Checkmate - Chapter 1: Chapter 1

"Your photos are so plain and boring!" Professor Kavanagh told her as she scanned on the camera roll. "All you did was take pictures of random things, Hana. We need better pictures if you ever want to showcase yours for our Arts and Science Festival.
Hana sighed. She had been practicing for months yet she wasn't getting better at photography. She enrolled in a photography class at Neos Athens University without knowing the difference between a DSLR and a Digital Camera or even how to use the DSLR's manual function. Professor Kavanagh had given her an earful since then.
Ever since she went to a photo exhibit of the famed Andromeda Danton when she was six, she was enraptured by the colorful lights, the excitement, and the happiness that was captured in Andromeda's wonderful photos. She was so famous that she does International Arts Exhibits.
The charm of the photos Andromeda Danton also gave the viewers an uplifting and heart-warming sensation so every time the famous photographer opens a photo exhibit it was always packed and whenever she sells her photographs, the auction bids were insane.
"How can I be better at photography?" Hana asked.
"Pictures capture life. Pictures capture an emotion. What emotions are you trying to convey to the viewers? This is for your Finals grade, Miss Yoshida. No matter how much you've practiced, I've seen you haven't fully grown yet." Her professor returned her DSLR with a disapproving stare. "Better have a good batch of photos by the end of the day, Miss Yoshida, or you're getting an F." She walked away, busy attending other things as the festival drew near.
Hana felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She looked upwards to the mother figure she had for the past months. Professor Andrea had been there for her when kept getting bad and low grades, always being there by her side when there's verbal bullying from both teachers and students and accompanying and cheering her up whenever Hana's parents talk to her on the phone to see how she is.
"Professor Andrea," With a small sincere smile, she said. "Thank you for teaching me how to use the basics of photography and the manuals on the camera, but I don't think I can ever do a photoshoot if I can't even take a good photo of flowers."
"You just have a different perspective on life, Hana." Professor Andrea said. "And the others couldn't see that so they focused on the technicalities of how you take a photograph instead of judging you on the actual picture."
"Is that why Andromeda Danton became frowned upon because she was accused of heavy Photoshop on her photos?" Hana said, remembering that the reason she left Japan was to learn Photography at the same university her idol attended.
"I wouldn't say heavy Photoshop, but I once saw her creative works. After all, it's a bad rumor that sparked out that she uses Photoshop to manipulate her photos into becoming surreal."
"Her photos are sensational! So much that people started questioning the authenticity of her pieces! But Professor—I do believe her photos are genuine! And that the only manipulation she uses is the timing, the props, and the lighting!"
The French professor chuckled; she affectionately patted her student's head. "Oh Hana, I know what would make you feel better."
Hana's eyes widened, her lips curled upwards in excitement. "You do, professor?"
"Of course!" she motioned for the girl to follow her. "What you need is a muse—an inspiration!"
"Where can I find a muse?"
"You need to expose yourself to nature and people, Hana. And surely, someone or something will catch your eye." They reached the university's parking lot and walked nearer towards a purple car.
Hana's jaw dropped. "Is that your car, professor? I've never seen such color on a car before, it's a nice shade."
"I'm glad you think so, Hana." She took out her car keys. "Do you want me to bring you somewhere?"
"Yes please," Hana replied cheekily, nodding her head enthusiastically.
Althea wished she was somewhere else. The university was getting busy with the upcoming Arts and Science Festival and as a freshmen student whose major is Medical Science, she shouldn't be the committee chair. But she was voted both by the students and the executive board so she had to exceed their expectations.
She had submitted a thorough program when she was tasked to and she has done it impressively. She had just gone through a meeting with the Directress and the Colleges when she noticed a tall young man approached her.
"Do you need something from me?" Althea crossed her arms when her childhood friend and a distant blood relative showed up.
"Nice to see you too, Althea," Joshua smirked, he was carrying his copy of the Acts of Parliament as students of Political Science majors should, his other hand in his pockets. "How's the youngest ever committee chair?
"As you can see, I'm tired and I have to relax so spare me your banters for today."
"I merely have a proposition to make so you could relax at your finest."
"And what would it be, Josh? We have another chat over some morning tea?" She said, recalling the fact that it was over tea when he invited her to chit-chat before.
"No, I was hoping that we could bond over the fact that we both like girls."
Althea was quick to shut him up, glaring at him with her intense icy blue eyes. "You know nothing about me." She said coldly, refusing to make him feel superior to her because he had the advantage of ridiculing her once her secret got out.
"Althea, your secret is safe with me." Joshua chuckled, his eyes playful. "I won't tell your aunt and cousins or your classmates. Just come with me, let's play chess. It's been a while."
He led the way confidently that she would follow. Althea had no choice but to go after him. After all, she doesn't know what plans he's scheming. So she had to make sure that Joshua seals his damn lips together.
"Here," Professor Andrea handed her a bag. When Hana unzipped it, inside was another pair of camera lenses.
"Wow!" Hana stared at it, she was seating next to the driver's seat. "This is one of those new models, isn't it?"
"Y-yeah, Professor River lend it to me." Professor Andrea took a sharp turn on the left.
"Really? I didn't know you and the School's Directress are that close."
"Well, she took care of me and took me in."
"Oh," Hana said, as the thought of her professor being an orphan sets in. "I... I didn't know."
"Don't worry, about it, Hana." She smiled warmly at the shorter girl "I'm a happy woman where I am now. We are getting closer to the forest park."
Hana could not contain her excitement and pressed her palms and face on the window on her side, looking at the thick forest greens.
Professor Andrea dropped her off at the nearest parking space and advised that Hana should go through her quest for inspiration alone so she'll just be waiting in her car. "Hana, should you meet a woman who called herself Oakley, tell her I said hi."
"Is she an old friend, Professor Andrea?"
Professor Andrea's glasses dimmed as she turned away from the sunlight, nostalgia written all over her face. "She was my tutor, so I doubt she'd be there after all these years. So have fun, okay? I'll be just around here."
"Thank you, Professor!" Hana yelled as she ran towards the entrance.
She passed through the wrought iron gate and gazed around. Determined not to lose any more precious time, she focused her camera lenses on finding the perfect inspiration as a subject of her photos. Hana looked around; there were few people in the place as it was around nine on a Monday morning. The flowers in the garden had started blossoming in the bushes and the apple trees that had already started growing the most beautiful pink flowers where the fruit would sprout later from. She noticed at the far end of the garden two little swings were tied between two large trees with broad boles and long twiggy branches that resembled veins and a little boat swing was immobile as it always was, tied between the knobbed trunks of two trees.
She visited the fountains, gazebos, lakes, picnic area, and historical site within the huge park but none caught her eye. Maybe it's because she was used to this place that nothing remotely interesting happened.
So she focused her attention on people. Two people were sitting on the edge of a fountain – a woman and a man leaning on a statue, a nice little old woman who was feeding some pigeons on a bench, a man teaching his toddler child how to feed ducks, and a group of exercising young moms with their children on baby strollers.
Hana also hadn't met a woman named Oakley as Professor Andrea mentioned to her. She was about to give up and just when she chanced upon a guy and a girl walking side by side. They looked so picturesque together as if they were both nobles who escaped their seemingly stressful life to enjoy a pleasant stroll in the park.
It was like watching a queen and her knight. Hana was amazed at their beauties. Their faces were so different—so beautiful and handsome at the same time, they were both perfect and intimidating. The boy was quite tall, had short dark hair, a pair of mesmerizing green eyes, and thin lips. He was lanky, with broad shoulders, but not all displeasing in appearance and Hana thought he was quite handsome, while the girl had a sharp intense gaze that brings forth the majestic beauty of her blue eyes; her hair cascaded freely over her shoulders that reached her waist, as her facial features and her movements imprinted a certain elegance that could only be inborn.
"Oh, my," Hana gasped while continuing to keep her eyes on them. But her gazes lingered longer on the girl. She was so beautiful that Hana couldn't stop unhinging her jaw as it opened wildly.
When she looked at them, she instantly knew that they were her muse—or most importantly—the girl.
Hana had never seen a girl that truly caught and held her attention like that before. The beauty wore all a feminine white blouse, a long blue coat with a skirt, and brown boots. The girl stood tall with the body of a model. When she walked, she reminded Hana of a unicorn—a mythical creature—strong, pure, magical, and graceful. Her long unusual blonde hair with another shade of streaks gently swayed to the wind.
She didn't know why she couldn't take her eyes off of the female stranger. Her heart stung a little when she thought that maybe the guy she came in with would be her lover. After all, why would they be together here in a beautiful place? They would be dating, Hana knew for sure.
Hana also knew it was counterproductive to suddenly become heartbroken that a girl as beautiful as the blonde would remain single in this day and age. But her thoughts wouldn't just leave the strangers alone on their date.
She kept telling herself that she should not be this giddy, but every time she laid her eyes on the tall blonde beauty, her stomach does all the turns and the knots ever existed, her face growing warmer. Usually, girls her age would fawn over the guy but somehow, Hana was attracted like a magnet to the girl.
Hana wanted to follow them, observe them and take some pictures. It was also counterproductive if she would take interest and stay quiet about it. She could go to them and ask their permission if they will allow her.
Except she couldn't bring up the courage to speak to them and she was scared that the couple might refuse. She needed to capture them in her photos; they were the last chance she got so she'll pass photography class with flying colors.
She finally found inspiration. In a way that Hana wouldn't realize in a million years.
Clueless about her feelings, she decided that maybe because she wasn't interested in romance yet and that the blonde girl's beauty was a spark for her to experience aesthetic beauty—an aesthetical attraction that would inspire her to become a better photographer. She would finally become an artist.
Her mind burst into spontaneous ideas. Her friend Fallon from Music and Liezel from Chemistry would complain about how random those ideas were. First, Hana thought that it would be cool to capture Fallon's singing while using Liezel's experiments as smoke background effects.
In the end, all that got them was detention.
But now, Hana was determined. She knew this spontaneous idea would be the best of it yet. She could create a photo line about those two beautiful strangers and showcase it at her University's Arts and Science Festival, but she didn't have the courage to ask if she could take photos of them.
So she did what she had to do for a good grade.
Hana knew she would be called a stalker but she reassured herself that what she's doing is completely harmless, reminding herself that people take photos of other people all the time. She doesn't harbor any ill intent. Just that she wanted to practice her photography skills and to appreciate their beauty without misuse in the photographs.
Althea noticed the Asian girl tailing them as soon as they entered the forest park. She was just there, thinking she had blended perfectly in the shadows. Althea had an inkling that the girl is the kind that is loud and clumsy.
"What's wrong? You seem troubled." Joshua asked as he readjusted a satchel on his shoulder.
"It's nothing." She brushed him off.
Joshua grinned. "I've noticed her too, pointing her camera in our direction while hiding in the bushes. She has been following us for quite a while now. Not really being discreet, maybe she thinks she is. Do you think she's one of the girls who follow me around?"
"She seems hardly the part, Josh," Althea said. "Girls fawn all over you; they do not indulge themselves in such activities."
"Is that jealousy I hear?" Joshua grinned.
Althea seethed silently but he had no escape from her shooting glare.
Snickering, Joshua decided to cease teasing for the moment. "Do you think she's part of the stupid newspaper club at school? Or some local paparazzi?"
"Zaidee and her team values truthful journalism which is all about University affairs." She said; her tone rising and definitely cold. "She does not need for rumors to make her newspapers and blogs readable. And the way you insinuated that we're dating, please just refrain from opening that boisterous mouth of yours."
The way he grinned, she could tell that he was controlling his laughter. "I'm just taking precautions; we don't want people thinking we're actually dating. I mean, after all, you prefer girls"
"We're only going to play some chess." Althea crossed her arms, drowning out all the murderous thoughts deep inside her head. "Is it necessary to go all the way here?"
"Now, now, Althea... I thought a fresh breath of air might help you cool your head off. Let's find a perfect spot to sit and play shall we?"