Page 39 of Sidelined Love

And then he has to ruin the good thoughts I was having about him.

I roll my eyes at the nickname, deciding this time to let it slide. “The queen,” I continue, picking up the most versatile piece on the board. “She's powerful—can move in any direction and as far as she wants, as long as she's not blocked.”

“I've seen that piece before. And this is your king?” He brushes his finger against the piece.

I nod. “The whole game revolves around him. Once he’s in checkmate, the game is over regardless of how many other pieces are left on the board.”

“Protect him at all costs.”

“Exactly.”

We start a mock game where I explain each move and tactic. Levi surprises me with his quick grasp of chess strategy. During the game, he asks thoughtful questions. I also find us discussing some of our likes and dislikes, all the while keeping chess as our main priority.

“So, what got you into hockey in the first place?”

He glances up at me for a moment. “My older brother. He played. I idolized him, and wanted to be just like him.”

I notice the change in his mood, but I don't press. “Sounds like he was a big influence on you.”

“Yeah, he was everything I wanted to be.” Levi's smile is bittersweet, his gaze drifting away for a moment before refocusing on the game. “What about you? Why chess?”

The shift in topic feels natural though I sense there's more he's not saying, but I don't want to pry. Instead, I find myself sharing my passion for chess and the environment.

“Chess was actually my dad's thing first,” I explain. “When I was younger, he taught me the basics and it was a way for us to bond together. I swear, we'd play in the living room for hours, just the two of us. And I fell in love with it. When I go home, Dad and I still play together.”

“That's really nice, having that connection with your dad,” he says.

I nod, suddenly feeling self-conscious under his stare. Clearing my throat, I redirect my attention back to the board. “So, I think you've got the basics down. I'm impressed.”

“I never thought I would hear you utter those words to me, Rook.”

“Okay, stop calling me that,” I demand.

He shrugs but doesn't say anything further.

All I can do is stare at him through a narrowed gaze. “Why don't we try a real game?”

Levi grins, rolling up the sleeves of his hoodie. “You're on. I think I can handle this.”

I raise an eyebrow and begin resetting the board. “Alright, Let's see what you've retained and what we need to work on for next time.”

With a nod, I make my first move, the King's Pawn Opening. Levi watches intently, his hand hovering over his own piecesbefore he mirrors my move. The game progresses, with both of us losing pieces, him more so than me. His strategy is pretty good, but I end up victorious.

“Good game,” Levi says, shaking my hand across the table. His palm is warm and calloused against mine.

“You too, not bad for your first real match,” I reply.

“I have an excellent teacher.”

I feel my cheeks flush at the unexpected compliment. There's no denying they're red now. “Well, you were a quick study,” I say, tucking a strand of hair that has fallen out of my bun behind my ear self-consciously.

“Thanks again for taking the time to do this. I know you're busy.”

“It's no problem, really. I don't mind teaching someone, especially when they are eager to learn.”

We don't say anything else as we clean up the mess we made. I end up locking the chess set up with the others that I keep here for chess club. As I'm walking back to where Levi is, he taps two fingers on the table and says, “Since it's dark now, how about I walk you home?”

It's weird that I've gone from thinking that Levi is an egotistical jock, when he's showing me that he's anything but. There is much more to him, but I'm not willing to admit that to him. “Thanks, but no thanks. I drove here so it's not an issue.”

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