A Billionaire’s Ruse

It seems James was smarter than I expected him to be.

“What about you?”James asked.

“Mine is The queen.” I answered. “She is the most powerful piece on the board, and is known for its versatility and adaptability. It’s a strong leader that can be both aggressive and strategic.”

From my reply, James knew that I was a leader in the making. From a little age, I have been attending various leadership programs with my parents, I guess they were starting to pay off. It actually felt good being able to show off in front of someone.

” Hmm… that sounds like a leader.”

“We should play chess together here,” he said. “And I’m sure I’ll win,” he said excitedly.

“You are not so humble after all. Well, Let’s see,” I said.

I dislike it when someone undermines my ability. I have been trained to face anything that comes my way squarely.

After several rounds, James emerged the winner. I was sad but happy as well.

“He is very good,” I said under my breath.

“Did you say anything?” he asked.

“No, I mean you did well.” I answered.

“But I’m kind of glad we’re here,” he said. “It’s way more interesting than sitting at home watching TV.”

He paused, looking a little hesitant. “Do you want to explore the rest of the gala with me? I’m kind of bored, and it’s more fun with someone to talk to.”

I thought about it for a moment, then smiled. My mum won’t miss me.

“Sure, let’s go explore,” I said.

“Maybe we’ll find something even more interesting.”

With that, both of us head off to wander through the rest of the gala. We took in the sights and sounds of the event, from the fancy decorations to the chattering of the other attendees.

As we explored, James and I chatted about all sorts of things – our hobbies, our families, our favorite foods, and more.

“How old are you Emily? Hope you don’t mind my ask?”

“No, I don’t mind. I’m nine. You?”

“I’m almost ten. When is your birthday?”

“On the 31st of December. What about yours?”

“On the 28th of May.” he said coldly.

“That’s in two days time.” I said thinking he would be excited.

“Yeah, it is in two days time. That’s why my dad suggested I come for this party since he couldn’t afford one for me.”

“Ohh.” I said.

After a while, we found ourselves in a quiet area of the gala, away from the crowds. There was a little table set up with a display of books, and we gravitated toward it.

The books are old and well-loved, and they looked like they’ve been read many times. I picked one up and flipped through the pages, feeling a sense of wonder as I did.

“I love books like this,” I said. “They feel like they have so much history behind them.”

“I know what you mean,” James said.

“It’s almost like you can feel the stories they’ve told over the years,” he continued.

“It is just as if you can imagine all the people who had read them and who had been changed by them.” He looks at me with a thoughtful expression. “Do you ever feel like books are almost alive, like they have their own personalities?”

I was taken aback by his insight. I nodded and gave him an answer. “Yes, exactly! Some books feel really welcoming and warm, like a cozy blanket. Other books on the other hand, feel dark and mysterious, like they’re hiding secrets.

“And some books feel like they’re full of adventure, like they’re daring you to follow them on a journey,” James added.

“They’re like portals to other worlds.” He picked up a book from the table and held it out to me. “What do you think this one looks like?”

There was a knock on the door and Timmy, our driver popped his head inside,

“Emily, we have been looking for you.” He said when he saw that I was inside the room, “Your mum is ready to leave now. She asked to get you.” He saidNôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Are they done with today’s event? The time is just a few minutes past 3 pm.” I said looking at my watch to confirm the time.

“She got a call from home and asked that we leave now.”

“That’s a bummer. I just met a friend that I wanted to spend time with.”

“I’m sorry, little miss. But we have to leave now.” He said, wearing a bright smile. Looking defeated, I turned to James.

“So sorry James, I have to run along. My driver is here to take me home. See you some other time. You could come over to my house tomorrow. I’ll tell my parents. Bye” I said walking away.

And he waved hesitantly.

As I walked through the front door of the library. I found myself thinking about the boy I had met at the party.

His name was James, and he was unlike anyone I had ever met before. And believe me, I’ve met numerous people in my short lifetime.

There was something about him that drew me in, even though I barely knew him. I thought about his quirky sense of humor and his unassuming yet confident demeanor. My mind kept wandering back to the conversation we had shared, and I found myself wanting to know more about him.

“Mum.” I called out her name as I ran and hugged her.

“There you are. Where have you been?” My mum said as she looked me over if I had had any scratch on my body. When she was satisfied, she took my hand and led me to the waiting car.

“I met the nicest boy today mum. Oh, he is so fine, also mum…”

“Really? what was his name?” My mum said cutting me off to ask

“His name is James and he is so good with chess and…” and we continued our way home with my mum listening to me with rapt attention while I filled her in on all that happened.