She stared a second longer before taking a deep breath. “Chapter one…”
— — —
Ricky’s knee was bouncing of its own volition. He couldn’t seem to make it stop as he watched Dr. Sharma begin unpacking a box across from him. He had been dreading this therapy session, fearing that if the axe was going to drop, this would be the moment. So far his parents hadn’t forbidden him to see Diego, but he did notice his mother tense whenever he asked to hang out with him. And she tended to page him twice as often when he did.
Part of him worried that she wanted Dr. Sharma to be the bearer of bad news. Diego’s disdain for his therapist’s occupation hadn’t helped.
“Don’t trust her,” his boyfriend had warned. “As soon as you do, she’ll make you regret it.”
But he knew that wasn’t true, because Ricky already trusted Dr. Sharma. He knew from experience that she wouldn’t betray his confidence. Otherwise, he probably would’ve been grounded an entire year instead of just a month. She was cool. And for some reason, she was setting up a chess board on the table between them.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
Dr. Sharma glanced up at him. “Do you know how to play?”
“Kind of. I know where the pieces go and how they move.”
“Good. You can help me.”
She had chosen white, so he began arranging the black pieces on his side.
“Would you like to tell me what happened at school?” Dr. Sharma asked.
He didn’t need her to be more specific than that. “I got caught making out with Diego before PE. We were alone in the locker room when another kid tattled on us. And it was embarrassing because boners were involved.”
Dr. Sharma’s smile was subtle as she continued arranging pieces. “Strange how the most natural and involuntary bodily functions are the most socially taboo. Could you imagine a culture where people were allowed to fart indiscriminately?”
Ricky laughed. “I’m not sure I want to.”
“I do sometimes,” Dr. Sharma said, only increasing his mirth. “You’ve heard of imagining an audience naked when you’re nervous? There are quite a few people I’d never want to see undressed, so I prefer to imagine the audience overcome by flatulence. That usually puts a smile on my face, which is great for presentations. People must think I’ve discovered the secret to happiness.” Her eyes sparkled at him before she nodded in approval at the pieces on his side of the board. “Good. Enough about imaginary farts. I’d planned on teaching you a different technique today.”
He would remember it anyway, since Ricky no longer felt embarrassed about his confession. He watched Dr. Sharma move a pawn two squares ahead. He did the same and moved a pawn to block hers.
“If you don’t mind me asking,” she began, moving another pawn forward, “how often do you and Diego engage romantically during school?”
“We only have second and third period together. Although I don’t think we will anymore, once he’s no longer suspended. Which sucks, because Graham Fowler and his stupid friends think I’m vulnerable without him and keep picking on me. It’s all right though,” he added hurriedly when seeing her concern. “So far they just keep saying mean things, and it’s not like I value their opinions.”
“That’s a very healthy attitude,” Dr. Sharma said with a nod. “Was it Graham who told on you?”
“Yeah.” Tired of messing with pawns, he moved a knight into the playing field.
“Which implies that he knew you would be in a compromising situation.”
“Oh. Maybe he saw us before.”
“So it wasn’t the first time that things became heated in the locker room?”
“No,” Ricky said with a mad chuckle. “Definitely not. But you should see the gym uniforms they make us wear. And how Diego barely manages to squeeze into his. Darn it!”
Dr. Sharma used a bishop to capture his knight. “And if you hadn’t been interrupted?”
“We never go too far. Just some kissing.” Ricky moved his own bishop out into the center. “And um… some groping.”
“Why stop there?”
When he looked up in surprise, Dr. Sharma was wearing a frank expression while patiently awaiting an answer.
“We don’t want to get in trouble.”
“And yet you did.” Dr. Sharma used her queen to capture his bishop.
“Aww!” he complained. “You’re taking all the fun pieces.” He moved a pawn forward to menace the queen, but she took that too.
“I suppose what I’m asking,” she said, not showing any remorse, “is why you felt it was okay to get in trouble for necking and petting.”
“Necking and petting?” he repeated with an incredulous snort.
“Correct,” Dr Sharma said with a twinkle in her eye. “That’s what we called it in my day. You understand my point, I hope.”
Ricky thought about it. “You want to know why we stopped at going all the way but not the other stuff? I guess we felt like we wouldn’t really get in trouble if our clothes were still on.”
“What did you think would happen?”
“Huh?”
“When you got caught kissing and groping. What did you imagine the outcome would be?”
“I didn’t,” he admitted.
“Check,” Dr. Sharma said, placing her bishop diagonal from his king.
“Wait,” he said. “Let me concentrate.”
She leaned back. “By all means!”
Ricky studied the board, but it didn’t help much. After a few more moves, the game was over.
“Another round?” she asked, returning the pieces to their proper places after he nodded. “As a mental exercise, let’s pretend you hadn’t been caught by Graham and your romantic escapades were allowed to continue unfettered. What are some other possible outcomes?”
“If you want me to be really honest,” Ricky replied, “we could have ended up having sex. Like maybe on the last day of school.”
Dr. Sharma spun the board around, so he could play as white and go first. “And what if you had?”
“It probably would have been exciting,” he said, moving one of his pawns.
She did the same while waiting for him to say more. When he didn’t, she asked, “What else?”
“Things could have stayed the same,” he said after thinking about it. “We would have kept messing around a little before class. Which was nice. Especially during the times we weren’t allowed to see each other.”
“Give me another possibility,” she said.
Ricky moved a pawn before responding. “Someone else could have caught us. And maybe attacked us or something crazy, I don’t know.”
“That’s certainly possible.”
They took turns moving pieces in silence, Ricky leaning forward in excitement when she moved her queen right where he wanted it. He took it with his rook.
“Checkmate,” Dr. Sharma said after taking the rook with her bishop.
Ricky growled in frustration.
“The secret,” she said, “Is not to consider all possibilities, but to follow the most likely to their end result.”