Chapter 14 - Maka

Meanwhile, in Sam and Ereen's room, the two are sitting in the middle of the room between each other's beds. Both girls are heavily thinking, playing a game of checkers. Sam has an intense look on her face, her mind going into a critical meltdown over what move to make. Ereen, however, is a lot calmer, grinning maliciously at Sam at the fact she is better than her at the game.

Sam makes a move, taking one piece from Ereen, but this is what she planned for. Ereen laughs, and it struck Sam with horror. She reaches for her piece, instantly removing the last four of Sam's red checker pieces in one move. Sam's mouth hangs open as her soul leaves her body in defeat. Ereen grins, victorious at their game of checkers.

"How did you get so good at checkers?" Sam asks in amazement.

"Well, I am the current leader of the Chess Club after all. Checkers is just kids' chess." Ereen replies smugly.

"Ok, pause. You're the leader of the Chess club?"

"Yeah? Is that a problem?"

"No! It's just... you're so... you know... mean?"

Ereen takes offense at this comment and gets embarrassed. Her face turns red, and she scowls at Sam.

"I-I'm not mean! I just know my worth is all..."

She crosses her arms and tilts her head upwards, closing her eyes.

"Hmph."

Sam's left eye twitches, a little annoyed by the attitude.

"Sure thing, princess."

She gets up off the floor and stretches, yawning.

"Well, it's getting pretty late since we already showered. I say it's bedtime."

Ereen peaks out of one eye and looks up at Sam. She lowers her head and opens both her eyes back, uncrossing her arms.

"I suppose you're right. It wouldn't be right of me to keep you up all night losing at checkers."

Sam throws a small tantrum, stomping her foot and waving her arms.

"Listen! I won't lose next time ok? This was a warm-up!"

Ereen gets up off the floor, giggling at Sam's flamboyance. She walks over to her bed and dives into the blanket. Sam calms down and does the same, both sighing with relief at how comfortable the beds were.

"You know, Ereen, you aren't as mean as some say. You haven't even made a rude comment since we left school. If anything, it's cute how excited you've been with planning how we can get Kareen's attention."

Sam rolls over under her blanket, now looking across to Ereen's bed, both girls resting their heads on pillows. Ereen blushes and tries to torment Sam.

"Don't get any wrong ideas! I'm just after one thing, ok? This is a temporary truce!"

She rolls over quickly, leaving Sam to stare at her back. Sam giggles at how cute she acts when frustrated. She stops and just smiles at Ereen, who is blushing like a tomato.

"A truce, huh? Well, I think we're past that now. Let's just say we are friends, ok?"

Sam turns off the lights in the room with the nightstand switch and rolls over in her bed to get comfortable.

"Goodnight, Ereen."

"N-Night..."

Sam quickly falls asleep, while Ereen, lying in her blanket, thinks about her words.

"You dummy... Who would be friends with me..."

She pulls the blanket over her mouth and closes her eyes, peacefully falling asleep with a hidden smile. The hotel grows quiet as the night sky fills with moonlight. In the last group, Kareen and Maka are both sound asleep, but something is aloof.

Maka peeks her eyes open, making sure Kareen is asleep. She slowly gets out of her bed, sneaking over to Kareen's bed. She stands over her, looking down, expressionless.

Maka slowly reaches towards her nightstand and takes her phone. She turns it on, noticing no password or lock. Maka smirks creepily, unlocks her phone, and browses. She snoops into Kareen's photo gallery and stops at a certain photo.

"Disgusting."

She looks on in disgust at a photo of Kareen and Ereen posing together, both girls blushing and smiling at each other. She tightens her grip on the phone and selects multiple photos from Kareen's gallery. She then shares them over to her phone, removing the evidence of her tampering.

"You won't get in my way, Ereen."

She sets Kareen's phone back down quietly and sneaks back into her bed. She has a malicious grin as she looks at the photos of Kareen she sent herself. Her face turns red, and she squirms slightly underneath her blanket. She bites her lip and rubs her finger gently across Kareen's digital face.

"You're so beautiful Kareen, I must have you. I WILL have you!"

She fidgets and squirms while Kareen sleeps peacefully, unaware of the monster across the room in the other bed. The moon shines through their hotel window, a shooting star flying behind the clouds and city lights.

The Osaka school trip is in full swing.