Checkmate？Soulmate！

Eleanor's POV: "Take a good rest this week, Eleanor. I'll line up the matches and interviews once school starts," my agent, Alana, said as she pulled up in front of my house. Well, to be precise, it wasn't really my house. It was my stepfather's house, and I was just crashing here because, legally speaking, I couldn't leave my mom yet—she was still my guardian. In a week, Rosewood Private High School would begin, and I would be transferring there as a 10th-grade student. The thought of not having to stay in the damn house anymore was the only thing keeping me going. I'd been counting down the days like a prisoner waiting for parole. After Alana finished her words, I nodded at her and was about to get out of the car. "Hey, happy birthday," she added casually before waving goodbye. "Thanks, Alana," I muttered. Yep, it was my 16th birthday. I had no party, no cake, no gifts. It was just a day like any others. If Alana hadn't dropped me off right at the doorstep, I might've snuck off to buy myself a slice of cake or something on the way back. ***** Dragging my suitcase up the stairs was a struggle. It was heavy, and I could feel the burn in my arms with each step. Two maids were standing nearby, but they pretended not to see me. I had been used to their neglect. I was always invisible to them. By the time I reached the top, I was out of breath. I shoved the suitcase through the door into the living room, only to come face-to-face with the last person I wanted to see: Sofia, my stepfather's sister. "Well, look who's back. Your mute daughter's finally home after her competition, Amelie," Sofia sneered, her voice sharp enough to slice through steel. Sofia was lounging on the couch with my mom, Amelie. A pile of expensive designer bags sat on the floor beside them, looking fresh from their latest shopping spree. As usual, my mom didn't react to Sofia's insults. I wasn't actually mute, but defending me wasn't worth the trouble to my mom. She wouldn't risk upsetting her husband's sister for me. "Did you win first place?" my mom asked. Her eyes stayed fixed on her glossy pink fake nails and didn't even spare me a glance. "Yeah," I whispered. Just yesterday, I had won the New Zooland State Chess Championship. "The prize is pretty decent, right? I think Alana mentioned it," she said, finally looking at me. Her gaze flicked over my white shirt and jeans with clear disapproval. My outfits were far too plain for her taste—nothing like what a former runway queen's daughter should wear. Before I could answer, she added, "You've saved up enough to cover Alana's salaries going forward, haven't you? I'm only paying for what I absolutely have to." "Freeloader," Sofia muttered under her breath, yet it was loud enough for me to hear. She'd called me that so many times. Every time she said it, it made me want to run far away from this house. Today was no different. "Thanks, Mom," I murmured, though gratitude was the last thing I felt. My mother's so-called generosity wasn't for my sake. The only reason she said that to me was because I scored a scholarship in Rosewood High—the private school I went to. I overheard her bragging about it over the phone, which helped her save face with her socialite friends after I became the family's embarrassment during my year-long break from school. The scholarship covered most of the fees, leaving her with just a tiny fraction to pay. "Back to your bedroom," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand, as if the sight of me annoyed her. The butler hauled my suitcase to my bedroom door without a word. I whispered a thank-you, but he didn't even spare a glance at me before walking off. ***** There was probably going to be a little dinner party tonight. Not for my birthday, of course. Amelie never remembered my birthday—or maybe she did, but just pretended not to. My birth was probably too painful a memory for her to acknowledge. Sofia would certainly bring her daughter, Anja, over for dinner, like she always did. Every time, my mom would go out of her way to cook an elaborate spread. To be honest, I'd rather not have such a dinner at all. Every time, I'd sit at the table like a human dartboard for Sofia and Anja's insults. Only when my stepbrother, Jeffrey, was around, they'd behave themselves a little. Just thinking about Jeffrey made my heart ripple. I hadn't seen him in weeks. He'd recently won the Teen Choice Award, and his skyrocketing fame meant his schedule was packed with interviews and shoots. Thus, he barely had time to come home. I clung to the hope that he'd show up tonight. That would be the best birthday gift I could ask for. I unzipped my suitcase, carefully pulled out my prized chessboard, and set it on the desk. Winning the championship yesterday had been exhilarating, but it had been a narrow victory. I wanted to recreate the final position and figure out a better way to counter my opponent's moves. The crisp clink of the pieces against the board was oddly soothing. I rested my chin on my hand, losing myself in the miniature black-and-white battlefield. In this tiny world, I didn't have to think about anyone or anything else. "Got it! Check—" The thrill of solving the puzzle was rudely interrupted by some loud and impatient knocks on the door. "Dinner's ready!" a maid snapped outside the door. I instantly scrambled downstairs, knowing full well that if I dawdled, Sofia would seize the chance to mock me as a spoiled mute brat. To my disappointment, Jeffrey didn't make it home for dinner. Larry, my stepfather, said he was tied up filming an ad. I sat in silence, nibbling on a slice of buttery walnut bread, while Anja batted her lashes at Larry, sweet-talking him into buying her a sports car. Sofia had divorced her husband several years ago and had no income aside from alimony, so she often came here to guilt-trip her brother into helping out. Larry adored his sister and niece and was always generous with gifts and money. My mom would plaster on a forced smile each time she heard them asking for money. She hated how freely Larry spent on them but couldn't do a thing about it. "Hey, bookworm!" Anja suddenly called out, snapping me out of my thoughts. "You better ditch that outfit when you get to Rosewood, or the teachers might mistake you for an elementary school kid." She and Sofia burst out laughing like it was the funniest joke ever. "No idea if Rosewood accepts mutes," Anja added, glancing at my mom for a reaction. Seeing no anger on my mom's face, she laughed even louder. The sharp, mocking sound cut into my ears like nails on a chalkboard. The thought of spending the next three years at the same school as Anja made my stomach churn. I stabbed my fork into my bread harder than necessary, trying to keep my temper in check. 'Don't let them get to you, Eleanor. In a week, you'll be out of here. And even if she's at the same school, you probably won't see her much. Just hold on. Seven more days,' I took a deep breath and thought to myself. "By the way," Anja continued, her voice dripping with fake sweetness, "I bet you'll show up to parties with your chessboard. When a guy tries to talk to you, you'll be like, 'Sorry, I need to finish this game first!' Oh, my bad! No guy will ever talk to you anyway. You're just a pathetic, clueless nerd!" "If I were as dumb as you, I'd probably just off myself. Seriously, how do you even stand being you?" she added with a sneer. The fork slipped from my fingers and clattered onto my plate. I looked up sharply, ready to snap back. But before I could, a familiar voice cut through the tension. "Anja! Shut your mouth!"