After The Fall (THE PRESTIGE 4)

08

Discount

"The goal of this game is simple. Outwit your opponent's king and trap it in checkmate to win."

"That's easy."

I lied. You know it's not easy, Narra. You're just fooling yourself. He's Lorenzo. Not just Lorenzo. Your perspective about him changed the moment he beat you times in a row now. 

He's now your greatest adversary, the one you despise the most. You respect his intelligence, yet you can't stand him because he always seems to be one step ahead of you.

"Just so you know, I won't go easy on you on this one too."

"As you should. Cause that's not on my vocabulary." I retaliated.

I should prove myself on this one. I won't let him win again. Tama na iyong ilang beses! Ang tanga ko naman kung pati dito ay hahayaan ko siya diba?

"Try to outsmart me if you can." He challenged me.

"I won't try, Alcaraz. I will do it." I said while gritting my teeth.

His face was lit up with amusement, a smirk playing on his lips. He's definitely feeling challenged, and I can sense it. I realize he's reaching out for my help this time, but there's a nagging feeling that he's more interested in proving something to me, wanting to highlight my shortcomings. My pride is already stretched thin; I can't take any more defeats.

"Then, let's start. Shall we?"

My jaw clenched. Lorenzo gave me a taunting look before he took off his gaze from me.

Gusto kong tusukin ng tinidor ang mga mata niya! Maganda nga kulay ang kupal naman ng may-ari!

Nilabas ni Lorenzo iyong mga chess pieces at board mula sa lalagyan nito. Nanatili akong seryosong nanonood sa kaniya. 

He pointed out the board as he look at me. "This chessboard consists of 64 squares in an 8x8 grid."

Seryoso si Lorenzo sa pag-explain sa akin ng mechanics ng game. I can clearly see how he likes this game so much. His eyes speaks volume. This is his hobby after all. Chess, huh. I thought, it's just girls. 

"Black square ako. Sa white ka. Una mong ilalagay itong rooks sa corner, followed by knights then bishop. Then, the king and queen should be adjacent to each other. "

I tried to grasp everything he says. Natuon lang ang atensyon ko sa pag-aayos niya ng chess board. He skillfully put all the chess pieces in its rightful place.

"Fill the row in front of the major pieces with eight pawns for each player. " He added.

In-explain sa akin ni Lorenzo ang pwedeng galaw ng bawat pieces. After nun, pwede na kaming mag-umpisa. Basta ang goal, macheckmate ang kalaban.

"Ready na?" Malambot niyang tanong.

"Yeah."

"You call the first move." He added. 

We started the game, and every now and then, Lorenzo would glance my way, trying to gauge my reactions. But I was so into the game that I barely noticed him.

Magaling siya, oo na! Bawat galaw ko ay may nakaabang na siyang pang-counter attack! Ang dami na niyang nakuhang chess pieces ko! Lumalamang na siya ng dalawa! 

"Kumain ka, De Alba."

Inusog sa akin ni Lorenzo ang maliit na platito. May mga pancake doon. Nang tignan ko ang kaniya, isang piraso lang ang nandoon. Binigay sa akin lahat.

Binawi ko ang tingin ko at tinuon sa board.  Humahanap ako ng magandang strategy para makalusot sa kaniya. Kailangan kong matalo ang kupal na 'to!

"Malamig na iyong pancake."