Checkmate

Chapter 10: Impressions

Atasei immediately searched for Telepathy. Where Naoharu was supposed to be. As she ran through the halls, skimming through door labels, she didn't quite see who was in front of her because of the rush. "Oof!" Her body clashed against another's. Atasei instantly shot up an apology and lent a hand to the person she accidentally crashed. It was a girl with medium length brown hair and soft eyes. The girl smiled, "Oh, I'm alright," She brushed herself, "You must be new here- I'm Winona Green." Atasei teased, "I'm guessing you already know my name because you're telepathic, right?" Winona scoffed, "Heavens, no! I'm actually running to Magic. How about you?"
Atasei nodded her shoulders, "Ionno. They've been telling me I'm Diverse. Kind of stupid, huh? Like... Diverse is just an excuse of not having an ability." Winona was silenced, jaws dropping. "Ahem- No. Actually, Diverse kids have an advantage, they're all naturally good at all abilities if they actually try," Winona cupped her hands, her eyes sparkling. "Like Queen Likaera."

Atasei decided to learn more about this Winona and ditch Telepathy for Magic. She continued to ask a few questions about Winona's subject. "Can Magic do anything? Make food? Make drinks?" Winona shook her head, "If Magic could do anything, Chess World could have ended already and Earth would become peaceful. Magic only has such limited powers," She sleuthed for a book inside her shoulder-bag and took her hand out holding a spine of a medium-sized book. She flipped the first page that wrote This Book Belongs To: Winona Green with a little black heart on the side scratched in black badly. Winona pointed at the top of the page, where the first kanji started and read through. "Magic always uses up 2% of your life force. Magic can control, invisibly trip others, make others fly, yadda-yadda." Winona gestured shutting the book in one pinch of a hand flinching Atasei out of interest on the book and the brown-haired girl smiled, "No magic. Just skill." She buckled her book back in the shoulder-bag and talked to Atasei about favorites and such on their way to class.

The lunch bell got everyone's attention, students happily skipping out of their rooms to the cafeteria.
Atasei was warming up to Winona but she also wanted to sit with her main go-to. She hunted for Naoharu until she'd seen him step in the two doors with four other boys that looked slick and fashioned, considering they were still wearing uniforms, they had other sock patterns in mind and fancy turtle-necks. The three girls beside one other guy in the group sucked on lollipops and they too wore black chokers and hair barrettes.

Atasei caught Naoharu's eyes shifting around the cafeteria around the corners in front of the serving line, on the tables and finally a catching eye. Naoharu then wore a face of relief, his guy-friend patting him on the back to sit at a table they saved for the gang. Naoharu nodded and excused himself to speak to Atasei, of course not mentioning her to his friends and only said, "I'll just be there." His friend accepted and let him go.

Naoharu scurried over to Atasei near the trash cans, passing by other students. Atasei too, rushed after Naoharu until they met in the middle. When they finally had seen each other again, Naoharu looked down, avoiding eye contact, blushing, smirking. He spoke, "So, how was your day?" Atasei smiled. "Not bad, I'm guessing your day was dreadful like you." Naoharu smiled, "You took the words right out of my mouth, Pawn!" They laughed for a moment and it was starting to feel a little awkward after five seconds. "Um... Well... You wanna sit with my gang?" He bobbed his elbow back and his thumb aiming at them.
Atasei giggled in delight, "Of course."

The two arrived at the table, the group staring mainly at the girl. The three girls posed with their fingers twiddling with their hair strands in sync, placing their whole legs on the table, leaning back on the chairs. "Who's she?" The friend who spoke to Naoharu asked. "Some girl." Naoharu forced his arm crossed facing down at the floor, his eyebrows sharpened like mountains. "Some girl? Naoharu, do you think we're idiots? Do you think she's an idiot?" The girl in the middle with short black hair pointed at the girl, pressing her elbows at the table and pointing at Atasei. The boy in the farthest right side of the table grabbed Atasei's attention "Sorry, Ikare makes everything sound difficult. So may I ask, who must you be?"
Atasei replied in a cheerful tone, "I'm Atasei Choi! Pleased to meet you guys!" Naoharu looked at Atasei beside him. Not a single thing he saw was any signs of nervousness but he knew she was nervous. She still kept calm and collected. "Who are you to Naoharu?" The boy asked. The boy was the leader of the gang. He was the most reasonable and responsible member of the gang along with Naoharu. Naoharu was also responsible but he showed too much anger, therefore his friends thought he wasn't worthy enough to be the leader no matter how nice he could be. He was showing anger right now, too. "I'm uh..." Atasei tried to read Naoharu's brain. Collecting every information behind Haru's sulking attitude.

She then replied, "I'm one of the people he helped from an ambush." Naoharu's eyes widening-- It's like she read his mind. Impossible. She hadn't taken any classes in telepathy yet--how? Atasei then flashed a quick smile at Naoharu beside her, while he coldly reacted and turned away to his friends, but still impressed. Luckily, his friends weren't a Telepathy Piece.