Gangster High

Chess Game

Chapter 8

CHESS GAME

I just realized it didn't make any sense at all. Mr. Hontraver told me when I enrolled here na hindi pinahihintulutang lumabas ng school ang mga estudyante kung walang kasamang guidance. If that so, how the hell Creed could sneak out? I met him in the bar, right? And if I heard it right, one of the SC said he was gone for three weeks before the intruder came. Now he was missing again and it was three days now.

Paano nakakalabas si Creed nang ganoon lang? Mr. Hontraver knew he was sneaking out, but he was tolerating him. May favoritism ba sa Rapsodhee High?

Napabuntong-hininga ako.

Bakit ba masyado naman yata akong interesado kay Creed? Okay, I was attracted to him. The night in the bar and the hotel room was unforgettable, but when I finally met him for the second time, knew his name, and figure out what kind of person he was, the attraction vanished.

Then why was I still interested to know more about him, I asked myself again.

I shook my head and drank the remaining beer in the bottle that I was holding. Pinagmasdan ko ang paligid. Hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin talaga ako makapaniwalang may bar sa loob ng dorm na ito. Ano ba naman ang matinong school na maglalagay ng ganito sa loob ng mismong compound? Kadalasan tuloy ay marami ang hindi nakakapasok ng first class nila dahil sa hang over. Paano pa pumapasa ang mga estudyante rito?

Napailing na pinanood ko na lang ang mga babaeng nag-iinom, naninigarilyo, at sumasayaw sa paligid. They were too wild. Kung alam kaya ng mga magulang nila ang ginagawa nila rito, ano kayang mangyayari? I bet they would still stay here. Remember, the rule?

Oh f**k! I hate that rule. Paano kung may hindi magandang mangyari habang narito sa loob ng school na 'to? Ano'ng rason ang ibibigay ng School Administrator sa pamilya ng mga estudyante?

Nahagip ng paningin ko si Naami na may napakainosenteng mukha, pero may itinatagong kalokohan sa katawan. She was just fifteen, pero ang lakas na ng loob niyang makisalamuha sa mga gangster wanabes at maghanap ng gulo. It was obvious na pinipilit n'yang makisabay sa ginagawa ng mga kabataan ngayon. She was acting though, but I could tell that she was fragile deep inside.

Lumingon s'ya sa direksyon ko at blangko ang mukhang nakipagtitigan s'ya sa akin. Sa totoo lang, hindi ko alam kung galit ba sa akin ang batang ito o ano. Walang reaksyon ang kanyang mukha kapag tinitingnan ako. Hindi n'ya na rin ko kinakausap sa dorm.

Bigla ko tuloy naalala ang inosente niyang ngiti. I bet I wouldn't see that smile again.

"Miss Strawford." Boses ni Miss Meira ang umabala sa pagmamasid ko. Nalingunan ko siyang nakangiti sa akin at kagaya ko'y may hawak din siyang bote ng beer. Hers was newly open while mine was already empty.

"Mind if I join you here?" sabi n'ya habang umuupo sa harapan ko.

I watched as she sat down. I didn't say anything; I just studied her. Her eyes were really mysterious. It was haunted and to be honest, it was a resemblance of Creed's eyes. They were so much alike as if the two of them were related to each other.

"Can I ask you something?" tanong ni Miss Meira habang nakatitig sa mga mata ko. "Your eyes... you are not wearing a contact lens, right?"

Hindi ko inasahan ang tanong n'ya. Yeah, right. Madalas mapansin ang kulay ng mga mata ko. Kakaiba naman kasi talaga ang kulay nito. Iba sa ordinaryong kulay ng mga mata. Lagi na lang may nagtatanong sa akin kung natural ba talaga ito o sumailalim sa operasyon o kung nagsusuot nga ako ng contact lens.

Mayroon din namang ilan na dinadaan lang sa malalim na pagtitig ang tanong na gusto nilang itanong. Kagaya ni Heina. Hindi siya nagtanong noong nasa clinic kami. I remembered how she stared at my eyes back then. I know she wanted to ask, pero hindi n'ya ginawa. Kahit si Dr. Levesque ay tikom ang bibig sa pagtatanong.

And here's Miss Meira.

"Hindi mo yata nagustuhan ang tanong ko. It's okay kung hindi mo sagutin." Napansin n'ya yata ang reaksyon ko kaya bigla s'yang bumawi at simpleng ngumiti. "It's just that... I know someone having the same eyes like yours."

Natigilan ako. Isang tao lang ang alam kong kapareho ng mga mata ko. Sa kanya ko ito nakuha. Don't tell me na kilala n'ya ang—No, it couldn't be! Masyado siyang mabait at matino para makisalamuha sa mga gangsters. Imposibleng magkakilala sila ni Miss Meira.

"By the way, you are leaving tomorrow to watch Creed's fight." Pagbabago niya ng paksa. Itinaas niya ang bote ng beer at malumanay na pinaikot iyon sa hangin. "Hindi pa sigurado, it depends on the situation, but everyone thinks you could be a great fighter. Tomorrow would be your test, I guess."

"You're talking about the Underground fight, weren't you? You're talking about the game... the chess game," I said ignoring the test that she mentioned.

"You knew,"

I flinched when her eyes narrowed. She was not yelling, her voice was so low, in fact, but that brought chills to my spine.

"I am not stupid," ganoon pa man ay kaswal kong sabi.

It was just a hunch. Alam ko, nararamdaman kong hindi normal na eskwelahan ang Rapsodhee High, pero hindi pa ako sigurado kung ano talagang nagyayari rito. I just guessed it could be related to the chess game based on everything I heard: touch move and place move like what Mr. Hontraver said, chessboard like what Naami said, pawns, knight, bishops, rooks, and queen. Lahat 'yon sa chess lang ginagamit.

Mahinang tumawa si Miss Meira bago sumagot. "I see the pride was already defeated by curiosity. You are asking questions now." She put the bottle of beer down and tapped her fingers on the table. "You're right. This is something like chess. There is a chessboard and all of us here including the School Administrator is the pieces that complete the board. You know how to play the game?"

"Not that good." I was staring on the table at parang nakita ko roon ang isang chessboard. Alam ko kung paano maglaro, pero hindi ako mahusay. Sapat nang alam ko kung paano pinapakilos ang mga pyesa.

Kung totoo ang sinasabi nilang ako ang susunod na queen, dapat akong maging proud dahil ako ang magiging pinakamalakas sa buong school. A knight would be just a piece of cake compare to me.

"You know the rule?" she asked.

"Touch move. Place move. Like the rule in this school,"

"Impressive,"

"What about you, Miss Meira? Ano ka sa board? At ako, bakit sinasabi nilang ako ang sunod na magiging queen? Nasaan ang queen n'yo?"

"I'm getting tired of those questions as I always hear it since I worked here as a teacher, which was boring," nakangiti n'yang sagot. "Hindi ako ang dapat magpaliwanag sa 'yo ng lahat, Temple, pero kayang kong sagutin ang isang tanong mo. Bakit ikaw ang sunod na magiging queen? It's because you are just like her. Fearless. Though. Strong. 'Yon ang kailangan namin dito. Sooner or later, one of these days, you'll understand everything. You better do not disappoint us."

Hindi ako nakaimik dahil sa huli n'yang sinabi. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang pag-ikot ng sikmura ko at sigurado ako na dahil ito sa sinabi n'ya at hindi sa letseng alak na nainom ko.

That was crazy! Maybe that was just a simple word and meant nothing to her, but for me, that was a threat, na kapag binigo ko sila ay may masamang mangyayari sa akin.

"Hmm, I think I'm already drunk," Miss Meira said, staring at her beer, which liquor was still more than half of the bottle. She looked at me, suddenly smiling. "It's nice to have a conversation with you, Temple. See you tomorrow."

And she left. Nasundan ko na lang siya ng tingin nang tumayo siya at humalo sa mga nagsasayawang mga estudyante. Nawala siya sa paningin ko pagkalipas ng ilan pang sandali.

"That was unusual." Boses ni Fashia ang sunod kong narinig. Napalingon ako sa kanya. Kasama n'ya si Heina at parehas silang may hawak ng bote ng alak. "We know you're here and thought it would be fun to drink with you. What was Miss Meira doing here?"

I shrugged my shoulder. "She was just saying that all of us here are the pieces that complete the chessboard," I replied. "Are you going to deny it?"

Nagkatinginan sina Fashia at Heina. Parang nagtuturuan sila kung sino ang sasagot sa tanong ko, pero mukhang wala sa kanila ang balak magsalita.

"Never mind," naibulong ko na lang na narinig yata ng dalawa.

"Hindi ka dapat pumayag na maging queen," biglang sabi ni Heina.

Napakunot ang noo ko habang pinapanood ang pag-upo n'ya sa harapan ko.

"And why?" tanong ko. Gago lang? Sino ba naman ang tangang tatanggi na maging queen. S'ya ang pinakamalakas, kinatatakutan, iginagalang. Kahit sino ay nanaisin na maging s'ya. Bakit ko tatanggihan yun?

"Temple, this is not an ordinary school na kapag sinabing queen ay sikat dahil sa maganda s'ya o mayaman o kung ano pa man. Dito, ang queen ang itinuturing namin na may pinakadelikadong buhay. Bakit? Because she needs to protect the king until the last breath that she has. Minsan, kailangan n'ya pang isakripisyo ang buhay n'ya para lang mailigtas ang king, so the game will be saved."

Hindi ako nagkomento. Yes! It's goddamn true. Maybe the queen was the most powerful piece but still, she was just a warrior for the king. Sa totoong laro ng chess, minsan ay isinasakripisyo ang queen just to save the king and not to lose the game.

"Tell me, ganoon ba ang nangyari sa dating queen? Did they sacrifice her?" ang tanong na 'yon ang nanulas sa mga labi ko. Well, nagtataka rin naman ako kung nasaan nga ba ang dating queen at kung bakit kailangan s'yang palitan ngayon.

"All I can say is she's a traitor," mapait na sagot ni Heina. "Ang nangyari sa kanya ay nararapat lang na parusa sa kanya dahil pinaglaruan n'ya lahat ng tao dito."

"Traitor?" I frowned.

"Let's not talk about it, okay?" Alanganin ang ngiti sa labi ni Fashia nang magsalita siya. "Let's just enjoy the night."

Lumabi si Heina. "I have something more important to do. I have to go." And waiting for our response, Heina left. Like Miss Meira, she disappeared in the middle of the crowd.

"She's my best friend," Fashia whispered after a while of silence.

Alam ko naman na mag-best friend sila ni Heina. Hindi ko na kailangang habulin n'ya bang 'yong isa para lang sabihin na 'Hey, Fashia said you're her best friend'.

"And now, she's dead," Fashia added.

Dead? Heina was not dead. Narito lang s'ya kanina. Perhaps Fashia was talking about a different person. It was not Heina. It was—oh, s**t.

"Mikki is now dead. I was wrong. I thought she was the most powerful piece in this game, but... but I was wrong. Now she's gone." Fashia cried.

The realization hit me. Mikki—I was certain I heard that name before; Mikki was Fashia's best friend and the previous queen.

"Nakikiusap ako, Temple. Isa lang akong pawn. Wala man akong silbi sa board, pero alam kong hindi ako mapapahamak. Okay naman ang ganito, hindi ba? Okay naman na maging pawn ka, eh. Kaya sana, h'wag mo nang tanggapin ang pagiging queen. Maging simpleng pyesa ka na lang."

Wala akong maisip na isagot sa mga sinabi n'ya. Kaya ba from the very start ay parang pinipigilan n'ya ako na ma-involve sa kung ano mang nangyayari dito sa loob ng eskwelahan? Ayaw n'yang maging queen ako. Ayaw n'ya na magaya ako sa best friend n'ya. One more thing, sabi n'ya ay patay na si Mikki. Ano'ng nangyari? Paano s'ya namatay?

Curiosity kills a cat, they said. I might be in trouble, but I felt the force of curiosity kicked me.

I wanted to know more.

Alas tres nang madaling araw nang lumabas ako mula sa bar. Dumiretso ako sa labas ng dorm sa halip na tumungo sa kwarto. Fashia wanted to tail me, as usual, but I pushed her away. She was crying since we talked about Mikki and I had no time for drama.

Don't get me wrong. Alam kong masakit mawalan ng isang mahal sa buhay. I've been there and that's the point. I was still dealing with unbearable pain until now. I didn't want to add another burden to my life.

Fashia was mourning, so was I. We were both in pain. Hindi na namin dapat pang dagdagan ang sakit na iyon.

Palakad-lakad lang ako sa labas ng dorm. Nagpapahulas ng kalasingan. Wala naman akong balak puntahan at hindi rin naman ako makakaalis sa eskwelahang ito. I was lucky, no one was around to tell me na bawal magpagala-gala sa labas kapag ganitong oras na.

"He's not answering his phone. Damn it!"

Awtomatiko akong napalingon sa pinanggalingan ng boses na 'yon. That's Draven, I was certain and I wasn't wrong. Nakita ko ang tatlong Student Council na seryosong nag-uusap sa ilalim ng puno malapit sa boy's dorm. Wala sa loob na humakbang ang mga paa ko papalapit sa kanila.

"This isn't good," Kamko said. "May masama kayang nangyari sa kanya?"

"Mary Kane College would be the only one we should be blamed for that," sagot ni Brusky. "Tomorrow is Rapsodhee High's fight against them. We'll be doomed kapag hindi nagpakita si Creed."

Hindi pa rin pala talaga nagpaparamdam ang uwak na 'yon, naisip ko. Sayang. Gusto ko pa naman sanang makita kung ano'ng klaseng laban ang magaganap bukas. Pero hindi naman siguro ganoon kaimportante kung wala s'ya at hindi matuloy ang laban. Wala naman sigurong masamang mangyayari.

"Hey, Temple."

Napapitlag ako nang sa isang iglap ay nasa harapan ko na si Draven. Inagaw n'ya ang bote ng alak na hawak ko saka tinungga ang alak nang walang paalam. Halos naubos n'ya iyon bago n'ya ibinaba ang bote.

"Ano'ng ginagawa mo rito nang ganitong oras, Temple?" tanong ni Kamko.

Tinaasan ko s'ya ng kilay. "Is it forbidden?"

"Yes—"

"Then why are you here?"

Draven laughed. "Don't argue with her, Kamko. Temple will be our next queen. She has the right to do what she wants even by now." He winked at me.

Kamko and Brusky stared at him.

"So, that is the benefit you could get kapag naging opisyal ka ng pyesang ito?" tanong ko. Iyon ba ang dahilan kung bakit nakakapaglabas-pasok si Creed sa eskwelahan nang hindi napaparusahan ni Mr. Hontraver?

"What?" Draven asked na mukhang naguluhan sa sinasabi ko.

"Chess game," simple pero makahulugang sagot ko. "Miss Meira told me about the game and as far as I remember, you are the bishops here. How cool it is, huh?"

"It is not cool." Brusky crossed his arms. "It's not easy to be like us. I mean officials of the board."

"He's right. It's the officials who always suffer in every single move of this game," Kamko seconded. "Pawn, in the real game of chess, is the weakest piece. Ganoon din sila sa larong ito. Wala silang kakayahang protektahan ang school at ang mga opisyal ang laging pumapasan sa responsibilidad."

Hindi ako nagkomento. Totoo ang sinasabi n'ya. Sa totoong laro ng chess, pawns are weak. However, pawns could be as powerful as the queen if they were put in the right box. You should not underestimate a pawn's power.

"Aw! Stop explaining everything to her. She's smart enough." Pumulupot ang braso ni Draven sa balikat ko.

Masamang tingin ang isinukli ko sa kanya na sinuklian n'ya naman ng nakakalokong kindat. Pumapalatak na iwinaksi ko ang braso niya.

"What will happen kung hindi magpakita si Creed sa laban bukas?" tanong ko.

Natigilan silang tatlo.

"Let's hope na hindi mangyari 'yan," mahinang sabi ni Draven. Bigla ring sumeryoso ang mukha niya. "Hindi mo gugustuhing malaman ang consequences na haharapin nating lahat kapag natalo tayo sa laban."