Rebecca pushes the door open and I follow her in. Chris, Leah and Tom are gathered in a group by the loan desk, but the only person I’m concentrated on is Rich. He’s reading a book, at the far end of the room, under an ‘It’s polite to be silent’ sign.

My fingers curl into my palms.

‘Good luck,’ Rebecca whispers.

I try to say thanks but all that comes out of my mouth is air.

I walk between the blue and red chairs, past the loan desk. Everyone has stopped talking and Rich keeps reading his book, pretending he doesn’t know I’m here. But he must do now because my shadow is creeping across the table.

I pull the chair out opposite him. He slowly closes his book and looks up.

‘Surprised you came back,’ he says.

Not as surprised as me.

‘I’m not,’ I say. I’m trying to be cool even though my head is a blur.

I sit down.

The chess pieces are already on their squares. Rich turns the board round.

‘You can be white and I’ll give you my queen.’

‘What?’

‘It’s a handicap system.’ He grins. ‘Just to give you a chance. Means the game might go on for longer, but I’ll still win.’ He glances at the others who are now seated around us.

Handicap system! Who does he think he is?

My fingers dig into my palms.

‘Number four. Do not smile or stare at your opponent.’

Smile? There’s no chance of that, Granddad.

‘Number eight. Never storm off.’

There’s a big chance of that!

Rich reaches across the table with his queen in his hand.

My body tenses.

I glance at Rebecca. She shakes her head slowly, like, Don’t!

‘Trust me.’

Trust me.

I lift my head and look Rich in the eye.

‘I don’t need you to give me your queen,’ I say. ‘I’ll take it fairly in the game.’

Rich chuckles.

‘Okay,’ he says. ‘Was only trying to help.’

I pick up one white and one black pawn and put my hands behind my back.

‘Which arm?’ I ask.

Rich nods at my left.

I bring my arm round and open up my palm.

‘Great,’ Rich says. ‘I’m white. Let’s start.’

Yes, let’s start.

Champion!

I’m the school chess champion. I AM the school chess champion. Yes, me. Felix Schopp, the kid who can’t sit still, the kid who daydreams all day, the kid who got sent to the Isolation Room every week, the kid who’s still got the times table poster on his wall, but all that doesn’t matter because now I am the school chess champion. This is not a dream. This is NOT a dream. Is it?

Wake up, Felix, wake up! Pinch myself. Kick myself.

No, it’s not a dream.

I really am.

I am the school chess champion.