No strings attached |(UNDER REVISION)

Chapter 29- Break us apart

Mikha: Coffee? My treat.
Jho: Wow, biglaang yaya? Ano meron?
Mikha: Wala lang. I just wanna see you.
Jho: Hmm... suspicious. But sige, saan?
Mikha: Usual place.

Minutes later, I was sitting in our favorite coffee shop, pretending everything was fine.

Jho arrived with her usual bright energy, plopping down on the seat across from me. "Grabe, Mikha. I almost didn't recognize you. Ang blooming mo ah! Ayan na ba ang effect ng pagiging in love?" she teased.

I forced a laugh. "Syempre! One month na kami ni Aiah kahapon, kaya..." I trailed off, making sure to keep my voice light.

"Uy! Anong ginawa niyo?" she asked excitedly, taking a sip of her drink.

I smiled, pretending that my heart wasn't heavy. "Nag-surprise ako sa kanya! Dinner sa rooftop, fairy lights, flowers, the whole thing."

Jho gasped. "Yieee! Ang effort mo, girl! Anong reaction niya?"

I held my cup tightly, keeping my expression soft. "Siyempre natuwa siya. She was so happy. Sobrang pagod siya sa work, so the surprise made her night."

"Awww, ang sweet! Sana all talaga."

I nodded, forcing another smile. "Sana all nga."

Jho kept talking, and I kept pretending. I laughed at the right moments, nodded when needed, and told more made-up details about last night.

But deep inside, I could feel my chest tightening.

Because the truth was, Aiah wasn't happy last night.

She was guilty.

And I was lying-not just to Jho, but to myself.

Jho stirred her coffee, then looked at me curiously. "Okay, enough about Aiah. Ikaw naman, Mikha. How about you? Are you happy?"

Her question caught me off guard.

I opened my mouth to answer, but for a second, no words came out.

Happy?

I should be, right? I just told her how perfect last night was. I just said Aiah was happy. And if she was happy, then I should be too.

That's how it always was.

So I smiled-because that's what I was supposed to do. "Of course, I'm happy," I said, keeping my voice light. "Aiah and I are back together. We just celebrated our first month. Why wouldn't I be happy?"

Jho studied me, eyes narrowing slightly. "Hmm... sigurado ka?"

I let out a soft laugh. "Ang drama mo. Syempre sigurado ako."

She tilted her head. "Kasi parang hindi. Alam mo, Mikha, kilala kita. Your eyes-you're smiling, but they're tired. Para kang may gustong sabihin pero hindi mo masabi."

My grip tightened around my cup, but I quickly forced out another chuckle. "Grabe ka naman. Napuyat lang ako sa pag-aayos ng surprise, kaya siguro mukha akong pagod."

Jho sighed, leaning back against her chair. "Okay. If you say so."

There was a pause, a moment where she just looked at me, like she was waiting for me to say something more.

Like she knew.

But I didn't say anything.

Instead, I lifted my coffee cup and took a sip, pretending that the warmth could melt away the cold, heavy feeling inside me.