Cold World

Morning Mischief

The next morning, Aria awoke to nature's urgent call. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in her curtains, painting stripes across her rumpled bedsheets. She blinked groggily, her mind still fuzzy with the remnants of dreams filled with mysterious strangers and umbrellas.

As she stumbled out of bed, her foot caught on a discarded textbook, sending her hopping and cursing across the room. The commotion roused her sister Gel, who mumbled something unintelligible before burying her head under her pillow.

In her haste to reach the bathroom, Aria committed the cardinal sin of shared living spaces – she forgot to flush. It wasn't until she was halfway down the stairs, drawn by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, that she realized her mistake. By then, it was too late.

Her cousin Jobe's voice echoed through the house, a one-man inquisition about the offending deposit. "Who did this?" he demanded, his voice rising in pitch with each repetition. "Who leaves the bathroom like this?"

Suppressing a guilty smile, Aria nonchalantly grabbed a bread roll from the counter. Her mother raised an eyebrow at her, a knowing look in her eyes, but said nothing. Aria's innocent act might fool Jobe, but it rarely worked on her mom.

When Jobe approached her, his face a mask of disgust and determination, she plastered on her best innocent expression. "Do you know who left their waste in the toilet?" he demanded, his nostrils flaring dramatically.

Aria shook her head, her mouth conveniently full of bread. She made a show of chewing slowly, using the time to compose her features into what she hoped was a look of clueless innocence.

As soon as Jobe turned his back, muttering about "inconsiderate housemates" and "basic hygiene," Aria darted upstairs, barely containing her laughter. She burst into the room she shared with Gel, who had finally emerged from under her pillow and was peacefully tuning her guitar.

"Are you okay?" Gel asked, eyebrows raised at Aria's flushed face and barely suppressed giggles.

"Ask me again," Aria managed to say between snorts of laughter.

"Are you... okay?" Gel repeated slowly, now thoroughly confused.

Unable to hold it in any longer, Aria exploded into peals of laughter, recounting the morning's bathroom incident between gasps for air. Gel's expression morphed from confusion to amused exasperation.

"Shh!" Gel warned, glancing nervously at the door. "Mom and Dad will hear you!"

But Aria was beyond caring, tears of mirth streaming down her face as she clutched her sides. It was in this moment of unrestrained joy that their mother's voice cut through the laughter like a knife.

"Girls! Get ready. You're coming with me to Makati."

The laughter died in Aria's throat. Makati? On a Saturday? She exchanged a puzzled look with Gel, who shrugged in equal confusion.

"But Mom," Aria called out, "I was planning to study today. I have a big exam coming up."

Her mother appeared in the doorway, an amused smile playing on her lips. "Oh? And how much studying did you plan to do between pranking your cousin and laughing about it?"

Aria felt her cheeks flush. Sometimes she forgot how perceptive her mother could be. "I... uh... I was just about to start," she mumbled weakly.

Her mother's smile widened. "Well, consider this a study break. Your Tita Malou is in town, and she wants to see you girls. You can bring your books if you want, but I doubt you'll get much studying done."

Aria's mood lifted at the mention of Tita Malou. Their mother's best friend wasn't really their aunt, but she had been a fixture in their lives for as long as Aria could remember. Her visits were always an adventure, filled with stories of her travels and usually ending with some impromptu shopping spree or another.

As her mother left to make a phone call, Aria turned to Gel with a mischievous grin. "Want to bet on how long it takes before Tita Malou decides we need a 'wardrobe update'?"

Gel snorted. "No bet. I give it an hour, tops."

The sisters shared a laugh as they began to get ready. Aria threw on a white shirt and her favorite pair of worn jeans, completing the look with her trusty Chuck Taylor. As she was about to leave the room, her eyes fell on the handkerchief on her nightstand, a memento from yesterday's strange encounter.

On impulse, she grabbed it and stuffed it into her pocket. She wasn't sure why, but something told her she should keep it close.

As they prepared to leave, Aria caught sight of Jobe and had to bite her lip to keep from grinning. He was still muttering to himself, shooting suspicious glances at everyone who passed.

Her mother nudged her, silently urging her to behave. Aria managed to kiss her grandmother goodbye without incident, a rare display of self-control that surprised even herself.

As they piled into the car, Aria found herself sandwiched between Gel and a pile of shopping bags from her mother's last trip to the mall. The familiar sights of their neighborhood gave way to the more congested streets leading to Makati, Manila's bustling business district.

Aria leaned her head against the window, watching the city blur past. Her mind wandered back to the mysterious man from yesterday. In the light of day, the encounter seemed even more surreal. Had she imagined the knowing look in his eyes? The sense that he knew her somehow?

She was so lost in thought that she almost missed her phone buzzing insistently in her pocket. When she finally fished it out, her heart sank at the name on the screen. Sonny.

With a resigned sigh, she answered the call, unaware that this conversation was about to add another layer of complexity to her already chaotic day.