The Chess Club

Chapter 1

Black eyeliner, pale face, hot red lips. Always wears black. Yep, that's me. Or at least, that's how others would describe me. I'm the kind of girl people make assumptions about instead of trying to get to know better.

            I don't like labels, but I suppose most people would call me goth. I don't have black hair though. I detest black hair. No, I have red hair. Dark red. The kind that makes people wonder if it's real or from a bottle. That's a secret I'll never tell, xoxo. Okay, I should stop watching so much TV.

            Anyway, I go to a secondary school in England, Oxfordshire. It's a red-bricked building that looks like crap on the inside. Alright, not crap, but modern. I hate modern. Do I sound like a snob yet? Good, I knew we'd get there.

            My lovely fellow students are all mindless sheep following the shepherd. Though I'm not sure who that is. I think it might be Lady Gaga.

            I do have some friends, but I didn't start with any. I started out alone. My name is Annabeth Applebottom and this is my story.

            No, I'm kidding. Seriously, who would be called that? Wait, I just answered my question.

            My name is Penelope Autumn Featherstonehaugh and this is my story.

            No, really, that's my actual name. It's pronounced Fanshaw. I hate my parents.

           

It was a dark and stormy night when it all began. Nope, kidding again. It was actually a very boring Wednesday morning in October. I finally had confirmation that the Headmaster was taking drugs because he'd come up with the silly idea of setting up after-school clubs. A handful of students were picked to come up with a club that any student could join. Usually these students were eager beavers or kids who were assumed to have no social life. Guess which category I fell under.

            "Miss Featherstonehaugh," the heavy voice of the Headmaster resonated through the empty hall.

            I was late as usual. What can I say? My bed is just so much more appealing than school. I turned around and lifted my fingers to my forehead as a way of saluting him. "Yes, sir."

            The Headmaster's moustache trembled as he spoke. "You haven't submitted your idea for the club yet. If you don't have one by the end of the day, I'll make you sit in my office until you have one."

            "You see, we could do that, but then I'd come up with things like the Homicide Club, the Let's Buy Pet Monkeys Club and the Who Needs Clothes Club. Nudity is very in this season."

            The Headmaster managed to keep a straight face but it seemed to take him some effort.

            Good to know he's got a funny bone somewhere in that round body of his. 

            "Just get me one by the end of the day," he said, turning around.

            "What about the Chess Club?" I said. It was a brilliant move, if I do say so myself. The school had a Chess Club before, but it was dissolved because it had too few members. By too few I mean zero. None. Zip. Nada. Apparently all the students were too busy making out or something. Except for me, I was watching Gossip Girl and Law and Order.

            The Headmaster frowned as he was thinking and I had to resist the urge to say; "I know, it's hard isn't it." There's only so much detention a girl can take.