a car accident caused mikha lim to lose her memories and turn into a cold-hearted person. what may happen if she encounters aiah arceta, a cheerful and generous young lady who assisted her in regaining her memory.
MIKHA It was late afternoon when I decided to leave the school grounds. The noise, the stares, the suffocating weight of expectations—I needed to get away. I found myself walking to the park near campus, the one with the old oak trees and the small fountain in the center.
The cool breeze brushed against my face as I sank onto a wooden bench, letting out a long sigh. For a moment, it was peaceful. I stared at the leaves swaying gently in the wind, trying to gather my scattered thoughts.
“Mind if I sit?” a familiar voice asked, pulling me out of my head.
I looked up to see Aiah standing a few feet away, her hands tucked into her jacket pockets. She looked hesitant but determined.
I frowned slightly. “Did you follow me?”
She shrugged, stepping closer. “You walked off without saying anything. I got worried.”
“I’m fine,” I replied, though the sharp edge in my tone made it sound unconvincing.
She didn’t budge. “Fine doesn’t look like sitting alone in the park, staring at nothing.”
I hadn’t planned on this—staying this late, letting her follow me, or sitting here with her.
“You’ve been distant” Aiah said gently, her voice cutting through the stillness.
I stared ahead, not answering at first. The tightness in my chest was back, the familiar weight of everything I’d been avoiding.
“It’snot that easy” I finally said, my voice quieter than I intended.
“What’s not easy?” she asked, her tone steady but curious.
“Letting people in” I admitted, keeping my gaze fixed on the pavement. “Everything feels… different. Since the accident, I’ve been trying to figure out who I am, but I don’t even know where to start. It’s like I’m supposed to be someone, but that person is a stranger to me.”
Aiah didn’t respond immediately, but I could feel her watching me, waiting patiently. It made my heart ache how could someone who barely knew me care this much?
“It’s hard being around people who knew me before” I continued. “They look at me like they’re waiting for me to act a certain way or remember things I can’t. But with you…” I hesitated, unsure if I should go on.
“With me?” she prompted softly.
“With you, it’s different” I admitted, my voice trembling slightly. “You didn’t know me before. You don’t have any expectations of who I’m supposed to be. And I… I feel like I can breathe around you. But it scares me, too.”
“Why does it scare you?” she asked, leaning in slightly.
“Because I’m starting to feel something for you” I said, my words coming out in a rush before I could stop myself. “And I don’t know if I’m ready for that. I don’t even know who I am, and here I am… falling for someone who doesn’t deserve to deal with all of this.”
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