WHOSE DEDUCTION SHOW?

10: BREAKING THE ICE

Chapter 10: Breaking the Ice

LORELEI

NAKAHANDA na ang mga plato’t baso sa wooden table sa dining hall nang dumating kami. Nakahain na rin ang mga pagkain pero nakatakip ang mga ito ng stainless steel na food cover. We couldn’t see what our meals would be for dinner. If the showrunners wanted to pull off a prank, they could put frogs, spiders, or snakes inside.

“Please take your seats!” Damian gestured to the vacant seats around the table. “Ipinatawag ko na rin ang mga boy detective natin. They seem to be bonding so well.”

I doubt that’s the case. Maybe Alistair enjoyed making friends with our rivals. But Loki? He wouldn’t. I could imagine him ignoring the whole conversation.

Jamie and I sat next to each other while Amber and Math did the same on the opposite side. Pareho kaming umupo malapit sa host.

“Saktong-sakto, nagugutom na ako!” Jamie was about to remove the food cover, but . . .

“Teka lang!” Damian stopped her. Napalakas ang kanyang boses kaya napaangat ang parehong balikat ni Jamie. “Alam kong gutom na gutom na kayo, but can we wait until the boys arrive?”

“Titingnan ko lang kung ano ang ulam na ihahain n’yo sa amin,” Jamie insisted na may halong pagpapa-cute.

“Hindi pa naman ako mauunang kumain sa kanila.”

“I suggest na hintayin natin ang mga kasama n’yo,” pagpupumilit din ng host na may kasamang ngiti. “We have an ice breaker prepared for you.”

Hindi na pumalag pa si Jamie at bumalik na lang sa pagkakasandal sa kanyang upuan. She thought that her convincing skills would work, but it didn’t. Normally boys would give in to her charms, but not our host.

“Let me guess,” Amber spoke, folding her arms. She squinted her eyes at the food before us. “You want us to deduce what’s inside those food covers, right?”

Damian smiled. “As expected from our detective candidates. You can see right through our plans. Spot-on deduction, Amber.”

“That’s not actually a deduction.” Math jumped in the conversation. “Common sense lang ang ginamit nitong si Amber. And it’s pretty obvious kung ano ang pinaplano n’yo. Even a sixth grade student can make the same conclusion.”

Amber just ignored the remarks of her seatmate.
We then heard footsteps coming from the hallway. Al, Jeremy, and Gray were walking closer together while Loki was behind them, looking isolated as always. I guess their getting to know part didn’t go well.

“Please take your seats!” Damian gestured to the vacant seats on the other end of the table. “Mukhang mas naging close na kayo compared kanina, ah?”

“Hindi pa masyadong comfortable si Loki sa akin,” Jeremy said. “Pero magagawan ko ‘yan ng paraan. Medyo nahihiya pa kasi siya. Bukas, paggising natin, close na kami.”

“Hindi mo mapipilit ang ayaw,” hirit ni Gray. “You better leave him alone. No offense, but unlike Alistair, he doesn’t seem to be open to the idea of friendship. Something must have happened in the past kaya ganyan ang kanyang attitude.”

“Or maybe I’m not that interested in the exercise you call ‘making friends?’” Loki muttered. “Only Alistair is interested in making you his acquaintance. And I’m not Alistair.”

“As I said over and over again, there’s nothing wrong with making friends.” Al smiled. “Shall we take our seats?”

Umupo sa hilera namin sina Loki at Al habang sa hilera naman nina Amber at Math sina Gray at Jeremy.