Checkmate - Chapter 17: Chapter 17

Like all good things, today has naturally lead to its end. Even the photoshoot that Hana dreaded and planned for 24/7.
Hana really thought it would surpass tomorrow and they had to have an unplanned camp for the night in Amanda's trailer. She already had a lot of favors and indebted gratitude to reciprocate if her friends missed their morning classes for her.
Hana tuned everyone out as everybody exchanged goodbyes to one another. Everyone did a fine job not to mention Althea's sudden display of affection towards her, though Hana knew her friends were itching to discuss it when Althea wasn't in the vicinity.
She was returning her DSLR to its bag properly and neatly when she heard a whisper.
"We'll continue our previous arrangements, right?"
Hana spun around to see Althea like a cat who's shyly asking for attention while making it seem like she doesn't, "Of course! I will still model for you. Just call me up. Also, I know I might be asking too much, but I want you to come and visit me at the Photography exhibit! Professor Andrea will be there!"
"Why thank you, Hana. I am informed of the schedule, as I am the committee chair of the Luna Nova Samhain festival. I wanted to be assured that you'd want me there."
"Are you kidding me?" Hana gasped. "You're my model, silly! I want you to be there! But, you won't be seeing your photos until the day because I want you to be surprised after I edit the saturation and contrast a little."
The British girl nodded with a smile. "I can't wait, Hana."
It was awkward. Hana couldn't shrug away the one thing that's plagued her mind. Althea rarely did such a thing. "H-hey Althea? A-about the kiss? What was that about?"
Althea didn't reply for a few minutes or so, she blinked twice. When she finally spoke, what came out from her lips wasn't what Hana expected. "Kissing is a form of art, Hana. It is open to interpretation to anyone and such. It is, however, you want it to be."
"But what about you?" Hana asked. "What is your interpretation of it?"
They looked at each other for a couple of minutes, not knowing what to say. Hana didn't know what to believe, and Althea didn't seem to want to speak. Hana hoped she said something first—anything that would eventually engage Althea in a conversation without having for her to brush away the question she has for the blonde girl. She just wanted Althea to explain, what the kiss implied. She wished Althea muttered something that would clarify their situation—even a barely perceptible humming would do at that moment, just not this blatting silence that threatened to take the magic away from them.
"Bloody hell, Althea!" Joshua suddenly got in between them. He looked impossibly rattled after looking at his wristwatch to make sure he didn't misread. "Look at the time! We should be going."
Althea seemed to know Joshua's reservations when she gave him a silent nod.
Joshua quickly dashed to everyone, bidding hasty goodbyes before Hana returned her attention to Althea who looked a little wistful.
"See you tomorrow at school, Hana."
Hana didn't want Althea to see the sadness that plagued her. "See you too, Althea! Take care then."
"I'm sorry I acted on impulse, Althea," Joshua said as soon as they were minutes into the road.
Joshua pulled Althea once they were done stocking up their luggage and his chessboard to his car, leaving in such a hurry that Althea didn't even get to properly bid his farewell to the others—or Hana.
"Might not be as wretched as you might think, you're a useless homosexual, remember that." Althea crossed her arms, eyes glued to the road.
"Well sorry if I'm not as useful as you." Joshua glanced hastily at her, before turning his attention back to where it should be. "And I'm not a homosexual!"
"Sure," Althea drawled on the single word, "as if we're not late to meet up with Charles for dinner."
"Althea please, let it go."
Althea did. She wasn't in the mood to indulge in her favorite snarky pastime with Joshua. When the atmosphere turned quiet, it was slowly becoming deafening until the soft hum of the car's engine satiated the silence.
Joshua slightly punched the steering wheel in frustration. "In all of my years knowing you, Althea, I came to prepare myself to always laud you for your brilliance. Between us, you were always the better child, the better student, the better genius. But what occurred back there was something else, I don't merely laud you, but there is quite the satisfaction to myself of seeing you there. But, I do have questions to ask you, Althea."
She braced herself for that.
"I know you're already asking yourself why you did that. I know you humiliated yourself but I know you're too proud to show everyone else that you are. I want a solid answer. You kissed her, thus revealing to some people that you're a homosexual. What's the next move?"
That simple question had lead Althea into a train of thoughts. It was a hard question.
Before she could get to that answer, Althea wondered why she kissed Hana in front of everyone else, when she could have just continued flirting with her in secrecy.
Was it because of Liezel's intrusion? Why would she even feel threatened by the Filipino girl?
Hana was free to choose whoever she wanted to talk to and fall for; she could do whatever she wanted, for there was nothing between them to make Hana dependent on Althea's approval.
Maybe Althea did like her so much that she wanted to pursue a relationship; maybe she had truly wanted to kiss her earlier in front of a familiar yet unfamiliar audience for she wanted everyone to know that she is interested in Hana genuinely.
Then the next lingering question came. Would Althea be able to handle it if word got out that she's a woman attracted to women? Would her Aunt and cousins disown her? Would Madeline and Heather still be her friends?
Althea wasn't certain if she had the strength to come out yet, but it was inevitable. Hana's friends saw her, Joshua saw her. She wasn't even sure if Hana's friends weren't the same as her crowd—like Madeline, Heather, and a few others.
"Alright," Joshua faked a cough. "Clearly you don't want to clarify yourself for me."
"Actually," Althea began. "I can still live if people find out I'm gay. I've lived all my life as an ostracized kid because of my odd passions as a young girl. People knowing my attraction to girls might filter the ones important to my life or not."
Joshua grinned. "There's the Althea Lancaster I know."
"I'm genuinely interested in her." She said firmly. "That much gives me the incentive to try and be part of her life."
"Alright then, good luck," Joshua said. "Pray to Sappho and offer some virgin to the goddess Aletheia you were named after."
Althea's imminent dread of tomorrow was stronger than Joshua's irritating comeback.
As soon as Althea and Joshua were out of view, it dawned on Hana that she was surrounded by her friends. Feeling slightly trapped like a King in check again.
"What was that Hana?" Samantha snapped with a leering face.
"What was what?" Hana asked.
"Althea fucking Lancaster kissed you!" Samantha snickered. She was so livid that in the process of explaining she grabbed Hana by the collar and raised her high; Hana became fully aware her legs were flailing in the air. "You obviously didn't register it in your head and you forgot it even happened for the last thirty minutes. That kiss was her way of confessing she likes you, but since you're so stupid to function, she doesn't know if you accept her feelings before they left!"
"SAMANTHA PUT ME DOWN!"
"The first girl that I could tease you to and you did this! What do you have to say for yourself?"
"What?" Hana asked. "Now it's my fault?"
"YES!"
"But I'm your friend! You're supposed to take my side!" Hana continued to wrench herself free of Amanda's grip when Natalya played the mediator and placed her back on the ground.
"Oh Hana, I didn't know you were like that to Althea," Fallon added, her eyes shining, her fingers clasped together with a love-struck sigh, like when she talked about her ships in the Midnight book series about some vampires. "Don't worry, if you have anything romantic-related problems, I'll help you win back the frozen heart of Althea Lancaster. If you told us earlier, we would be supportive!"
"Not really," Liezel chimed in.
"LIEZEL!" Fallon scolded her. "YOU WERE SO MEAN TO HER!"
"Why are all of you supportive of the bourgeoisie for Hana's heart?" Liezel scoffed. "Isn't that like bad because you all romanticize stiff upper-lipped white conquerors?"
Fallon really doesn't have a good remark for that. Hana does too for Liezel did share to their inner circle that Liezel came from a tribe where European conquerors killed and destroyed most of their culture and everyone else was brainwashed to have a colonial mentality. Liezel was a child of the survivors—the one who always vowed to never forget. Although troubling and problematic, her anger was justified.
"Yeah, yeah whatever," Samantha rolled her eyes. "Just remember, Hana, best friends don't bail on each other for a girlfriend."
"I don't have a girlfriend," Hana said the last word with difficulty.
"Oh yeah, right, like that's real," Samantha said. Hildegard crossed her arms and nodded.
"Honestly guys! Althea's not my girlfriend—" Hana didn't register until it was too late that Natalyashoved a donut into her mouth.
"Here Hana, have a prize!" Natalya smiled. "It strawberry flavored! I think what she means, is that... they aren't girlfriends yet!"
Hana couldn't deny the sugary sweet goodness that melted on her tongue so she continued biting and swallowing the treat. Defending herself from her friends' teasing came second.