Checkmate

by Zelyn

“Checkmate” When you said that, it was clear that I had lost the match, yet my smile was just as big as yours. You were crowned the champion of the chess tournament that our school held, and I took first place. You will now compete on the school’s behalf in another event. Though we will practice together and I will function as your backup player in the event that something were to happen to you, no matter how competitive I am, I will never want something to happen to you and I will never seize an opportunity that is legitimately yours.

We grew closer as we trained together and became friends. We are now sharing our problems and stories with one another, and I was feeling happier and excited for you and your accomplishments. As your competition is drawing closer, I worry that the feeling of comfort won’t last long and that we will go back to being strangers. I jokingly expressed my concerns to you, but your response was, “I don’t really want to be your friend after the competition.” I pray that the day of your competition doesn’t come yet, not yet, because I’m still not ready to let go of you.

However, it arrived sooner than I had anticipated, and you were once again crowned champion. I watched from the audience as you grinned brightly again, but I couldn’t help but feel sad. It’s done. I congratulated you and smiled one final time before we became strangers again. I was about to leave when you asked if we could celebrate your achievement tomorrow. When I reminded you of the harsh things you said, your response was, “I don’t really want to be friends with you if I’m going to court you.” When you said that, I felt a sense of relief, I hugged you and smiled warmly.

Did I ever truly lose? Every move I made was calculated, and even when I thought the pieces were starting to fall apart, they didn’t. It was all just like a game of chess, and you might have won the chess competitions, but I won something else.

Checkmate