No strings attached |(UNDER REVISION)

Chapter 17- Trapped in the past

"Ikaw ang mundo ko, Mikha!" The words burst out of me before I could stop them, raw and unfiltered. "At kahit anong gawin ko, kahit anong pilit kong mag-move on, ikaw at ikaw pa rin ang gusto ko!"

She looked at me like I had just knocked the air out of her lungs.

Silence stretched between us, the tension so thick it was suffocating.

Then, in the smallest, most vulnerable voice, she asked:

"Kung gusto mo pa rin ako... bakit kasama mo si Zara?"

I clenched my jaw. "Dahil akala ko wala na akong chance sa'yo."

Her eyes searched mine, as if trying to find any trace of a lie.

"At kung sakaling... may chance ka pa?"

I stepped closer, closing the distance between us, my voice dropping to a whisper.

"Then I'll spend every damn day proving to you that I never stopped loving you."

Mikha's breath hitched, her eyes darting to my lips before quickly looking away. Her hands trembled slightly, like she was torn between pushing me away and pulling me closer.

"Aiah..." Her voice wavered, filled with uncertainty.

I lifted a hand, hesitating for a moment before gently tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Sabihin mo sa'kin, Mikha." My voice was barely above a whisper. "Sabihin mong wala ka nang nararamdaman. Sabihin mong tapos na talaga tayo, at titigil na ako."

She opened her mouth but no words came out.

"Mikha." My fingers ghosted over her cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin. "Kasi kung hindi mo masabi... alam kong hindi pa tapos 'to."

Her chest rose and fell unevenly, her breathing shallow. "Aiah, hindi ganun kadali..."

"Alam kong hindi." I swallowed hard. "Pero gusto kong malaman kung mahal mo pa ako."*

Her silence was deafening.

Then, just when I thought she was about to say something, she took a step back.

"I can't do this," she whispered, shaking her head. "Ang gulo-gulo na, Aiah."

Pain stabbed through my chest, but I refused to back down. "Gusto mong maging malinaw? Then answer me honestly. Mahal mo pa ba ako?"

Mikha squeezed her eyes shut, as if fighting an internal battle. Then she took a shaky breath and finally looked at me.

"Mahal kita, Aiah." Her voice cracked. "Pero hindi ko alam kung kaya ko pang masaktan ulit."

My heart clenched. "Hindi na kita sasaktan, Mikha."

"Hindi mo maipapangako 'yan."

I exhaled sharply, frustration and desperation mixing in my veins. "Pero kaya kong subukan. Kaya kong ipakita sa'yo na mas matimbang ka kaysa sa kahit ano pang dahilan para sumuko."

She looked at me, her walls slowly crumbling, but fear still lingered in her eyes.

"Please, Mikha." My voice softened. "Give us one more chance."

Mikha stared at me, her lips parted slightly as if she wanted to say something-anything-but the words wouldn't come. I could see the conflict in her eyes, the war between what she felt and what she feared.