Chess Match

Chapter Four

FAST FORWARD FIVE YEARS LATER

it seemed like home, this park, all the boy's fondest memories were created right in this local parcel of land. nevertheless he did grow in those five years since he moved away. his techniques were better, more advanced than before, he was more competitive, more focused.

he understood the game for what it's values were.

today would've been a foggy day, ruining the mood for other lovers, however the sun, surprisingly, shone brighter than a moltres's flaming wings. the boy, as usual, sat at the rickety chess table and hummed to himself whilst watching all the youthful  children monkey around without a care in the world.

in the five years in which he had left he acquainted more hobbies, he began taking viola courses at his school. he believed the pitches were far more beautiful than a violin's.

and no, him learning how to play a musical instrument from the strings family had nothing to do with the child he met years ago. well-

okay, maybe she was a partial reason for his sudden interest. but within those years of only seeing her once he wondered, what was her name? it could've been anything, she could've been named something as  bland as susan, but she could also be named something as unique as tabitha. The possibilities were endless, and maybe the name wasn't really important to most but it was to him, the name would've given her an address, a character. a name he could write in all his note papers instead of  her.

the last game they played together she had to leave due to her mother calling her, as she ran to her mom she didn't look back at the starstruck boy. she forgot of the boy's existence quicker than a cat forgetting their own name. she didn't even say goodbye. but she was a child, her attention span was shorter than her, so he understood.

but that didn't make it hurt less.

everything reminded him of her, the golden sun, the emerald tree, the mauve flower petals that had fallen gracefully into her hair, even the sage smoke leaving her vehicle as she drove away.

oh how he wished she would come back, just for one more game, for one more short chat, for a real spiritual connection with someone. he traced the outline of the faded print of a chess board when he heard a low, almost inaudible gasp.

he turned to look up at the foreigner and it was her.