The Blueprint
I've been staring at the hands of the wall clock inside the room while pretending to listen to whatever the teacher has been babbling about in our history class. Something about the Gambia and how it was fought over by the British and the French. Whatever.
All I know is that the longer I stare, the slower time gets. This is the final class of the day, and the 'SAT study group' has a meeting after this. Yeah, to avoid suspicions, we tell everybody that the reason we misfits are being seen together is because we are having review sessions for the upcoming SAT. Smart, right? I know. That was my idea.
Bell rings.
Yes! Finally.
I glanced at Kim, and he gave me a nod. We stood and headed to the library where we're supposed to wait for the others. Copter and Bas belong to the top class, no doubt, while Kim and I, to the not-so. Tae is in another section as well. Thankfully, we don't have shop today otherwise we'd have to wait until 5PM.
We arrived at the library and went straight to our chosen area. Surprisingly, Bas is already there reading some books with someone who we already encountered before.
"That guy again." I whispered to Kim.
With lips pursed and forehead wrinkled, he ignored what I said and walked hurriedly to the table. He stood right in front of the two who are seated across from each other. He crossed his arms but didn't say anything. Instead, he coughed as if making his presence felt.
Bas was obviously startled, but the guy in front of him remained composed.
Kim looked at Bas then to the guy and back to Bas again. No words are needed because Kim's actions simply meant 'what is he doing here?'
"Kim! Errrmm. He's only here to keep me company while waiting for you guys."
"Well, we're here now." Kim uttered in derision.
Bas looked at the guy and said,
"Thanks Joss. I'll see you in class tomorrow." he said and smiled while pushing his eyeglasses up his nose.
"No biggie. Just send a message when you get home." replied Joss.
Bas nodded and waved goodbye to Joss who stood and gathered his stuff on the table and walked away quietly. Kim took the seat that Joss left empty and looked at Bas as though interrogating him.
"You'd better keep your boyfriend away from our plan." he warned Bas.
I sat beside Kim and put my bag on the table. I have no plans of interrupting Kim grilling the little nerdy boy who now looks edgy.
"He's not my boyfriend!" Bas said while shifting his gaze from Kim to me and back to Kim again.
This looks funny.
"Never mind." Kim uttered.
"Really, he's not."
For a second, i thought i saw Kim grinned before saying,
"My point is... you'd better not say a word to him about any of this. Got it?"
"Got it."
I don't like this atmosphere, so I tried changing the topic.
"Where the hell are those guys? They all confirmed coming, right?" I asked but without directing my question to either one of them.
Bas checked his phone and said, "Copter's on his way."
"Why are you here early by the way?" Kim asked Bas.
"Oh! Errmm, the teacher exempted Joss and me in the pop quiz, so he allowed us to leave the class early."
Kim nodded looking convinced.
"So... what's this meeting about?" Bas asked.
"Let's wait for the others." I replied.
And here they came one by one. First was Tae who has with him his ever-reliable laptop. I don't think he ever goes anywhere without it. He took the seat next to mine after waving hello to Kim and Bas.
Then came Copter with his big backpack. I bet it's full of books inside. Naturally, he sat beside Bas and smiled wryly.
"How's the quiz?" Bas whispered.
"It's alright." Copter shrugged.
Tae suddenly turned to me and whispered, "You cheated last night."
Trying to get out of it, I denied, "What? No way!" I said. "Sour loser!" I added.
But he was right. I may or may not have cheated during the game. He still is the best that's why I had to use some of my tricks.
Last night's online game with Tae turned out to be fun. I've gotta say, I've missed this guy. I also felt a little good knowing that he thought to ask me to play with him and not someone else. Maybe we can go back to being good virtual friends.
"Ladies, focus!"
Kim suddenly blurted out. He was right. We almost forgot why we are here.
Funnily, we were like pupils who sat up straight with hands on the desk when we heard his commanding voice.
"We have five weeks to prepare for this. I already have a perfectly laid out plan, but we cannot talk about it in here."
"What do you need from us?" Bas asked.
That's a good question.
Kim turned to Copter and said, "First, I need a blueprint of the building."
That's when we all looked at Copter. I know this part of the plan is essential, and what Kim is asking from him isn't easy. We waited with anticipation for his reply.
"Done." He said without batting an eye.
That surprised us all. I for one didn't expect Copter to be as participative and gutsy as this. He made stealing building plans from his father look like stealing candy from a child which I admire. Wow!
"Good. When can we have it?" Kim asked.
"I'll drop by his office later. If I get the chance, I'll get them and send you a message."
Again, he said that without showing any fear of his dad or getting caught.
This guy turns out to be fascinating after all.
"How about me?" Bas asked.
"It's just accidental that you became a part of this, though I like it. Stand by." said Kim.
He was right. If only Bas wasn't in the men's room, he wouldn't be a part of any of this. Wait! Did Kim just say he liked that Bas got involved in this? Weird.
"And him?" Copter asked while pointing at Tae who is busy typing away on his keyboard.
Tae didn't seem to mind.
"We need someone to breach their system if we get locked out." Kim told Copter assuring him that Tae has an important role in this plan. Again, Tae couldn't care less.
"As soon as we get a copy of the blueprint, we'll meet in my house to talk about execution."
The mastermind offering his own abode. What a great leader.
"That's it for today. You can all just chill." Kim added.
Nobody moved. I think they need to hear more from him as assurance that this plan will work.
"Guys, you can go. Don't worry." I said.
Copter stood up and prepared to leave. He signaled Bas to do the same. Tae, on the other hand, didn't move a bit. Kim got up and so did I, but Tae pulled my arm all of a sudden.
"Wait!" he said.
"Huh?"
"How do I get past this level?" he asked referring to the game he's playing in his laptop.
I nodded at Kim and the other two to go ahead.
"I'll catch up with you guys." I said before leaning forward to reach for the keyboard blocking half of Tae's view of the screen.
"This is easy." I whispered as I started typing.
"There. Remember that trick." I said as I turned my head to face him but to my surprise, our faces are only, to be exact, two inches apart. Did he stare at me instead?
"What?" he asked in a husky voice.
"What?" I asked back.
It was like waking up from a dream, or a nightmare I don't know, that I jerked and quickly moved my face away from his. Well, this is awkward. I took a deep breath before saying,
"Did you get that?"
His eyes still fixed on me.
"Tae?" I snapped my fingers in front of him to get him out of the spell that my close proximity has cast upon him. Cocky, I know.
".... Yes, yes, I got it. Thanks." He then said as he shook his head repeatedly as though annihilating whatever it is running in his head.
"I'll go ahead." I told him as I walked away leaving him still a little shocked if I may say.
I need to hurry and get out of that place before the thoughts in my head kill me.
"You're coming with me." Kim said.
Here we are in his bedroom waiting for Copter's message although we don't really know if he'll deliver.
"Why do I have to?" I asked because I am feeling a little tired and sleepy already.
"No more questions."
Yes master, of course. I told myself.
About thirty minutes after, his phone beeped.
"Here we go." Kim said.
I got up and followed him out of his room.
We're meeting Copter in the same coffee shop. Kim and I arrived and saw Bas also present. They really can't be separated. We took the seats in front of the two of them.
"I asked him to come with." Copter said in a defensive voice tone.
Really, he didn't have to explain why Bas tagged along. It's just like saying Kim won't leave the house without me. He has in his hands a cylinder case which I assume contains the blueprints Kim asked from him.
He really did deliver.
"Didn't your dad catch you?" Kim asked.
He shrugged his shoulders before saying, "Too busy to notice."
I don't know why I felt a little bad after hearing that. It must be that bad.
"We should be going." Kim told them.
"Catch you at school tomorrow." I said as I waved good bye to them both.
They nodded in return.
We were silent on our way back home, but I just have to shake off a thought slowly building up in my head.
"Hey, Kim."
"Uh huh.?" He looked at me.
"Do you... like... that nerdy little kid?"
"What?????"
"I just noticed... never mind. Good night."
He scoffed before saying, "See you tomorrow."
"See you." me ending the night's conversation as I walked towards our porch.
He likes him alright.
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stoked_souL says: nothing special in this chapter.
comments, suggestions and violent reactions are appreciated.
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