Check & Mate

by Ali Hazelwood

Like taking the tapioca balls out of bubble tea: what’s left is okay, but just tea.

“Merde,” my opponent murmurs

“Well, well, well.” I have him cornered, and he almost sounds pleased. “I see why he’s been going on about you now,”

Mhm yeah

I glance to the porch again. He is still there. Nolan. Sawyer. Is. On. My. Porch.

How lucky

“Are you going to run away?” I frown. “What?” “You usually run away from me. Are you going to?”

Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Nolan smiles at her, looking not at all like the sullen manchild I know him to be.

Manchiiiiiillllddddd

“It has its ups and downs. I used to love it, but a little . . . sameness set in, and I actually thought about quitting. Then Mallory arrived.” His knee suddenly pushes back against mine. “Now I love it again.”

Ohmygod stoooop

Mom cocks her head. “You two must work very closely together.” “Not nearly as much as I’d like.”

I fainted

“He’s kidding.” I kick Nolan’s calf, hard. He doesn’t seem to care, but he does trap my foot between his own. “He’s known for his terrible sense of humor.” My leg is now twined with his. Cool. Cool.

Hehehehe

My twelve- year- old sister, who sleeps with a stuffed fox, just asked the world’s number one chess player if he came over to bang me.

Bye

DARCYBUTT: You and Nolan got the most points in the whole Olympics. You guys should get married and have a child.

“Mallory?” He rubs the heel of his palm in his eye. His voice is hoarse with sleep and something else. “Another dream, huh?” “Nolan— are you okay?” “You should come to bed. This is a stupid setup. I like it much better when we— ”

Mmmmhhhhmm

But he says nothing. His hand travels across the table, and I think he’ll cover the back of mine with his palm. Instead, he twines our fingers together.

“I’ve got you, Mallory. Nothing bad is going to happen. You can let yourself want this, because you already have it. You have me.”

They’re still closed a few seconds later when Nolan returns from the kitchen and, instead of taking a free seat, lifts one leg and slides between me and the back of my chair. I nearly gasp. He takes up a lot of room, always, and this isn’t going to work. I’m going to fall over. Or I’ll be fine, here in his lap. The hand that’s not busy adjusting the black pieces to the center of their squares casually rests against my abdomen, spanning its width.

Mmmmmjhgffsfghmm

remember how much Nolan hates the Grünfeld only after he groans and sinks his teeth into my earlobe.

I want to scream

“Ah, yes. You are. Because boo- hoo, your boyfriend paid for your salary without asking for anything in return and didn’t tell you. Cry me the fucking Nile.”