Second sem started and UAAP 77 opening is one week away. Mich agreed to swap rooms with Bea as part of their task to build their chemistry.
"Ji, you still awake?"
"Hmmm?" Jia replied sleepily.
Bea has been staring at the ceiling for probably the past hour, willing herself to go to sleep, but failing. Checking her watch, it was already 11pm and she needed to go to sleep to prepare for the big day tomorrow. But, her nerves are getting the better of her and she was too anxious to sleep.
Turning on her bedside lamp, she felt Jia stir from her sleep with the sudden burst of light.
"Sorry.." Bea mumbled, before immediately turning it off again.
"Ji?..."
"Hmmm? Bei?"
"I can't sleep.. I'm scared.."
"Ghosts?" Jia replied, although Bea could sense that she was speaking on borderline dreamland and reality.
"No, for the UAAP opening tomorrow"
"Come here" Jia said, patting the side of her bed and pulling down one side of her blanket to let Bea come in. Bea obliged and walked over to Jia's bed, settling on sharing the small space between them. She pulled the blanket over them.
Jia still had her eyes closed and was slurring like a drunk man. She pulled Bea's arm, placing it under her head so that she could rest her head on Bea's chest. Placing her arm on Bea's waist, she snuggled closely.
"You can do it. I believe in you. Now, sleep"
Bea couldn't help the smile forming in her lips as she felt Jia nuzzling her cheeks on her shirt like a baby, urging sleep to come to them. She finally felt herself relax and calm her breathing as one with Jia.
"Thanks Ji, I wouldn't know what to do without you."
When Jia didn't respond, Bea nudged her shoulder a bit to look down at her. Seeing that she was soundly asleep, Bea kissed the top of her head, hugged her tightly, and whispered, "I love you my baby Ji" before drifting off to sleep.
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"Have you seen Bea and Jia?" Ly asked the team. "We need to leave in 15 minutes or we'll be late for the opening ceremonies."
"Ate Ly, I'll check them in their room, they're probably just running a bit late."
"Ok Mich. Kim, please go with Mich so that we'll have a buddy system."
Mich and Kim did as instructed and started making their way to Jia and Bea's room at the 3rd floor of the dorm. They knocked on the door but no one answered.
"That's weird" Kim said.
"The door's open" Mich replied when the knob opened when she tried it. "Should we?" Kim nodded in agreement.
"Jia, Bea, you guys ok?" Mich spoke in a loud voice to announce their presence, but still no reply.
"OMG" both of them silently mouthed at the same time upon seeing Jia and Bea who were still soundly asleep. They were facing each other with the smaller Jia plushed entirely on Bea's body. Arms and legs intertwined, Jia's head was nuzzled on Bea's neck, while Bea's arms fully circled Jia holding her closely.
Kim was staring in awe, but her attention was caught by a clicking sound. Beside her, Mich stood dumbfounded and was holding her phone in front of her.
"What are you doing?" Kim snapped at Mich in hush tones.
"I don't know. Aren't they cute?"
"Why do I feel that we just stumbled upon a big secret?" Kim felt awkward about the situation.
