Chapter Text
Colet let out a heavy sigh as she waited for her roommate slash childhood friend. "She’s late," the girl annoyingly stated while she taps her right foot multiple times on the pavement. The only reaction she managed to get from her companion today was a quiet hum of approval which further frustrated her. "She should be here," pausing then checking the time on her left wrist, "like 10 minutes ago." Colet’s annoyance ceased when she glanced at her friend with a confused look, "It really surprised me when you said you wanted to tag with us, Aiah. I mean for someone who rarely leaves her dorm room."Aiah, the elegant girl smiled and replied softly, "I forgot to restock my fridge, so that's on that I guess." "Finally, she's here," Colet said as she happily watched a red haired girl carrying what seemed to be a large canvas and walking briskly towards their spot.
Aiah Arceta looked up to what her friend meant and to her curiosity, she found the most adorable yet cool person her eyes have laid upon. The red haired is struggling to keep the large canvas in her cute arms as she hurriedly walked to the two. "Sorry I'm late, Colet," the red haired girl heaved her apology when she had a decent distant from the two. "I just had to bring this pain of a project with me and I just had to struggle on my way here," the girl mustered to add in her earlier statement. "You know I have the right to be pissed with you, but seeing you struggle so cutely back there, I just can't," Colet teased. "I'm not cute," retorted the red haired girl. "Yeah, said the person who is currently pouting," Colet happily replied. Colet just can't be pissed with her roommate. "Shut up, I'm not pouting," Mikha replied as she unconsciously continued to pout, "So, who is she Colet?" the red haired girl glanced to Colet before she directed her eyes to the quiet girl who's two feet away from them and had been staring to Mikha.
"Ah, this is Aiah. Aiah Arceta, a friend and a classmate. She's really quiet and... she's going to have lunch with us," Colet stated. Before Colet can introduce the red haired girl, Mikha successfully beat her to it. "I'm Mikha Lim. Colet's roommate and childhood friend," Mikha flashed Aiah a smile, but to Mikha's dismay the girl remained just staring and quiet from her introduction. Aiah's face heated up, finally snapped out of whatever trance she's in and shyly stuttered, "Y-yeah, nice to meet you Mikha." Aiah internally facepalmed herself for being so late in response, but she can't completely blame herself for staring and being captivated with the red haired girl. "Colet, don't forget you're treating me," a pause followed by a shoved canvas in Colet's arms, "and Aiah in this lunch," Mikha finally decided.
Colet shot Mikha an incredulous look and Mikha stuck her tongue out in return, then grabbed Aiah's left hand with her right hand and headed to the place where they were going to eat. Colet lets out a heavy sigh for the second time that day. Only this time, it meant defeat from the red haired girl.
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The three arrived at a relatively packed place whose customers were common college students similar to them. They took one of the tables near the wall that was also relatively near the counter, so Colet can order easily and Mikha can place her project on the wall. Mikha and Aiah sat beside one another while Colet was opposite from them. "Order as much as you want Aiah. Libre ni Colet," Mikha happily urged the quiet one. Aiah smiled and turned her head down to hide from the red haired girl and focus on the menu while Colet groaned her heart out. The three decided their orders and Colet paid for it, then they waited for it to arrive. Once their food arrived, they (mainly Colet and Mikha) started shoving food in their mouths while Aiah quietly ate hers. Mikha chewed her food and looked to Colet then to Aiah before interjecting, "So, how did you two met?" Mikha continued to look at Aiah like a fox who finally stalked its prey. Aiah, completely understanding the situation that she was being asked, answered, "We were group mates, Maloi included, in one of our class projects then we just kind of hit it off because the two really have bubbly personalities." Mikha’s expression zeroed in literally 0.5 seconds, "Colet and ate Maloi in the same group? Kawawa ka naman. I bet you're the one who finished the project, right?" Mikha toothily smiled to Aiah’s direction. "Don't answer that Aiah and Mikha stop mocking me," Colet huffed. "But it's true. I bet she did," the banters continued which left Aiah holding out her laughters.
For the following minutes they continued on eating whatever food they've ordered. The peaceful quiet time of the three were interrupted by a call from Colet’s phone with a surprisingly loud ringtone. Colet answered her phone and from the loud voices from the other end of the call, Mikha can guess that it was either Maloi or Sheena or both of them. When the call ended, Colet sighed and rushed her supposed final bites of her food before she abruptly stood up and ranted, "I had to go, emergency." Colet raised her right-hand stopping Aiah who was currently about to leave her seat, "No Aiah, finish your lunch with Mikha. See you later, abunjing," and with that Colet finally made her exit, and leaving the two in silence.
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They remained silent for the next minute just to read the atmosphere. Aiah suddenly left her seat which surprised the red haired girl, then Aiah moved to Colet’s earlier seat that was opposite to Mikha's. Aiah quietly pulled her plate in her direction, "Don't you think it's more proper to sit opposite with one another, abunjing was it?" Aiah smiled as she tried to lighten the mood then continued to take a bite. Mikha nodded in agreement, and because she can finally observe Aiah.
"I thought I introduced myself as Mikha Lim?" Aiah smiled in return, "I'm sorry but with the times Colet called you abunjing, I just can't help it but to be convinced. "Fair point, but you can't argue that you do resemble a golden retriever, right?" Mikha teased back. "Doesn't mean just because I wore a golden retriever printed shirt, I am one”. Aiah retorted. "No, I meant the way you smile," Mikha smirked and that's how she knew that she won this playful conversation.
Aiah shyly bowed her head because she knew she was definitely blushing from that really sudden and no-warning-whatsoever smirk from the red haired girl. Aiah had to reach her drink and take a sip to calm her being. She cleared her throat, "Fine, I'm a golden retriever then." Mikha happily chewed her food and smiled to Aiah. "So, I'll just assume that you now know that I'm an art student. What about you?" Mikha continued the conversation. "I'm taking medical," Aiah casually answered. "Wow, that's amazing! And I don't know much about it!" the red haired girl replied with amazing dorkiness which left Aiah laughing. "Not to be nosy but why do you seem so annoyed earlier with your canvas?" Aiah continued to ask. "Large canvases are just not my forte. I'm a minimalist artist. A Van Gogh enthusiast," Mikha stated as a matter of fact. Aiah found the way Mikha spoke with passion really cute, "Yeah, I'm not much of an expert to your course either," Aiah replied while smiling which also made Mikha to plaster a smile.
They continued to talk about little random stuffs to the point where Aiah found herself to be relaxing with Mikha's presence. She always made a mental note how cute the red haired girl was whenever she smiled, scrunched her brows or nose, laughed, or just any expression she made through their conversation. There was even a time during their conversation when the Aiah was just completely listening to Mikha’s story. Happily listening. Aiah felt they're in their own world — not under a food place for stressed college students — and as much as Aiah enjoyed the whole lunch with Mikha they were now outside the place, about to part their ways. "I had a really great time with you, Aiah" the red haired girl smoothly stated. "Me too," Aiah smiled in agreement because how can she not?
"Let's hang out sometimes. Mikha beamed, “See you!"
"O-okay, see you." Aiah barely let out.
With that as the last part of their conversation, they walked their own ways except that after Aiah made her first three steps on her direction, she found herself turning her head back to watch the retreating red haired girl named Mikha Lim. She internally sighed as a single thought echoed repeatedly inside of her head.
Damn it, Aiah.