Benny Watts - The Queens Gambit (English)

3

Elena's POV
The time is 7am I got up and got dressed put on a pair of jeans (I know a lot of people will look at me for this) and a black and white blouse I put my hair up in a classic bun I got my bag and went downstairs to where the tournament is being held. As soon as I got downstairs and went to the board to see who I was playing first and what time someone came up next to me and it was none other than Benny Watts "Good morning" he said "good morning Mr Watts " I said "you know you can I said, "Well, let's get to know each other, I'll buy you a coffee if you like" he said, and I thought about it, "Yesterday he hated me and today he's offering me coffee?" "Yesterday you hated me and today you're offering me coffee?" I asked him " it was my fault for talking to you like that and I want to make it up to you" he said and I thought about it for a while I looked into his eyes and his eyes were anxiously waiting for my answer "ok" I said and he smiled.

Benny's POV
"Okay" he said and I smiled we went to the hotel cafeteria and got coffee "sweet or medium?" I asked her "sweet" she said I picked up her coffee and handed it to her and we walked to the hotel balcony "what time are you playing again" I asked her "10 o'clock with a guy named Felcon" she said "it's easy if you open wide at first and aggressive you will get nervous and make a lot of mistakes" I said I helped her "are you helping me right now or is it me?" She asked me "yes...I am helping you" I said and took a sip of my coffee "if you play at 10 why do you get up so early" I asked her "I always wake up at 7 I always make coffee and play old chess games and try out techniques" she said and sat with her back against the balcony railings so she could see me better "yes that's good" I said ."Yesterday you compared me to Beth Harmon why ?"
She asked me and I got nervous "you remind me that your calmness is as spastic as Beth's" I replied and I remembered our second fight "she's gone from life" she said "yes unfortunately" I said "what if I may may I ask" she said and looked at me "I don't want to talk about it anyway we don't know each other well enough to tell you" I said and put the coffee on the table nearby "it's 9 o'clock and I'm playing in 10 minutes" I said and left.

Elena's POV
He turned his back to me and leaves and I see him walking down the hallway and at that moment I thought if I should run to stop him and talk to him and tell him that he wanted to get to know me better and get to know me and I did so I put the cup of coffee on the same table with him and ran "Mr. Watts " I said and he turned and looked at me with a curious look "Benny I mean" "tell me" he said "you I mean you came and asked me to get to know me so I think it would be good if we got to know each other better you know uh you know what I mean we can talk more after the games if you want to too?!" I told him and I could feel my heartbeat getting stronger one by one " ok I'll come by today around 8 o'clock and pick you up in the car and take you for a ride" he said and went to leave " oh and put your jeans on it looks better and I love that you don't care what people might say about you wearing jeans" he said and winked at me and left for some reason I smiled and walked over to the table where I was playing my first game of the day.

Benny's POV
I went to my table to play the first game and of course I'm doing very well but I think about the conversation with Elena, what was the reason I approached her? What draws me to get to know her when yesterday I hated her. "Mr Watts" my opponent said "yes" I said "are you playing" he said and I saw him press my watch to start "yes of course I'm playing" after half an hour I added another win to my list.
Now I was playing again at 11:30 and I went to Elena's table to see how it was going, there were a lot of people there again playing calmly as I looked at the board and saw that Elena hadn't made any mistakes. Felcon couldn't take the pressure any longer and put down his king and left.

Elena's POV
While I was playing I saw out of the corner of my eye that Benny came over and was watching Felcon put down his king and gave me his hand another win for me I smiled I got up and left walking past Benny he looked at me and followed me "I told you he wanted an attack at first to get nervous" he said "yes indeed your advice was good" I said "do you ever play again now?" He asked me "at 12" I replied "you beat him in 40 minutes wow" he said and took off his hat and fixed his messy hair a bit "did something happen" he said "no I was just thinking, what time do you play?" "In 50 minutes and then I'm leaving and I'm coming back tomorrow for the finals" he said "yeah"

Benny's POV
For some reason we were looking at each other intensely "yeah" she said and got up from the bar she was leaning on " I have to go to my room to get something I need" she said and left and I didn't have time to say anything and I watched her walk away and I left to go to the bulletin board to see who I was playing with next. I'm playing with someone Rupert fine until it's time to play I'll have a drink ,as I was having my drink I heard someone behind me shouting I couldn't hear what he was saying so I turned to look,I saw a man who had Elena pinned to the wall and was shouting at her about the jeans she was wearing "women are only for wearing dresses not trousers trousers are for men" he was shouting at her everyone was looking at them and no one turned to support her she wanted to talk and he wouldn't let her I went close "who do you think you are to talk to a woman like that" I said as I walked close "now who are you to talk" he said I got upset "her boyfriend and he's her right to wear what she wants" I replied and Elena looked at me curiously "and you let your girlfriend wear pants you probably don't respect your own pants" she said I laughed ironically and punched him right in the jaw and he spat blood and looked at me Helena came up behind me "next time you say anything about any girl and I'm in front I won't just stick to that" I said and picked her up and we left we went out on the balcony " are you ok?" I asked her she looked shocked "I think so" she replied. And she looked me in the eyes again I feel this strange feeling.

Elenas's POV
He looks me in the eyes and I feel the same thrill I feel whenever he looks me in the eyes He just hit someone in front of so many people for me he defended me he asked me if I'm okay but I'm shocked "do you want some water?" He asked me "no no I'm fine I'm just shocked" I replied "I guess" he said "how do you know how to hit so well ?" My question was invalid but at that moment it occurred to me how he could hit him so well and it bled him "it's a long story,past history" he said and came over to me and grabbed my waist "are you sure you're ok? You don't look so good" he asked me "yeah I'm fine I just never experienced anything like this before" I said "do you want me to take you to your room?" He asked me "yeah I think I need some peace and quiet away from the world" and we proceeded to my room and some photographers were taking pictures of us.