Project LOKI ③

Chapter 45: The Scarlet Thread II (Crimson Confession)

A/N: Second update for the week! Magtutuloy-tuloy kaya? Sana!

LORELEI

I WONDER what Rosetta would tell me today. Ayaw kong pangunahan siya, pero iniisip kong magpapalusot lang siya mamaya. But she didn't have to. The fact that she knocked me out and stole the hard drive from me was enough for me to distance myself from her. In Loki's own words, she has officially declared herself as an enemy to us.

I could have turned down her offer to "clarify some stuff." Ano pa bang dapat pag-usapan, 'di ba? That much was already obvious. Still I'd like to give her a chance to say whatever she wants before I make a decision. May ilang tanong din kasing bumabagabag sa akin. Yes, she's one of them. But some things don't feel right. My gut feeling told me this.

Sabay kaming pumasok sa school ni Loki ngayong araw. Napapadalas na nga 'to. Hindi na siya late na nagigising. He's also curious about what might happen later.

"I'm strongly against the idea of you meeting alone with her," he said. Kakapasok lang namin sa school building at lumiko sa west wing nito. "Given everything that happened, it's best that we come with you."

"Wala naman siyang sinabing pwede akong magsama ng plus one o tawagin ang buong barangay," sagot ko. Sa laki ng kanyang mga hakbang, kinailangan kong bilisan ang aking lakad. I hope he'd slow down a bit. Masyado pang maaga para ma-late at wala naman kaming hinahabol na meeting. "I doubt na may mangyayaring masama sa 'kin. If she wants to hurt me, why did she have to announce it to me? She could have pushed me off stairs or something."

"The last time you were alone with her, she knocked you unconscious and stole something important from you," Loki replied, glancing sideways at me. "Your mindset that you can handle everything by yourself and your belief that people won't hurt you because you don't think they can will do you more harm than good."

Napangiti ako. He's right on the mark. I've easily trusted people around me because I'd like to see the goodness in them. Sometimes I become blind to their flaws and their tendency to be bad. "I didn't know you'll be concerned about me."

"We have to protect one of our own. We have to watch for each other's back," Loki said. Napahinto siya sa paglalakad ng nasa paanan na kami ng hagdan. "As Stein told us yesterday, there's a wild card at play. A third party wants to sit at our table where only two players are allowed. You know what happened to Augustus. You heard what happened to Sir Refrain. The game has become more dangerous."

"What game?"

Napaangat ang mga balikat ko nang marinig ang boses ni Margarette sa likuran. Tumingin sa kanya ang mga walang buhay na mata ni Loki habang marahan akong lumingon sa kanya.

"What game are you two talking about?" Maggie asked, touching the bridge of her eyeglasses. She had the words "I am curious" written all over her face. Not literally though.