Team Alpha

Chapter 44

"May alam ka ba tungkol sa ahas na 'yun?" Tanong ni Matthew kay Walter na nakaupo dun sa couch ng kwarto namin ni Xy. Walter just made a confused face at him. "Well, because your girlfriend's a serpent. You should know things about snakes. I guess?" Matthew ended up questioning his own question. Tinapunan nalang siya ni Walter ng throw pillow at umupo nalang ito sa tabi niya tsaka tumingin sa amin.

"Ang laki talaga ng galit sa 'yo ng mga white witches, Xin." Dino said and sat on the carpet, next to Walter's legs. Mahina akong natawa dahil sa sinabi niya.

"I just disobeyed their request, and they became my enemies." I said, almost incompletely ending my sentence because it was too cold that my lips were still shivering.

"Baka naman inggit lang sila sa 'yo. You're surrounded by thirteen hot guys and you're pretty as hell. Who wouldn't be jealous at that?" Tumingin agad ako sa pinto at nakita kong sabay na pumasok sina Keya at Lorisse. Lorisse rushed to me and covered me with a blanket. Lumapit rin si Keya sa akin at hinawakan ang pisngi ko. She just hissed at how cold I was. Lumayo na siya sa akin at umupo sa tabi ni Walter.

Tiningnan ko lang sila na unti-unti nang nagkukumpulan dito sa kwarto namin ni Xy. I like that they're here. It's much warmer.

"What about you, Keya? Do you know anything about that snake?" Tanong ni Seth sa kanya na nakasandal lang doon sa door frame. Jayden also walked in and sat on the single seater sofa then looked at Keya.

"It's a myth here in UHT. That there's a giant white snake in that lake. Pero wala namang nareport na kinuha o 'yung pareho sa nangyari kay Xin. It was the first time that that snake attacked a student of UHT. They said, it's supposed to be asleep during this season when the lake is cold. But I don't know what triggered it to come out." Pagpapaliwanag ni Keya. Pumikit nalang ako at pinakiramdaman ang init ng paligid.

"Where'd you know all that?" Tanong ni Jayden sa kanya dahilan para maimulat ko ang mga mata ko at tiningnan si Keya.

"There's a book of myths here in UHT. Palagi kasing tumatambay si Walter sa library, so I decided to read one and came over that certain page." Mahinahong pagpapaliwanag ni Keya at dumukit pa kay Walter.

"Keya, since you're a serpent. You've never transformed into your full form, have you?" Tanong ulit ni Jayden sa kanya dahilan para kumunot ang noo ni Walter at tiningnan naman agad si Jayden. Jayden just shrugged his shoulders and looked at Keya who was shaking her head as a no. "Hindi pa. But I'm pretty sure I'll be a green serpent. It runs in our family." Kalmadong sagot ni Keya. She was clearly unaware that Jayden was interrogating her and suspecting her just because she's a serpent. Jayden can be so smart sometimes and sometimes, it's out of place.

But I think he's got something. Jayden won't ask follow-up questions if he has nothing going on at the back of his head. Tiningnan ko lang si Walter na nagtiim-bagang dahil alam kong alam niya ang ginagawa ni Jayden.

"Stop it. You'll fight like kids again." Seth warned them. Walter and Jayden immediately eased up and ngumiti nalang si Jayden kay Keya na tumingin kay Walter. Tiningnan ko lang si Keya na nakaupo sa couch hanggang sa napunta ang tingin ko sa kamay niya.

Her hands were shaking.

✥✥

After an hour of suffering from the coldness, Baxter and I finally warmed up. Bumalik na siya sa kwarto nila pati narin si Wolfie na halatang nangangawit dahil sa kakasuporta ng timbang naming dalawa ni Baxter. Ngumiti lang ako sa kanila at nag-inat na tsaka tumingin sa wall clock. It's nine in the evening.