Out of Place [Cobra Kai OC x Robby Keene]

93 - Check

"Check!" Miguel says quickly, trying to contain his excitement. Oh shit... wait, never mind, I can get out of this. I move my king in between a rook and the queen, knowing full well he'll take my queen within a move or two. This is risky... really risky... but if I move that there... and the pawn there... I got rid of a lot of his pieces... sometimes you have to take risks in order to come out on top in the end. He takes my queen, as predicted, and his grin widens, but he moves a hand in front of his face to cover it up. Yeah.. that might be warranted... I move my pawn closer to the end of the board.

"Check again," he says. He looks like he's about to have a heart attack, but in a good way. I feel like I'm about to have a heart attack but in a bad way. I just nod, focusing on the board. His king is almost unprotected. I have pawns blocking his queen from moving back to it, and he's got a rook there, but on the wrong side. I move my king out of harms way for the third time, this time knowing it's safe. He can't get it in one move, but he probably could in two or three.

His queen chases down my king, ready to attack once more. Moment of truth... I take a moment to analyze the board one last time, making sure my strategy is sound. He moves down, I chase him, he can't move to either side, because I'd just go after him... diagonal, I can get him... it would take him three moves to hide behind the closest pawn. Okay... I guess if I lose, I lose. It's alright. I move my pawn to the last spot on his side of the board, exchanging it for a queen.

"Checkmate," I say quietly. The smile is wiped off of Miguel's face as he scans the board for conformation, falling when he realizes that I do, in fact, have him in checkmate. He falls back on the couch in defeat.

"I was so close that time!" he says. He was. One wrong move and I would've been the one in checkmate.

"You were indeed," I say, smiling at him as I start putting the pieces back in the bag. He helps me, shaking his head a little.

"I just don't get it. I'm gonna beat you one of these days," Miguel says. I laugh lightly.

"I know you will. I'll throw a party when you do," I say. He grins.

"With chocolate chip cookies?"

"Obviously,"

"You better watch out, I'm coming for you," he says, shouldering his backpack as he stands up, "thanks for waking up early to play. I just... couldn't get it off my mind."

"Yeah, of course, it was fun," I say, doing the same. I don't mind. Show choir is over for the season, so I didn't have anything, but I'm still used to waking up early, so it was okay.

"You ready to go?"

"Yep," he replies. We both make our way to my car, then set off for the school.

"So... Sam told me about this mysterious boyfriend you supposedly have," Miguel says after a few moments of silence. My heart twinges with guilt, my face going red hot. Of course Sam told him. Of course.

"I- uhm- yeah..." I respond, flustered. Is this really the conversation we need to have in the car on the way to school? Come on...