Chapter 5: Playing A Game Of Chess

So if I use this love potion I can make Louie fall in love with me? I thought about it as I held the bottle in front of me, observing it as it flowed through the vial.

"Just make sure that you'll be the first one he'll see and he'll be on you like a charm on a bracelet." She said in her honeyed voice.

"Right..." I thought to myself... gritting my teeth as I had second thoughts on what I'm going to do.

"You must really be in deep thought, aren't you... So tell me... why did you actually fall in love with Louie? I heard he's a pretty good looking guy but I don't think you look at looks. So why?" Sungah crossed her legs as she sat down on a chair.

"Well... It all started during the time... I sat next to him... He was handsome.. he's a face that people will always notice... a lot of girls are into him and I guess I'm the same as them.

"But what do I like about him specifically... I like how he is business-minded and he is ambitious. A man with a goal is the biggest turn on for me." I said to her as she giggled.

"Is that really it?"She said with a hint of skepticism. "What do you mean? I looked at her.

Well, why do I like him... I returned to class as I pondered about it. Well.. the teacher is gone as always. I noticed that my classmates were celebrating and having fun sitting down to their usual cliches. I stood there outside as I saw Louie sitting at the back of the classroom.

The hot temperature of our tropical country always sent him to the back where all the fans are. He always goes there so I naturally go there as well.

I sat down as I saw him sitting with him. James, he's a very quiet kid. He doesn't really have many friends.. his only friends are Louie and me. Usually, he was just a person in the background and when he tries to fit in the crowd they usually just don't acknowledge his existence.

All I know about him is that he is good at programming and making PowerPoint presentations. Although his mother is a helicopter parenting freak. She takes everything seriously and then messages me about it...

I sat down near them saying "Ugh! It's so hot here. I'll sit here since the electric fan is here." I said as an excuse to sit down with him.

"Yo Grace. How's the lolly business?" He asked me with his modulated voice.. although I think it's just a fixed voice. I'd always confronted him about it but he denied to.

"It's doing great. I'm earning quite a lot and weren't you the one that said that my lollipop business would fail." I said in a shrill voice mocking him.

"Well, I mean.. when you said it. I honestly thought it would fail." He responded to my mocking.

"What do you want to be when you grow up Louie." Words came out of my mouth for no reason.

DAMN! WHY DO I SOUND LIKE THOSE ADULTS THAT ASK WHAT CHILDREN WANT TO BE WHEN THEY ARE OLDER BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT.

"I'm not sur-" I hear a very high pitched voice coming at the back. It's Isabel. She's my seatmate, I'm not a big fan of her. She's the typical girly girl and most popular although I can't stand her. She's what they call a loudmouth. She's crazy rich and spoiled by her doting and rich father... She gets what she wants when she wants it. A total spoiled brat.

"What are you doing!" She sat beside him pushing away my chair.

"Hey! I was trying to get some air from the fan." I said to have a reason to stay beside him.

"Why don't you just go to that fan over there? It's better right?" She said to me making a smirk.

"Alright then." I don't want to engage with this nutjob. I grabbed another seat and sat down to the other side of the classroom where the other electric fan was placed.

I don't know what her relationship with Louie is and frankly, I am annoyed when she's around with him. Her obvious flirting with him is already observed by the whole class and everyone knows that she likes him... well a lot of girls like Louie, they often stalk him a lot.

But the bigger question is why are Louie friends with this loner named James... He rarely speaks and he's like silent all the time. People give him pity compliments because nobody really cares about him. Although in order to be friends with Louie. I had to be friends with him.

"Hey... How are you?" I sat beside James.

He looks at me, his face downcast. I gave him a big bright smile. "So how's the game you've been making. It was withered within right?" I brought up his game. I needed to get close to him somehow.

His eyes perked up a little. "Oh! I've been sending thumbnails and the assets of it. I think I can make a demo at the end of the month. You'll try it right?"

"Sure. I'd love to try it. I would really love to try it." I said in a somewhat fake tone. I never really had the intension of trying it but I really need to just be friends with him.

As Isabel kept babbling, Louie's face grew more irritated by the minute. Until finally he breaks a blood vessel.

"Hey, James. I need to buy some paper come join me." He signaled to join and like a loyal puppy, James followed Louie... I can see the annoyed expression in Isabel's eyes that Louie left but also... I got annoyed..since he doesn't invite me to things...

Fast forward to the afternoon. I stayed with Louie during math class. He's always good at math and I pretend to be dumb in front of him so he'll teach me math... not the best strategy but I'm doing my best here...

As I was about to walk out of school... I saw Greg wearing his martial arts clothes... "Hey! Greg!" I yelled at him in the hallway.

"Oh! Hello Grace!" He says giving me a cheeky smile as he starts to strut towards me.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" I asked him.

"Of course Grace. Let's go talk while I walk to the martial arts club room. It's on the very top floor."

He then turns to me as we talked together. "So what do you need Grace? Is there someone upsetting you?"

"No. It's just that... I got this love potion from Sungah Tan. She says it will make someone fall in love with me." I brought out the vial with the pink liquid.

"What? A love potion??? What is that..." He looked quizically.

"Hey. Don't tell anyone.. but Sungah Tan is actually a witch.. she has magical powers... and she told me about it." I put him into a corner and whispered into his ear.

"Are you sure you aren't hallucinating or anything Grace? Are you taking drugs or getting high. You know that's unhealthy for you." He said to me his tone etched to his serious face.

"NO. I DO NOT TAKE DRUGS OR SMOKE WEED but the point is. Sungah Tan is really a witch and she gave me this vial. It's a love potion she said. I know it's hard to believe but heck she teleported behind me." I exclaimed pleading for his belief.

"Well, you aren't the type to lie Grace. So I suppose I can trust you but what do you want to ask me about this?" He said monotonously.

"Should I use the love potion on him? I just need to put it on his food and he'll fall in love with me." I asked sternly.

Greg looked at me wide-eyed and surprised. "Grace. OBVIOUSLY NOT! Do not use it. Not only is it dangerous to add random things into people's food. Also, you are not sure that the thing is really a love potion. What if it poisoned someone?" Greg said concerned..

I guess.. so. DING. I hear a text message from Louie on my phone.

"Heyo. How are you?" He texted.

My eyes sparkled a little as I proceeded to respond quickly to his message. Greg and I continued walking as I started to text him.

"Doing good. Anyways have you done your homework?" I responded to him.

"It's Louie, right? You're smiling a lot." He snickered.

"Yup. I'm happy he actually messaged me.. he really doesn't do this a lot." I smiled and then continued to text him more.

"I'm still at school. So I haven't really done anything yet. XD" I said in chat.

As we both continued to walk Greg noticed my smile growing into a frown. "Let me guess he's ghosting you again isn't he? He starts a conversation and then he just ditches you." He says, he read my face like a book.

"Yes.. he did it again.. he ghosted me again.. Left me at seen," I responded sighing in sadness.

I don't know if this is how you treat someone but Louie does have a habit of just starting a conversation and start ghosting me after I respond... we never finish a good conversation in text because he always goes.. he might apologize afterward saying he's busy but why to bother sending me a message if he just doesn't care about me...

"Geez cheer up! There's other fish in the sea you know? You're beautiful and very confident Grace. Just find someone that will treat you better. " Greg pats my shoulder.

"Thanks... but I guess it's just really hard.. that I keep playing games with him... It's like I'm always playing chess with him... every time we talk... and he never really... bothered with my feelings... when he excludes me..." I sighed.

"Come on! Cheer up! You'll get wrinkles! Come on join me in the martial arts club! Let's work out and probably release all your anger on him through exercise alright!" He smiled as he put his arms around my neck and we both ran for the martial arts club...

In the end, I never decided to use love potion... I'll never want to force him to like me. It'll be immoral.

I guess we really did change a lot especially now that we are all adults and have our own careers.

"You're gonna see a lot of familiar faces on the reunion Grace. Are you excited?" Sungah giggled.

"Not really but I suppose so. Anyways since I'll be starting my business here as another branch I would like to hire both of you to work for me." I said sternly

"Oh! Eww.. why would I leave my company... geez I'm loy-"

"I'll pay you double of what the company says," I spoke orotundly. Like a bubble popping. Sungah's loyalty disappeared to the company after hearing the money. "Sure! I'll work for you!"

"Weren't you just saying that you were loyal to the company?" Greg whispered in a gruffed voice.

"LOL. I got bigger fish to fry. Loyalty and junk. I need money to live you know? The higher the pay that's where I work today." Sungah exclaimed in a silly expression. "Also I need a lot of food to maintain high magic power. I get my energy from it."

"Maybe you shouldn't waste magic power that much like I don't know maybe just walk and not teleport here and you left me back at the cafe." Greg would squint.

"Anyways. Greg. You'll be one of my bodyguards and will be part of security while Sungah you'll be my secretary got it?" I put my foot down.

"Sure. I guess I would love to spend time with you again Grace." Greg smiled. "Aren't you happy too Sungah we'll be together again?"

"Oh noo... I'm just into the money." Sungah giggled. "Anyway since it's my job now. I'll schedule the reunion. You better be prepared. You never know what'll happen..."

I better be prepared... Reunion here we come but first.. I'll have to set up my company.