[Seven-Minute Semblance] GODSFORRENT & FIMBULWINTER

Chapter 12 - A Broken Cup, Tea, and Cake

Edward Dace.

17. August.
Tuesday, 4:45 pm.
San Lorenzo, 7-Eleven.

I WAS NOT HAVING THE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE. Everything was a lot to take in, and I was 100% done. Or maybe just 70% done—Futhark made the shit we've dealt with 30% more tolerable.

I decided to pass the time in the nearest 7-Eleven I found. The place was filled with students from a public high school, but I was too upset to care about it. I blended in and moped. It was a horrible day. Horrible day. I didn't feel so good. I knew I shouldn't have had fun yesterday. I should've had it coming.

I was sitting on a booth and glaring at the pathetic, tasteless (this was on mebeing dazed; I accidentally filled half of the cup with ice) Slurpee that I bought, when I heard a posh British accent nearby. I looked around, searching for the owner of the voice.

"Ed?" Mistletoe, a friend of mine and a member of Coronado Chronicles, snapped his fingers in front of my face. As if his familiar shaky presence wasn't enough to be noticed. "Kanina pa ako nakatayo sa harap mo. Bakit ang sama ng tingin mo sa Slurpee mo?"

Right, maybe I was too distracted to notice him.

"Bakit ka nandito?" I asked, squinting my eyes at him.

"May inutos sa ʼkin si Ichaival."

"May 7-Eleven literally sa tapat ng Coronado, bakit hindi ka roon bumili?" I shook my head. "You know what, never mind. Leave me alone."

"Okay... Pero kung gusto mo talagang mapag-isa, may bagong bukas na ano... um—ano—museum malapit sa uni."

"Museum? Mukha ba akong mahilig sa—argh, never mind. Anong pangalan ng museum?"

"Hindi ko alam. Tanungin mo na lang si Macey."

"Yeah, yeah, bye." I stood with a slight groan and forced a smile, which came out like an expression of a child sucking on lime. "Don't you have classes?"

Bigla sʼyang natauhan. "Ah! Hala late na ako!" He looked so devasted as he murmured between his teeth, "Bakit ba kasi ako ang nautusan..."

"Nautusang ano?"

He jumped and spluttered, "L-Late na ako para sa Calculus namin, bye!" He scampered off like a scared little bunny.

Right, I'm going to that museum to distract myself from everything—the nightmare I've had; the stupid initiative I've unfortunately gotten myself into; Laevateinn's friend, who I was sure was innocent but somehow because of how fucked up our justice system is, got thrown to jail; and this stomachache I keep on getting whenever I'm nervous.

Hopefully, looking at art will clear my mind.

••• GODSFORRENT •••

THERE WAS NO MUSEUM.

Nalibot ko na ang punyetang baranggay, hindi ko pa rin makita ang lintik na museum na sinasabi ni Mistletoe. Sumagi na rin sa isip ko na baka pinagti-trip-an lang ako ng hinayupak na ʼyon, pero ganoon na ba talaga sʼya katapang para pag-trip-an ako?