I sat quietly in my introduction to chess class as my teacher Mr. Chambers was showing us how to move and capture other pieces with a rook. My seat was in the farthest row to the left and four seats back, behind some hyper active kid who could never stop shaking and moving around. He would always turn around and look at me, tapping uncontrollably on my desk or just watching.
"DeAndre, turn around and pay attention." Mr. Chambers warned him, as he continued to lecture. It seemed like DeAndre had the highest level of ADHD; at least that's what I thought. His half-brother Anthony, was sitting a few seats ahead of us, some people called him "Byrd" or "Byrd Man". Byrd was their last name. Anthony turned to his brother and gave him a stank look.
"Andre, leave her the fuck alone. Damn." He curled up his lips and rolled his eyes. I couldn't help but laugh, Anthony was funny as hell. He was one of those guys who was really feminine but wasn't gay, he always had some sly comment, but it was always hilarious.
"Always acting up like them damn roaches in the hallway. Can you say, DIRTY." Anthony joked, meanwhile AyZon was smacking his lips at Anthony from across the room.
"Shut up Byrd, dang. I'm tryna learn chess." He complained.
"You ain't gonna know how to play anyways, so shut yo ass up." Byrd fired back. I was extremely entertained by the bickering, but I didn't interfere.
"Quiet! Stop all this childishness." Mr. Chambers slammed his hand on the desk in front of him. "Grow up, all of you."
The room was ultimately silenced, as I expected. It was my third year in this "prestigious" summer program called Upward Bound, and Mr. Chambers was in charge of the entire program. I briefly thought back to his blunt saying in his speech during orientation, "I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last."
Yes, he said that. Hilarious, right ?
"Can anyone tell me how to set up a chess board?" Mr. Chambers asked, scanning the room.
Breaking my thoughts, my attention turned to the only white boy in the class. Mr Know-It-All, also known as James, the arrogant but extremely attractive asshole. James was always quick to answer any question.
"Furthest row back beginning with Rook, Bishop, Knight, King, Queen, Knight, Bishop and Rook. All of the pawns go in the front." He grinned cleverly. Too bad he was wrong.
"I'm sorry James, but you're a little mixed up there." Mr. Chambers chuckled at his attempt. "Would anyone else like to try?"
I sat back and tried to avoid eye contact with Mr.Chambers, but unfortunately my plan to avoid him, failed.
"Ms.Wright?"
I cringed. "Yeah?"
"Can you name the correct order of the pieces?"
I let out a deep breath. "Rook, KNIGHT, Bishop, King, Queen, Bishop, KNIGHT, and Rook. Pawns all lined up in the row in front of them. The set up is the same on the other side of the board, except the placement of the King and Queen are reversed."
Everyone turned to look at me like I was some chess wizard.
"Very good. I see this isn't your first rodeo with chess." Mr. Chambers nodded with approval. "Now, lets take a look at this video..." Everyone focused their attention on the projector screen in the front of the room.
James had looked back at me and grinned; I smirked and rolled my eyes. I had a boyfriend, but there was something about that white boy that I just couldn't put my finger on.
