I SHOULDN’T HAVE believed him. Ray-Ray and Dr. Yetty’s game lasts about forty-five seconds. That bamma didn’t stand a chance.

He puts a pawn out. She puts a pawn out.

Ray-Ray moves his knight. She moves her bishop.

Then Ray-Ray stops and looks around. His knee is bouncing up and down, and I can tell he’s trying to figure something out.

The rules are, he has to get through a game—win, lose, or draw, but without asking any questions or making any illegal moves.

And I can’t say a word. Dr. Yetty told me I could watch, but I have to sit behind Ray-Ray and keep my mouth shut. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, too. This is my chance to put all this Ray-Ray stuff behind me, once and for all.

Then on his third move, Ray-Ray jumps his queen over some pawns and sets her down on the other side. In chess, that’s about as legal as setting the board on fire. And I’m like, Dude…really?

“Are you sure about that?” Dr. Yetty asks him before he takes his hand off the queen.

And now I’m like, Dude…what the…

Ray-Ray looks at her. He smiles like she’s trying to psych him out. Then he takes his hand off the queen and sits back.

“I’m sorry, Ray-Ray,” Dr. Yetty tells him. “That’s not right.”

“Aw, man, I thought I had it,” Ray-Ray says.

I thought he had it, too. But that wrong move came out of nowhere.

“Let’s give it another week and try again,” Dr. Yetty tells us. “Kenny won’t let you down. Besides, I believe in second, third, and fourth chances, as long as you’re working to get better.”

Some other grown-up might have cut us some slack during the match, but not her. She’s already standing up to leave. She turns to walk out and all we hear is the click-clack of her heels, and then nothing. She’s gone.

With Dr. Yetty, the rules are the rules. A deal’s a deal.

And that’s that.