No strings attached |(UNDER REVISION)

Chapter 17- Trapped in the past

"Aiah..." she whispered, voice trembling.

I stepped closer, closing the distance between us until I could feel the warmth of her body. "Mikha, please." My fingers reached for her hand, holding it gently, as if one wrong move would make her disappear. "Tama na ang takot. Tayo na lang ulit."

She let out a shaky breath, her fingers curling slightly around mine. Hope sparked in my chest.

But then, she pulled away.

"Hindi ganun kadali," she said, shaking her head. "Aiah, mahal kita... pero hindi lang pagmamahal ang kailangan para gumana ang isang relasyon."

My jaw clenched. "So what are you saying? That this is it? Na wala na talagang tayo?"

Mikha ran a hand through her hair, exasperation clear on her face. "Gusto kita, mahal kita-pero ayokong bumalik sa dati! Hindi ko kayang mabuhay sa anino ng expectations mo, sa pressure na maging perpekto para sa 'future' na gusto mong buuin!"*

Her voice cracked, and I felt like I was being gutted.

"Mikha..." I tried again, softer this time. "Alam kong nasaktan kita noon. Alam kong-"

"Hindi mo alam!" she interrupted, her voice rising. "Kasi ikaw ang iniwan, pero ako ang nawasak! Alam mo ba kung gaano kahirap buuin ulit ang sarili ko nung wala ka? Ikaw lang kasi ang mahal ko, Aiah! Pero hindi ibig sabihin nun na kaya kong ipilit ang sarili ko sa mundong gusto mong likhain!"

My chest ached at her words. "So what do you want me to do?"

She swallowed hard, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Aiah... kung mahal mo ako, hayaan mo muna akong hanapin ulit ang sarili ko. Kasi kung babalik tayo sa isa't isa nang hindi ko pa alam kung sino ako... paano tayo magiging buo?"

I felt my breath hitch, the weight of her words sinking in.

Silence stretched between us, heavy and painful.

Then, with one last lingering look, Mikha turned and walked away.

And this time, I let her go.

I stood there for a long moment, watching Mikha's figure disappear down the hall. My chest felt tight, my hands clenched at my sides. Every part of me wanted to chase after her, to hold her, to demand that she stay.

But I didn't.

Instead, I took a deep breath, blinked away the sting in my eyes, and turned back toward the room where my friends were waiting.

As soon as I stepped inside, all eyes were on me. Jhoanna, Sheena, and Stacey had paused their conversation, their gazes sharp, waiting for me to say something.

Jhoanna was the first to speak. "Well?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Mukha kang binagsakan ng mundo, Aiah. Ano na?"

I scoffed lightly, forcing a smirk as I walked to the bar and poured myself a drink. "Tama ka, Jho. Hindi talaga ako handa sa interrogation niyo."

Sheena leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "So... wala na ba talagang chance?"

I swallowed the burning liquid in one go before answering. "Hindi ko alam," I admitted, my voice quieter than I wanted it to be. "Pero kung mahal niya ako, bakit hindi niya kayang piliin ulit 'tong relasyon namin?"

Stacey sighed, shaking her head. "Aiah, alam mong hindi ganun kadali 'yon."

"Then why does it have to be so complicated?" My frustration slipped through as I set my glass down with more force than necessary. "Mahal ko siya, mahal niya ako. Hindi ba dapat sapat na 'yon?"