Gangster High 1 (The Art of Game) ✅

chapter 16: The Warning

Chapter 16

THE WARNING

I didn't plan to know more about the game. I hated being part of it, in fact. Nasanay kasi ako na walang nagdidikta kung ano ang dapat kong gawin. 'Yong malaya akong kumikilos. 'Yong ako ang batas sa sarili ko.

Pero simula nang lumaban ako sa Underground, pakiramdam ko'y laging de numero ang mga kilos ko. I felt like someone was watching me every-fucking-day. I felt like someone was going to stab me from behind anytime. The feeling was cringe and I didn't like it.

However, since I learned the history of the game especially when I heard the Player's voice for the first time, curiosity kicked in. Yes, he amazed me when Eduard told me about him, but it wasn't amazement at all that pushed me now to know him, to see him. His story was a legend as well as the Legendary Queen's story. Kung papalarin ay gusto ko silang makilala... silang dalawa.

May tatlong taong maaaring makapagturo sa akin kung sino ang Player. Unang-una na ay si Naami. After what happened at the cafeteria yesterday, I knew, she was related to the Player... somehow. Hindi s'ya poprotektahan ng mga bodyguard noon kung isa lamang s'ya sa mga walang kwentang estudyante rito.

The other two people were my own mother and Miss Meira. Based on their conversation yesterday, there was a possibility na kilala nila, personally, ang Player. Kay Miss Meira ay wala akong duda. She was a teacher here; involve sa larong ito noon pa man. Alam n'ya ang lahat.

But Tiarah? Why did she talk as if she knew who the Player was? Sinabi n'ya kahapon na ililigtas n'ya ako at wala s'yang pakialam kung gaano kalakas ang babanggain n'ya. Was it posible na she was once a part of this game? Could be true because the first time she came here, sinabi n'ya agad sa akin ang tungkol sa torture ng koronasyon. Noon pa lang ay napagtanto ko na dapat na maaaring nanggaling nga siya rito.

I wanted to ask her. I knew I would get nothing, but still, I had to give it a try.

Tahimik akong naupo ako sa guest's chair sa harap ng lamesa n'ya. All teachers in Rapsodhee High have their own rooms na nagsisilbing office nila. Tiarah's office was just next to Mr. Hontraver's.

"What are you doing here?" Tiarah asked.

Hindi ako nagsalita, sa halip ay wala sa loob na pinagmasdan ko s'ya. Minsan, naitatanong ko sa sarili ko kung nanay ko ba talaga ang isang ito. She was not the one who raised me. Palagi s'yang wala noon. Kung nasaan s'ya, I didn't fuckin' know. A very good relationship between a mother and a daughter, wasn't it?

Pero kahit pagbaliktarin ko man ang mundo, Tiarah was still my mother. In fact, kamukhang-kamukha n'ya ako. Mula sa katawan, sa tindig, sa mukha, at higit sa lahat ay sa pag-uugali. There was only one thing na ipinagkaiba namin. I didn't have the same eyes like hers. That was the only difference.

"If you're not going to talk, you can leave now. I have many things too—"

"I have something to ask," I said. Without waiting for her reply, I went on, "I want you to tell me who the Player is."

Tiarah's reaction was always neutral. I didn't know her that much, but my father once said that it was rare to see a reaction on her face. Just like now. Her eyes narrowed and she gritted her teeth. I tried to look calm, but deep inside, I was nervous.