THE CHESS GAME

03: DAILY ROUTINE

“MAKE IT faster, okay?” Lori ordered while grinning and I left her room.

It is 9 in the morning and I just got done putting all my stuff inside the drawer in my room when she called me and commanded me like her maid.

I can't believe it. They take the roles seriously. What a stupid! And because I don’t want chaos, I just follow what she ordered me to do. I made a coffee for her and then served it to her.

She thanked me. But with a touch of sarcasm. Her personality is not as beautiful as her face. Tsk! It is really true that "Don't judge the book by its cover." She is the living proof!

I then headed towards my room and slam myself on the soft bed.

Lori just proved that Whites do really have that kind of personality. The people in our community have been conquered by superiority. They tend to believe that they are more powerful than the Blacks. And now because of her ‘Queen’ role, she sees herself as higher among us.

Moments later, I heard three knocks on my door. I get up from bed and open the door to recognizing who is knocking.

A girl with wavy, long hair appeared in my sight. "Is there something else that the Queen wants?" I asked her sarcastically.

She smiled and just shook her head. “Nah, I am sure that she already is sleeping right now because of the coffee. She is weird, right? She drinks coffee before she could sleep.” she said.

Yeah, very weird. That was maybe the reason why she is like that, her brain is weird. Tsk.

“Can I come in?” she asked.

I stared at her for a while and after, I just give her a nod. She won’t harm me inside my room, will she?

She sat on my bed and I followed. “So what brought you here?” I asked her and sat next to her.

“I just want to talk with you,” she said. "Jobella, right?" she looked at me and I just nod.

I am a bit suspicious of her. Why is she talking to me? Because of Lori, feels like my trust in them slowly fades. We should act like a team, supposedly, but I don’t feel it. Hopefully, this dilemma will change.

“I am Veah Reston. You can call me ‘Mami V’ as what others call me.” she offers her hand in front of me and I accept it. “I am also a Pawn.” I stared at her for a while after we were done shaking our hands.

I am really not sure about her. Is she really kind? Hayy... Lori's personality can really make you a prejudiced one.

She heaved a long sigh. “Like you, we received orders from Lori. She was the first one to arrived here because each day, only one person arrives. Before, Lori commanded the chess officials just like Regliah, the assigned Knight. Until the first-ever Pawn arrived... and that is me.”

Ow, right. I remember the woman who escorted me said that they were already here since yesterday and I am the last one to complete them. Now I know the reason.

“I had been commanded by Lori the whole day. I washed her clothes and other stuff. I acted as her maid. The chess officials who were the ones to follow Lori before had taken their rest because of me. In every pawn arrive, Lori always greeted them with an order. Surely, all of us, pawns, shall take orders from her. And also for sure, the other chess officials will join in commanding us, especially Gina, our assigned Bishop.”

I repeatedly shook my head in disbelief. That was really unbelievable. They’re really stupid.

"Veah, may I ask," I suddenly uttered to her. “How many of us here in this dorm?” I diverted the topic. I don’t want to talk about the cruel happenings inside here anymore. Disgusting.

“Eight. The same as the boys above there,” she answered.

“What are the roles we have here?” I asked again.

“The roles are really divided, actually. To boys, they have the King, while girls have the Queen. Then each has 4 pawns, one Rook, Knight, and Bishop. Probably the same also with the Blacks because that was the standard which the Shah House give.” she replied.

"MAMI V!"

We unconsciously looked at each other in a bit after we heard that shout from outside of the room. We then both diverted our eyes to the door.

She then looked at the clock plastered on top of my door. “Oww! It is already 10 AM, I forgot,” she said while slowly stood up.

“Oh, and then?” confused, I said. So what if it is already 10 AM? What is up?

“They already called me because it is time for me to cook for our lunch,” she said. “Alright, Jobs, I gotta go,” she added smilingly.

I just gave her a nod and a smile and then she left my room. Maybe, she's really kind. And wait, did she just call me Jobs? Okay, nothing's wrong with that.

♨♨♨

WE ARE here already in front of a long, rectangular table. Currently, Veah is putting all the dishes she has cooked for our lunch.

"Uhm, Blyth, kindly wake up Queen. She was perhaps done with her beauty rest.” the girl with long hair said. She has two piercings on both of her ears.

"Yes, Knight." answered the girl with long eyelashes and a bit fatty body. Her short hair waved as she walks.

“Uh, Rosy, could you get me some water? I need to hydrate myself first.” a girl with blonde hair commanded.

Without hesitations, the girl with eyeglasses stood up. “Yes, Rook.” then she walked and head towards the kitchen.

What the hell? They are acting like a master. What are they, a disabled person? So this is their everyday routine, huh?

Veah sat beside me soon after she’s done setting the table up. The smell of the dishes is very appetizing.

“Uh, Mami V, is there a juice? Could you make one for me?” a girl with thick eyebrows suddenly spoke in an annoying tone.

I heard Veah’s sigh and without a single word, I felt that she will about to rose from her seat but before she could, I held her hand to stop her.

“Don’t.” I tried to keep myself calm causing her to stare at me.

"Jobs..." she slowly uttered when I did not let go of her hands.

I looked at her in the eyes. “No. Sit down and rest here.” I intentionally raise my voice a little bit for them to hear.

"Hey..." I heard the girl with thick eyebrows, irritatingly spoke. It is quite obvious that her eyebrows are only drawn. Duh, I can erase that if she’d loved to.

I looked at her. “Veah just finished putting the dishes and setting the table up, and now you commanded her to make a juice for you? Your body parts are complete, aren’t they?” I said to her causing her mouth to slowly open. I felt Veah's elbow repeatedly nudged on my side, but I ignored it.

I cannot help it anymore. Whites did not really choose who they wanted to belittle. I thought they only targeted Blacks. Just as I thought.

She stood up, raising a brow. “Do you know who I am?” she said in a challenging tone.

“Nope.” I coldly replied. I just don’t care who she is.

“Really? Well, I am Gina Codillo, the Bishop. And in case you did not know, Bishop is one of the highest officials in chess.” she said while arching her both arms on her side.

I just stared at her. “Oh? So that was the officials, huh? No arms and feet? Unjustifiably giving orders to us?”

She still wanted to protest but we suddenly heard a familiar voice coming from her back. “What’s the matter here?” asked the voice loudly. It’s coming from no other than Lori, the Queen---as they may say.

"Queen..." Gina slowly spoke. “That Pawn is talking back at me with nonsense answers.” she is speaking like a child now while pointing at me.

Lori looked at me. “You are just new here yet you already have an urge to talk back at us?” she said calmly, crossing her arms together.

I did not answer anymore. Not necessarily mean that I am now scared to talk back but because I don’t want to create chaos. I think what I have said earlier to that Bishop girl is already enough.

“What shall we do to her, Queen? She said a while ago that seems like we don’t have hands and feet.” the girl who was called Rook suddenly spoke.

Lori just smirked and sat in front of the very end of the long table. “No hands and feet?” she sarcastically laugh. I just stared at her putting a table napkin on her neck. “Okay, because you said we don’t have hands and feet,” she paused and intently looked at me, still smiling.

I stared back at her, waiting to hear what she has to say.

“She will be the one to wash all the dishes after we are done eating. No other pawn shall help her except for herself or else, you will taste my wrath.”

♨THE CHESS GAME♨