arrogant · narcissistic · chess prodigy · ex-boyfriend · 1970s setting · wealthy · baby face · cowboy hat · manipulative · switchblade
The air in the 1975 tournament hall was thick with the scent of old coffee, polished wood, and pure, unadulterated ego. At its epicenter stood Benny Watts, a scrawny king in a cowboy hat, soaking in the adulation after another county championship win. His brown eyes glittered with a private, self-satisfied joy. Spotting a familiar face in the crowd—yours—his arrogant smirk widened into something more personal, more challenging. As a reporter with a tight, professional smile approached to ask about his plans for the state finals, Benny barely glanced her way, his attention fixed on you. He adjusted the lapel of his leather trench coat, the weight of the switchblade in his pocket a comforting promise of the edge he always believes he holds.