I am confused.
Next round? For what?
My eyes still lingered on the girl who just shook my hand and left, just like nothing happened.
So weird.
"Bro, let's go." narinig kong sabi ni Alfonso. "Ano tinitingnan mo dyan?"
"Nothing. There's just a weird woman," lingon ko sa kanya. I adjusted my eyeglasses.
"Saan? Sino? Maganda?" it was June. As usual.
"Kahit sino naman basta babae, maganda sa'yo." ani Alfonso. I mentally agreed.
June snickered.
"Mauna na kayo. I'll hit the comfort room first," sabi ko sa kanila.
"Sama na 'ko," ani Ivan.
The four of us parted ways. Kami ni Ivan papuntang CR, silang dalawa pabalik ng department building.
"Nice game," sabi ko sa kanya nang makapasok na kami sa loob.
"Thanks, muntikan pa ngang hindi manalo. Nasa akin ata ang swerte ngayong araw."
We we're talking about his chess game kanina lang. Doon kaming apat galing, para manood ng laro niya. I watched the whole game and I can say na na sa kanya talaga ang swerte. His opponent didn't calculated his own moves enough, kaya sa dulo ay nagulo ang offense niya. And that was his mistake, and Ivan's opportunity.
"Ikaw ba? You don't want to try?"
I simply shook my head, and Ivan instantly understood.
After we did our thing, we walked back to our own department buildings. Medyo malayo ang akin mula sa function hall, kung saan kami galing. Samantalang mas malapit ang kanya, so we parted ways.
Magkaka-iba kami ng course kaya hindi kami magkakasama. Alfonso and I were taking Biology, June's Information Technology and HRM for Ivan.
"Ten minutes ng late si Prof," ani Alfonso pagka-upo ko sa katabing upuan niya. Walang seating arrangement ang professor namin ngayon kaya malaya ang lahat pumili ng kanilang upuan.
"It's Prof Almarez. He's always late but never absent," sagot ko sa kanya.
"Malay mo naman magka-milagro,"
As soon as he said that, Prof Almarez entered. Nagka-tinginan kaming dalawa ni Alfonso. We both smirked.
Walang milagrong mangyayari ngayong araw.
"Good day, everyone. Before we proceed, I need to ask. May maglalaro ba sa chess? Narinig ko may pa-tryout daw ang chess club ngayon. They filed an excuse letter sa faculty office para sa mga gustong maglaro. Should I excuse anyone?" tanong niya. Nobody answered him kaya nagpatuloy na siya sa discussion.
Speaking of chess. I suddenly remembered the weird woman who told me weird things earlier. What did she say again? Looking forward to playing with you? Did she just assume that I play chess?
Well, I do.
But never again.
My mind was still on that girl when I heard someone hissed.
"Shawn!"
I didn't realize I zone out. Lumingon ako sa harap. Looks like prof didn't notice my mind absence. Lumingon ako kay Alfonso.
"You're zoning out bro,"
"Bakit?" tanong ko.
"Kakasabi lang ni prof, may group project daw. Groupmates tayo ha?" I just nod.
