COMMAND

Forty

Trees lined the path, branches weaving together to support a canopy. People were walking their dogs and the kids were playing with each other. You could hear a steady slap of a jogger's footsteps, kids laughing and yelling, and distant horns. We were seated on a warm blanket, grass prickling against my toes and the sun's warmth on my face.

It was Saturday afternoon, and West and I were at the park, seated on a blanket with a chessboard in front of us. Don't ask me how this happened because I couldn't begin to tell you. One day we were joking about playing chess, and the next thing I knew, West was calling me to play chess every Sunday. If I told you Rogue was okay with me spending time with my ex-boyfriend, I would be lying to you. He was jealous that I still kept in contact with West, even though he never did tell me to stop talking to him.

I wasn't good at chess and neither was West, but we found comfort in the fact that it was keeping us in contact with each other. Any awkwardness that I felt towards him had long been diminished, and now I felt comfortable enough to be in his presence. We both were.

"You know I'm going to kick your ass," I said, scrutinizing the board carefully, my fingers grazing the black king, moving it to a diagonal space forward while looking West directly in the eyes and smiling.

"That's what you said the last time," he replied instantly. "And you keep moving your king to a vulnerable position."

I shrugged. "I kinda love sending my king into battle. I know he will survive."

West snorted, setting his white piece down firmly four spaces away in a direct confrontation with a black pawn, his lips curving upwards ever so slightly at the corners. "You're arrogant for someone who will lose, yet again."

"I thought you didn't know how to play this game. Were you lying to me?"

He looked up at me from the chessboard. "There's nothing wrong with withholding information." He looked back to the board and placed a delicate finger on a black piece, moving it diagonally until it neatly pushed a white knight out of the square. The knight fell directly into the discarded pile on the side of the board, clicking against the other pieces.

Apparently, chess was hard and I could never win against West. The board was covered with strategic black pieces still in play.

"What's the point of playing if I'm never going to beat you?" I moved my hand toward the nearby bishop, intending to pick it up but stopped. "You already know my moves."

He grinned. "I suck at chess, but you're an easy opponent."

"So, I'm only here to boost your ego? Because you know you won't be able to beat anyone else but me."

"Isn't that what good friends do?" He chuckled after making another move. The game was already nearing an end and it was clear he was the one who was going to win. "Make your predictable moves, Beth."

I glared at him. "Next time, I'm choosing a game I can beat you in."

"Good luck. I've played every game you know just so no one could beat me easily."

"I didn't know you were competitive," I remarked, lifting my brows. "You didn't bring that energy when you were dating me."

West's mouth quivered in amusement, cocking his head to one side. It was his move next, but he wasn't making any. "Are you implying that I should have competed with Rogue?" With a snort, he looked down at the chessboard. "It was pointless anyway. You were already head over heels in love with him."

"I wasn't!" I almost choked, then sheepishly lowered my gaze because he could be right. West could have caught on to it earlier than I did, and even though we were friends now and it was past us, I still felt embarrassed and guilty that I went out with him despite having feelings for another man. It made it even worse that he knew my heart and mind were with someone else.