CHAPTER ONE: NIGHT OF THE END

"A Chess Club?" Our Principal asked

"Arghhh... Not this again. Nareen, we talked about this. We can't have a chess club this year. Look."

He handed a paper towards Nareen

It was a list of all the places Unity World Academy had made throughout the years, always ending up fourth place, fifth place, and the least being sixth place

He grabbed the paper back and continued: "We have much better board games like checkers, game of generals and screw it-- maybe even shoji! those are sports that made it into the top 3 last year and the years before that!"

Nareen leaned back: "Well yeah.. But at the time we didn't have a proper coach, and now look! I present to you.."

He walked towards the door and opened it

"Tadaa!! Our very own Coach for this year!"

A man walked in silently and stood next to Nareen

The School Principal shook his head and held his face: "You're helpless Nareen... I understand your determination but in the end we're the one who have to pay for it! The losses, the entry fee and.."

Nareen cut in: "That was last year! Aaandd.. Did you know? A prodigy is coming to our school! Though I don't know who-- there are murmurs around school that he's here! In our field!"

He shook his head: "Your basis on why we should have a chess club is based on rumors?"

"W-Well No! I'm saying while we have this opportunity we should take it! We have Elara.. Me! Mireya! and a bunch of more cool people!"

He placed his hands on his desk and looked back at Nareen: "If only we had that kid Matt Suen in our school I'd consider...."

He grabbed the Principals hand and his eyes lit up like a child with a toy: "Trust me.. It'll be worth it."

He looked towards the Coach: "And you're...?"

Nareen interrupted: "Baah! No need for formalities, I trust him and you trust me? Riiight?"

Tempted, He replied: "Fine, but if we don't place semi-finalist you're paying for the damages our school will face, and there won't ever be a chess club!"

"Trust is an overstatement." He muttered


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MARCO VILLANUEVA...

I walked around school bored,

"Another wasteful day.." I muttered

I stumbled across a poster that was covered by other club posters

"JOIN THE CHESS CLUB! HELD BY YOURS TRULY! NAREEN KAYA!"

"What a weirdo." I thought

I looked around to see if anyone else was interested in joining the chess club

"Ooooh look an arts club! The President is super pretty too!" A bystander remarked

"Yeah but look! the history club is booming right now. Apparently they won an award last year!"

My friend walked up towards me: "I see you're interested in the chess club Marco, that's so like you! But hey, what about this?" He showed me a poster of the checkers club

"It's way better Marco!"

I hesitated: "I'm not any good at checkers, last time I played was a few years ago... plus it's too basic."

"B-Basic?? I'll show you what's basic! Look, the horse in that game literally moves like an L and the king although the most important piece moves by one tile! That's basic!"

I muttered under my breath: "W-Well it's much more than that actually.."

"Look, all I'm saying is if you're that nerdy to join the chess club then go for it." 

He stormed off away

"T-Thanks? I guess?"

I turned around and bumped into a cold first year, the same year as me but he was way taller.. way taller.. He had long black hair that covered his eyes and he was eyeing the chess club as well

"Tsk, A chess club and what's with this old guy doing next to the poster." He asked, pointing towards the face of the President plastered onto the poster

He noticed me and stopped: "Woops.. Didn't mean to talk to myself."

I chuckled: "It's fine! w-what about you? are you joining the chess club?"

He thought, looking up towards the roof: "Hmmmm... I'll see, apparently there's still a week until registration closes so why not?"

I replied: "If so, I'll see you then!"