Anathema (The Academy of the Cursed)

Chapter Forty-Five: Chase, Seek & Something Weird

-chapter forty-five-

"How shall you play in our lovely gamble, Leviathon's knight?"

Nanatili ang matigas kong tingin kay Kelvin. Nasa itaas pa rin ng stack pile ang kamay niya, possibly contemplating whether to change his card or not.

Makalipas ang ilang segundo ay bumuntong-hininga ako't bumagsak sa upuan. I stared at him above my folded hands, lips in a grim line.

"You should be happy you got such privilege. I don't understand why you must take centuries to make decisions."

"Everyone needs a long time to make the excellent choices." sagot niya sa'kin.

I rolled my eyes. "No, taking longer time only confuses people. Besides, there's no point in spending decades when you'll lose in the end."

"I really, really despise your arrogance." singhal niya't kinuha ang pinakaunang baraha.

Kelvin discarded the first card and replaced it. He raised a brow at me, now a bit confident. Ngumiti ako sa kaniya.

"Thanks. I don't. I love it."

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Okay. I mean, ako, ayoko ng pagka-arogante mo."

"I know," I replied, nodding. "But I like it so don't expect me to change just to accompany your needs, darling."

Kelvin glared at me for the hundredth time today. Napakabilis talaga niyang mainis. I could just sit here for hours, talk nonsense and he'd be exploding like a volcano.

"Tch." umirap siya. "Sabay na nating buksan 'to."

"Alright."

I waited until Kelvin flipped his card. Isang two of clubs ang nagpakita kaya natigilan siya. His features quickly morphed from confident to horrified. I faked a worried expression.

"Bad hand," nakangiwi kong sabi at itinuro ang nadiscard na baraha. "Tingnan ba natin kung ano 'to?"

Hindi siya nakasagot dahil sa pagkabigla. Kelvin only stared at me, jaw slacked. Maybe people would tell me to stop teasing him and finish the game already, but his reactions are what makes the game interesting. Kaya naman, ako na ang nagbukas sa baraha.

Pinigilan ko ang ngiti na magpakita sa labi nang makitang isa itong nine of spades. I pursed my lips to stifle a grin or a chuckle, lalo na nang mas lalong nawalan ng buhay ang mukha ni Kelvin. Para na siyang multo sa pagkaputla.

"You told me it wasn't a high card!" he accused, standing up from his chair.

I tilted my head, innocently blinking at him. "I didn't say such thing. Ang sabi ko lang na normally, in this type of game, a pattern emerges. Hindi ko naman sinabing naga-apply 'yon sa lahat. You assumed that yourself and let the nerves get the better of you. I don't think I'm at fault here."

"You played with my mind!"

"What are you, some toy?"

Kelvin's nose flared. "You tricked me!"

"You can keep accusing me for ages but that won't change your loss. I tricked and played you?" ngumisi ako. "When did I ever do such things. Darling, you did that yourself. You tricked your mind by creating assumptions and played yourself by overthinking."