Checkmate - Chapter 9: Chapter 9

"Hana!"
She turned around to see Fallon and Liezel had just arrived carrying groceries.
"You've only just arrived now?" Liezel raised an eyebrow in her visible eye. "You had no class the whole afternoon."
"Ehehe, I had errands to run for my photo shoot this weekend." Hana turned the key in the lock, her arm turned as well, exposing the phone number written on her wrist. She'd stopped thinking about it until Liezel grabbed her arm and pulled it up to see the blue evidence of exactly what had kept Hana after school.
Liezel frowned. "Whose number is that?"
"It's... Well... I...."
"Hana," Liezel snarled.
"It's Althea Lancaster's number!" Hana blurted. Heat rushed her cheeks.
Her roommates' eyes widened as Liezel released Hana's arm. They stared, mouth agape, eyes still as big as saucers.
"Oh, how wonderful! Who would have thought you'd be so lucky!" Fallon cheered on her but Liezel didn't say a word.
Not that she had to.
The astonishment on her face was enough to make Hana a little squirmy. Looking away, Hana opened the door to their dorm room. Cool air rushed out and blasted into her blazing hot face. Relief rushed to her—sort of. Now she just needed Liezel to quit staring at her like she'd lost her mind.
They headed inside—Hana heading straight to her desk to retrieve her laptop, Liezel going straight up to her space, Fallon setting down the groceries neatly in the cupboards as she took some sodas and heated some popcorn.
At least their normal routine would put some distance between the girls and give Hana time to think about how she would explain how she got Althea's number while Fallon and Liezel marinated in whatever ideas she conjured about Hana and Althea's new relationship.
"So what did you pick out for us, Hana?" Fallon asked as she sat two of the bottles of soda on the nightstand next to Liezel.
"Doctor Strange."
"Awesome," Liezel said as she plopped down on the purple beanbag on the floor. "Marvel again."
"Yes!" Hana said. "You're okay with it right?"
"I guess," Liezel muttered. Clearly, something was bothering Liezel, but she had always been the type who wouldn't volunteer to talk about things.
The movie started to play as Fallon dumped half the popcorn into a bowl for Hana and Liezel.
They'd seen Doctor Strange many times; Hana even knew most of the words by heart. Liezel never contributed to these conversations. Yet Liezel focused so hard on the television, she acted as she'd never seen the movie before.
"Okay, what's wrong with you?" Hana asked, sitting forward on the bed.
"Why do you have Althea Lancaster's number scribbled on your wrist?" Liezel blurted as if the question had been playing on an infinite loop in her brain. She didn't look at Hana when she asked. Instead, she kept her wide eyes glued to the laptop screen.
An awkward silence filled the room, turning the air almost smothering. Fallon had the urge to fidget as Liezel kept her weighty stare focused on Hana, but she didn't move
"I told you all that I'm going to try to ask her to be my model, remember?"
"Yeah," Liezel muttered, but Hana could tell she wasn't buying it.
"What? It's the truth."
"Yeah, but since she's a posh British woman who scolded you for taking photos of her, I thought Althea clearly wasn't into the idea of doing anything with you."
"Maybe not, I'm surprised she agreed as well, but we all know I could be a little too persuasive. Despite how Althea acts, she's always been a good person."
Liezel's thick black brows arched as she swung her head in Hana's direction. Her nostrils flared, and her lips curled. She stared at Hana like she'd sprouted a third eye in the middle of her forehead. "You're complimenting her now?" Liezel all but yelped. The disbelief in her voice was almost as piercing as her glare.
"I wouldn't call that a compliment. It's just the truth."
"Are you going to ask us to help you in this shoot?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"N-not really," Hana didn't want to admit but she faltered in defeat. "I need some help, please."
Liezel rolled her eyes and then turned her dark gaze back to the laptop screen.
Sighing, Hana settled back into her bed and tossed bits of popcorn into her mouth. She was glad the conversation was over but had the distinct feeling it hasn't ended. The topic of Althea Lancaster and the blue phone number on Hana's wrist would come up again. She could feel it almost as much as she could still feel the warmth of Althea's palm against the skin of her arm.
"So your team is just us and her?" Liezel said, out of the blue. "Tell us exactly what your plan is."
"Well, I do want to make a motif of black and red while having the theme of perspective. I got so many ideas in mind! I'm thinking red queen, sweets, chess, with the makeup and everything, you know... portraits!"
"Hana," Fallon began. "Don't you think we need more help from the others if we pursue your plan?
Hana scratched her head. "I was planning to, but I guess I'll have to return the favor to Sam, Nat, and Hilde." She fished for her phone in her pocket, ready to call them.
Liezel snickered. "They will definitely ask favors from you in return."
"Welcome home, Lady Althea." Carter, her childhood butler greeted her as she parked in front of the entrance of her large mansion.
The Head Maid—Edith—and the rest of the maids lined up on the pathway to the entrance, bowing and recited the greeting they do to the occupants of the house as they arrive home.
She handed Tom, the family butler, the keys so he can properly park it for her, "Pleasant to be back."
Once again, Althea was led through the empty estate towards a large dining hall. The mansion is an ancestral home, and despite the years, the walls still stood stately and proud. The interior and the exterior were beautifully furnished for the whole estate was decorated with antiques, collected by the past Lancasters before her. Althea recounted that with all the carpeted floors, mosaic walls, and decorative moldings with velvet tapestries, paintings, and ornamental statuary worth billions for the exotic material and sentimental value.
As soon as Althea got back to her estate, the permanent smile that graced her face slowly diminished. Replaced with the disinterest and formal facial expression she wore again and again then turned into a habit.
While she reposed on her room, trying to ignore her unsettling thoughts, she found herself not in the mood to read or paint. She gasped. Althea was never bored. She always had some things to do: study, practice, accompaniment, hygiene, impress, socialize, leisure, but all she was doing right now was neither all of that but is definitely brooding.
As years went on, Althea realized that each day she spent roaming what once meant home to her became so different and unfamiliar. As if her home grew apart from her as if her heart doesn't belong in the Lancaster name and fortune any longer.
It stopped being a home when her mother died. When she was forced to throw aside her childish dreams of being a Photographer and start dealing with the responsibility her mother left to her.
Althea lived with her legal guardian, Aunt Cameron, and her twins—Rachelle and Rochelle—but they hardly act the part of a family. The Lancaster was a maternal line of medicinal practitioners, they do not own the LancasterMedical Center just for show. Unfortunately, as of now, the Lancaster name is slightly losing its former glory.
Who would have thought that a hospital filled with sick people that need tending to would come close to bankruptcy?
It wasn't because their service was lacking or that loads of people die in their care, it was because when Althea's mother died, the legal ownership went to Aunt Cameron and she wasn't a doctor or a businesswoman, so it goes to show that she can't run a hospital. She doesn't want to sound mean but all her remaining close relatives focus on keeping their lavished lifestyle.
Saving the Lancaster name is Althea's driving force.
So she studied and graduated undergrad two years early and she's acing her master's degree before she could take a doctorate.
And since she was prone to neglecting the other side of her happiness, Althea lost her smile. It was all work and no play, she was a dull girl.
However, one person seemed to know how to put it back.
Althea decided that she could help Hana with her photography vision. So she took a short tour to a pleasant grove of tall and stately trees surrounding her estate. She rode her horse with the accompaniment of her two dogs and began letting her creativity lose.
In the midst was a beautiful marble fountain, which sent forth clear and crystal waters. Althea began to envision what attire she would wear, what makeup, what pose, and what angle Hana would take her. Her mood began to improve at the sight of nature and the beauty of her surroundings, and she was able to pass her time alone without much sadness.
Usually, her tutor, Professor Tosca would visit have more painting sessions with her, but the fact that she couldn't see the Italian woman anywhere, or received a mail or text could mean that she was busy on another task. Even with the presence of her horse and her dogs, it proved insufficient for the clamor in her heart. She needed someone to talk to, to calm the storm brewing inside her.
With no sight of anyone, except the voices that repeated like a mantra in Althea's head and the thought of the ones who truly cared for her left in ignorance of her fate preyed on her mind and made her begin to feel that this mansion is indeed a splendid prison made for her alone.
Most of the people who were important to her life, like Edith and Tom, Madeline and Heather didn't know the true her, except Joshua who could be continued to be an arse and had read through her. They might know she could be struggling, they could know she'd shoulder a huge responsibility, but they are not aware of her sexuality.
People are too blind to see the great misery she continued to endure, but the world wasn't ready to know who Althea Lancaster is.
Her day went by like this until sundown. Then she returned to her estate again for supper. Then her heart began to anticipate the presence of a text or a call from a certain brunette.
When Hana woke up the next morning, her cheek felt the sticky wetness that drooped from her mouth on the pillow. Her knees were curled into her chest, and a half-eaten bag of popcorn had spilled out on the carpet lining their dorm room. Fallon nestled in her bed, sleeping like a baby.
She looked down at her wrist, and thankfully, Althea's number was still there, though a little blurred. Hana could barely make out the numbers, but she knew the moment the hot water of her morning shower hit her skin; the blue ink would completely vanish.
Hana couldn't have that. No way could she lose that number. The room was still pretty dark, save for the flickering images from the laptop and the hints of light peeking in from beneath the dark purple curtains hanging over the only window in Hana's bedroom. She extracted herself from her bed, clumsily pushed up to her feet, and stumbled over to her desk, trying not to make too much noise so she wouldn't wake Fallon and Liezel.
Quietly, she clicked on the small lamp bent over her laptop. It didn't put off too much brightness, only enough to light the keys of her computer. It worked fine. She only needed to see enough to jot down Althea's phone number before the digits wore away. Half-awake, she blindly searched her desk for something to write with, fingers fumbling with the chaos of everything her mother had asked her more than once to straighten up.
Hana was prone to losing numbers and decided today will be the last day she'll be known for losing them. She rolled her wrist over and typed the digits on her phone and jotted the digits down across one of her sticky notes after. So she'll always have a backup.
Staring at the screen of her phone, Hana placed a smiley emoji after Althea's name. She then thought of calling her. Hana opened the binders and was momentarily blinded by the sunlight even if it was nearly six in the morning.
Was it too soon to call her? Of course not, a night has passed. She should go for it. No, it should be 24 hours minimum, right?
She was now randomly fighting with herself. One side of her wants to call Althea in the morning, and the other side of her is opposed to the idea.
Why can't a simple text do? It's not Sunday yet, why are you hurrying? A text should be fine. But Althea might think you're super annoying. No, she might think you're responsible!
Hana continued to weigh the pros and the cons if she pursued her plan. It was an intense battle. Hana didn't know she could have a conversation with herself like that.
She was brought out of reverie when her phone started ringing.
"Aahhhh!" she screamed upon seeing that her phone was dialing Althea's number, she didn't care if her Fallon and Liezel stirred in their sleep.
She didn't know what possessed her finger to press call, and before she could cancel it, Althea had already answered.
"Hello?" her sweet voice came.
"Hello?" Hana said enthusiastically but was dying inside. "Sorry I called, and I know it's too early. But I want to know if everything's fine and if you're still willing to be my model."
She was talking fast, almost gibberish. But the girl on the other line seemed unperturbed and replied in a simple and dignified manner.
"Of course, I am Hana," Althea replied. "I was waiting for your call last night."
"Uwahhh," Hana gasped. "You were? I'm so sorry! I called just now. My roommates and I were busy planning for the photoshoot. We technically had to contact some friends to talk with it over."
"Oh," she replied.
The silence was adding poison to Hana's bloodstream. She could feel the tick-tocks of her digital clock; it must have been a few heartbeats later when Althea asked.
"Shall I do my own makeup or you can get a makeup artist?"
"Nat can overlook the design, but," Hana hesitated but went for it anyway. "You are very—very beautiful so I guess a simple mascara and foundation and lipstick will do."
"And for the hair?"
"I like your hair the way it is, but perhaps Nat can make it more beautiful."
"You trust the girl's judgments."
"Yes, I do."
"She must be extraordinary; I can't wait to see her work myself. I'll contact Joshua as I mentioned about the chess set. See you Sunday in the forest park, Hana."
Hana didn't know why the promise of seeing her again made her heart soar higher than Mt. Fuji. "Yes! See you!"