Angel’s Point of View

It’s been a few days since we got here and since Jack got sick. I’m happy he’s starting to feel better but I just can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something important from me but atlas it doesn’t matter right this second, because Amanda’s teaching me to play chess! I watch as the piece that Amanda calls the “bishop” is positioned in the far right corner and I can definitely take Amanda’s king in one move. I Place my hand over the piece moving it diagonally towards Amanda’s rook which would open up my check. Hehe Amanda didn’t see this coming now. I let go of the piece a smirk appearing on my face. Amanda gives a shocked expression, putting her finger on her chin as she quickly moves her king to the right. WHY DIDN’T I SEE THAT COMING? She just moved the king! Now my bishop can’t attack her. My finger whips to my face as I study the board. I hear the creaks of the inn in the background as the smell of cooked sausages that the Old Hag is making distracts me momentarily. Retracing my steps I mentally map out a plan to win this game. I can’t let Amanda beat me again. Ugh, this is so frustrating how can she be so good at this game? I take my knight and move it to defend my bishop keeping my pressure on Amanda’s side of the board. Amanda moves her pawn upward ignoring my pressure. I take that as a hint that she isn’t worried about my push yet, taking a long look at her side of the board I realize why she is not worried. Her queen is in the perfect position to help the king. I need to get rid of that queen. Moving my pawn forward I open up a path for my second bishop to leave its starting position. Amanda mirrors my move on her side of the board. Doesn’t matter since all I need to do is make Amanda’s queen move. Pulling out my second knight I position it next to the earlier pawn. Amanda moves another pawn forward, I pull out the second bishop, and now with my attack squad ready I prepare to attack her queen. Amanda’s next turn she moves her pawn again where it is now attacking my first bishop. I push my bishop forward taking the pawn, but in return, Amanda moves her king taking my undefended bishop. Now I use my second bishop to pressure her queen making her pull it off to the side, no longer in a spot to easily support her king. This turn I move my free rook checking her king. Amanda sits for awhile, her earlier relaxed expression now stressed. Ha serves her right! No matter how good you are at this game I’ll figure out how to beat you eventually, its just a matter of time. Amanda pulls her bishop blocking my rook but this allows my original knight to take her bishop freely. While she’s free from check for now I am pressuring her rook which is stuck in the corner. The only way to save her rook is by taking my knight but she can’t. Amanda moves her King again away from my knight as I take her rook. Amanda tries to move her queen to support her king but since it needs at least two moves to get to that side of the board, I mirror her queen with my bishop keeping the pressure on it. Eventually, we go back and fourth trading pieces while I keep the pressure on her king. Until her final defense falls, my bishop takes her queen and gives me a checkmate. YES! I did it! I finally beat her! I jump out of my chair doing a small victory dance while Amanda watches me. Her smile returned. No, she isn’t supposed to be smiling! I just beat her! She should be upset!

Amanda stands up from her chair, “Good job Angel you’re a natural at chess.” Her smile made me blush at the praise. You’re not supposed to be happy when you lose but I will never complain about you praising me. I give her a smirk “It’s easy! I read you like a book!” Hope she understands the irony of that Mrs. Reads A Lot. Wait, did she let me win so she can go back to reading? No way right? Without thinking I just straight up ask Amanda as she is walking away, “Did you let me win?!” I say accusatory. Amanda whips back her pleasant smile gone replaced by a smile with a hint of annoyance woven into her expression. “Why would I let you win?”

“Because you wanted to go read and you know I wasn’t gonna give up until I won!” I throw my hands down at my sides almost as if I’m preparing to throw a tantrum, but not yet. I remember a teaching from Mom telling me not to show your opponent all your cards until you have to. If she tells me that she let me win then I’ll complain until she plays me again and this time fair and square! With my plan ready in my mind I prepare for her response. Amanda drops her shoulder in a sigh her fake smile gone and replaced just by an annoyed and tired expression, “Oh yea because I offered to teach you to play chess when in reality I just wanted to read.” Her eyebrows raise, “You don’t need to rub it in that I lost.” Amanda actually looks like super annoyed. Oh no, I messed up. I can’t believe it I’m making Amanda really annoyed. Ok ok, I don’t need to keep going otherwise she’s gonna make me do chores! “I’m sorry,” I reply a look of guilt on my face for being a poor sport. Amanda starts to shift back from her annoyed expression to a more neutral look. Ok, maybe I didn’t make her THAT mad but she was definitely getting there. I take a second remembering the scent from the chess game, food! I am hungry! Jumping and running up to Amanda I tug at her arm, “Let’s get some food!” Amanda’s face returns to her normally pleasant look. She looks down at me as she pulls my fingers off of her arm, “Sure, sure I’m starving.” It’s lunch time after all who wouldn’t be hungry! Wait, what about Jack? I’m sure he’s hungry too! Wonder if he’s going to start walking around again today. I look up at Amanda, “I’m sorry but I think I’m going to go eat with Jack.” I just asked Amanda to eat and here I am ditching her to go eat with Jack instead. But Dad always said that I should tell the truth…so I’m sorry Amanda but Jack’s probably bored out of his mind. I look up with pleading eyes waiting for Amanda to get angry with me but instead, I find her giving me a warm smile, “How about we go together?” Oh my gosh! She’s a genius! Why didn’t I think of inviting her to eat with us instead of just ditching her? A spring escapes from my steps into a small skip, “That’s so smart!”

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I stay back while Amanda goes into the kitchen where the Old Hag resides and grabs a few plates of sausages. If I were to go in there I am sure the Old Hag would’ve jumped on me to do some chores! Thank you, God for blessing me with the ultimate defense from the Old Hag. We walk down the corridors of this awesome inn until we get to Jack’s room. Giving it a knock we hear some rustling and bangs as Jack yells, “DON’T COME IN.” Ooooooh why does he not want us to go in? Does he have a girl in there?! Ignoring his words I reach for the door twisting the knob and swinging the door open but before I could see what's inside something blocks my vision! I hear Amanda’s voice, “ANGEL!” Wait?! Why am I in trouble? We were going to catch him with a girl! I put the pieces together that Amanda is covering my eyes with her hands as I hear the door shut. Before Amanda moves her hands off my eyes. I look back at her with an angry glare! One why am I in trouble and two why are you ruining my fun? Amanda gives me a cold hard stare just like how the Old Hag would give me! Just after I was thanking God for a defense against the Old Hag now you’re acting just like her! Amanda puts her free hand up pointing to the air and waving it around, “Why would you open the door if you were told not to?” Annoyed I respond, “Because I thought it would be fun to catch him with a girl!” Amanda just looked at me dumbfoundedly, “Would you like it if your brother barged in and you were with a guy?” I squint my eyes at her, “Why would I be with a guy?” Amanda just sighs, “Why would your brother be with a girl?” Why wouldn’t he be with a girl?! He’s a guy and he’s at the age that you start dating! Is Amanda dumb or what? I roll my eyes, “Because he’s at the age where you start dating.” Amanda has no rebuttal to this instead sidestepping the debate, “Thats not the point.” She wags her finger in the air, “What if he was naked? Do you want to see your brother naked?” Of course not! Why would I want to see him naked? Does she think want to see that? Ew! I raise my eyebrow just confused on where this is going, “No.” “So what if he was in the middle of changing and you just barged in?” Oh my Gosh! Ew! I get it now. Don’t barge in because they’re probably changing. “I see,” I confirm to her that I understand but she seems to misunderstand my response as she goes on a lecture on how I shouldn’t see my brother naked when he’s changing. I KNOW! YOU’RE THE ONE THAT'S CONFUSED! I zoned out of the lecture since I already know! I snap back when I hear the door twist and open.

Jack’s Point of View

What the fuck! I look back in surprise as I pull up my pants, seeing Amanda’s hands covering Angel’s eyes as Amanda’s eyes are closed. Thankfully she didn’t see anything, it could’ve been a lot worse if my thigh wasn’t still wrapped with bandages and she saw the monster I truly am. The door shuts almost as quickly as it closed and I hear Amanda’s raised voice lecturing Angel about how you shouldn’t just open doors. C’mon Angel you’re not that stupid, Mom taught you better than that. As I tighten my belt and put on my shirt I slowly trek to the door, my body still exhausted and sore from my illness but thankfully I’ve been able to rest easy here, at least for now. I listen as to the lecture and Amanda trying her hardest to get through to Angel’s thick skull. Why is she being extra dense these days? Was it because of what happened? As thoughts prick at the back of my mind I hear Amanda just repeating herself at this point so I decide to open the door. My eyes meet the two figures ahead of me, watching as Angel’s bored expression turns to excitement and Amanda’s face goes from lecturing a bad student to a sorry and embarrassed look. Not her fault Angel swung the door open and not like she saw anything that private. I brush off the embarrassing memory as I smell some tantalizing food. My eyes glance around looking for the hidden aroma as I see Angel carrying two plates and Amanda carrying one. One of those gotta be mine. I haven’t eaten anything since last night and I’m starving so much that I had to catch myself from savagely grabbing one of Angel’s plates. While I’m eyeing the food Angel speaks up, “GOOOOOD MORNING SLEEPYHEAD!” Angel’s body shakes and I watch as the plates of food delicately balanced in her hands start to waver. Stop! You’re going to drop them! I reach my hands in the air trying to calm down my energetic sister as I watch Amanda snatch one of the plates from Angel’s hand surprising Angel causing her to drop the other plate. A crash breaks the silence of the inn. Angel’s face goes into a depressed shock and both Amanda and I prepare our ears for her screams. Thankfully she doesn’t scream but drops to her knees and starts to grab at the food asking for its forgiveness. Amanda and I make eye contact our expressions alone conveying our feelings of what we are witnessing. “Umm, so what’s up?” I blurt out which was the wrong move as Angel starts to pout, “We were going to eat together.” A tear drips down her cheek as she stares at the food on the ground. Breaking Angel’s sobs Amanda takes control of the situation, “Angel go ask Mom for a new plate of food.” At the mention of Mrs. Rose Angel flinches, “But if she sees me she’ll make me do chores.” Amanda’s comforting tone shine through but it sounds like tough love at this point, “Then remember it for next time you dance around with plates of food.” A smiley Amanda hands me the plates of food and crouches down with Angel as they pick up the mess she made.

I take the plates of food back to my bed placing them on the nightstand as I turn around and look at Amanda and Angel cleaning up the food a smile creeps up on my face, I hope this can stay like this forever.