After Her

Mikha tripped on her feet. Face flat on the floor.

It hurt like hell. Blood gushed out from her nose, streaming down to her chin. 

She grunted and hissed in pain as Mikha tried to pull herself up.

"Ate Mikhs!"

Turning to the voice, a little girl was looking at her with worried eyes. She cupped her own nose and tried smiling even though her hand is in the way. "Uy, Maya."

"Okay ka lang?" Her little voice echoed through her ears. Soft and worried with casual undertones.

Maya, who was wearing a white flowery dress with a plain blue headband putting her hair in place. Maya who had eyes like her. 

"Yes, Maya. Okay lang, was just a little bit clumsy." Mikha still had her hand on her face, trying to hide the blood from the small girl.

"What are you doing here baby girl? They're playing games at the common lounge right now."

She stood up as she grabbed her handkerchief from her pocket and started wiping her chin up to her nose. Mikha winced here and there when she touched her nose bridge and it stung. Shit, nabali ata?

The girl pouted as she looked up at Mikha, "Be careful ate Mikha." Maya had a unhappy frown on her face.

Mikha smiled softly, she shrugged her shoulders, and started picking up the boxes that fell from her fall. 

"Mabigat?" Maya asked.

"A bit." She stacked the third and final box on her arms. Maya then raised an arm and waved it vigorously. "I wanna help!" She bounced up and down, excited from the thought of helping Mikha.

"No baby, mabigat siya." She shook her head at the girl. Mikha pursed her lips as she looked at another growing pout on Maya's face. "Pero,"

She cleared her throat. "Tulungan mo ko buksan ung pinto?"

Maya's face brightened. "Okay!" Little girl was smiling wide. Mikha stared at the girl, freezing for a second.

Her eye smile. It looks exactly like hers.

The pain on her face was still striking. Her nose was unwantedly throbbing and Mikha swears she could feel another round of nosebleed. She exasperatedly sighed, "it hurts." Mikha whispered that to herself.

They continued to walk. While she looked at the young girl, who was brightly walking ahead of her and excitedly tried to open a door wider and so much bigger than the two of them.

"Be careful Maya." Mikha called out. She knew Maya would not be able to open it, not fully. Hell, she does not even think the door would budge by the force of those tiny hands.

She chuckled to herself when it seemed that she was right. Maya was struggling, using her whole body to push the door.

It gave a silver of opening, Mikha could only peek an eye.

Careful not to drop the boxes, she bended her knees and put down what she was holding to help Maya.

As they both pushed through, they were met by several more children playing around with uniformed adults tending to them.

Mikha could see him talking to an elder before he turned his head towards her. He smiled and waved.

She nodded her head as a response. 

"Ate Mikha hurry let's play!" Maya exclaimed, tugging her hand.

"Wait Maya, tatabi ko muna to okay? Mauna ka na don." Mikha smiled warmly and ushered her inside.