako."

"Cut!"

This time, my co-star gave me a questioning look. "You okay?" he asked.

I nodded briskly. "Yeah, just… distracted."

"Distracted?" the director approached, concern etched on his face. "Mikha, this scene is crucial. We need you at 100 percent. Should we take a break?"

I shook my head, unwilling to let my personal life derail the shoot. "No, let's go again. I've got this."

But as I stepped back into position, I couldn’t help but think of Aiah again. Of her biting remarks, her infuriating smirk, and the way she somehow managed to make me angrier than anyone else in the world.

Bakit ba kasi pumayag pa akong magpakasal sa kanya?

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to find my center. The truth was, as much as she drove me crazy, there was something about Aiah that I couldn't shake off. And that only made me more frustrated.

"Alright, Mikha, on your mark," the assistant director called.

I exhaled sharply. Focus. Trabaho muna. Wala munang Aiah Arceta sa isip mo.