LA ORIAN ACADEMY (Season II): Moving To The Top

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE: Sleepover

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE:

Sleepover

"Checkmate."

Nanlalaki ang mga mata ni Emmanuel nung makita n'yang tinapat na ni Mark ang white queen nito sa black king n'ya. Agad n'yang dinuro ang binata. "Ang daya mo naman kuya!"

"Am I cheating? Cheating on you? We're already on the fifth round and you still haven't won a single round," wika ni Mark at agad silang nagpalit ng chess pieces. "I'm actually easy on you but you still kept on losing. Guess you can't really beat me."

The junior high schooler smirked at the 6th grader who's looking at him in disbelief and spoke once again. "What? Are you raising your white flag now?"

Agad namang tinuro ni Emmanuel ang kanyang sarili. "Ha? Ako? Ako susuko? Hindi noh!? Ako kaya si Emmanuel Duimaguiba Matanguihan! Walang inuurungan!"

Hindi maiwasan ni Mark ang bahagyang matawa. "Yǒu qí xiōng bì yǒu qí mèi." (*Like brother, like sister.)

Nung ma-set na nila ang kani-kanilang mga chess pieces sa chess board ay muli silang naglaro. Maya-maya'y nagsalita muli si Emmanuel. "Kuya, maganda po ba sa La Orain Academy?"

Iginalaw muna ni Mark ang kanyang pawn bago magsalita. "Why? Do you wanna attend school there?"

"Ah, eh, 'wag na! Baka hindi ko kayanin do'n," agad winagayway ni Emmanuel ang kanyang kamay. "Tsaka, curious lang talaga ako. Ayaw kasi magkwento ni ate tungkol sa school n'yo eh."

"One night couldn't cover the entirety of La Orian Academy's story so I don't think I can tell you everything about it."

"Ang daya naman~ 'yan din sabi sa akin ni ate eh," napanguso na lamang si Emman habang ginagalaw ang chess piece n'ya.

So she didn't really tell anyone about her life in La Orian Academy, huh?

"By the way, Emman. What's the name of your sister's previous school?"

Napatingin naman agad si Emman sa kanya at sumagot. "Bakit? Gusto mo mag-aral doon?"

Seryosong tumitig si Mark sa kanya at hindi alam ni Emman kung exaggerated lang ba s'ya dahil feeling n'ya ay mangangain na nang buhay si Mark.

Agad winagayway ni Emman ang kanyang kamay at tumawa. "Joke! Hehehehe! Joke lang! 'Di ka naman mabiro, kuya. Sa Manuel Roxas National High School kuya. 'Yun ang pangalan ng school n'ya."

Ah, right, I did hear the name of her former school from Archles and Clyde.

Mark moved his black queen in front of Emmanuel's white king. "Checkmate."

"Waaaaahhhh!!! Ang daya mo naman kuya!!!" agad namang pumalag si Emmanuel dahil ika-limang beses na naman s'yang natalo ni Mark.

"You're so slow and distracted, that's why," Mark said to him, smiling smugly at him.

"Eeeeeeeeehhhhhh!!! Kuya naman eh!!!! Hays, oo na, magaling ka na," muling ngumuso si Emmanuel at natawa naman niyon si Mark.

Napansin agad ni Mark na madilim na sa labas kaya agad n'yang sinipat ang kanyang relong-pambisig. "Oh, it's already 9 p.m.," agad s'yang napatayo at muling sinuot ang kanyang uniform suit. "I have to go now."

"Agad-agad kuya?"

Muling napatingin si Mark sa kanya at ngumiti. "Yeah. I have to. Paki-kumusta mo na lamang ako sa ate mo. We'll just meet on Monday."