When We Played

“I hate the rains." Adi could not help but groan as he watched the torrent of water falling in front of him. His plan had been pretty simple. Have lunch, look around the campus and then leave immediately. But now that plan had been washed away by the pouring rain.

"Well then, you shouldn't come here for your further studies. It rains six months out of twelve here." He heard the sly gloating voice and turned his head to see the girl. She sounded particularly pleased over his misery. Why was that?

"Did I offend you by any chance, Fifi?"

Faith widened her eyes at this. " Of course not! We have only met. How could you have offended me? What a question?"

Shaking her head, she turned away and muttered under her breath," It's because of you that I cannot read and now I am imagining Mr Darcy with you face. "

"You said something?"

"No. Nothing."

Seeing that she was not required to take the guest around the campus anymore, Faith decided she could return to finishing off her book. Of course, it wasn't as if she had not read Pride and Prejudice but she particularly enjoyed reading the book.

But she had barely taken any steps away when his voice sounded, " Do you have anything to do to keep from getting bored?"

"Well, you can read books. There is a small library that I can show you in Father's study."

Adi nodded. "Books... Sure."

As he followed Fifi up the stairs, he could not help but wonder how the little girl he remembered had turned out like this? First she had run away and then she had come back after her mother had summoned her, only to keep giving him glares. She used to love following him around and playing with him. He wasn't expecting her to play with him but he did not expect this faintly hostile attitude. Even though she looked cute as she continuously glared at him from behind those big black glasses, he was not on the receiving end of these looks... often. In fact, no one had even given him such an attitude

"Here are the books.."

Adi looked down at the books that were lined up on the two small shelves and almost groaned! "Principles of Quantum Mechanics? History of Time.. Warped Passages. Fundamentals of Physics.." These were all 'textbooks' for Physics! This is what he was supposed to read to pass the time? Heck, he'd be asleep in a minute if he did that! Just then he spotted something.. "Hey fifi. Do you play chess?"

Faith, who had been about to slink away to her room, stopped mid-step with a grimace. Why God why! What sin did she commit that she could not go back to her book today?

"Of course I do. Who do you think plays with dad? Mama wouldn't even recognize the pieces." 

"Well, then, will you play with me?"

Adi could see that she wanted to say no. But this time he was not going to let her get out of it. "Come on! I have never played Chess with a human. It's always the computer. And after the first few ones, I have always won! I want to see if you are smarter than a computer when playing chess."

As expected, the challenge brought a fighting light to her eyes. Adi covered his mouth with a fist when she accepted the challenge. "So easy to manipulate."

Soon the chessboard had been set and they were ready to play. Adi, who had been playing chess with the computer for over three years now, did not expect that he would lose out to Fifi in under ten moves. He stared quietly as his king was surrounded on all sides and cornered into a checkmate.

Pushing the chair back with a smile Faith stood up arrogantly and said," You should have asked me how well I played before challenging me! I have been playing since I was nine and am the current reigning champion in the inter-school competitions all over the state and second on the country level!"

But before she could walk away, Adi caught her wrist and pulled her back to the seat opposite him. "This is great! Then you can teach me!"

It was at this moment in time that she made the biggest mistake of her life. For she never could have guessed that after playing with him, she would never be able to play and not think of him.

A few hours later:

"Yes! I finally won one game! Thank you dear teacher Fifi! " Adi stood in happiness and quickly hugged Faith before running down for some dinner.

Meanwhile, Faith could only blink dazedly as she watched him rush out of the stairs. She was supposed to have been reading and she had wasted the whole day playing...

But it had been fun... Sorry, Mr Darcy.. I'll come back to you tomorrow