Chapter 2
Aiah’s POV
Tumingala ako sa langit at pinagmasdan ang mga bituin. Grabe, hindi ako makapaniwala. Finally, for the longest time, I dreamed about this place—Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt. Finally, I’m here. Standing between the desert and the sea, wrapped in a night that felt ancient and sacred.
Perfect night.
Perfect weather.
With someone special to me.
Huminga ako nang malalim.
Then I let it out slowly, savoring the moment, as if I was afraid it would disappear if I moved too fast. Para bang sa bawat paghinga ko, sinisigurado kong totoo ang lahat ng ito.
Then suddenly—
“Aiah!” tawag niya sa akin.
Agad akong napalingon at ngumiti.
“Andito ka lang pala, babe. Kanina pa kita hinahanap. Tara na?” sabi niya, sabay abot ng kamay niya.
“Okay, let’s go. Let’s enjoy the night, babe,” sabi ko, then I smiled sweetly.
Nasa private side kami ng beach dito sa Sharm El Sheikh. The lights were soft—a calming yellow, magical, almost unreal. Parang gusto kong huminto ang oras.
We ate Kebab Kofta and drank wine while chatting and laughing nonstop.
The vibe was light and perfect. We’ve been in a relationship for three years now. I can’t believe it.
”Tara, sayaw tayo?” yaya niya sa akin. Pumayag naman ako agad.
We were dancing like there was no tomorrow.
Then suddenly, huminto siya out of nowhere. Then he looked at me.
”Aiah…” Tinignan niya ako sa mata—malamlam at parang may gustong sabihin.
From that moment, alam ko na kung bakit. But I tried na alisin siya sa isipan ko.
Na sana hindi.
Sounds unfair, pero sana hindi.
Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko—mainit, pamilyar—katulad ng mga gabing magkaibigan pa lang kami.
“Kung may isang bagay akong sigurado sa buhay ko,” bulong niya, “’yon ay ikaw.”
Huminga siya nang malalim, parang inuubos ang lakas ng loob na matagal niyang inipon.
“Hindi ko alam ang lahat ng sagot. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang mangyayari. Pero alam kong gusto kitang piliin—araw-araw.”
Tumingin siya sa akin, walang pagmamadali. May pag-asa, pero may takot din.
“Will you marry me?”
Tahimik ang mundo.
At sa katahimikang ’yon, alam kong may masisira—kahit hindi pa ako sumasagot.
Alam ko na, inexpect ko na ‘to… but I’m still shocked and I’m sweating cold. Naiiyak ako, at yung pintig ng puso ko parang sasabog. Para akong nabingi.
Naiiyak ako.
Hindi dahil masaya ako.
Dahil ang totoo, this is my biggest fear. I’m not ready…
I’m selfish enough to say that I’m not ready and I don’t like the idea of marrying someone. Of being tied to a future.
Those three years…
I’m still not ready…
My mind is so occupied with how I’m going to say to him that I don’t love him that much.
Minahal ko naman siya, I swear to God, I tried.
I know I am selfish, but I can’t…
He was my best friend.
Back when we were in college, halos hindi kami mapaghiwalay. Lagi kaming magkasama—sa klase, sa coffee breaks, sa mga gabing puno lang ng kwento at pangarap.
I got attached to him because he was different.
Hindi siya katulad ng ibang lalaking nakilala ko—walang yabang, walang pilit. Safe. Familiar. Someone who stayed.
Then graduation happened.
And suddenly, everything changed.
Umamin siya.
I said no.
Not once. Not twice. Maraming beses.
Pero hindi siya tumigil.
May mga naging relasyon ako noon, lahat nasira dahil sa akin. I tried loving the way people expected me to. I tried fitting into a future that never felt like mine.
Alam niya ’yon.
Alam niya ang mga kwento ko.
Ang mga takot ko. Ang mga pangarap kong walang kasamang singsing.
Alam niya rin ang pinakamaselfish kong katotohanan—na ang bumuo ng pamilya ay hindi parte ng plano ko.
So bakit nandito kami ngayon?
Bakit umabot sa ganito?
Siguro dahil minahal niya ako nang mas malakas kaysa sa mga salitang sinabi ko.
At siguro dahil hinayaan ko—kahit alam kong mali.
I know I’m selfish.
But I can’t give him a life I never signed up for.
……….
Mikha’s POV
Location: Other side of Sharm El Sheikh
Private party exclusively for women loving women.
The desert hums under the pounding music. Fire spins into the sky, sparks scattering over sand and glittering dresses.
Egyptian girls laugh—their beauty is one of a kind—hair whipping, hips moving with the beat. Bare feet on warm sand, hands grabbing, spinning, collapsing in laughter—no rules, no limits, just freedom.
Tonight is exactly the party I wanted.
I spent tons of money just to throw a party like this. And like what I always say, sky’s the limit! I am Mikhaela Janna Jimenea Lim. I was born to spend my life in happiness.
I lift a glass of champagne, sip slowly, letting the bubbles warm me.
Silk brushes my skin, gold catching the firelight. Around me, girls climb platforms, twirl, shout, and spray glitter and champagne. The fire, the music, the chaos—it’s alive.
”Ya sahbi! I can’t believe this party. Grabe, this is insane!” Joanna shouted.
Ngumiti ako at humigop ng champagne. “Told you, Jo. I wanted a place where women can enjoy women freely.”
”Is this a bit illegal? I heard bawal na bawal daw ‘to dito sa Egypt. But who cares, anyway? Let’s party, dude!”
”Yeah, right… Did you invite your friends? I mean, all lesbians and bisexuals are welcome here. Did you bring your girlfriend?”
”Dude, shut up! Ugh, you know… medyo nasasaktan pa ako because me and… and Lindsey broke up three weeks ago,” medyo humina yung boses niya at napayuko.
”Bro, what the heck?! Sorry, I didn’t know,” I said, sounding so pitiful, then inakbayan ko siya. “Wag ka mag-alala, ako bahala sayo. Our Filipino friends will go here tonight. Enjoy the party, we have a lot of beauties here!”
Hinila ko siya sa gilid, tinitiyak na hawak ko yung glass ng vodka. “Here, shot! Tonight, we forget lahat ng sakit!” sabi ko habang pinupuno ko yung baso niya.
Ngumiti siya, letting herself enjoy the music. “Grabe, sahbi… ang gaganda ng mga dancers mo!”
“Of course! Tonight, walang drama, walang heartbreak. Just fun!” sabi ko, tapos hinarap ko siya papunta sa dancing girls sa gitna ng party.
Wala pang isang oras, she was already flirting with some foreign blonde girl dun sa gilid. Then suddenly, they were kissing. Lol.
”Iba ka, Jo. Yan ba yung broken?” I murmured, then smiled. “Seeing someone happy makes me happy too.”
But in my mind, when is it my turn? I’ve met a lot of girls, but they can’t fulfill the love that I want. All of them are just temporary.
