Checkmate - Chapter 16: Chapter 16

"Therefore," Professor Oakley continued. "I'd love to hear your thoughts once you dears are done with being tongue-tied?"
"It's an interesting proposal that benefits all parties," Althea said, once she got her bearings. "However, I am reluctant to participate in such a contest where Hana and I have to clash against each other."
"Oh? But I'm fairly certain that your mother would want you to follow in her footsteps. It would truly disappoint her if you didn't triumph in where she stood."
Althea's lips fell in a straight thin line. "Very well, please give me time to consider it. I have some basic skills I need to acquire." She stared at Hana, knowing full well that she needed to master the art of painting women.
"What?" Hana asked, confused. "I don't understand?"
"In time you will." Professor Oakley chuckled. "We have loads to talk about but I'm afraid we hadn't had the time. You should head back, the sky is clearing up. We can chat up once more at the right time. Also, you are free to do whatever you want with this area, I will leave to give you creative space. Besides, this place means more to dear Althea and her mother... until we meet again, ladies."
The duo agreed to the prospect and headed back to the others in relative silence. Abruptly, Hana felt Althea's pretty long fingers searching hers. Even with the October breeze finally became rather chilly, Althea's proximity and touch brought enough warmth to Hana.
Hana was a simplistic girl. She would say what's on her mind and she would do anything without any hesitation. It's like a do-or-die thing and her friends couldn't disagree and ride along with her. It's because of her unrelenting desire to beat the odds and her firm belief in good. This is why, she had pursued her interest in Photography, instead of assuring a rather secure environment as one of her Japanese classmates back home.
Hana turned to face Althea, and couldn't stop staring at all. It was a good thing she was the photographer. She was allowed to stare too much without being a creep. For good measure, she was about to steal a photo when the blonde's eyebrows knitted together and lips pursed in deep thought, she can't help but be concerned.
"Althea?"
With a honey-toned hum, she replied. "Yes?"
"What's bothering you?"
Althea's frown deepened. Hana feared she might have snooped in too soon. She was about to apologize when her companion spoke first.
"Hana... May I share my qualms with you?"
She was vaguely unaware of her hasty heartbeat. "Oh sure, what is it?"
"Are you familiar with the personification of the Nine Muses?"
Hana wasn't sure where Althea was going with that so she asked uncertainly, "The Greek one?"
"Yes," Althea said, their walk came to a halt. Hana turned to her worriedly. "For some reason my tutor, Professor Toscakept raving on and on with her lectures about them, like some sort of supreme beings in the art and that possesses artists. I thought what she said was some sort of metaphor for inspiration. But meeting Professor Oakley makes me believe that Professor Tosca wasn't insane."
"What?" Hana blinked a few times.
"My painting tutor," Althea explained. "She kept spouting facts and sayings about the Nine Muses. It's no coincidence Professor Oakley talked about nine sources of the knowledge and the power to shape the world."
"So you think it's true?"
"I still have a little doubt. It's either they are both insane or they are not. At least, that could explain why my tutor always mentions the Nine Muses."
This was the first time Hana saw Althea's vulnerability and being unable to know what's going on with her. The British girl wore certainty every day the minute she woke up and head back to bed. Being blown away by a drop of a bomb, Althea was suddenly out of her element, she was lost.
Hana gripped Althea's hand a little tighter. "We will find answers to that together, Althea. I promise."
Althea's pale visage and worried lines faded as her skin turned smooth and rosy once more. "You have a way of comforting me, Hana. I do not hate it."
Hana chuckled at her word choices. "I do have to ask you though if it's okay..."
"—of course, it is perfectly fine," Althea said, already sure of what Hana was going to ask. "Professor Oakley gave us permission too; however, in return I want mouths zipped about our rendezvous and the old woman's ravings about artistry."
Hana quickly zipped her mouth. "Yes!"
"Good afternoon, Althea..." Joshua said, noticing their arrival.
The others were completely oblivious to the fact that they were gone for quite some time. Joshua's diversion must've been a success. Other than Liezel who didn't look too convinced of the lie.
"Rest well?" Joshua asked her.
Althea was quick to pick up the cue. "Quite well," she replied with a smirk while eyeing Hana, who turned her gaze around and instead of looking at her. Althea focused on whatever Liezel was saying.
"Where did you go?" Liezel added, smirking. "I returned to the trailer and noticed that your bed was empty."
"I couldn't sleep so I went out for a walk..." Althea blurted, never ceasing to look at a now blushing Hana. "I didn't know that I had to report to you if I had restlessness, I shall remember to do so next time."
"Really? You were gone when Hana was?" Liezel's visible eye gazed back to Hana with a question. Where have you been?
"I-I uh," Hana began. "...went back to Fallon's car to see how much I have to pay to fix it."
Althea almost giggled to see Hana attempt at deceiving others.
Liezel bared her razor-sharp teeth. "Why do I find it hard to believe that you guys didn't meet halfway and fooled around?"
"Better for her to fool around with my supervision than with you," Althea scoffed.
Fallon shook her head as though disapproving of their behavior, but at that point, even Hana, who as always was caught up in a state of utter obliviousness, could tell that it would take more than a gesture to end their acid exchange of replicas.
"Umm Fallon..." Hana said as she pushed her plate aside. "Could you please tell us what's next on the schedule?"
Hana looked at the clipboard Fallon handed, every once in a while crinkling her nose in a pensive manner that amused Althea to no end. She looked up to see if the tension between her and Liezel had dissolved, but the glances they'd still throw each other were no omens of peace. Hana sighed, defeated, and then focused on examining the clipboard before her, without even bothering to show the least interest in what was happening around her.
After some minutes of cogitation, she handed the schedule back to Fallon. "Everyone, shall we?" she asked, loud enough to get everybody's attention.
"Where are we headed to Hana?" Samantha inquired, while Natalya and Hildegard both abandoned their spots without further ado.
Hana let out a giggle, "To find some extremely beautiful, yet dangerous magical backgrounds, Amanda. You didn't think we were going home, did you?"
Energetically she suddenly danced something that looked like she was summoning more sun and shooing away the rain.
"The gods are smiling on me. The rain's gone and the lighting is great." Hana clapped her hands together loudly, "Onwards my crew!"
"To the last location?" Fallon asked.
With an enthusiastic grin, Hana giggled, "Even better!"
"Hana, did you change the plan again?" Samantha placed her palms on her forehead in exasperation.
Hana merely laughed guiltily the whole way as she brought her crew to Althea's playground. Althea smiled at the prospect that Hana had enjoyed their short tryst.
"Woah! This place is super amazing!" Samanthaawed, her green eyes shining like the sunlight escaping through the tree leaves. "Private land huh, I didn't know Blondy had it in her to allow trespassing."
A retort died on Althea's lips, but she raised an eyebrow at her and nothing more.
Everyone else was gaping, twirling around as they look all over the place. Liezel, who had kept a low profile so far, followed the others in a straight line, not bothering to turn around and even look for possible mushrooms.
The place was still as pretty as they had left it. Except, Professor Oakley wasn't there anymore and the rain was absent. Althea liked the thought of this sacred place are hers and Hana's. Though one would usually get annoyed by the fact that they were sharing this with other people, Althea relished the fact that she clearly beat Liezel at her own game.
Althea craned her neck upwards to see the clear sky. Without one single cloud just a perfect powder blue that spread out endlessly, surrounding the golden fire of the sun. The trees cast shimmering shadows across the grass and the light breeze caused the heads of the flowers to dance and bob around. The scene was perfect with gentle tranquility, setting a deep sense of serenity through Hana's mind.
The sound of birds was clear in the air; the sun-dappled the ground in patches of yellow and light green. It mixed well with Althea's clothing.
She was now wearing a black simple dress with red linings, and a detachable cape above, her hair in side-swept and her lips coated in red lipstick.
The moment they removed all triviality aside, the work went smoothly and better than the first and second locations. The crew members and Althea knew what kind of angle, what kind of pose, what kind of lighting Hana wanted in her photos.
"Hana, are you still going to use the photos you weren't feeling inspired with?" Joshua asked out of the blue.
Hana scratched her forehead. "Geez... I'm thinking that I could use Lightroom to edit the exposure, but I'm not even good at it. I guess I'll just have to ask Professor Andrea's help again." She chuckled.
"You speak so highly of her, Hana," Althea spoke, but she made sure her form and regality didn't waver. "I want to formally meet her again someday."
Hana perked up at the thought of her two favorite people meeting up. "Sure! That'd be cool!"
Then the Japanese girl went back to finding a good angle as she crouched down to her feet. Althea noticed that Hana's camera lens was alarmingly below her knees and she was wearing a dress.
Samantha wolf-whistled, seemingly noticing the small detail as well. "Hana, are you trying to see her bloomers?"
Hana's lovely cheeks turned red. "N-no!" she fumbled with herself, waving her arms around then shoving the viewfinder to Amanda's face. "W-when I'm shooting without the lens hood it makes some really cool effects at the bottom of the picture. It's giving me some awesome lens flare. Look! This one makes Althea look like a goddess!"
Somebody yawned loudly, making all eyes land on Liezel as she rolled her eyes. "Hana, come on, it's getting late and we're going to lose light in 40 minutes."
"Ugh, don't pressure me!" Hana's face crumbled, and her cheeks puffed. In her habitual ignorance regarding the obvious, she continued to work on her stance to find a good angle.
Liezel's annoying interruptions didn't stop there. She walked behind Hana and shockingly wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist.
"W-what?" Hana's neck turned sideways, her face inches near Liezel's. "Get off me, Liezel. I'm trying to work here!"
Despite Hana's attempts, Liezel didn't waver or even loosened her hold. She kept her arms around Hana's form as if molding herself next to her.
Face alarmingly livid, Althea didn't favor what's occurring before her at all. Liezel didn't step down; she's taking more steps forward Hana. Wrapping herself to Hana like that was a low blow. It was a desperate move, but Althea was no better than her.
Althea was desperate for Hana's attention too.
Hana might not need love right now, but Althea's not going to stand still while someone else was trying to steal her away.
Liezel has to step down. Someone has to make her step down, and it's not going to be Althea.
When Hana finally wrenched herself free from Liezel's octopus-like grip, Althea strode proudly towards the shorter girl. Hana hadn't been able to register her proximity until it was too late.
With her red-coated lips, Althea planted a soft kiss on Hana's cheek, thus, eliciting a reaction from everyone.
It was almost scandalous—Liezel had been staring at her with annoyance since the beginning but she reminiscing hot anger as if licked by the inside of flames. Fallon couldn't stop herself from gasping but she tried to cover her mouth anyway, a newfound smirk grew on Joshua's lips as he crossed his arms, nodding with approval. Natalia dropped her newly opened chips, Hildegard probably turned into stone, but her eyes were wide open and Samantha kept hollering and wolf-whistling, even cheering.
As soon as her lips leave Hana's skin, she winked at her, causing Hana to blush a lot more. Hana's big red eyes didn't seem to perceive any real image, except for the blurry red surrounding a black pupil: her wide-open eye. She blinked and the mere fluttering of her eyelashes gave Althea the impression of the only difference from Hana's reaction was that Liezel's was unwanted and Althea's wasn't unwanted at all, just that, it was quite a shock.
A retort died in Liezel's throat, giving her a strangled look.
With a satisfied smirk, Althea retrieved victory. "What?" Althea taunted. "You're not the only one who's dead set on their goals, Miss Magbanua."
She did this to show Liezel that she's also pursuing Hana and that even if the pale girl had her eyes first on Hana, she's not giving up without a fight.
"I suppose not. Congratulations." She said, offering a tight smile.
"Hana's as red as those fruits now." Natalyacooed, eyes straying to the hawthorn tree. "I wonder if I could eat them."
Althea stared back at the object of her affection. Hana stood there stunned, her face surely redder than the minute and it even looked more attractive when Althea saw her lip-stained mark near the Japanese girl's lips.
A swell of pride threatened to boast out of her. Momentarily.
Hana's perplexed face faded when a bright idea crossed her mind. "Oh! I got it!"
Her sudden outburst made Althea's anxiety rise like an overflowing dam in her heart, fearing that she might've overstepped some boundaries with her. But the American knew that reaction all too well.
"Oh no, Hana has a random idea!" Samantha entered. "She has gotten inspired!"
"Give me a stepladder!" Hana yelled, "Anything to make Althea reach the branches higher to get more of the tree's red fruits in my shot!"
"Quick! I think I got some in the back of the RV!" Samantha told their faster runner.
Natalya ran towards the trailer at lightning speed that almost scared the heck out of Joshua.
"Hana," Althea sighed. "You're such a creative mess."
She laughed guiltily until Althea found her fingers searching for the chubby and adorable cheek, wiping away the evidence that she did kiss her.