Then, she saw them. Colet, leaning casually against the counter with that usual detached look on her face, but it was Jhoanna who caught Mikha’s attention. She was standing there, one hand gripping the edge of the bar, her posture unsteady as if she could collapse at any moment.
"Jhoanna," Mikha’s voice came out soft, barely a whisper as she pushed through the people.
Jhoanna turned toward her, eyes glazed, face flushed from the alcohol, her lips parting as if she wanted to say something, but then she stumbled, and before Mikha could reach her, Jhoanna pulled her into a tight hug.
Mikha didn’t expect the sudden force, but she braced herself, wrapping her arms around Jhoanna’s trembling body. Her knees felt weak, and Jhoanna’s unsteady weight caused Mikha to shift slightly to keep them both upright. The sobs that Jhoanna had been holding back broke free, muffled against Mikha’s shoulder.
"Jho, okay ka lang?" Mikha asked, her voice hoarse, the panic still evident in her chest.
But Jhoanna didn't answer. She just held onto Mikha tighter, her body shaking as she let out soft whimpers, her hands clutching Mikha’s back as if trying to steady herself. Mikha stood still, feeling the desperation in Jhoanna’s grip. The tears, the trembling—everything about this moment was raw, too real to ignore.
As Mikha looked up, she caught Colet’s eyes across the room. Colet was watching them, arms folded, her expression unreadable, but there was a flicker in her gaze—something too complicated to decipher in a moment like this.
Suddenly, Jhoanna pulled away from her, the hug breaking apart too quickly. Mikha didn’t get a chance to ask if she was okay before she saw Jhoanna clutching her stomach with both hands, her face contorting in discomfort. Without a word, Jhoanna turned and ran toward the bathroom.
Jhoanna’s body jerked with each heave, her stomach churning violently. She clutched the side of the toilet, her knees giving way as she collapsed to the floor beside it. Her breaths were shallow, uneven, and she could feel tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. The smell of alcohol and vomit made her stomach twist again, but she had no strength left to protest.
Colet stood awkwardly by the door, not knowing exactly what to do. She had been standing there for a while, her fists clenched, watching Jhoanna’s fragile form tremble. Mikha, on the other hand, crouched down beside her, one hand gently guiding her head away from the toilet as she pulled Jhoanna’s hair back, holding it away from her face.
“Jhoanna, hey, just breathe, okay?” Mikha’s voice was soft, but there was an edge to it—tension running through her words. She looked at Colet, and there was something in her eyes that spoke volumes. The silence between them was thick, but neither spoke. They knew this wasn’t the time.
Jhoanna’s head dropped forward again, more sobs wracking her body. She wiped her mouth on her sleeve, shivering slightly as she tried to steady herself. “I’m sorry...” she whispered, the words barely escaping her lips.
“Shhh, don’t apologize, Jhoanna,” Mikha murmured, brushing her hair out of her face. “Just focus on breathing.”
Colet shifted uncomfortably, looking at the scene in front of her. She could hear the rawness in Jhoanna’s voice, the unspoken pain in the way she tried to pull herself together. But it hurt to watch.
Jhoanna’s body was still trembling from the vomiting, her face pale as she leaned against the toilet. Mikha was kneeling beside her, rubbing her back gently, trying to soothe her, while Colet stood awkwardly a little farther away, her arms crossed as she struggled to find the right words.
The silence in the small bathroom felt suffocating, thick with the tension hanging in the air. Mikha looked up at Colet, her eyes flashing with frustration. “You left her?” she asked, her voice sharp, cutting through the silence like a knife.
Colet flinched, the accusation hitting her harder than she’d expected. She swallowed hard, trying to keep her composure. “I didn’t—I didn’t think na yun ang gagawin ng mga lalake sakanya...” She shook her head, almost as if trying to convince herself more than Mikha. “I thought she’d be fine. She was with those guys, and I didn’t think they’d...”
“pero iniwan mo siya? dati ka bang gago?” Mikha snapped again, her hands balling into fists. Her voice wavered with anger and worry. “Dapat nandoon ka, pero hindi eh. INIWAN mo siya kaya ka naging tanga."
Colet took a step back, her eyes darkening with the weight of her guilt. She couldn’t argue with Mikha’s words. The truth stung. She could have been there, should have been there. But she wasn’t, and now Jhoanna was in this state.
Mikha’s eyes softened for a moment as she looked at Jhoanna, who was still leaning against the toilet, looking drained and defeated. Mikha took a deep breath before turning back to Colet, her voice a little lower but still filled with intensity.
“Say what you wanna say, pero kung meron nangyari sa kaibigan ko, and she was in your care, just know I would never forgive you.” Mikha’s words were chilling, the weight of them hanging in the air.
Colet’s breath caught in her throat. She could feel the gravity of Mikha’s words, the harshness behind them. “I didn’t think it would go that far, Mikha. I thought—”
“No, you didn’t think.” Mikha interrupted, her voice quiet but deadly serious. “And now look at her.” She gestured at Jhoanna, whose shaky hands were still resting on the edge of the toilet. “You’ve been careless.”
Colet was at a loss for words, her gaze flickering from Mikha to Jhoanna and back again. The weight of Mikha’s anger was suffocating, but Colet knew she deserved it.
Mikha sighed, stepping back a little. “I’m just... I’m just pissed because I should’ve been the one here for her. I should’ve been the one looking out for her.” She let out a bitter laugh, the sound almost hollow. “But no. I was too late.”
Colet swallowed, a knot forming in her throat as she watched Mikha’s frustration slowly turn into something softer. Something... sad. Mikha cared for Jhoanna—maybe more than Colet was ready to admit.
The air between them was heavy, but there was a shared understanding now, even if neither of them said it aloud. Mikha cared for Jhoanna. And Colet, in her own way, did too.
Jhoanna, still weak and exhausted, finally looked up at them, her eyes unfocused but filled with a sadness that both Mikha and Colet felt in their bones. Neither of them knew what to say next.
