Check-Mate

CHAPTER 4

The grocery store was hummmed with its usual late-afternoon energy. Menchie walked beside me, checking the list my mom had given me while I pushed the cart.

"We need a dozen eggs, dish soap, and a big bag of cat food. But wait, there's more. We need coffee for Kuya Migz, a gallon of milk, that specific brand of soy sauce Mom likes, and a pack of sponges."

I sighed, pushing the cart deeper into the aisle. "Is that all?"

"Nope. Mom added a section for Lanaya’s 'survival kit.' We need to find those strawberry yogurt drinks, a pack of chocolate biscuits, and some cheese sticks for her school snacks. Oh, and 'anything healthy-ish' for Reign."

"So basically the entire store," I muttered, tossing a bag of premium kibble into the cart. "How are you not exhausted? You’ve been awake since the sun was a mere suggestion."

"I'm actually fine," I admitted. "In fact, I feel a little too awake. My brain is stuck in high gear because I keep thinking I’m being haunted by a yellow sticky note."

Menchie opened her mouth to reply, but her eyes suddenly went wide. She stared at a woman in the next aisle who was inspecting a carton of milk. "No way. Is that...?"

I followed her gaze. The woman was tall, polished, and had an air of effortless grace. When she turned, a familiar spark of intelligence lit up her eyes.

"Katherine?" I breathed.

The woman froze, then a massive, radiant grin broke across her face. "Kaisha? Menchie? Oh my god!"

Before we could react, we were pulled into a fierce group hug. Katherine was our senior in high school—the legendary chess captain who had mentored us both. We had spent hundreds of hours in tournament halls together until she moved abroad four years ago.

"You’re back!" Menchie cried. "When? How?"

"Just last week," Katherine laughed, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "I was going to surprise you guys once I settled in. I’ve missed my favorite chess prodigies!"

We kept walking, pushing the cart as we shopped, reminiscing about the years that had passed since we last met. Katherine seemed exactly the same—sharp, kind, and fiercely independent.

"Look, I’m alone tonight because I haven't even finished stocking my pantry," she said, gesturing to her half-empty cart. "But you two are coming over for dinner tomorrow night. No excuses. I’ll cook, we’ll play a round of chess, and we can talk properly."

"We're in," I said immediately. Menchie nodded in agreement.

"Perfect. I’ll pick you both up at six. I don't want you getting lost trying to find my new place." She winked before parting ways with us.

By 6:00 p.m. the next day, Katherine’s sleek car pulled up in front of our gate. Menchie was already inside, waving from the passenger seat.

"Ready for the grand tour?" Katherine asked as I hopped in.

The drive was short, leading to a quiet, upscale neighborhood. Katherine pulled into a driveway of a modern, two-story house that looked far too organized for a single person.

"I have a housemate," Katherine explained as she unlocked the front door. "He’s a bit of a bore, but he keeps the place clean."

We followed her into a spacious, warm living room. The smell of roasted chicken and garlic filled the air.

"I'm home!" Katherine called out. "And I brought guests!"

A door down the hallway opened. I expected a cousin or maybe a boyfriend.

Instead, out stepped Eli.

He had swapped his school polo for a casual grey t-shirt, but his expression was just as composed as ever—until he saw us. He froze, his hand still on the doorknob.

"Eli?" Menchie and I said in unison.

Katherine looked between us, confused. "Wait. You guys know my brother?"

"Brother?" I choked out.

Eli recovered first, a slow, annoying smirk spreading across his face as he looked directly at me.

"We've met," Eli said smoothly. He looked directly at me. "She's the one who's usually 'present-adjacent' to my block. Though she was surprisingly early today."

My heart did a violent thud. Brother.

"You never told us your brother was Elijah Kian!" Menchie accused.

"I told you I had a younger brother!" Katherine laughed. "I just didn't realize he was in the same school as you."

"BTW, I'm not boring, Kath. I'm efficient," Eli corrected, walking toward us.

"Dinner’s almost ready," Eli said, his eyes still fixed on mine. "I hope you like your chicken well-done, Kaisha. I'd hate for you to be late to class tomorrow because of a stomach ache."

I narrowed my eyes. He was doing it again.

"I'll be fine," I snapped. "I'm becoming quite the fan of early mornings lately."

"Is that so?" Eli mused. "We'll see how long the miracle lasts."

---

The dinner was a blur of savory chicken, sharp wit, and unexpected revelations. As the plates were cleared, the conversation shifted from school gossip to the past.

"You should have seen these two back in high school," Katherine said, leaning back with a proud smile. "They weren't just students; they were my secret weapons. Absolute chess prodigies."

Eli, who had been leaning against the kitchen counter, paused with a glass of water halfway to his lips. He arched an eyebrow, his gaze shifting to me with a look of genuine disbelief.

"Prodigy?" he repeated, his voice trailing off into a hum of amusement. "The girl who walks into branches and wears her hoodie inside out is a chess strategist?"

"Watch it, Elijah," Katherine warned playfully. "She’d likely have you in checkmate in under twenty moves."

"I'd like to see that," Eli challenged, his eyes locked on mine.

We set up the board on the mahogany coffee table. The atmosphere shifted instantly. The moment my fingers touched the cool weight of the wooden pieces, the clumsiness of the afternoon vanished. I wasn't the girl who was "present-adjacent" anymore; I was the girl who saw the board in patterns of light and shadow.

Eli played like he lived: efficient, cold, and defensive. But I played with the aggression Katherine had taught me. The room went quiet as Menchie and Katherine watched.

Twenty-five moves later, I slid my bishop across the board. "Checkmate."

Eli stared at the board for a long beat, then let out a short, surprised laugh.

"Okay. I stand corrected."

"Should we?" Katherine asks, holding up an expensive-looking bottle of red wine like a trophy. She looks between us, raising an eyebrow. "Is everyone in for a glass? Or are we playing it safe tonight?"

"Pour it," Menchie says with a laugh.

I nod, too. Why not? We’re all legal now. I’m riding the high of my victory, and a toast to our homecoming feels right.

Katherine pops the cork and fills the glasses. "A toast to the homecoming!"

The first glass goes down easily enough. But my tolerance is a joke, and by the time I'm halfway through a second one, the edges of the room start to blur. I can't keep up with Menchie and Katherine anymore. Their voices bounce back and forth, trading rapid-fire stories about London and college scandals. I try to follow the conversation, but my brain feels sluggish, trapped a few seconds behind their words. The warmth from the wine settles heavy in my chest, turning the living room pleasantly fuzzy.

"You're glowing, Kai," Menchie’s voice cuts through the fog. A finger pokes my cheek.

"I feel... vibrating," I mumble. My voice sounds miles away. Not mine. I let my head drop back against the sofa. The ceiling spins. Soft. Dizzy.

Time loses its shape. I don't know how many minutes have passed, but suddenly Katherine is slumped over a pillow, arguing with her chessboard. She's insisting the knights are looking at her funny. Next to her, Menchie is fast asleep sitting up. Her glasses are sliding down her nose. Falling.

Blink. Heavy eyelids. I scan the room.

Eli is the only one who looks completely untouched by the alcohol. He sits there with an expression of long-suffering patience that makes me want to laugh, but my muscles refuse to cooperate.

"Elijah..." Katherine slurs, waving a limp hand toward the kitchen. "Clean. Command of the captain. Clean the mess."

"Yes, your majesty," Eli sighs.

He stands up and starts gathering the empty glasses. I pull out my phone, squinting hard. The screen is a blinding, watery smear of light. I blink, trying to force my eyes to focus, trying to find... something.

"Give it here, Kaisha."

Eli’s voice is suddenly right above me. He reaches down for the device. "You're going to drop it."

"Need to check... the mystery," I whisper. My tongue feels like lead.

His fingers brush mine. Static. A sharp jolt breaks through the fog. I look up. The playful, arrogant smirk he always wears? Gone. He’s looking down at me. Really looking. Deep. Quiet intensity that makes my throat tight.

"Go to sleep," he murmurs. His voice drops into that exact low, intimate tone from the text messages. "You have to be early tomorrow, remember?"

The room feels entirely too still. He doesn't wait for me to answer, turning around to clear the table.

The soft, rhythmic clink of glassware is the last thing I hear as the darkness pulls me under, my spinning mind left with one terrifying, intoxicating thought: Was I just dreaming, or did the Unknown Number just speak to me out loud?