No strings attached |(UNDER REVISION)

Chapter 14- Move of vengeance

Then suddenly, I felt someone move behind me.

The crowd screamed louder. "OH SHIT! ANG INIT!"

A boy-tall, muscular, his presence bold and unhesitating-stepped into my space, his body moving in sync with mine. His hands didn't touch me, but he was close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from him.

The tension in the air thickened.

"Wooooh! Mikha, patay ka kay Aiah!" someone hollered from the crowd, but I ignored it, too caught up in the moment.

I smirked, tilting my head slightly as I matched his movements. If he wanted to play, I wasn't going to back down.

The crowd lost their minds as our bodies moved in sync-slow, deliberate, teasing. The way he mirrored my movements, the way our bodies barely touched but burned with proximity, had the whole room watching.

It was hot. Sinfully hot.

I turned, my face inches from his. "You're not bad," I murmured, voice laced with amusement.

He grinned. "Neither are you."

The tension crackled between us, the air thick with something dangerous. The music swelled, and for a moment, I let go-swaying, teasing, enjoying the power I held over the crowd. Over him.

But then, for just a split second, a face flashed in my mind.

Aiah.

The thought made me falter, my rhythm breaking just slightly.

Shit. What the fuck?

I quickly covered it up, pushing the thought away and refocusing on the present.

Tonight wasn't about her. Tonight was about me.

The crowd's energy only grew wilder. The chant started small, a few playful voices at first, but soon it erupted into a full-blown demand-loud, insistent, relentless.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

I let out a breathy laugh, shaking my head as I wiped a hand down my face. Tangina niyo talaga.

The guy in front of me smirked, clearly amused by the situation. He leaned in slightly, close enough that I could feel the heat of his breath against my skin. "They're not gonna stop," he murmured, his voice smooth, teasing.

I tilted my head, meeting his gaze. "Ikaw ba, gusto mo?" I challenged, arching a brow.

The crowd screamed.

"OH MY GOD, MIKHA!"

His smirk widened. "You tell me."

I could do it. Just one kiss. It meant nothing. It was just a game-a reckless, meaningless way to lose myself in the night.

But as I stared at him, my heartbeat pounding loud in my ears, that annoying thought returned.

Aiah.

Her smirk. Her teasing words. The way she always challenged me, like she was waiting for me to snap. Like she knew she had a hold on me, even when I didn't want her to.

The memory pissed me off.

So I grabbed the guy by the collar and kissed him.

The crowd fucking lost it.

Loud cheers, screams, laughter-chaos. His lips moved against mine, eager, willing, but I barely paid attention. My mind was a mess, tangled between the thrill of the moment and the frustration bubbling in my chest.

I deepened the kiss just slightly, just enough to prove a point-to myself, to the crowd, to that nagging thought in my head.

See? Aiah doesn't own me.

I pulled away first, smirking as I wiped my lips with my thumb. The guy looked a little dazed but grinned at me. "Damn," he muttered, shaking his head. "That was-"

I didn't let him finish. Instead, I turned back to the crowd, raising my hands in mock victory. "Satisfied?!"

They screamed in response, hyping up the moment.

I smirked again, but deep down, a weird weight settled in my chest.

I pushed it down.

Tonight, I wasn't going to think about her.

The guy leaned in, his voice low enough that only I could hear, but the confidence in his tone was unmistakable. "You wanna take this somewhere private?"

I didn't answer right away. I just stared at him, studying the way his lips curved into a knowing smirk-like he already thought he had me figured out. Like he assumed I would say yes.

.
Before I could decide, Colet suddenly appeared beside us, laughing as she threw an arm around my shoulder. "Damn, Mikha! You really went for it!" she teased, eyes twinkling with mischief.

She must've noticed the way the guy was still hovering close because her grin widened. "If you need a place... my room on the second floor is free."

The crowd reacted instantly. "WOOOOOO! GO, MIKHA!" Some were clapping, others were laughing, a few were already pushing me toward the stairs like I needed the encouragement.

The guy raised a brow, waiting for my answer. "What do you say?"

I smirked, tilting my head slightly. I could do this. I could let go, enjoy the night, drown myself in something-or someone-who wasn't her.

But then, just for a second, Aiah's face flashed in my mind.

The way she smirked when she teased me. The way she looked at me earlier in the office. The way she-

"Tsk." I clicked my tongue, shaking the thought away.

Then, with a lazy smirk, I leaned closer to the guy, fingers lightly trailing down his arm.

"Lead the way," I murmured.

The crowd erupted.