HOOPS-LOOPS || BINI UNI #1 [MIKHAIAH AU]

Chapter 3: Wake-Up Call

Aya was buried under a mountain of blankets, the hum of the air conditioner filling the room with a comforting drone.

Suddenly, her peaceful moment was shattered by the incessant ringing of the doorbell. Grumbling under her breath, Aya stumbled out of bed, her sleep-addled brain convinced it was barely dawn, thinking it was only 5 a.m.

Squinting through half-closed eyelids, she shuffled towards the door, muttering her complaints about early morning deliveries.

Reaching the door, she flung it open, wincing as the unexpected blast of sunlight momentarily blinded her.

As her vision adjusted, Aya found herself face-to-face with a woman—not too old, but not exactly young either.

"Uhm, Hello! Good morning po! You must be the one that the dorm owner mentioned," Aya chirped, her sleepiness instantly replaced by a warm smile.

The woman chuckled. "Oh my, you're an early bird, aren't you? I apologize for the unexpected wake-up call. I'm actually here to check the dorm for my daughter."

"Oh, is that so?" Aya replied, ushering her slightly flustered guest inside. "Come in po. It must be hot outside."

The lady readily accepted the invitation, stepping into the surprisingly tidy room. Aya followed behind.

Mina had often joked about transferring to Aya's dorm purely because of its cleanliness.

"This place is lovely, malinis," the lady remarked, her gaze sweeping across the organized space. A hint of amusement flickered in her eyes.

"Thank you po," Aya replied. "I try to keep things organized. Especially since hindi lang naman po ako ang nakatira rito."

The lady chuckled softly. "It shows. My daughter, well, let's just say she... opposite kayo?"

Aya couldn't help but grin. "Hopefully, we can get along with cleaning po?" she said with a playful wink.

The lady laughed, a warm, genuine sound that instantly put Aya at ease. "Absolutely. Especially when you're a college freshman, swamped with classes and late-night study sessions."

"Totoo po!" Aya exclaimed, relieved to find some common ground. "Speaking of freshmen, is your daughter starting this semester po? Freshman po siya?"

"She is," the lady confirmed. "She's quite excited since gusto niya talaga yung kukunin niya."

"Ah," Aya said sympathetically. "Don't worry po, I'll help her around."

"That's very kind of you, Aya. I know she'll appreciate having a responsible roommate like you around."

"Well," Aya started, a touch of bashfulness creeping in, "I wouldn't call myself super responsible, but I do try to keep things on track po. Hopefully, your daughter isn't a complete nightmare."

The older woman's eyes sparkled with amusement, and she took a moment to truly look at Aya. Her gaze lingered on Aya's bright smile and the sleep-tousled strands of hair framing her face.

"Oh, honey," the lady said with a gentle chuckle, "believe me, even with a bit of messiness, your new roommate is the least of your worries. You, on the other hand," she continued, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "you're absolutely maganda."

Aya's cheeks flushed a brilliant crimson at the unexpected compliment.

Her smile faltered for a moment, replaced by a flustered giggle. "Ay.. 'di naman po.." she stammered, completely caught off guard.

"Huwag ka nang mahiya sa akin, nak. You have a lovely smile and such kind eyes. Hays, matutuwa anak ko sa'yo."

"At tsaka, she can be a bit reserved, especially in new environments. She's actually quite shy, despite her appearance. I'm sorry in advance kung ma-attitude-dan ka man niya mamaya."

 "Mamaya po? pupunta rin po ba siya?" Aya asked.

"Ay, minessage ko na kasi siya kanina nung nasa pintuan pa lang ako. Labas pa lang kasi ng dorm napakalinis na, loob pa kaya."

"And you can call me Mama na rin, here, if you need anything, just message me." The lady said as she handed Aya a card containing her number. Aya held it and gave the older woman a smile.

The lady's expression softened. "Anyways, I have to go now. May meeting pa kasi ako, nak. And again, Thank you, Aya. I know it might take some time for her to open up, but I know she'll be fine with you."

Aya nodded warmly.

The lady smiled warmly at Aya. "I'm glad to hear that. I'll leave you to get settled now. Please take care of my daughter."

And with that, the lady finally left Aya to start her day.

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