𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 | rini & jolivia oneshots

matched to my intellect

Two chess masters meet their matches.

Lizzie is played by Talia Ryder, the girl who costars Olivia in Deja Vu. Jordan is played by Jace Norman.

Nini

"Checkmate!" I said triumphantly.

Lizzie groaned. "You always win, Nini." She handed me a ten.

"Yeah, too bad I'm moving next week," I said. "I won't get to play any more games with you and Beth and Mark."

"But hey, you've beat us all!" my best friend exclaimed, throwing her hands up. "I don't know when you'll meet your match."

For years, I'd been unmatched when it came to playing chess. I could beat anyone, the teachers, my parents, even my dentist.

"I've played everyone!" I sighed. "I don't know if there's anyone else in the world who might be my match."

"One can only hope," Lizzie said. "Promise you'll write?"

I hugged her. "Promise."

Her worried blue eyes turned over, and tears started springing out from the corners.

"Don't cry, I'll be back for the holidays," I whispered, rubbing her back. "It's just a few years in Salt Lake. I'll still be a big city girl. And I'll always have time with you to play a game online."

Ricky

"And checkmate!" I exclaimed.

Jordan groaned. "You're too good, Ricky," he said. "Is there anyone you haven't beat yet?"

"In this school?" I asked. "Nah, safe to say I've beaten all of 'em."

"Do you think...out there in this world, there's someone that can beat me?"

"There is," Jordan said. "Someone."

——The Next Day——

"Checkmate!" I sighed once again as I beat my best friend——for the hundredth time.

"Big city girl's coming," Big Red said. "Heard she's good at chess."

That immediately caught my attention. But my heart sank. "No, Red, I've beat 'em all. Just once, I really want to be matched."

"She's the one, I swear," Big Red said seriously. "She may be a New Yorker, but she's amazing. She's beat Mr. Mazzara, she's beat the nurse, and a bunch of students. And she's just arrived last week!"

"Maybe she can beat me," I said in wonder.

"C'mon, she's your newest conquest! You've beaten everyone here in the past ten years."

———Library——

"Hey," I said, looking at the boy in front of me.

"You're Nini? The girl I've been hearing so much about?"

"Yeah," I smiled. "You must be Ricky."

We shook hands politely.

"I've heard you're a chess player."

"I am. Would you like to?"

"It would be my pleasure."

We took a seat at the table, and Ricky tossed me the bag of chess pieces from beneath the table.

"Let's play."

We settled down for an intense game, and soon others had begun to watch. This guy was a tough opponent. We went back and forth, capturing pieces until it was just a rook and a bishop.

I took his bishop, and soon, it was just rook and king to king.

After chasing him around the board for a while, I finally cornered him.

"Checkmate."

He smiled and shook my hand. "Good game! You're the first person that's ever beat me, really."

"You're a tough opponent," I said.

"Maybe you'd want to hook up over the weekend and play some more matches?"

"Why not?"

We slipped each other our numbers and ended up spending every weekend playing chess matches. I always made sure to tell Lizzie what was going on, since she had been obsessed with finding me a special someone ever since high school.

"We're just friends," I rolled my eyes.

"Uh-huh," she said with that I-don't-think-so tone.

Two years later...

Ricky

Respect turned into a mutual friendship. Friendship friend into admiration. Admiration slowly became something more. I think this is something called...love?

It came up one day accidentally while we were playing another match.

"You okay, Ricky?" Nini chuckled. "You've been off, and the moves you've been throwing are just crazy. Care to tell me what's on your mind?"

"Uh...my mind's been on something else," I stammered. "I mean, someone else."

"Oooh, who's the unlucky girl?"

"It's you, Nini!" I yelled. "I love you!"

I immediately covered my mouth with my hand. Just like that, it was out.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry! I'll leave!"

I grabbed my messenger bag and headed for the door, but I was stopped by a small hand on my back.

"You love me?" her voice quieted.

"So what if I do?"

Her response was pressing a feather-light kiss to my cheek.

"What if I said that I did, too?"

I stood still for a moment, but then kissed her back.

Soon, it may or may not have turned into a makeout session.

-----Three months later, Christmas-----

"Lizzie!" I yelled as I hugged her tightly.

"Neeners!" she squealed. "You're back for the holidays! How's Salt Lake? Ricky?"

"I guess I've met my match, not in one way, but two," I smiled at Lizzie.

Sorry for that sad chapter,

Zazathepsycho.