MASCOT OF SHAME (Mikhaiah + Mikhcey)

Chapter 11

Aiah's POV

8 PM

Nag-iimpake na ngayon kami ni Mikha for our out of town trip for the Talent Camp Week activity.

"Nakapagpractice ka na ba for your performance?." I asked her, trying to be casual.

"Saka na siguro pag andun na tayo." Sabi ni Mikha tila walang pake.

"Mikha, I know you're good pero--"

"I'll be fine. Saka di naman pwedeng ako lang sasali no, dapat ikaw rin." Sabi niya.

"W-well yeah, you got me there haha."

She smiled back and just stared intently into my eyes and there goes my heart again.

Lumihis agad ako ng tingin sabay sabing,

"Don't forget to bring pads."

"What?" Takang tanong niya, I mean what I said is practically random.

"This might be a bloody camp." Sabi ko.

"It's not like you're gonna kill someone right?." She jokingly said.

"Well, I'll think about it." Mahinang sabi ko.

"What did you just--"

"I didn't see some disposed pads in the trash so I figured na pareho pa tayong di pa *you know*."

"R-right." Sabi nya at nagfocus nalang sa pag-aayos ng mga gamit nya.

BIG DAY - MONDAY

Katabi ko ngayon si Mikha sa bus kasama ang ibang classmates and schoolmates namin.

Nakaupo ako malapit sa window appreciating the beauty of nature when  I felt Mikha's head on my shoulder, nakatulog na pala sya.

I gently fixed the hair covering her face and then held her head firmly on my shoulder.

Napalingon ako sa rareview mirror malapit sa driver and saw that Stacey is looking at us and then instantly looks away nang lumingon ako sa dako nya.

I still wish Gwen was wrong about them. But I think I'm starting to believe. But what's more important is tapos na sila.

Well, ano namang pake mo sa relasyon nila Aiah? Tsk.

Talaga ngang nasisiraan nako ng bait kasi napapadalas natong pakikipag-usap ko sa sarili ko.

G, Mikha what did you do to me?

11 AM na nang makarating kami sa camping site in the middle of the woods. This is so much better than the one we went last year. Kaso medyo konti lang ang sumama this year since di na kasi mandatory na umattend.

Maraming nagdala ng tents but we decided to stay in the Old Spanish Villa. This looks cozier than I expected.

Girls will be on the west wing while boys will be on the east wing.

Nilagay na namin ang mga gamit namin sa storage area ng room namin. Kasama ko sa kwarto sina Mikha, Stacey, Jho, Gwen, Colet, Sheena and Maloi.

Pagkatapos naming ayusin ang mga gamit namin ay sabay na kaming naglunch sa open dining area sa ground floor.

"This is so much better than last year." Sabi ni Colet.

"Sinabi mo pa. I really like the ambience here." Sabi ni Maloi.

"Finally, nagkasundo na rin." Sabi ni Jho.

Napairap nalang yung dalawa.

"Ba't naman kasi pinaghiwalay pa yung boys and girls." Sabi ni Sheena.

"As if naman papansin ka ni Sean kung andito sya." Sabi ni Maloi.

"Kumain ka na lang kaya dyan." Sabi ni Sheena.

"Parang gusto kong kumain ng icecream." Sabi ni Stacey.

"Icecream's not part of our--" Pero bago palang ako matapos sa pagsasalita ay sumabat na si Mikha.

"There's a convenience store near the site library." Walang emotion na sabi ni Mikha.

I bet everyone could feel the awkward and heavy atmosphere here.

"Thank you." Sabi lang ni Stacey pero di ito makatingin kay Mikha.

"San nga ulit yung CR? Parang natatae ako." Sabi ni Gwen.

And we're all like,

Ew

3 PM

Nagsipunta na kami sa booths depende sa mga gusto naming matutunan like cooking, acting, dancing or singing.

I should be helping my members facilitate other students but they suggested na sumali nalang ako kasi ilang years na rin na di ko naexperience first hand ang ganitong activities namin dahil I'm so focused on my obligations as a Student Council President kaya binigay na nila sakin to since it's my final year.

Mikha and I decided to join cooking for today. One activity per day kasi.

Sa final night which is on Monday next week is may film showing. Yun naman ay gawa ng mga nagjoin ng acting class from day 1 to day 7, it will be a contest.

Second day will be the singing contest which is yung sasalihan ni Mikha kaya medyo excited nako.

Well, back to cooking medyo inenjoy naman namin. Aside from partner ko si Mikha, andami ko ring natutunang bago.

AFTER DINNER

Other girls in our classes decided to go out and talk around the bonfire. Katabi ko ngayon si Abby na busy namang kausap si Sela about boys, boys, boys.

I grabbed some chips and kumain nalang at nagmunimuni while staring at the bonfire.

I mostly hate men, but Mikee's fine. But love is a strong word to call what we have. I guess we can consider it a partnership.

Napatingin nalang ako sa engagement ring na binigay nya sakin, and then napalingon ako kay Mikha who's currently talking to this random girl near the bonfire. I think this bonfire and I have something in common.

And then I thought to myself,

Serial killers like me can't and shouldn't fall in love. I mean trust me, it would be lethal.

Napailing nalang ako.

No Aiah, that's not happening. You're not like that. You only kill for justice's sake, not for something that petty.