Check-Mate

CHAPTER 11

Kaisha's POV

The steady tapping of the rain against my bedroom window woke me up. I blinked at the shadows on my ceiling and touched my forehead. The blazing heat that had completely trapped me under my blanket all through Sunday was finally gone, leaving only a mild warmth.

I only had my own stubbornness to blame. On Saturday afternoon, right when the heavy gray clouds broke over our neighborhood, Kuya Migz went out to our mini-yard to practice basketball. Instead of staying safely on the porch, I marched straight out into the pouring rain and challenged him to a match. We spent a full hour running around the slick pavement, laughing and getting completely soaked. By Sunday morning, my body gave up, leaving me shivering in bed.

I changed into a fresh, oversized hoodie and walked downstairs. The low hum of voices from the living room told me the house was very much alive.

Lanaya was on the rug, balancing a bowl of popcorn on her knees. Ate Reign sat cross-legged on the sofa, lazily flipping through TV channels while talking to Menchie, who had dropped by after her classes.

"I'm telling you, Mench, you should stay for a sleepover tonight," Reign said with a laugh, gesturing toward the dark window. "The rain is getting really heavy out there, and we can just stay up watching this horror marathon."

"That actually sounds fun, Ate Reign, but I'll have to check with my mom first," Menchie replied with a smile, adjusting her glasses.

"Kuya Migz made a big mistake on Saturday," Lanaya piped up from the floor, shaking a small container of cat kibble. Mochi and Patches immediately trotted over, their tails raised high. "He let Ate Kai play in the rain. Mochi ran out after the ball and got completely soaked too! He looked like a tiny, angry orange rat before Mom dried him with a towel."

I leaned against the doorframe, chuckling quietly. "If you guys are going to gossip about me, at least wait until I'm in the room."

Menchie looked up instantly, her eyes bright with relief. "Kai! You’re finally awake. How are you feeling?"

"Much better," I murmured, sinking into an empty armchair. "My brain doesn't feel like it's boiling anymore."

"Good, because I’ve been waiting to check on you," Menchie said, pointing to the coffee table. Resting there was a container and a bag of fresh oranges. "My mom made you some hot chicken porridge."

"Tell Tita Elsie thank you," I smiled. Then, I turned to Menchie, feeling a bit anxious about school. "So... how was Monday without me? Did Sir Dela Cruz get mad because my seat was empty?"

Before Menchie could answer, Reign leaned forward with a mischievous grin. "Oh, don't worry, Kai. I actually helped you out this morning. Mom signed an excuse letter, and I gave it to Menchie before she left for school."

"Yes," Menchie nodded. "I passed it to the campus clinic first to get an official medical slip. Then I handed it to Sir Dela Cruz before the first period."

Reign smirked, clearly wanting to tease me. "But since Menchie is such a dramatic actress, she told the professor you were practically fighting for your life. She made it sound like you had a dangerous, rare tropical virus and were hallucinating in bed."

My jaw dropped, my cheeks turning warm with embarrassment. "Mench! Are you serious? Now the whole department thinks I'm dying!"

Menchie burst out laughing, waving her hand dismissively. "Relax, Kai! It’s a joke. Reign is exaggerating. I just told him you had a high fever and needed to rest. He accepted the slip with no problem."

I let out a relieved sigh, plucking a piece of popcorn from Lanaya's bowl.

"Settle at the dining table, girls," Mom called out, stepping out of the kitchen. "The weather is so damp, so I made some hot macaroni sopas to help Kai recover."

We all gathered around the table, the rich, creamy scent of the soup making my stomach growl. Just as we sat down, the front door opened, and Kuya Migz walked in, looking tired from his shift at work. His jacket was damp from the evening drizzle.

"Oh, perfect timing!" Migz cheered, heading straight to the sink to wash his hands. "I am starving. Is that sopas? Step aside, let the working man get a bowl."

"Don't eat everything, Miguel," Mom warned, checking a heavy pot of chicken tinola she was preparing for our actual dinner later tonight.

"Don't worry, Tita, I won't let him," Menchie joked.

"Hey, brat," Migz said, sitting next to me and nudging my shoulder. "Glad to see you're alive. I thought Mom was going to banish me from the house for letting you play basketball in a storm."

"You should be banished," Reign muttered playfully.

"It was a fair match!" Migz argued, taking a huge scoop of the hot soup. "Kai wanted to prove she could beat my defense. Clearly, the weather won instead."

The dining room filled with the comfortable, noisy chatter of my family. Lanaya was giggling while feeding Patches a tiny piece of chicken, and Migz and Reign were playfully arguing about the TV schedule.

As I watched them, taking slow sips of my warm soup, my mind completely drifted back to Friday afternoon.

Did Eli notice I was gone today? I wondered, my chest tightening with a sudden, quiet ache.

I pictured the hallway near the Student Council office. I wondered if he had been waiting to tease me about being early again. Then, a heavy wave of worry hit me. What if he was actually offended by my angry outburst in his office on Friday morning? Is that why he was so completely quiet and distant inside the car when he and Katherine drove me home in the rain? He hadn't sent a single text or anonymous warning since then. I probably pushed him too far, and now he wanted nothing to do with me.

Because the rain outside showed no signs of stopping, Mom insisted that Menchie stay for dinner. We spent the next few hours chitchatting about our upcoming classes and the upcoming school chess competition. Since Menchie and I were both part of the university chess club, we needed to make sure we were ready to practice by Wednesday.

By 8:00 PM, the downpour finally cleared up into a light mist. Menchie gathered her things, giving my arm a gentle squeeze. "Get some real sleep, Kai. See you at school on Wednesday."

"I will. Get home safe," I replied, waving as she ran across the damp street toward her gate.

When I finally climbed back up to my bedroom, the house was completely quiet. The cool summer air filtered through my open window. As soon as I dropped onto the mattress, Mochi and Patches trotted into the room. The two cats climbed onto the bed, purring softly as they lay down right beside my pillow, slowly l*****g their paws to get ready for sleep. They were always so sweet and clingy whenever I was sick.

Before pulling the blanket over my shoulders, I checked my phone one last time.

The screen was completely clear. No new notifications. No messages from the Unknown Number.

My heart felt strangely heavy and disappointed. He really was done playing ghost professor. He was probably done talking to me entirely. I locked the screen and tossed the phone away, pulling Mochi and Patches close into a tight, warm hug. The cats purred loudly against my chest, their steady warmth making me feel instantly relaxed and comfortable. As my eyelids grew heavy, I finally drifted into a deep sleep, hoping Wednesday wouldn't be too awkward.