Chess Pieces #2: Hunter Sanford

Prologue

"Hi, Artemis!"

I looked at the girl who just greeted me while I was walking down the hallway. My forehead creased with confusion as I don't recognize her.

Sino ba sya? Is she one of Apollo's flings?

But out of respect and courtesy, I smiled back as a greeting.

I heard her screech like a banshee which made my face retorted in a grimace. Nag iwas ako ng tingin at itinuloy ang naudlot na paglalakad.

"Oh my gosh! She's so trying hard na magpapansin sayo!" maarteng sabi ni Xyra na kasabay ko sa paglalakad. Dana, on my left, nodded at her.

"I know right! Like, eww. She's just a nobody so how could she really think that Artemis here, a Gallagher, will notice her?" tumitikwas pa ang on fleek nyang kilay na animo may kaaway talagang nasa harapan nya.

"Well, libre lang naman kasi ang mangarap." sabi ni Riley na bahagyang nasa likuran namin.

"Riley, my dear. Kahit pangarapin ng mga taong kagaya nya na mapansin ng mga Gallagher is such a sin! For sure, gusto lang magpapansin ng babaeng iyon kay Artemis natin so she can get close to her twin brother!"

Hindi ako nakisali sa pinag uusapan nila. I hate the way they talk about me. Like, hello? I'm here in front of you but why are you all talking like I'm some kind of a saint that needs to be worship? I am not like that!

At ganoon ba talaga iyon? Just because someone greeted me hi-hello, gusto na agad makipag close kay Apollo? Why? Hindi ako tulay na kailangan pa nilang gamitin to get close to Apollo! Kung gusto nilang magpapansin sa kakambal ko then sya dapat ang binabati nila!

I continued walking and I saw how the crowd parted when the students saw me. Parang nakakita sila ng isang reyna at kailangan nilang magbigay ng daan. I am starting to get really annoyed but my three friends here looks like they were enjoying the attention.

I let out a frustrated sigh. Nagtuloy tuloy na lang ako sa paglalakad para makarating sa parking lot ng campus namin. My friends still following me.

I saw Apollo is already there at the parking lot. He looked irritated and he keeps on glancing on his wristwatch before he looks up and met my gaze. Ilang sandaling nawala ang iritable nyang mukha bago iyon bumalik nang mapatingin sa mga nasa likod ko.

"Ang tagal mo!" naiinis na sabi ng kakambal ko at kinuha ang bag ko mula sa balikat ko. He opened the car door at the back and tossed my bag inside.

"Hey!"

"Friends mo?" he closed the car's door with a loud thud.

Nilingon ko ang tatlong babaeng nasa likuran ko. For some reason, they looked different from when they were acting earlier. Kimi ang mga ngiting nagpapakita sa mga labi nila.

I looked at my twin again. "Yeah."

Ngumisi sya bago bumuga ng hangin sa ilong na parang natatawa. Napailing sya bago nya inilapit ang bibig sa may tenga ko.

"I bet with all the flings I had that they were all fake. Much fake than the false lashes they're wearing."

This jerk!

Pinalo ko sya sa may dibdib at natatawa syang lumayo sa akin. Nakasimangot na ako. Pinaharap nya ako sa mga kaibigan ko at inakbayan.

"Hi, girls." he greeted them. I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

"Hi, Apollo." sabay sabay na bati ng mga kaibigan kong nahihiya. Kung may hawak lang siguro silang mga pamaypay ay itinago na nila ang mga mukha na parang si Maria Clara.