Work Text:
When Aiah has shut the door, she leans against it and sighs deeply. It's been a long night. You see, being dragged into a bar isn't really all that fun. Her friends had thought it would be a good idea to get a couple of drinks into her since she hasn't been out lately due to all the studying she's done, but now she's tipsy and tired and, God, she hasn't been able to stop thinking about this girl from one of her classes. Her biology class, to be exact.
The truth is, no amount of studying – or drinking, for that matter – could take her mind off of one Jhoanna Robles.
Aiah sighs again. This crush she thought she had is turning into a lot more. Fast. Too fast, maybe.
Honestly? It scares the shit out of her. Not because she thinks being in love is stupid. Or that it doesn't lead to anything but heartbreak. It just– she doesn't know how long it's been since her last real crush – or whatever this is; whatever it's turning into – and– how does one act around their object of affection? How does one figure out– ugh.
In this state, Aiah should really try to keep her mind from wandering. Especially like this. Things like this tend to make her overthink and overanalyze and God knows that's not what she needs tonight. It'll just end up making her hangover worse in the morning.
Plus, it's not like there are going to be any results to her thinking, anyway. She'd need a sign from Jhoanna for that, first.
Suddenly, Aiah gets an idea. Grinning like mad, she distances herself from the door and searches the small bag she's had with her tonight in hopes to quickly find her phone. After having crossed the living room of her new apartment (and having looked like a fool in the process), she throws the bag somewhere where it lands with a loud thud, and sits down on her couch. Her really, really soft couch. Which, by the way, is why she bought it in the first place. She just loves soft things. Like– couches, stuffed animals, and Jhoanna's hair–
Aiah's got her phone now, which means she can finally go through her contacts to find the number she needs to call.
Admittedly, this idea she's having is, well, let's just say not exactly a good one. Seen as it's already 2am and Jhoanna is probably asleep. But Aiah has her number because of some project they had to work on together that one time (which is when she noticed the first signs of this crush) and right now she actually has the courage to call her as well because she's drunk and– Aiah kind of thinks there could be absolutely no better time.
Even though– it's 2am.
Still having a big smile on her face, Aiah realizes that maybe a message would be nice first. She nods to herself, and clumsily tries to write something on the keyboard. Which is so small! Has it always been this small? Typos are Aiah's best friends tonight, it seems.
Aiah decides then and there that phones suck. Because of course they'd let her down when she needs them the most. They don't like her anymore. Maybe they never have. "Why would you mock me in times like these? You're just plain mean," she pouts. But she keeps writing nonetheless. She has something to tell Jhoanna after all!
After about five minutes, Aiah has manages to type out, "ur cute."
It's not exactly what she was aiming to accomplish, but it'll do. It's supposed to be nothing but a warm up, anyway.
She hits send and leans back against her very soft couch, beaming like she's just finished an entire novel. "You go, Aiah," she mumbles to herself.
A second later, however, Aiah remembers that, originally, her idea was to call Jhoanna. And Aiah Arceta is not a coward, at least not in her drunk form, so she's got to do what she's got to do. It takes a minute for her to find the contact she's looking for again, and another minute to actually press the call button, but she succeeds eventually. She'd high five herself if she could. But she's holding her phone. So no can do.
Anyway.
Jhoanna does answer the phone. "Hello?" her groggy voice greets Aiah.
(Okay, she's just woken up, so there's no way she'd read the message. Aiah doesn't know if it's a good or a bad thing. Maybe neither. Oh, well.)
Jhoanna's voice is even more beautiful than Aiah remembers. Which leads to her almost dropping the phone. But– this is it. She's got to say something.
"Um–" is all that comes out of her mouth, though.
“Sino po ito?”
"Aiah," she says dumbly.
"Aiah? From the– the group project?" Aiah obviously can't be sure, but she thinks Jhoanna might have just gotten a little nervous.
"That's me." Yeah. "Yeah, I– I'm Aiah."
Jhoanna chuckles. Aiah pouts. How dare she laugh?
“Tinatawanan mo ako.”
Ha. Show her, Aiah. But seriously, how dare she? Aiah's about to confess her undying love (or something of the sort, like tell her she's cute) – which of course Jhoanna doesn't know but, like, rude – and she laughs?
"No- no,” Jhoanna protests, but Aiah can tell she's still smiling. “Hindi kita tinatawanan,” the younger girl insists, "I swear. Ang cute mo lang kasi.”
Okay, this time, Aiah does drop the phone. Which isn't embarrassing. Well, not any more embarrassing than drunk dialing your crush and telling them your name. Twice.
Aiah's quick to pick her phone back up, fortunately. Just in time to hear Jhoanna ask, “Aiah? Andiyan ka pa?”
"I dropped my phone." Might as well keep being not embarrassing.
Jhoanna giggles. Aiah's almost expected her to. But, fuck, why is everything she does beautiful? Why does she sound so beautiful?
"Why?"
What?
"Why what?"
"Why did you drop your phone, silly?" The girl's still laughing quietly.
And Aiah would be offended at it – and the nickname, too – but it's Jhoanna and she can't possibly be. So–
“Kasi sabi mo cute ako. And I didn't– I didn't expect it, that's all," she says as nonchalantly as she can. Nicely done, she compliments herself, strike her with that nonchalance.
"Sorry," Jhoanna apologizes instantly, and she sounds– sad. But Aiah is drunk and she doesn't do analyzing voices too well when she is. Actually, it's not just a being drunk thing, but whatever.
And– to hell with the nonchalance. It's honesty hour! Here it goes.
"No, I– I literally called you to tell you exactly the same thing. Inunahan mo lang ako.” Aiah blushes.
"Oh." Relief. Aiah can tell this much.
"Yeah."
"So, tinawagan mo ako at 2am para lang sabihin na cute ako? I must have left quite the impression on you," Jhoanna suddenly says. It's cocky. But it's not. It's more kind of mocking.
Aiah pouts again, and she hopes it can be heard over the phone when she replies, "You wish."
"Yeah. I kind of do."
__________________________________________
Aiah goes to bed about half an hour later with a huge smile on her face, a pretty brown eyed girl on her mind, and a date to plan.