Life is just a Game

        Life is Just A Game
      Prologue: Changes
     
     
     
         You were my friend. You were my BEST Friend. We said that we would always be friends, friends forever. But it didn't happen. We went into Middle school, and we didn't see each other as often. Then I got more friends. Friends that were more like me, and not you. I started hanging out with them, and not you. So, is it my fault you hate me? 
         You started hanging out with others, though. You started to hang with Diana. You were nothing alike, and yet for some reason, she put up with you. She was slightly babyish, not as much as you though Mya.   
         You always said I was childish. That's not what everyone else thought. Even the teachers thought I was mature for my age, and they thought you needed to grow up. You always got in trouble because you were never responsible. And you always came to me while you whined...
     
...I listened.

         Now look at yourself. You have fewer friends than me. You always have detention. You complain about your life, but no one understands. It's not my fault you're like this. We changed. And now we hate each other.
         I started hanging out with HIM. Nathen. You had gone out with him, and dumped him. But you still like him. He hates you. I don't like him. But he's an important piece to the game. A knight. Not a king, but a knight.
         Of course some people aren't even in the game yet. Anthony. You know that I like him. You'll go after him, and turn him into another pawn. But he hates you, too. I don't think he even knows who you are. Get over it. He's not in the game. And it wouldn't matter anyway. Everything you need to win is on my side.
     
         Do you think you'll win? The game has barely begun. And I have MANY tricks up my sleeve...
     
      ...or do I?




~Chapter I: The Opening Move~


"Jealousy" is written on your forehead. I can see it as I'm talking to Nathen. Lone Riot is our band; Addi and Caroline are in it too. They're my NEW best friends. Addi‘s a bishop, while Caroline isn‘t even involved, yet. They're important to this game, but so are all the pieces. Are you truly ready for this, Mya?

~I~

"Hi Lily!" I said cheerfully. I know she's a white piece, but that doesn't mean I can't talk to her.
"Hey." She replied. Lily was Mya's knight, a good one at that. If I could only...
"Lily!" Here comes the big mouth. Mya may be a girl, but she is the white king. "Look at my good luck charms!" She pulled out the plastic pink and blue animals I gave to her a year ago. "Aren't they just the cutest things?" She pushed the animal into Lily's face.
"Yeah, it's really cute." Lily safely said. She didn't want to make her king angry.
"Do you want one for the test?" Mya pushed. She shot me death glares, as I was sitting in the desk right next to them. I shot her one back.
"Sure. It wouldn't hurt anything." Lily said as Mya gave her the blue dog. As she put the plastic dog in her pocket, the bell rang. Mya rushed back to her seat, one seat to the left of me. Mya was only two seats away from her knight, a perfect position for her to make her move.

~I~

"Name three different stages in the water cycle." Number seven on my test said. It was the third day of testing, and we were finishing the science test.
"Ice, water, vapor." I wrote down. The test was fairly easy, for me. I looked over my shoulder at Mya. She had a pink cat in one hand as she slowly made he way through the test. I almost burst into laughter when I saw the poor creature in her clenched fist. If she hates me, then why does she say what was once mine is her good luck charm?
I look past her and see Nathen working through his test. He was about six seats away, but I could still see the blue cat in his left hand. I wanted to drop everything and slap him in the face! I thought he hated her! Is my own knight betraying me?! I continued to work through my test, furious and confused at what I had just witnessed.

~I~

"Finished!" I sighed in my mind. I did a quick stretch as I sneak a peek at Addi's hand. She had a pink dog in her hand, as well. That didn't surprise me, at all. She's still friends with Mya, which’s why she's a lethal piece. She sees the next move.
I pull out my book, and pretend to read as I watch the clock tick by. It was book with multiple stories inside, all of them creepy. I loved creepy stories, though the never actually freaked me out, like they should have. Time grew slower as I waited for the two and half-hours to tick by.
About ten minutes later, Mya set her pencil down and closed her booklet. She shot me more death glares as I kept eyeing the clock.
“Twenty minutes left ‘till first period. Then I’ll be rid of you Mya.” Something whispered in the back of my head. I couldn’t agree more with it. Twenty more minutes until the game begins.

~I~

“All right! Times up!” Mrs. Bishop cheerfully said. You could hear the class whispering, “Finally!” Mya immediately moved over to Lily, once more. Lily handed the little, blue, dog over to her king. Mya flipped her dark, blond, hair at me. I retreated back to the safety of my knight and bishop, who were happily watching from the side. The other two plastic animals were on top of Mya’s books.

~I~

“So what’s the band plan?” Nathen asked me after we moved the desks back to the original formation. Mya continued to bug Lily as she did her Communications homework in the remaining ten minutes of class.
“Call me later today and we’ll talk about it.” I told him, dodging another of Mya’s death glares. She used to never give me this many glares, but she’s never been in the same room as Nathen and me.

~I~

The bell went off like a fire alarm. Everyone stampeded out the door to get to his or her first hour class. I was finally free.
“Hey, Riley! Do we just go through our day like a two-hour delay?” Elizabeth asked me. A useful pawn for my team.
“Yeah, I guess you could think of it that way.” I told her. I moved back to my locker. A mess trap always waited inside my locker. Only I knew how to stop everything from falling out onto whomever opened it. I quickly turned to the combination and pulled up on the knob. My science book instantly fell out as I slightly opened the door. I quickly shut the door before anything else fell out, and walked off to first hour science.

~I~

The end of third hour eventually rolled its way to me. I was in third hour English, also known as accelerated English. I decided to move next to Caroline. Caroline was a much better artist than I’ll probably ever be. She could draw in an instant, whenever she wanted. I always drew slowly, and I usually drew my best a night. The moonlight almost showed me where to place my pencil.
“What are we having for lunch?” Caroline asked. I shrugged. I never knew what was on the menu.
The bell rang for the eighth time today, signaling sixth grade lunch. One of the two classes I have with Mya.
“Where am I sitting?” I asked Nathen. He pointed to my seat and continued to eat. I sat my food down and watched as the white king shot me yet another death glance. It wouldn’t work here. I was surrounded with my team. A knight, two bishops, and one pawn sat with me. I was safe. That was when she made a move.
Jenna and Lily, her two knights, were with her, talking with one another. I could see what she was doing. She had true friends; friends that always stuck with her. She was making me jealous.

White knight to C3...

Diana cam along; her bishop. She and Jenna started talking to Addi. I couldn’t hear a word they were saying, but they convinced Addi not to sit with us...

~I~

...Did I just lose my bishop? Did Mya convince my bishop to go to the white? Diana and Jenna walked back to their king, with a grin on her evil little face. I could have sworn I saw Mya laughing at me...




~Chapter II: Anger & Revenge~

Now, I hate you Mya. My pieces stay on my side of the board! She’ll come back. Addi is a loyal bishop, and this way, Mya, she can get the dirt on you. It’s my move anyway, so you have no control. As long as everything goes as planned...

~II~

“She’s thinks I stole it now!” Addi complained. “We were talking and then she brought up that I stole her stupid plastic animal!” Addi was really ticked off. I don’t blame her, though. She was talking about Mya. “Nathen’s even a witness!” I remember Mya saying crap like this to me...

Dang! There goes the plan! What’s my next move? Should I sacrifice a perfectly good bishop? Am I really going to make Addi a pawn? No, not yet, at least...

“What’re you whining about now?” Nathen came from behind us. We were in gym class; heading out to the track for a mile run.
“Mya says that Addi stole one of her plastic things.” I told him. Addi was already annoyed, and I know she didn’t like to repeat herself.
“The ‘good luck charms’ she always uses? Those things are a piece of bull crap! I was going through my test and I swear the test got harder as I squeezed the little guy!” Perfect! Now, my knight was ticked off! Maybe I could use this to my advantage...
“I hate running!” Marissa had walked up from behind us. She was my other bishop. She and Mya never really got along to begin with, but she’s still my closest friend and is always there for me. Nathen is a little frightened of Mya.
“I second that.” Nathen sighed. Nathen was actually athletic, too. For him to say that he hates something sports related is really something.

~II~

Just beside us, Chase and his “crew” were talking about (yet again), sports. I look over to them and then at my own little “crew”. In the back of my head, I whisper to myself, “Nice, your stuck with the outcasts!” I knew it was true. At least I have a group now! I used to sit and eat alone; people yelling at me, “Emo girl!” or “Gothic Brat!” It was mostly Kylie and the other Preps making fun of me, once again. I was used to them by now.
I look over and see Anthony talking to Chase. “And you picked one of the laziest kids in the school to like!” I wanted to pound my own face in for even thinking that! Anthony was even more fit than Nathen, but he was a wimp. We ran and played basketball but he was more of a pretty boy than a fighter.
Then there was Adam. Anthony’s best friend. He was even skinnier than Anthony! He could also run farther and played football, yet he was still a wimp. He was responsible though. Anthony rarely turned in homework and got a few detentions.
“Riley?” Nathen waved his hand in my face to snap me out of my day dreaming. I shook my head and continued to walk to the track. Now, I admit, I’m not the fittest kid. I‘m not too over weight, I just don‘t like running!
I stay near my bishops and run with a steady pace; about the same as them. There’s a simple reason why they’re my bishops. They stay with me through the end. They’re true friends, unlike Mya.

~II~

Finally I hear one of the teachers call us in. Unfortunately, we didn’t even finish. If I just would have had my music with me, I would have run miles around the track and in record time!
“That...was...torture!” Marissa said between breaths. We were all way too tired. As we walked over to homerooms, I could hear Nathen having another fight with Trevor. After a while, it became annoying, as Nathen tends to be. That’s why Nathen’s a knight. I guess we all have our enemies, though.
Is Nathen playing another game as well? What if Mya goes after Trevor? I could probably say goodbye to Nathen. I’d have to keep them at a distance. If I fail, I could just lose this game...

~II~

I’ve had a weekend to think my plan over. I think I’ve planned out every move for the next few turns! It’s time to put my plan into action, as soon as the bell for first hour can ring.
“Hey.” Nathen said as I waited for him at his locker.
“Hey.” I mumbled.
“What’s your problem?” He mocked. “Did the storm keep you up?” I could see he was just asking. My knight was concentrating on other matters, like his mess of a locker. I decide to help him clean up the mess, just as Mya strolled down the hall. She walked with her team, acting as though she had already won.
After finally cleaning up the rest of Nathen’s locker, we headed down to our first our classes. His classroom was right across from mine. He had Social Studies first hour, and I had Science. He had to deal with the white king, which worried me. He could easily change his mind and move to the white team any day. The only thing I could bribe him with was the band. I might just run out of luck soon

~II~

“Yes, I know what I want to be when I grow up!” My mind whispered. “We can’t grow up if you stand their lecturing us!” They talked to us like we were Kindergarteners! The counselor and student teacher continues to talk very slowly. Why did they talk to us l about careers yet talk to us like we’re babies?!
Mr. Hudson always treated us fairly. He would have said something similar to, “You all know what you want to be when you grow up and blah, blah. Now you know that you have to get certain diplomas to do certain stuff. Now that you know that, class dismissed!” That’s at least pretty close to what he would say.

~II~

After a torturous morning, I finally get to lunch, which seems to be where most of the drama is at. Mya sends another death glance, as I sit down and get ready to eat. I watch as Anthony and Chase get in trouble for cutting in line. Lunch and a show, how nice!
I look around and realize that Addi’s not sitting with us again. I know she has a life but she’s been spending time with many different people. I don’t think she’s a bishop anymore. I need to demote her to a knight, and soon. Addi doesn’t have a connection to Mya anymore, so demotions might be a safe move. So now I’m down a bishop. Is Mya winning? No, the game’s just beginning.

~II~

Tuesday, my pieces are all in order, and I’m in charge. Time for the attack!

“Eww! Creature!” Mya whined next to me. “Lily help me!” She hid behind Lily and coward, like a little baby. Brooke came up behind her and gave me the same evil look Mya gave me. She was protecting Mya. So, it looks like I’m not the only one who changed the pieces, but is she a bishop or a knight?
“Grow up Mya!” I yelled to her face. She coward like a baby, snickering like a gremlin. Brooke step in front of her and tried to start a riot, which I would just love at the moment.
“You need to grow up!” She spat in my face. I stood up tall, I was taller than her. I forgot to mention that I have a slight temper. Anyone that knows me, knows that that’s my weakness.
“Get out of my face, Brooke!” She wasn’t backing down to my words. “I’ll say what I want, and if you’ve got a problem with it then just say it!” At this point, everyone was crowded around us, silently waiting for a punch from me. Brooke took a step back.
Smart girl. I thought. She knew that I was into boxing. The crowed slowly melted away and went back to dodge ball before gym class ended. It, and band class were the only two classes we had together, and I’d rather keep it that way.

Black Knight to F6...

Nathen whined to her and she didn’t care. His necklace broke and he spent all of sixth period trying to talk to Mya. She was too busy talking to Lily. She always ignored him, now. All because he was a black piece, she never talked to him.

...Well Mya, it’s your move. My knight is getting closer to you, and I know that you don’t want that. I have strategy and class, you just play with anger. You try to keep your distance. You can’t win by hiding. Come on! I’m waiting... 




~Chapter III: Falling to Pieces~

It’s your move, and as you know, I’m still waiting! Is you plan falling to pieces already? I can tell you’re getting frustrated. Deal with it, Mya. It’s only been two moves, and you’re having a nervous breakdown! Good luck winning this game! Something big must happen if you’re going to win...

~III~

Why does time move so slowly?! It’s Wednesday, and I’m waiting to get home, yet again. It’s the last day that I have to deal with her. Thursday is parent-teacher conferences, so we only have periods one through four. Friday we have the field trip, and Mya’s been banned. She had too many detentions, making her unable to come with us. I never learned how to skate, but I’m away from the white king.
Lunch time, or should I say drama time, has finally begun. As usual, I was surrounded by my team, a black pawn, knight, and bishop. Jake was my best pawn. He always annoyed Mya in Elementary school.
“Mya still likes you?!” Marissa said in shock. Nathen knew that she still liked him, but as I said before, he hated her.
“Yep. She still really likes Dakota, too.” Jake looked at me in horror. He used to be friends with Dakota.

~III~

Now, I really have no control over Jake. He’s sort of in his own little world; a world I would rather not stumble into. That’s not the only reason he’s a pawn though...

~III~

“Hey, Mya! You still like Dakota?!” He yelled across the entire cafeteria.  Panic ran through my veins, mixing with my quickly beating blood. Everything went quiet.

~III~

You idiot! Not good, definitely not good! No! Not now! It’s her turn you moron! If I was actually playing chess, the pawn directly in front of me would have just exploded! The explosion didn’t help the black nor the white! One: I now had to keep my distance from Mya for the rest of the day. Two: Mya’s secret is now inside everyone’s head. I don’t really care about number two than I do number one though. How am I supposed to win if I have to keep my distance?!

~III~
I hid my head in shame. I needed my stronger pieces, NOW! Marissa was sitting right beside me and Nathen was right across. I needed my new bishop, Caroline! She was my closest piece! If Jake had said that one turn later, I wouldn’t be freaking out at the instant. Caroline would be able to fill the gap the blown up pawn had left, but for now, I was wide open. Jake is definitely out of the game!
“Did he just yell what I think he yelled?” Caroline asked me. I could feel relief replacing my panic. As long as I had Caroline near me, then I was fine. Why did Mya have to not have lunch detention, today?
“Thank god you’re here!” I sighed. I was surrounded by my team once more. Mya was going to make her move, soon. After that outburst, I would too! All I have to do is survive for today...

~III~

It got worse in my hour without Caroline. I now should promote Nathen to a rook. Mya’s calling him my “knight in shining armor”. She would love for him to be her knight. So Addi is in the spot Nathen was in, and Nathen sits in the corner. Other than that, I’m wide open for attack, Caroline sits next to me, waiting for the white to make their move, Addi is in front of a Ally (her twin sister is a pawn), who is in front of Caroline. I’m now waiting for Mya’s move...

White rook to B1...

“I heard you write stories about me.” Mya revealed what piece Brooke is. Her rook, and I’m in big trouble.
“Sometimes, but I write stories about everyone, good or bad.” I lied. She looked at me with an angry expression.
“So, am I good or bad?” She spoke. Panic came back, but I tried to calm down.
“It depends on your point of view. I think your good in it, though.” I knew this wasn’t going to be easy. She took the half-lie and walked away.

Mya just wasted her turn. It’s now the end of Wednesday, and I’m protected by Caroline, Nathen, Addi, Marissa, and Ally. I’m safe until Monday, but I’m planning my next moves. I’ll put off moving Caroline to throw off Mya, for now. She wouldn’t know what hit her...



~Chapter IV: Breakdown~

You weren’t supposed to come, but you did. You selfish, insignificant, spoiled, little brat! You crossed the line, you copycat! Get a life!

~IV~

Black Bishop to E7...

I was supposed to be safe. I would at least be away from her, but she got a permission slip. Mya came along, and wouldn’t shut her big mouth.

White pawn to E4...

“You know what would really tick her off?” Kylie had returned to the white. Mya was smart enough to make use of her. Kylie was my worst nightmare. She always taunted me, just for being different. I was...darker than others, and she found a target.
I felt my cell phone begin to vibrate. The spoiled brat was calling me! I look at the caller ID. “Mya” I turned my head at her. She was calling me just to waste my minutes. I simply ignored it. I wasn’t going to let her ruin my day...yet.

~IV~

I turned my headphones up. Chase had started to sing show tunes in the back, and he got everyone else to sing them. My phone began to ring for a second time. “Mya”. I answered this time.
“You selfish, copycat! I’m sick and tired of you so go away you BRAT!” I screamed into the phone. Instantly, I hung up on her. I was furious when she called me for a third time. A brilliant idea had popped into my head. I put my headphones a full blast and changed it to a song. One of my favorite songs happened to scream, “GET AWAY FROM ME!” over and over, and it just so happens that she got to hear that particular part.
She sent me a text saying, “dat music proves u r a CREATURE!”. I was way past furious now. I called her back, and changed it to a song that screamed, “SHUT UP WHEN I’M TALKING TO YOU!” I heard Nathen calling my name from the back. He had sat right behind her, which worried me.
“Riley! Stop calling her!” He yelled over Chase’s singing. I was miles away from furious, now. Panic began to set in as I realized that I was losing. Mya was waiting for me to move. The white king was ready to move.
“You’re on her side, aren’t you!” I screamed back at him. My face was burning up as panic began to take control. “I can easily replace you with Chase in Lone Riot! Do you want to be in the band or not?!” I knew I had gone too far. I felt like locking myself in a room and crying my eyes out. Mya always made a big deal about me thinking that way.
“Yeah, I want to be in the band, but that doesn’t mean you can treat me like crap!” I wanted everything to go away after he said that. I knew he was mad.

~IV~

We got off the bus and went to the skating rink. Our field trip was turning out so well. I saw Nathen walking by with Addi. I draped my hair over one eye and started to cry. I wanted to be alone, but no one ever cared. I wiped away my tears and try to have a good time, but something in the back of my head kept reminding me that I didn’t belong here.

~IV~

I knew it was my move, Kiana was practically begging me to be part of the game. Maybe she would be some use as a pawn. I have to use her for now. I really needed all of the help I could get, considering Mya had Kylie as a new bishop.

Black pawn to H5...

Kiana wanted to be in the game, and mow she was. She made an opening for my rook, who I still had no clue if it was Nathen or not. Mya would be gone for a while though. We were back at school, and she was in a different class. Only fifteen minutes were left until the bell for home rang. Sadness had taken over all of my anger and panic. I felt tired, and I wanted everyone to go away still.

~IV~

I was already balling before I even got home. I had thought about my day, and I really had acted like a brat. What was I thinking? I locked myself in our small bathroom; hiding from my parents (who weren’t home anyway). I curled up in the corner, keeping away from the mirror. I didn’t even want to see myself. I though about what I had said to Nathen, and grabbed my phone. Something ran through my veins. I couldn’t tell if it was anger, pity, or sorrow. I started to text him. I realized what the familiar feeling was, and I knew what I had to do to make it better.
I sent the text and started to cry even harder. I was having a mental breakdown. I was hoping he would read it soon.

“I’m sorry.
    Love, Riley”...