A game of Chess

Ashley did what she said she'd do and got Samantha unstuck with the odd amount of strength she has in her arms and body. I was surprised when she able to lift the bed, but it faded when I saw two butlers also helping.

Samantha sits up. "Thank you so much."

Both butlers bow and one leaves. Daniels, the one who sounds like Alfred, stays to deliver a white envelope with a red stamped seal on it. "For you, miss Gains."

The brunette raises her brows, complete shock crosses her face and it's easy to see with the open mouth and wide eyes.

"T-Thank you." Samantha gently takes the letter from the butler and excuses him from the room. Ashley and I wait patiently for Samantha to tell us what she's received. With the shocked look on her face it must be something big.

Samantha looks at the envelope before making the split-second decision to throw it in the trash, the shocked look gone and replaced with distaste.

Ashley and I look on without saying a word.

Samantha wipes her hands on her pants like she's touched something disgusting. "Sorry about the interruption. Mom likes to send letters about her lab experiments, thinking I'd be interested in how rats react to this or that type of new chemical."

Ashley leans to one side and puts her hand on her hip. "I understand. My mom thinks that too sometimes. She comes rushing into my room waving papers or what not, screaming about new research or results. She does it at dinner too."

Ashley is trying with her best intentions to cheer her friend up, but it's the opposite of what she wants. Hearing how Ashley's mom can come in at any time and talk to her daughter or even be with her daughter at the dinner table would be a dream come true.

Samantha sighs, probably thinking about all the possibilities of having at least one parent home. She'd have a much happier life than being stuck in the here and now with her best friend and a tiny who can be a real pain in the ass some times.

"It doesn't matter right now," Samantha finally speaks up. "Let's forget about it and move on."

Neither of us objects, nor do we agree. It's more of a silent mutual agreement that we all move to a different subject.

"Now what?" I say seeing that no one else is going to move this sleepover, slumber party, or whatever it's called, along, I might as well try.

"I heard your cooks make some good fried chicken." Ashley pipes up. Thank the gods, I'm not the only one trying. "I wanna see if that's true."

Samantha bites her lip, nervous to respond. "It takes time for the cooks to get the chicken and fryer prepared, but we can play some other game while we wait."

Ashley puts up a thumb. "Sweet! let's play truth or dare!"

Samantha then jumps back in to make sure Ashley doesn't let this crazy game come to pass. "Why don't we play a game of Caesar's choice, ya know, since she played a game of our choice?"

That seems fair. I don't want to play some crazy game again that involves me running around while towering people simply stroll about without a care in the world. I don't need to get stepped on, but that went over my head easily at the time. Samantha doesn't need to get stuck again either.

"You got a chessboard?"

Ashley's bright smile immediately drops into a bored frown. "Chess? Really?"

I cross my arms. "Yes, really!"

Ashley cups her own cheek. "Gods, it's so scary how you two relate to each other."

My brows pinch together thoughtfully. "What does that mean?"

The redhead gestures to Samantha. "Samantha plays chess with my dad whenever she comes over."

Samantha comes back to life when she hears her name. "Oh, yeah."

Ashley sighs when she notices that her friend hasn't been listening at all. I've noticed that Samantha zones out often when she isn't added into the conversation. It's funny to watch her face morph into different expressions when thinking silently in her own mind. It's also nerdy and kind of cute in my opinion. I like it.

"While you two play your little smarts game, I'll be sitting on the sidelines doing what, cheering you both on?" Ashley says unenthusiastically. "How can you guys sit there such a long time without frying from boredom."

I shrug. "I don't know. It's just relaxing to me in some way."

"Chess just helps me get my mind off of things," Samantha explains. "It's hard since there is nothing else to do except play by myself with a robot every now and then."

Ashley gestures to me now. " You don't have to worry about that anymore. Caesar knows how to play chess apparently."

"Oh, how quaint." When did she turn into an English woman? "How'd you learn to play chess?

I sit down, letting my legs hang off the edge of the dresser. "My mom and dad got me into chess tournaments when I was five since I was so good at a young age. It kept me busy for the most part."

Samantha and Ashley are intrigued.

"I don't know much about the tiny culture, but I've never heard that before," Ashley says breathlessly.

"Well..." Samantha thinks for a moment. "The school systems these days don't teach us much about the tiny culture."

Giants never want to give credit to where they came from. Tinies and Giants are the same species, but giants think they are superior to us even if we are the original. Giants say they have a hard time to adapt, but us tinies have it worse. We had to adapt to our new giant surroundings and giant people who grew and grew until they reached a hundred feet tall. Don't quote me on that last part. I've never measured a giant, but they're pretty tall.

"Now I'm interested in how this chess game will turn out," Ashley says, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Giants vs. tiny in a chess game? That actually sounds fun."

I frown. "You make it sound like a game of man vs ape."

Ashley is quick to defend herself or make up an excuse for her comment, but Samantha jumps in. "Let's not jump into another topic and start this chess game." She says, holding her hands out for me to climb onto.

Ashley and I eye each for a split second. I'm bothered by the redhead's comment, it's left a bitter feeling in my chest for some reason. I've heard racial comments all my life, but this, for some dumb reason, is messing with my head. Maybe it's because I'm in touch with my emotions now?

Whatever.

With cupped hands, Samantha walks down the steps and Ashley follows behind. We're all quiet walking through the halls of the house. I'm surprised to see that it's not that big of a house considering that they own so much land.

We enter a room with fluffy carpet, huge bean bags and a large white screen wall on one side. There's a mini-snack bar in the back of the room. This must be a mini-movie theater or something along those lines.

Samantha gingerly sets me down on a bean bag. I slip through the gentle hands. "I'll be right back." She says gently.

Ashley flops down on a bean bag next to me. She looks bothered by something as well.

"I didn't mean it like that. The whole Giant vs. Tiny thing. It wasn't supposed to be offensive."Ashley says quietly. "I'm new to the whole tiny thing so could you be patient with me?"

I'm taken back actually. "No, no, no. It's fine. I'm used to it."

Ashley frowns and looks away, muttering under her breath. "It still doesn't make it right though."

She's right, it doesn't. People think it's right and they're entitled to their own opinion even if that opinion sucks and they have very little understanding of what's on the opposite side of the fence. They're too scared to hop over and see.

Samantha sits down with a black and white checkered box. "Let's get started."

I slowly crawl to the edge of the bean bag where Samantha holds out her hands for me to step onto. She puts me down right next to her and I watch her set up the board game, which doesn't take long.

Watching her put up the pawns, the horsemen, the rooks, bishops, the king and queen, I realize that the pieces are bigger than me. I've never played chess on a normal board since I've been taken so this is new to me.

Samantha looks at the king piece thoughtfully then brings it over to me. She sets the piece down next to me as a measurement. A small snicker escapes her throat when she sees the results. "You're shorter than the king piece."

I stare at her blankly, less than amused.

Samantha stops when she sees that no one else is amused like she is and puts the chess piece back. She awkwardly clears her throat. "You go first."

I cut my walk time in half by walking through the pieces on the board. Staring at the board for a second or two, I move my black pawn forward. The piece is light and three fourths my size luckily, but this game will tire me out since it does take some energy to move the pieces anyway.

Samantha moves her pawn easily without thought. This game is going to tire me out faster then I think.

I move another pawn. Samantha moves her pawn. I move another and she does the same. Soon our pieces are spread across the board. Samantha has already taken three of my pieces and I'm not far behind with two of hers taken.

The problem is that I'm getting slower and slower at moving my pieces. Samantha and Ashley notice that easily when I try to push my bishop over to attack Samantha's rook.

The bishop is swiped from me and moved across the board knocking the rook over. The quick action makes me stumble, but I catch myself. I look up to see that Samantha has taken my piece and moved it across the board for me.

She smiles softly at me. "It doesn't seem fair that you have to do a lot of work to move your pieces."

I blush light enough for her not to see the tint of pink on my face, and I shove my hands in my pockets. "Thanks."

"No problem."

With the help of Samantha, it's much easier for me to plan out my next few moves. It's an even match throughout the entire game, Samantha and I trading the upper hand every so often until I corner her with my rook and queen.

"Check-mate," I say with complete confidence.

Samantha glares down at the board thoughtfully, but seeing that there is nowhere else to go, She folds. "You won."

Of course, I did. All of those little league chess trophies aren't for show you know.

"You didn't let me win, did you?" I ask teasingly.

Samantha shakes her head. "No, I didn't. You won fair and square."

I throw a pair of fists in the air, whispering yes excitedly at the victory.

"Congrats on winning, Caesar," Ashley says whole-heartedly. "We can celebrate by eating some amazing fried chicken."

I smile, ready to eat some delicious chicken, that sounds like a good price for the victor.