Getting To Know Each Other

Raja returned. Mira was not surprised at all, after all, there's school tomorrow.

"You were not lonely when I was not around, right?" Raja teased as she tidied up her things.

Mira scoffed. Since when were they close for Raja to tease her? They only met once and spent one night together in the room. It was not enough to cultivate feelings.

"I was not lonely at all," Mira answered back as she closed her books. She already finished her work.

"You finished your schoolwork? Want to talk?" Raja invited.

Mira took a look at the clock and when she noticed that it was not that late, she nodded.

"Sure, but I won't be polite and lie down in my bed while talking," Mira said, laying down in her comfortable bed to rest from the day's work.

Raja giggled as she looked at Mira's antics.

"Which school are you studying in? Are you from around here?" Raja asked.

Feeling that this is the normal start of conversation between strangers, Mira opened up.

"I'm studying in the university next door, BSA, third year already. I came from ***** province. It's my first time boarding in all my life. How about you?" Mira returned.

"I'm studying MedTech in a Catholic University. My home is only 30 minutes away from here, but since I'm used to boarding since I was twelve, I adjusted to this kind of life already," Raja answered, thinking back to some reasons as to why she chose that course.

"Have you adjusted to the boarding house yet? You wouldn't have used up all your allowance, would you?"

"Of course, I haven't used up my allowance yet. I'm not a wastrel. I have everything budgeted up."

"Oh, really? Then I'll ask sister Mira to treat this little sister to barbecue."

"What little sister? I'm older than you?"

"I'm second year, while you're a third year. Isn't it obvious that you're older?"

"Then how old are you? I'm a little advanced, that's why I may not necessarily be older than you."

Raja tried to stop herself from rolling her eyes upwards. Does this roommate of hers have any concerns about her age?

"I'm 20."

"Which month?"

"…"

Raja was silent for a moment before she answered.

"August."

With her answer, Mira smiled.

"Hehe, I'm younger. I'm 20 this year, born in September. Let this little sister call you ate Raja, then," Mira teased.

Raja sighed helplessly. Just how childish is her roommate?

"Alright, alright, you're younger. Geesh, what's with your obsession with age?"

"I can't be wronged, ate Raja. I can't let someone older than me call me ate!"

Raja made a face even if Mira can't see it.

"Then, do you have any close friends in your university? You came from another province, right?"

Thinking back to her batchmates, Mira smiled. She even became the Queen's attendant; she obviously has friends.

"I usually hang out with my batchmates even if we have different classes this semester. But if you asked about close friends, then I don't have it. My circle of close friends during senior high school went to different universities. We didn't hang out as much as before the pandemic anymore," Mira answered.

"How about you, ate Raja? You boarded since you're twelve, right? Any best friends? Or boyfriends in that matter?" Mira's gossip radar turned on at the moment, forgetting that she's supposed to be a serious scholar not engaging in flimsy talk.

"I had a lover," Raja just said and directly changed the subject before Mira can even ask about it.

"How about you? Ever been in a relationship before? Girl or boy?" Raja asked, as if curious about Mira's preferences.

Mira flushed at Raja's direct questions. She thought for a moment before hesitantly answering.

"I was straight before. But when I transferred for senior high school, I met this girl, who certainly rocked my world," Mira almost whispered her last phrase, so much that if not for Raja's sharp ears, she won't even hear it.

"It took all my courage to confess, but she refused," Raja can clearly see the heartache in Mira's eyes as she said this.

Suppose this confession happened when Mira was in senior high, it's already been three years since then. She still did not forget about the girl. It's not even a question.

"You really like her to persist for almost three years?" Raja asked, in disbelief. Even she and her ex-boyfriend only lasted for a few months before they broke up and she moved on.

"I… I just really like her," Mira confessed while twiddling with her fingers.

Looking at an angle where Mira can't see her, Raja found that this roommate of hers is quite serious.

"Why do you even like her? Is she that pretty?" Raja continued to ask.

When it came to this point, Mira's eyes suddenly glowed as she opened her phone and scoured her documents. When she found what she was looking for, she looked a bit hesitant before gritting her teeth and showing her weakness to her roommate.