CHAPTER FOUR: A LITTLE STORY FROM THE PAST

THIRD: ELIAS VERNE
FOURTH: JONAH CALDER
FIFTH: SEBASTIAN HALE
SIXTH: ALDEN KUROSE"

"That guy." Narreen muttered, staring at Michael after being crowned first, "He's a prodigy, and is one of the only people who can fuel my sickness for chess." 

Narreen switched his gaze to the next batch of students about to compete, and he looked directly at me, screaming "LETS GO FOR IT SKINNY GUY!", I gave him an irritated look back as a response, and he chuckled 

I turned around once more and saw Mateo and Liam staring back at me, I gave them a small thumbs up and Liam stuttered shouting "G-G-G-GOO GET THE WIN!!", I turned back around towards the pool and looked down on the water

The sports coordinator eventually yelled "GO!!" and we immediately launched towards the pool, I could feel the rush of exhilaration closely follows suit as i spent all my energy on swimming in the water, 

Though faint I could hear a brief yell, "LESTSHJ GO MARCO!" from where Liam was, and I rushed faster.

The ending felt close, I had been swimming for about an estimation of 20 seconds, before I heard a yell, I soon reached the end and got up, climbing atop the ridge and laying down on the floor, I was 2nd

SECOND BATCH PLACINGS:
FIRST: ——
SECOND: MARCO VILLANUEVA
THIRD: ——
FOURTH: ——
FIFTH: ——
SIXTH: ——

I stood up and walked away, not noticing the sports coordinator tried to shake my hand, I went inside the locker room and got my towel but once i closed my locker I turned to my right to see Michael Fauante on his phone, he glanced up and noticed me, but didn't say anything

I started the conversation by saying "Hey you, What's your deal? I've heard alot about you but what's up with being a dickhead?"

Michael stayed quiet, turning his back on me and slowly walking away

"I get that you're some kind of prodigy but wait long enough and I'll cut the scales off you."

Michael then stopped, turning around and looked directly at me, "You think a bunch of mediocre first years are enough to beat me?", and scoffed, continuing "You and your lackeys a bunch of shit."

I got mad and walked towards him, aiming to walk past him but once we crossed paths I looked up and said "Just wait long enough, they say the bigger they are the mightier they fall." and walked past him going inside the bathroom

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ONE MONTH BEFORE DISTRICT MEET.....

The Coach walked in alongside Nareen and Michael, who folded up two foldable tables, and placed chairs infront and behind it, "Good afternoon everyone! So.. Let's continue the tryouts! This will prove how capable you are against the best of the best, This time.. 4 per gender will be chosen as for sudden rule changes."

Nareen blurted "Come try me." facing towards the audience, while Michael stayed quiet, and they soon placed themselves on their respective chairs

"This will go alphabetically, and you may begin!"

I sat next to Mateo and Liam, and we discussed between each other, "Well, I guess im in for a redo, since I've faced both of them I'll tell you all you need to know." Mateo said

"NO!" Liam yelled "I DONT NEEDZ ZHAT!! JUSH WATCH!"

I added "Yeah it feels sort of unfair, I want my game to be fresh."

The students came and went, quickly leaving as fast as they came towards the board, Nareen slowly getting exhilarated after every win, "8 WINS IN A ROW BABY!" He yelled out raising his hands in the air

Me, Mateo and Liam sat together, strategizing "Rivera... Suen.. and Villanueva... That mean's I'm last!" I said, pointing towards myself, "Good for you." Mateo glanced, looking back at the competition 

"IM HOPING FOR ATLEASHT FOURSH PLASH IN ZHISH!!" 

Wait, if Nareen and Michael are for sure the first and second players, that leaves two for just us... One of us will have to go out...

I decided to keep this information to myself, before Mateo finally got called out... He faced against Nareen but I decided not to focus on his game, but from a distance I could hear "COME ONNN LITTLE BOY!!"  

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!!" 

"HEY! NO SWEARING!"

I chuckled slightly and Liam walked away deciding to spectate Mateo's game, and I planned to devise, 

I watch Mateo across the board, and I already know what he’s going to do. Fast, aggressive, eyes burning with that overconfidence he always carries. He pushes pawns forward before checking the consequences, knights darting without care, a predictable pattern I’ve memorized over countless sessions. He’s not bad—it’s just that he’s always the same.

Nareen leans back, a grin tugging at his lips, every move exaggerated, like he’s performing on stage. Sacrifices a pawn here, flicks his queen there. Classic Nareen. I can almost hear him narrating the match in his head. Mateo bites, reacts to the theatrics, and I can feel him starting to overthink.

"Oh the horror!" Nareen Dramatized 

Mateo moves his rook aggressively. Nareen’s knight jumps, cutting off the line. I already knew this. I can see the subtle signs—the twitch of Mateo’s hand, the narrowing of his eyes. He’s panicking just slightly, the tempo of his play already slipping.

"Shit!" Mateo muttered

I analyze, quietly, almost clinically. If Mateo keeps pushing, he’ll leave his king exposed on the kingside. Nareen will exploit it. If he retreats too early, Nareen’s theatrics will dominate the board.

As Mateo and Nareen keep playing, Michael's game ends and Liam is called on board "M-ME!!??" He asked pointing towards himself, "Yeah You!" Our coach said optimistically, and walked towards the board against Michael 

"Well he's definitely fucked." I thought, It’s fascinating, watching someone so young play with such control. Michael’s style is methodical, almost clinical—he doesn’t overextend, he doesn’t show emotion, yet there’s power in how he dominates the board.

As Nareens game swiftly ends, Mateo walks back to me, defeated "Well, that sucked, Mr-Show-Off over there mopped the floor with me. he didn’t just play to win; he played like he was performing, every piece a reflection of his emotions, He's deepwoken."

"What a weird way to word it." I chuckled, "Well you'd be surprised, hey, speak of the devil, You're up next."

"VILLANUEVA!" our coach yelled out and I followed slowly, I was placed infront of Nareen, "Ah, a familiar face!" He pointed out, "Likewise." I replied 

Nareen snapped the travel board open like it was a party trick, pieces already clicking into place before Marco even sat down. “White or black?” he asked, grinning, already confident.

Marco took white without a word.

“Bold,” Nareen hummed. “I like bold.”

Marco pushed his pawn forward. Pawn to e4. Clean. Direct.

“Oh?” Nareen’s grin widened as he answered immediately. Pawn to c5. “Let’s dance, then.”

Knight to f3. Knight to c6. Bishop to b5. The opening unfolded fast, familiar territory. Marco’s moves were sharp but controlled, no wasted motion. Nareen leaned back, rocking his chair slightly as he replied with pawn to d6, bishop to d7, developing like he had all the time in the world.

“Relax,” Nareen said. “You’re playing like the board owes you money.”

Marco didn’t answer. He castled early, rook sliding into place. Nareen delayed his own king, sliding a pawn on the queenside instead, then another. S
low pressure. Marco frowned for half a second — then pushed c3, preparing the center.

The midgame arrived quietly. Too quietly.

Marco struck first, breaking the center with d4. Pawns collided, knights jumped in, pieces came off the board. Marco leaned forward now, eyes locked, calculating. Nareen was still smiling, still talking. “Careful, careful. Overextension is how dreams die.”

Marco ignored him and pushed again. Pawn to a4, gaining space. Rook to e1. Bishop to c4. His pieces were active, threatening.

Nareen’s smile thinned.

He castled at last. Rook slid. Queen repositioned. Suddenly Marco’s pressure felt… answered. Every lane he tried to open closed just before it mattered.

Marco went aggressive. A pawn storm on the kingside. g-pawn forward.

Nareen stopped rocking his chair.

“Risky,” he murmured, but there was no joke in it now as his bishop slid into position, pinning a knight. Marco exchanged anyway. Pieces vanished. The board simplified — and somehow, it favored Nareen.

Marco tried to force it. A rook lift. A queen check. Nareen blocked, traded, absorbed. His replies were quiet now. Efficient.

Then it happened.

Marco pushed a pawn deep — e6 — cracking the position, threatening chaos. For the first time, Nareen leaned forward.

“…Interesting.”

He didn’t hesitate. He captured. Then another capture. Marco’s initiative fizzled, replaced by a tense endgame where Nareen’s pieces were just better placed.

Moves passed. Rooks slid. Knights danced. Pawns marched. Marco’s brow furrowed. He was defending now. Nareen stopped talking entirely.

Marco swallowed. Promotion threats appeared. Marco pushed his own pawn, racing towards the finish line, I let out a breath of fresh air, Nareen staggered with only one black tiled bishop left, against my past pawn and my own black tiled bishop guarding my pawn

“That’s… wow.” No theatrics. No dramatics. Just disbelief curdling into something sour. He looked at the board again, as if hoping it would apologize.

Nareen gathered his pieces with shaking hands, not caring where they went. One pawn fell off the table. He didn’t pick it up. For the first time, he didn’t have something to say.

1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 d6
3. Bc4 g6
4. O-O Bg7
5. c3 Nf6
6. Re1 O-O
7. Bb3 b5
8. d4 cxd4
9. cxd4 Bb7
10. e5 dxe5
11. dxe5 Qxd1
12. Rxd1 Ne4
13. Be3 e6
14. a4 b4
15. a5 Na6
16. Nbd2 Nac5
17. Bc4 Nxd2
18. Nxd2 Rfc8
19. a6 Bd5
20. f4 Bxc4
21. Nxc4 Nb3
22. Nd6 Nxa1
23. Nxc8 Rxc8
24. Rxa1 Rc7
25. Rc1 Rxc1+
26. Bxc1 g5
27. Be3 gxf4
28. Bxa7 Bxe5
29. Bc5 1–0

Michael leaned in towards Nareen saying "If you played better you might have won.", Nareen rebutted saying "Leave it." and I had to pick up the fallen pawn, I stood up and walked away

"YOOOOOO!!!!" Liam yelled running up towards me, and Mateo followed shortly and they jumped towards me for a group hug

"I cant believe you did that!" Mateo said "But don't get so cocky, I'll be sure to beat the three of you once I get better!", "WELL DONT WORRY ABOUSH ISH, WESH BEAT THEM SHOGETHER!!"

On the other side, Nareen kept a defeated face, Michael glanced towards him but didn't respond to his distraught, the next student came but Nareen couldn't keep his mind off the last game, and shortly after winning, he didn't react, didn't go back to his usual demeanor, instead he stared towards me, "God.. Damn it."

The coach walked up towards Nareen and pat his back "Hey, we can't win them all, So let's just leave it at that alright? You've been playing all day.", Nareen looked back at him but didn't react, Just letting his head hang back

In his thoughts, he felt that the hierarchy was destroyed now that another first year came and beat him, after being humiliated by Michael before, another loss devastated him, Nareen plays by the stakes, and losses means eternal humiliation for him, if Mateo would have won, who knows how devastated he would've been

"I'll get you back for this." Nareen murmured