Checkmate, Alas

Chapter 24: Abduct

"Wait lang, Alexa." I stop walking and get my phone on my blouse's pocket.

"Hmm, sige." she answered and stop walking also.

Nasa gilid kami ngayon ng corridor. We're on our way to cafeteria to eat our lunch. Nathalie's not here, absent siya and we don't know the reason why. She's not the type of student na pala-absent. Ito ang kauna-unahang absent niya ever since the school year started.

I open my phone and kaagad nag-flash sa screen 'yung unknown number na tumatawag. Kanina pa 'to nag-vi-vibrate pero ngayon lang ako nagkaroon ng chance na pansinin.

I clicked the decline button and put my phone in airplane mode so that caller can't bother me anymore.

"Tara na."

Alexa nodded and we start walking.

Hindi kami sabay ni Nine dahil pinatawag pa siya ng headmaster ng school. I think they'll talk about the tournament.

"Do you have any news na ba why Nathalie was absent today?" Alexa asked ng makaupo na kami sa nahanap naming vacant seat.

I shrugged at her. She pouted and put her things on the table.

"Is she still angry at me ba?" she asked me with a sadness in her voice.

"I don't know pero, sana hindi na." I answered. "Besides, she's being unreasonable sa part na pinag-didiinan ka niya. Did you two fight?" I asked curiously.

Alexa's thinking, sa kanang braso niya ay nakapatong ang kaliwa, at ang kaliwang kamay niya ay naka-hawak sa baba niya. She's trying to figure something out.

Tumayo na ako para bumili ng pagkain namin. She's not picky with food unlike me so I'll order the same na lang. Hindi naman gano'n kahaba ang pila kaya naging mabilis lang ang pagbili ko. I bought a chicken barbecue with rice and soup for our lunch.

"I think I somehow upset her?" bungad sa akin ni Alexa pagkalapag ko ng tray na may laman na pagkain namin.

I put the plate with her food sa tapat niya and kinuha ko rin 'yung akin. Then the coke I ordered, tyaka ko itinabi 'yung tray sa gilid.

"How?" I asked her.

I prayed silently before starting to eat.

"Do you remember nung pumunta kaming mall? Without you? Because you're busy preparing doon sa tournament." she stated.

I nod. "Anong mayro'n doon?"

She bit her lower lip and lean closer to me. She motioned me to do the same so I did.  Then she whispered,

"We had an argument kasi, it's about who's smarter between you two. I voted for you and she's upset about it. Hindi na nga bumoto si Hana to be fair daw, neutral siya."

I gasped because of what she told me.

"Are you guys backstabbing me?" mataray kong tanong. Binitiwan ko ang kutsara at tinidor na hawak ko para makapag-focus sa kaniya.

Mabilis siyang umiling-iling, "Of course not!" tanggi niya.

I raised my brow at her. "But you literally talked behind my back."

She pouted, "Basta I didn't bad-mouth you. Out of place ako sa kanila ni Hana no'n. Sa conversation lang na 'yon nila ako sinali."

"Whatever."

After eating our lunch, bumalik na kami sa room namin. Alexa was saying sorry to me the whole time and I said to her that it's fine. I mean it already happened in the past. Hindi ko naman sila masisi kung mapag-uusapan talaga nila ako. In fact, we did the same to Alexa when we're at Starbucks.