Enchanted

Chapter 7

Sabrina

School had begun for 2 weeks, meaning I was two weeks into the month of August.

Geography lessons were killing me with mass movement and metamorphic rocks. Fortunately, we were having a group discussion on a new topic- the climate in different parts of the world and the species of wildlife and plants living there.

We were divided into a group of four. I was in a group with Brent, Calise and Sheena, working on the title Laurentian Climate.

"Would you guys like to do the honours by writing on the manila card?" Brent asked me and the other two girls since our handwriting is better than his. "Sure." I grabbed the fistful of colourful permanent markers from his hand and handed some to Sheena and Calise.

Brent and I are not so awkward now and to be honest, we have been getting along lately. I managed to put my past behind me and treated it like a lesson learnt so I don't make the same mistake in the future.

Sheena, who was currently in her sophomore year switched her elective from Philosophy to Geography and was placed under my guidance. Since I am not the best at giving advice and teaching my juniors, Brent helped me form a study group with Calise.

I could tell things are going great.

"Okay, we're gonna make a bubble map which branches out to 6 sections." Calise took the lead and divided the task so we could search for our respective information.

I looked at Nicolette fidgeting with the pawn piece in her hand. We have decided to take the game slow after busy school weeks.

"What?" Nicolette chuckled a little as she looked up from the chessboard and caught me staring.

"Nothing, I'm just waiting for you."

Although we were playing a slow game, it was intense. Something like Bobby Fischer and Borris Spassky but not smart and professional enough to be entitled as grandmasters.

I stepped out of my comfort zone by playing Sicilian Dragon, moving pawn to c5 after white moved pawn to e4. Nicolette went along. Our pieces were laid out on the board, major pieces protecting the minor ones, and everything seemed to gather in the centre.

"Your bishop is stressing me out," she pouted.

I could not deny the fact that I have my bishop placed on g7 to contribute pressure down the diagonal. I knew Nicolette would play bishop to e3 and queen to d2, which were taught by our coach so I somehow messed up the board and made the pieces look stagnant.

I lifted my eyebrows and looked deeper into her eyes.

"Nope. I'm not giving up." She answered the question plastered on my facial expression and moved her knight to exchange with mine.

We ended up having a few pawns left, a bishop, a rook and of course, the king.

"This is fun." I ran my fingers through my hair.

"You're lying. You do that when you're nervous... or when your hair covers half of your face which does not apply to the case right now."

"Ok, ok. You get me." I gave Nicolette a sarcastic eye roll.

A few moves later, Nicolette did a skewer attack because of my carelessness and caused me to lose my only rook.

"Your bishop stressed me out," I quoted Nicolette. "You learnt that fast." she gave me a fake surprise look.

I knew I was losing so I allowed Nicolette to have her pawn promotion and checkmated me with the classic laddermate.

"Congratulations, G.M. Nicolette Evergreen." I reached out my hand, intending to shake hers but she fist-bumped me instead.

"You're really funny, National Master Sabrina Chen." She smiled.

"I have something to ask you. Like a favour." I steered the conversation to another topic. "Hmmm, what is it?" she asked in a silly manner.

"I have my eyes on a boy and I need you to teach me how to confess my crush and date him." I finally gathered up my audacity to throw out the question.

Nicolette didn't blink. She just looked at me and I couldn't read her face. Is she shocked and trying to comprehend what I just said or-

"Oh, Sab. I haven't dated anyone before so how am I supposed to teach you?" Nicolette said in a friendly way.

"Please..." I pulled the word so long until I could hear my voice crack. "Well, that depends. Who is that lucky boy?" She leaned in with one elbow on the table and her chin placed on her palm.

"Cedric Orlando," I answered without hesitation.

Nicolette sighed and put her hands down. "Sabrina, out of all the boys in school, why does it have to be him?"

"Because he's charming, good-looking, sporty and bright."

"Don't judge a book by its cover," she simply replied and started keeping the chess pieces in the box.

"What? I'm not! He's already popular among the students in school, not to mention he's selected for the school soccer team in such a short period of time." I clarified myself.

Nicolette glanced at me before walking away to the kitchen, holding our plates filled with crumbs and emptied mugs.

"Colette! You can't just dodge me like that. I knew something was wrong with you when Cedric walked in the door during Spanish class that day. You looked tense, and you are right now and I can't help you if you keep it to yourself." I lose control and words flowed out of my mouth like tap water with no faucet.

"Just stop, please." She doesn't dare to look in my direction and spoke like she was talking to the air.

I exhaled my breath shakily and came to my senses that I just upset Nicolette. "Sorry." I apologised with my most sincere tone before packing my stuff and stepping out of the house.

She does not peek at what I was doing and certainly did not have any intention to say another word.

For the first time, I left Nicolette's house without a farewell hug.