Mikha's Pov
It's been three days that we are here in baguio. Nakabalik na kami sa bahay, kakagaling lang namin walo na nag-jogging.
"I wanna go hiking." Aiah said.
"You still have energy?" I asked.
"Syempre." Aiah said while smiling.
"I'll make coffee, you can rest with the others." I said.
Pumunta ako sa kusina para mag-timpla na ng kape.
"So this is how mikhaela lim is being a suitor." Sheena said.
It's sheena and gwen.
"What are you two doing here?" I asked.
"Magkaka-kape." Gwen said.
"Gawan ko na din kayo." I said.
Pinanuod nila ako magtimpla, ginawan ko din ng coffee art.
"Mikhs do you remember during high school the unexpected times that you are with aiah?" Gwen asked.
"Huh? Meron ba?" I said.
"Makalimutan ka talaga minsan. Those times like when you were hanging out in my house then sheena and aiah passed by so i invited them in." Gwen said.
"Oh that time. It was not unexpected, you and sheena planned it." I said.
"Well, there was really an unexpected time." Gwen said.
Gwen and sheena looks at each other first then they look at me.
"The checking of exam papers." Both of them said.
"Checking?" I asked.
I tried to remember what they are saying. Oh that time. Kami nag-check ng exam papers ng ibang section.
FLASHBACK
"Mikhs we got to check these exam papers." Colet said.
"Bakit ako palang nandito? Where's jho and gwen?" I asked.
Currently, i'm in colet's house. I thought were just gonna hang out since the exams just ended but nauto ako na mag-check ng exam papers.
"I've already given them papers to bring here since i can't bring all of it home yesterday." Colet said.
"Colet snacks." I said.
"Sinabihan ko na sila na bumili ng food, simulan mo na mag-check mikhs." Colet said
I start checking papers. After thirty minutes, i heard the gate opened. Si jho at gwen na siguro yun.
"Gwen, jho tagal niyo. Please tell me you brought snacks." I said.
"We did." Gwen said.
"Kanina pa ako nag checheck ng papers." I said.
I looked behind me. The people behind me is gwen and instead of jho, it's sheena and aiah.
"Hi mikha, we brought snacks." Aiah said.
"H-Hi aiah." I said.
She placed the snacks on the other table. There are two tables, one is for the snacks and the other is where the exam papers are placed. Aiah sat in the opposite side of the table meaning magkatapat kami.
"Hi aiah, sheena." Colet said.
"We saw gwen in the convenience store, sakto pinapabigay ni jho mga exams papers. So sheena and i decided to come here help you guys." Aiah said.
"Thanks for coming, hulaan ko tinatamad pumunta si jho. Okay let's finish all of these papers so we can relax later." Colet said while smiling.
I nod at colet. Aiah's smiling too. How am i gonna get through this day with aiah in front of me? This is gonna be a long day.
END OF FLASHBACK
That day i nearly fainted. From what i remembered, i almost went to the restroom just to escape for a little bit.
"I remember now. I think the both of you planned it too." I said.
"Nope, that was really unexpected." Sheena said.
"I think there were more unexpected times that we don't remember." Gwen said.
I just smiled at both of them still thinking of those unexpected times.
"Thanks guys." I said.
"For what?" Gwen asked.
"For being there for me since high school. Both of you have been a big help." I said.
"It's was not just us mikhs, you have been doing the effort too since high school." Gwen said.
"You just didn't noticed it." Sheena said.
After making the coffee, the three of us went to the backyard deck with eight coffees. Nag-rerelax sa deck yung mga iba.
"Where's aiah?" I asked.
"Nasa garden ni tita." Colet said.
May garden si mom sa gilid ng bahay. I went to her, she's looking at the flowers. Lumapit ako.
"You sure had fun aiah." I said.
"I did mikhs. If i have another vacation, i'll go to siargao or la union." Aiah said.
"If you want samahan kita next time." I said.
"Really? Promise?" Aiah said.
"I promise." I said.
We smiled at each other, we talked for a bit then went back to the others. Nag-suggest si maloi na i-tour ko sila aiah sa night market ngayong gabi. Lahat kami except maloi at colet ang pupunta, tinatamad daw sila.
Nag-volleyball kami mga papi line habang nag-movie marathon ang mga kikay line. Sumunod din kami nanuod sa kila aiah after namin naglaro. Kumain muna kami ng dinner bago pumunta sa night market.
"I wanna try all the foods here." Aiah said.
"Sure ka?" I asked.
"I'll try." Aiah said while smiling.
We looked around the night market, i think our tour became a food trip. Aiah, sheena, stacey and jho really like foods. Kaka-dinner namin pero may extra space pa ata tyan nila. Gwen and i carry or eat some of the foods they bought.
"I think i'll be sleeping with a full stomach tonight." Gwen said.
"Hindi lang ikaw, ako din." I said.
The two of us went to the park beside the night market to wait for the three girls.
"I think there's a fireworks display tonight." I said.
"Lucky us coming here tonight. Ang tagal ata nila aiah." Gwen said.
"I'll go find them." I said.
I went to find the four girls. After a few minutes, i saw them with a guy. He looks familiar, no way. Bakit siya nandito?
"There you are, we we're waiting for you girls at the park." I said.
"Papunta palang sana kami sa inyo ni gwen." Sheena said.
"We bumped into someone aiah knows." Stacey said.
"Mikha meet jeremy, my ex-boyfriend." Aiah said.
I shook hands with jeremy. Jho told me before that aiah has her first boyfriend during college. I didn't expect that it would be one of my stepbrothers, jeremy. He's the middle child of dad's current's wife. I have three stepbrothers, dad also gave them the surname lim.
"It's nice to see you again aiah, pag may time ka labas tayo? My treat." Jeremy said.
"Sure, i'll call you when i'm back in manila." Aiah said.
Why do i feel something in my heart just hearing them talk about going out, especially he was aiah's first boyfriend. He bid goodbye to us then left. The five of us went back to the park. We ate all the foods that the girls bought.
I'm suddenly thinking of jeremy, why does it have to be him? Sa lahat ng stepbrothers ko, siya ang hindi ko close. Alam nila jho na may stepbrothers ako pero hindi ko pa nasabi names nila. Si maloi lang may alam kung sino sila. Alam niya kaya na si jeremy ang first boyfriend ni aiah?
"Mikhs." Aiah said.
What if he tries to get close to aiah again? What is this i'm feeling?
"Ouch." I said.
Someone pinched my shoulder, it's jho.
"Tinatawag ka ni aiah." Jho said.
"Huh? Bakit aiah?" I asked.
"Okay ka lang?" Aiah asked.
"I'm okay." I said while smiling.
Aiah was about to say something but the fireworks display is starting. I'm saved by the fireworks. I hold aiah's hand, i got to stop overthinking and just enjoy the moment. We went back to the house after the fireworks display.
"Nasobrahan ata ako ng kain sa night market." Aiah said.
"Na-try mo ata lahat." I said.
"Thanks for taking me there mikhs, sobrang saya lalo na may fireworks display." Aiah said.
"I had fun too, i only went to the night market here when i'm in the mood to go out after work." I said.
"Really?" Aiah asked.
"Yes, mauna kana mag shower. I'll just get something downstairs." I said.
"Okay, be back quick mikhs." Aiah said.
I went back downstairs to the kitchen. I made coffee for myself then went by the edge of the pool. I dipped my feet in the water. Ang lamig, malamang nasa baguio kami.
"What are you doing here mikhs? Magpahinga kana sana." Maloi said.
"Nagkakape lang ako." I said.
"That's weird, drinking coffee at this time of the night by the edge of the pool." Maloi said.
"Talaga ba? You know i like coffee." I said.
"And i know you drink coffee when you're in deep thought, hindi mo ako maloloko mikha lim." Maloi said.
"I'm just in the mood for coffee." I said.
"What are you thinking mikhs?" Maloi asked.
"Earlier nakita at nakausap ni aiah si jeremy, her first ex-boyfriend." I said.
"One of your stepbrothers? Sorry mikhs hindi ko alam na si jeremy pala yun. Hindi ko siya nasasaktuhan noon pag nakakabonding ko sila aiah. Akala ko same name lang." Maloi said.
"He asked aiah to go out with him if she has time." I said.
"Let me guess, she said sure." Maloi said.
"Yes." I said.
Maloi pats my shoulder.
"Mikha lim congrats you are feeling the word jealous." Mikha said.
"Jealous? But i don't have the right to get jealous." I said.
"That's one hard thing to feel as a suitor." Maloi said.
"It would be irrational if aiah knows i'm jealous. We are not even a couple yet and i'm just her suitor." I said.
"Mikhs you are not just a suitor, your the suitor of maraiah queen arceta. Sumusuko kana ba agad?" Maloi said.
"Syempre hindi susuko, my mind just felt distracted by seeing the two of them earlier." I said.
"You know it's best if you tell aiah what's on you mind." Mikha said.
"Pag-iisipan ko." I said.
"Don't be afraid to tell her what you feel even if it's kinda irrational. This kind of situation are normal when you're in love." Maloi said.
Maloi pats my head. I told her to go ahead upstairs and i'll be going too after i finish my coffee. I'm looking at the stars.
"Maloi is right, i'll tell aiah." I said.
"Tell me what?"
No way, that voice. It's aiah, she sat beside me then dipped her feet in the water too.
"Nandito ka daw sabi ni maloi, i saw her by the stairs." Aiah said.
"Tinatapos ko lang coffee ko." I said.
"Drinking coffee at this time of the night by the edge of the pool? That's weird." Aiah said.
"Is it? Sinabi din yan ni maloi." I said.
"What are you thinking mikhs?" Aiah asked.
"Huh?" I said.
"After we met jeremy earlier, i felt a strange aura from you." Aiah said.
I guess i can't escape a lawyer's sensing skills.
"It might be embarrassing to say." I said.
"Makikinig ako." Aiah said.
She holds my hand, just say it mikhaela lim.
"I might have felt jealous earlier. Nakakahiya, we're not a couple yet but i felt that feeling." I said.
"Bakit ka nahihiya? It's okay to feel that way." Aiah said.
"Huh?" I said.
"You're really cute too when you are slow mikhs." Aiah said.
"I'm not used to this kind of feeling, i mean during high school it doesn't hurt that much yet but right now it's different especially he was your first boyfriend." I said.
Tumingin ako sa pool.
"I know i'm slow in this kind of topic." I said.
"But you are not slow in capturing my heart mikha lim." Aiah said.
I think my hearing is not right, did she just said i captured her heart?
"What did you just say?" I asked.
"I think words would not work to explain it." Aiah said.
She gave me a quick kiss on the lips. Wait it's a kiss, she kissed me? That was a kiss on the lips?!
"You can stop courting me, i'm already yours mikhaela janna jimenea lim." Aiah said.
My face might still be shocked but my heart is not. Niyakap ko agad si aiah, i hold her hands then leaned our forehead to each other. This feeling, it's like dozens of butterflies are flying in my stomach.
"I love you maraiah arceta." I said.
"I love you too mikhaela lim." Aiah said.
"You are really mine now?" I asked.
"Yes, i am now yours." Aiah said.
We smiled at each other then i hugged her again. Maraiah queen arceta, the girl that i have a crush on since high school is finally my girlfriend.