Gambit Of Hearts

The Grand Clash Cup

"...So this is the final plan. Are you ready guys?!" I clapped together my hands as I finished drawing a wacky flowchart to make what I was doing, look more dramatic.

"Don't you worry Wills, we know what we have to do! We've got your back girl!!" Bailey, shared the same excitement. Bailey is that member of our group who loves dancing along troubles, and would 

"Wills, you take care of yourself and 

"Warden won't suspect her absence at dinner, she thinks Wills is sick. And we already know how to take care of the watchman." Bailey winked at me.

"So let's do it!" I squealed, with excitement overflowing through every pore of my body.

* * * * *

It may look as if I'm planning to break out of a prison or something, but fortunately that's not the case, yet. I'm planning my sneak out of the collage hostel. Now the question is why a so called 'miss-goody-two-shoe' would do such a rebellious thing? You'll get to know in a while.

* * * * *

Me and my accomplices were ready to execute the plan.

I took my hiding spot behind the guard room. I was ready to run out at Bailey and Linda's signal.

As we have planned, Bailey, wearing a mask of a panicked expression, came running to the watchman.

"My friend has tripped over a ditch in the ground, she has probably sprained her ankle." She lets out a tensed sigh.

"There's no one to help. I don't know what to do, please help me carry her to the dorm!" She pleaded. She is a natural actor.

I saw watchman running to the ground along with Bailey. And now as the checkpost was empty, I grabbed my chance to successfully sneak out.

* * * * *

I hoped into a cab at main road. I looked at my watch and it was 6:34 PM.

"It should take almost Forty-Five to reach there, and as it starts at 7:30 PM, I shouldn't worry about getting late." I smiled at the though.

Yeah, I didn't tell you what is this all for. The answer is simple- Obsession can make people go crazy. I'm doing this because I'm obsessed with CHESS.

Though chess sounds nerdy to my friends, I don't care about this. Love is blind and so is passion.

All that planing and plotting was to watch the Grand Clash Cup in our city, in which the strongest of the grandmasters from around the world will be playing. Moreover, my chess superstar, the national pride, Paxton Reeds, will be playing there too!!

What else of a reason is needed?

* * * * *

I arrived a bit late at the venue then I expected. I bought the pass and hurried my way to the auditorium where match was about to begin.

It was a huge air conditioned and soundproof auditorium but I was disappointed when I saw half of it was empty. The fact that chess is not enough popular among people always disheartened me.

However, this disappointment didn't last long as due to less crowd the seats in front rows were majorly empty!! Without wasting any time I grabbed a seat right in front of the table where Paxton would play.

A middle aged women was sitting right next to me, she looked effortlessly elegant. She had a red silk scarf wrapped around her neck. Her sleek brown hairs were neatly trimmed to her shoulders. Her dark brown eyes were reading a book on Najdorf Sicilian opening from behind a thin glass sheet of her her specs.

The book caught my attention. I remembered reading it, one of the best books on Najdorf Sicilian.

"You should be looking at that fine boy on the stage, instead to staring at this book." The lady whispered in my ear and I chuckled.

I didn't realise that the players were already seated and the match was started.

THE Paxton Reeds was sitting right in front of me!

WAIT! WHY IS HE LOOKING AT ME?!

The sorcery unveiled when I didn't realised I was lost, and it felt like everything around me has just stopped as his dense black eyes met mine. They stayed there for a couple of seconds, but those few seconds were enough to engrave those eyes in memories for an eternity.

————— END OF CHAPTER- I —————