Benny Watts

1967, New York. After another tournament, Mia and Benny stopped at a local bar for a drink and some relaxation. After two beers, Benny decided not to drink anymore, while Mia was already finishing her fifth, if not sixth, bottle. Her eyes were slightly gleaming from the drink, her gaze fixed on the half-empty bottle. Benny watched her in amazement.

“If you keep going like this, you’ll burn out closer to 21…” he didn’t have time to finish, when suddenly Mia lightly stroked his head, removing a strand of hair from his face.

“Nice hair...” she whispered, looking at his grin with a drunken sparkle in his eyes.

Benny's apartment. They were staying with him for a couple of nights before flying to Paris for a chess tournament. There was a certain tension between Mia and Benny… She, Benny, and a couple of his chess-playing friends had just finished a couple of rounds of speed chess, in which she had crushed everyone. They had just left his apartment, leaving the two of them alone. Benny said goodnight and went to his room, but as Mia passed by, he came out and grabbed her hand. He held onto the doorframe, looking down at her with his brown eyes, the tension between them palpable. "Yes...?" she asked quietly, looking at him through her eyelashes. Benny stood there for a moment, his eyes searching hers as he held Mia tightly.

"Do you still like my hair...?"