Checkmate ⚢

Chapter 5 Dormmates

"Wahhhhhh!" Hana's cries were definitely a sound Althea never wanted to hear again.

Althea hoped it was just crocodile tears but sometimes wishes as mediocre as this, were unfulfilled considering it was her fault, to begin with.

A tinge of guilt nestled into her heart, buried deep. But a deal was a deal, they shook hands on it.

Joshua leaned closer to his childhood friend and whisper. "If a police officer happens to see us, I'll tell him this is your fault."

Althea dismissed his opinions as she held out her hand once more to display sportsmanship and the brunette took it more boldly than she had expected.

"Good game!" Hana congratulated her but she was vividly upset about losing.

It was a warm sensation when their hands met. As consented, Hana handed her the DSLR which contained her most prized photos. Althea went to the DSLR's gallery.

Hana's mouth went agape when she saw that Althea knows how to operate them.

Althea relished how Hana's easy to impress. She wouldn't tell the Japanese nor Joshua that she once was an avid hobbyist photographer. Childhood dreams often die when duty was shoved into a child's life. That's the bitter truth.

When her sight landed on the photos, her eyes slowly widened.

Althea took the time to stare at Hana's hard work. The photos were definitely something. Hana has the potential, but somehow it could be done better with more practice. It was peculiar, Althea thought. She was told that the subjects of the photos were her and Joshua but when she glanced at the photos closely, the photographer has her eyes on Althea.

"You're so snoopy and mean!" Hana gritted her teeth.

When Althea reached the part of the gallery where Hana was randomly picturing things, now she understood why the girl's failing. Hana's an amateur photographer. She shoots for pleasure, to experiment with her inner visual abilities and expression. Whereas working under a professional photographer changes that. It means Hana's now in responsibility to preserve memories of events that occur once in a lifetime and she has no excuse to do that badly. And the pressure of the responsibility ridicules her creative side.

"A deal's a deal," she said, looking back at the shorter girl.

"Stop looking at it if you're just going to delete them all!" Hana crossed her arms.

Althea's mind could not stay away from the cuteness the Japanese girl conveyed through her pouting. "You have to forgive me for staring. It's not every day I get a glimpse of that beautiful photography work of yours, though you do need proper guidance and training."

"You happen to be proud at that, don't you Althea?" Joshua bantered, raising his eyebrows insistently. "You fell to vanity as most young girls do."