Your Move, Always

In the chaos of senior year, Amarie Cornelia Brown-introverted writer and resident overthinker-has one rule: no distractions. With deadlines to meet and college apps looming, she prefers the safety of her quiet routines and the company of her best friend, Ellaine. But everything tilts when she's assigned to cover the school chess tournament... and meets Nathaniel Charles Hendrick.

Black-haired, soft-spoken, and armed with a signature smile that could rival a thousand sonnets, Nathaniel is the exact kind of problem Arie avoids. Charming yet thoughtful, he plays chess like he's thinking five moves ahead-on and off the board.

What begins as reluctant interviews and sarcastic exchanges slowly turns into something quieter, deeper... and harder to ignore. As Arie navigates school deadlines, shifting friendships, and unexpected feelings, she starts to realize that maybe some distractions are worth the risk.

A slowburn high school romance filled with soft smiles, late-night writing sessions, and the kind of teasing that lingers like a checkmate-you won't even realize you're falling until it's already too late.