Fate (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 19

AESOP
"Cheers for the very first winning BlackJack team! You did a great job, Aesop!"

Emily had huddled every of the BlackJack participants from the earlier round in the lounge with a large number of snacks on the tables. And from the corner of my eyes, I noticed her hands hiding something in her back.

Jeez. What's with everyone being super social here? Do all these people never get tired of people-ing?

I decided to have my head resting on the table when I saw Eli from the other side. He looked like he had just ran a marathon from the way his lips opened and closed, not to mention that he kept on nudging Naib with his gaze focused on me before walking away.

Well to be honest, both the seer and I have not been talking to each other and not bothering to have any direct eye contact ever since the day I broke loose on him. If he's just gonna stare at me with his you should approach and apologize to me look, it's his problem, not mine. There's no way I'm doing that.

"The winning champ's a star eh? And all this feast... damn! I could use a massive headstart after all those moments of running and avoiding hunters!" William said, letting his rugby drop to the floor, creating a faint thud in the process.

I sighed.
Too much talk, William.

I had my head resting on my hands, my whole attention on the white tiled floor as if they were glued there. It is almost nighttime, the moonlight starting to show its rays through the windows.

I let my own head take me a trip down the memory lane. So much has happened today, but the one that made my heart leap to its joy was BlackJack. I don't know why, but it is special to me despite all the chaos between Hastur and Wu Chang earlier.

No. I am well aware of the reason behind it.

Come to think of it, what exactly could he be doing now?
Is he off to somewhere full of scenery where he can take pictures at will?
He's a good photographer, is he?
What made him so good at it?

I traced the BlackJack badge I was given earlier. He, along with me, had received the same badge. We fistbumped real hard that I can still feel the warmth of his hands.

For the first time in my life, I actually have this feeling of missing someone.

Social interactions have always been one of those things I hate the most, but it all changed the moment I met him.
He's all I want.

"Carl, hey!" Naib's squeaky voice said, making me jump out of my seat in surprise.
"Chill out, dude! What's wrong? You're acting weird!"

My head snapped up the moment he talked to me. Everything then starts hitting into me. Naib, William, Vera, Helena, plus Emily had been here along with me for this so-called victory celebration, yet I had gotten into my own trance with the five of them being here to witness it.

"Huh? What do you mean?" I asked, the harsh taste of lies having its presence in the back of my tongue.

"Dude.. do you really have no idea? You had your head resting on the table the whole time, and you didn't even respond us talking to you! Are you alright? Is your headache back to you or something? Should I tell Emily to call this off?"

Naib was still talking when I noticed Michiko dashing around in the back of the curtain separating the two sides. Yes. This curtain separates everything in this manor aside from the rooms.

I squinted my eyes to get a better look and to see whether it is indeed her or my mind playing tricks on me. To my surprise, it is her. Her hands were forming random gestures towards.... me?