The Chess Club

Chapter 5

Author's Note: Text that the characters read or see will be in BOLD. 

Max was getting his keys out of his pocket when his mother opened the door for him, probably hearing him coming.

Why is she home? She is never home at this time of day.

Max's mother smiles at him and pulls him to get inside. Max sits at the kitchen table and looks at his mother. "What's wrong?" Max asks without even greeting his mother, knowing full well how his mother was. She wouldn't smile towards the son that she always frowned to even before her husband's death. Max's mother keeps up her smiling face and asks, "Can't I just be like this for no particular reason?" "No" Max replies without a moment of hesitation. Max's mother refuses to give up the smiley act and sits beside her son and tells him, "I've been offered to go aboard for a period of time and work in the branch company." Max doesn't react and plainly stares at his mother's fake smile.

It's nice to see her smile even if it's fake.

Seeing that Max won't be saying anything or comment, Max's mother gets up from her seat and sighs at her son. "You are so like your father." Max glares at his mother mentioning his father.

How am I like him? Don't bring him up. What kind of mother are you? Why is she so happy anyways? Her character changes so much through time. Oh right she is getting away from this place and me. Her boyfriend is probably going on this long trip with her too.

"My flight is this evening. I will deposit money to your bank account, so live off that and don't forget to pay the bills for electricity, internet, gas, and water. So that's that." She concluded. A car's honk was heard and Max's mother grabbed her suitcase and bag from the living room and headed outside. Max watched his mother get into the black car that a man was driving. He stared out the window as his mother disappeared into the distance. He hadn't even asked when she would be back.

It's not like her being here or not would make that much of a difference anyways. I don't care, she can do whatever she wants. She doesn't have to feel like she has to stay with me. I don't want to be her chains. ... She didn't even say bye.

Max closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He went to the fridge and decided to clear it out and see what he needed to buy when he went to the supermarket.

I'm glad I got rid of that honey and jam. That old man isn't here anymore so it's a waste of space to keep them.

Max looked at his bag sitting in front of the door and next to it sat the huge file of papers.

Right, that weird girl's proposal to her club, the chess club, I think it was called.

He takes another look at the file, scratches his head and finally gives up with a sigh.

Fine. I will read her proposal, but just because she is going to bother me with it if I don't read it. It's not like I'm actually going to join. Should I join? It's not like I have anything to do in my free time. Stop, Max. That girl is messing with your head. You just want to be alone. You are just going to read this for the sake of reading and she did put a lot of effort into writing it.

Max sighs deeply at himself. All because of that Roxie he is even having fights with himself now.

I should get away from that girl before I go crazy. She is seriously messing me up.

Max takes the file to his room and sets it on his nightstand. He closes his bedroom door, locks it, and puts the key under his pillow. He gets himself comfortable in his soft bed and starts reading the proposal to the Chess Club. As Max read through the proposal, he was shocked to see how detailed it was. Everything was explained in details, but Max still had trouble understanding what it was that this club was going to do and why Roxie wants him to join it so badly.