Decadence [Published]

Chapter 60

Twitter: #Decadence @EinahWP

➳ Chapter 60

Matteo and I have decided to play chess, since we both don't feel like sleeping yet at the moment. This actually works in my favor, because I'm not sleeping unless we talk about it thoroughly.

Kahit hindi niya sabihin sa akin ay hindi naman ako manhid upang hindi iyon mahalata sa kanyang mga galaw. I don't frigging care, if I'm getting the wrong message. I want to talk it out.

Nag-angat ako ng tingin at pinagmasdang mabuti ang gwapong mukha ni Matteo. Iba ang dating sa akin ng bawat pagkuyom ng kanyang mga panga habang nakatulala.

Kumukunot ang kanyang noo at napapakagat labi ito sa tuwing nag-iisip siya ng kanyang susunod na move. I love how he's not holding back on me. Ayaw ko nang pinapartidahan ako sa mga laro.

So in the end, there's no reason for them to make excuses—kesyo babae ako, girlfriend niya ako at sensitive sa pagkatalo. I don't get some people. If you lose, man up and accept defeat.

"Check," Matteo moved his bishop diagonally, taking my rook and leaving my king out in the open.

I lifted a brow in confusion. Was I spacing out the whole time I didn't notice the possibility of this move? Shit! I just lost my favorite piece. That was purely unacceptable.

Of all chess pieces, rook has become my favorite for it allows me to use "castling", na siyang malabo na mangyari pa dahil na-check na ako ni Matteo at wala na akong rook.

Gago lang.

Two rooks are generally considered to be worth slightly more than a queen. Kahit noon pa man noong elementary ako, mas iniingatan ko ang rook. They can take the queen away for all I care.

This bastard! "Bwisit ka," nanggigigil kong utas at kinain ang bishop niya gamit ang pawn. Matteo just chuckled in return. Mas lalo akong nanggalaiti dahil ang kalmado niya. Tarantado!

"I don't want us to fight after this game, alright?" seryosong saad ni Matteo habang nakatuon ang mga mata sa chessboard, nag-iisip ng mga posibleng galaw.

Nagkibit ako ng balikat. "I'm not a kid."

Matteo looked up at me and lifted an eyebrow. "You look mad, though."

I gritted my teeth in annoyance. "That's because you took my rooks. You know that I hate losing them," iritado kong sambit. Hindi ko na siya magawang tingnan sa mga mata.

Baka madukot ko nang wala sa oras, e!

Binigyan niya ako ng isang nakakalokong ngisi. "You should have been more careful. If you cared enough, you wouldn't lose them." Humalakhak siya. "You barely paid attention, babe."

Naiwan sa ere ang aking sasabihin. Tila huminto sa pagtibok ang aking puso. I stared at him in confusion. Samantalang abala naman si Matteo sa pagsipat ng chess pieces sa aking side.

He wasn't even aware of what he just said. Was it his subconscious talking? Did it mean something more? Pinilig ko ang aking ulo. I don't fucking know! This man's going to be the death of me.

Matteo moved his horse, and I instantly detected his next move. A frown graced my lips at the tension slowly building up inside me. I'm currently fighting an internal turmoil while trying to think of a viable safe move.

I moved my bishop, offering his pawn a meal. I tried my best to remain stoic and be void of emotions, so that he wouldn't be able read my mind. I don't want him finding out my plan.

But it seemed like the odds were never in my favor today. Matteo made an opening through a pawn. Agad akong inatake ng iba't ibang assumption. Nagusot nang tuluyan ang aking mukha.