The Black Queen Card

chapter two - khrav

Khraviell Tarax was starting his law school at Axseania University. Having been the leading school of the Islander League, it was hailed the elusive and radically illustrious educational institution in South East Asia, situated on the plains of the Metro Borealis in Imperial Manila, Northern Sector of the Philippine Islands. The country had more than seven thousand islands joined by maglev trains and sea bridges that connected the three main sectors, the Northern, Middle, and Southern Sector a few hundred years after the Digital Revolution.

Only students of mixed ethnicities and races got accepted in the university. Even if someone was considered an elite, if they couldn't pass the fail-worthy exam, cultural tests, and net worth threshold, they still won't get in. No one could buy their way in no matter what they'd do. They must have a renowned family reputation, an obscene amount of assets, and an above average intellect.

Khrav's father would be beyond fury when he'd find out about his enrolment. He had made his decision. He was going to be a lawyer for his mother no matter the cost and whatever the consequences.

He didn't talk to his best friend, Krashmere, for almost a week after the exams, for not giving him a warning. He was sure he'd fail. Krashmere was a genius. Of course, she got in effortlessly.

Khrav overheard a girl at the library chatting with a newfound friend. "I can't believe I got into this haven. My mind is still out of reach."

He felt honored and privileged to get in all the same. It's not like walking on streets of gold or silver but walking here-in-these-halls makes one feel untouchable. He had always been used to privilege all his life but everytime he experiences the gravity of it, it feels new and overwhelming. Something he will always be grateful for. Khrav walked through the rotating cylinder glass door across the Deevata hallway after he had checked out a nineteenth century Constitution book and a case digest of the crimes of the past second millennia from the library. He liked reading; everything may be online now, but the books were preserved to be on their unsullied physical state.

The bookstore and the administration office were also in the same hall, but he couldn't waste the time right now to tour the whole thing. Surrounded by six Corinthian columns on the length and four Composite columns by the width which gives a wide berth porch, both stood proud at the center among all the other buildings of the school. He stepped off from the staircases, his chin held high with eyes roaming through scenic structures and architecture almost like a child mesmerized.

He put on his pilotpods, an earpiece that could manually translate every language in nanoseconds, pick up calls, send instructions to Syrexa and play music as if one experienced it at firsthand. The pods fit snugly on his ear and responded to his thoughts.

Syrexa, play Dawn and Dusk Sonata by Chassiah Fenghua.

Syrexa played the tune dutifully.

He walked engulfed in Chassiah's serene violin music.

Four girls dressed in deceivingly simple, couture shirts passed over his peripheral vision. Khrav didn't notice that he had walked in on Machyllyn Vandriana Leifrson's way, mildly bumping into her shoulders.

Khrav hastily halted when he realized a little too late that he'd bumped shoulders with someone. He doubled back to see three tall girls were turning their backs on him. He removed his pilotpods as he noticed a girl with a ponytail and dressed in a high collared cashmere shirt.

She watched him closely with plain disgust. Her arms crossed and her hips in slim noir jeans angled with purpose. A simple black suede velvet choker adorned her neck. Formidable ankle high Amaya boots completed her attire.

"Let's go, Machk, he's not worth your time." The other girl with short cropped shoulder length hair and an eyebrow piercing told her friend while adjusting her round-rimmed glasses askewed on the bridge of her nose.

Khrav walked up to the girl in red and raven. She uncrossed her arms.

He fell back a step, startled at the color of her eyes: the left one glowed an island green and the right one an ombre of light and dark brown, like a desert kissed by the shore.

She could easily pass as the angel of death if the angel of death were a woman. Not that Khrav had always imagined what death looked like in numerous occasions.

The two other girls turned toward their friend.

"She's right, Machkie," said the third girl with wild braids and a pen made of bleeding-heart feathers stuck behind her ear.

Khrav's jaw unhinged when he laid eyes on the fourth girl. It's Chassiah Shiwadee Fenghua. A light purple streak on her wavy brown hair was neatly tucked behind her ear. Her dark purple eyes, easily mistaken as obsidian was wide and lukewarm.

She gave him a nonchalant look. Chassie. Chassiah. It's Chassiah Shiwadee Fenghua. The music prodigy Khrav had always had a crush on for so long. They share the same universities and Krash didn't tell him. Someone was going to have some explaining to do later.

He turned towards the first girl.

"Hey, miss, I'm sorry I was in your way. I didn't mean to—"

The girl seemed to examine every inch of his face intensely. Then her gaze swept from the top of his head to the soles of his shoes. He cleared his throat and cocked his head.

"Didn't mean to bump into you. I was listening to music. I'm sorry again. Please have a nice day ahead?" Khrav offered an apologetic gaze.

He towered the girl even if she's standing tall herself. She shot him with dead eyes that were so expressionless, so closed off. Khrav couldn't tell if it's out of fascination or disgust. Her face was a canvas, like all those runway models with their detached attractiveness.

Then she turned and started walking away.

He ran up to her, determined for his apology to be accepted. He reached for the good & evil éclat chocolate from his pocket that he had stowed there for later.

"Hey! Hey, wait up." He called to the girl in black. They were almost at the Somphon Hall of Music, Theatre, Fashion, and Design.

The girl called Machkie turned towards him hesitantly. He sensed she was annoyed now, even if her face betrayed no emotion. Khrav extended his hand with a salt & sin bar instead of what he thought he had earlier. He couldn't care less about the flavor anymore.

"If you wouldn't accept my apology, at least accept this. Peace offering?" He said, unsure of himself and looked shyly in her bi-colored eyes.

How could someone's eyes be that haunting and emotionless?

She took the bar from him. "Whatever. Throw yourself against the wall."

She spared him another antagonizing look. He bit his lip and looked at her shoulders. When he looked up, a painful smile painted on his face, she had already turned her back on him. She walked over to a dregsbox installed on building walls that could immediately sort out the garbage to biodegradable and recyclable. dumped the bar into the bin and proceeded to walk away.

Her two other friends, the one with the short-cropped hair and the other with complicated braids, followed suit.

Khrav was speechless and felt a pinch of annoyance. Who does this girl thinks she is? He was already being nice.

Chassie fell behind. She went to the box which was still in the process of identifying the trash. The dregs machine would light up to green if it's recyclable and red if it's not. It would light up to blue if the box did not accept a thing to be trash. She took out the chocolate and approached Khrav handing it back.

Machkie glanced back. She frowned.

"Chass, what do you think you're doing?." She shot her a scathing look. "Let's go."