𝑪𝒉𝒆𝒄𝒌𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆: 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒔 𝒙 𝑶𝑪

Not Much of an Achievement

They were all going to a tournament in Cincinnati, Mrs. Wheatley, Beth, and Emilie. Of course, Beth had to play the tournament, but Emilie planned to just mess around at the hotel. At seventeen years old, she had barely any friends and her main friend was her little sister. She did love Beth but maybe it'd be nice to have a friend who she wasn't legally related to.

It was before the first round of games and she was planning on sticking with Beth until Beth had to compete. Emilie followed Beth up the stairs where this group of boys was watching this cowboy looking dude talk about chess.

"The rook comes to the seventh rank. That right there is a bone in the throat. Guy takes one look at this, he pays up twenty bucks,"

Beth was looking over at the board and at the people around. Emilie took a mental image for later sketching.

"It's all pawns and no hope," the man in the cowboy hat then proceeded to go try and show the group a way of doing things.

"I'd take the knight," Beth said. The man then looked over at Beth. He was inspecting the younger sister, somewhat analyzing the young girl that stood before.

"You're um- aren't you that kid from Kentucky who wiped out Harry Beltik," Beth went up the stairs and stood in front of the group continuing to talk about the game, despite his question. Emilie went and sat down in a chair in the room deciding to sketch what was happening around her.

They continued talking for a bit and Emilie had the basic silhouettes sketched out before the group's leader had to leave. On his way out, he called Beth "little girl," which seemed to give her a little more determination than she already had and she went to go play. This left Emilie alone in the room so she left down the same stairway she came, sketching still, adding little shadows to the picture. She was walking not looking up and ended up walking the same way as the man from before.

"You following me or something? Cause I haven't had a stalker in a while"

"Excuse me?"

He turned around stopping to stare at her. " Are. you. following. me?"

"Um? No? That's a little presumptuous for a cowboy at a chess tournament,"

He chuckled. "You don't know who I am do you?"

"Well all I know is that you play chess and have a mustache and neither of them are spectacular achievements," Emilie said crossing her arms.

"Well then," the man put his hand out, "I'm the current U.S. champion, Benny Watts,"

"You really had to put the champion part first," her eyes rolling then putting a sarcastic, saccharine-sweet smile on.

"If you're going to judge me, can I at least know your name?"

"Emilie Harmon, you met my sister a little earlier," She put one hand out to shake his but kept one arm close to her holding her sketchbook close.

"Another Harmon... no red hair?"

"Mine was her color when I was younger. It darkened a lot." Emilie turned to look around. "Besides why do you care about my hair color so much? That's not normally the first question I get."

"Well, what do you get a lot?"

"Do you play chess too? Do your parents approve? Are you older or younger? Blah, blah, blah"

"Do you?"

"Yes, but not as much, our mom's dead but our adoptive mom is supportive of her and older,"

"You play?" his eyebrow raised slightly.

"I've only really met chess players who were only children or who were estranged from any family really," Benny turned to walk away, "Have a nice day, Emmy," he walked a few steps away but turned back around saying, "Don't let the game consume your life too, it's too late for your sister but chess is a game that-" He cut himself off and walked away.

"That what?" Emilie went to follow him when he didn't finish. Once she caught up all he said was,

"Want to play some chess?"