5. Definitely 5.

The fact the professor was just starring at his phone increased the pressure of the two minute window.

"Tessa! What do we pick!" she asked me.

Fuck. Like I was an expert. Honestly 5 seemed to be the least worst choice. At least the people that would be starring at us wouldn't be people we'd ever see again.

"I think 5," I said.

"In front of everyone?" she said clearly panicking.

"Better than him picking from that list is better?" I said.

"If I pick your punishment," he interjected. Still looking at his phone. "I didn't say I would pick from the list."

"See!" I said.

"Yeah, okay. 5. I guess 5," she said.

"5," I said.

He smiled and looked up at us. "Okay. So that's one. What about your second punishment?" he asked.

"You want us to pick two?" Kat said panicking.

"What kind of sick twisted bullshit is this," I asked. "You can't lie. Don't change it now!"

"I'm not. I said punishments. Not my fault you didn't listen. Plus, two of you. Two punishments each. Two minutes to decide. It's all very thematic you see."

I just gritted my teeth. Who knows how much time we had left. "Kat we need to make a decision," I said.

"Too late," Samuel said closing his phone.

"Horse shit!" I shouted. "How are we supposed to react so fast."

He pulled out a little box from his pocket. Opening it up showed a mini chest set. He placed it on the table and set it up, being very careful to place the pieces perfectly.

"Chess is a game about optimal moves and for a beginner, going slow is the way one should play. To ensure mistakes are not made," he said tapping various pieces. "But for an advanced player, it is all but assumed that optimal moves will be made, so a test of skill becomes speed. Making correct decisions under pressure. That my girls, is the game we are playing. If that wasn't clear, I do apologize. But do keep that in mind from now on."

He placed the pieces back into the box and closed it before handing it to me.

"What? Homework?" I asked.

"Oh no. A gift," he said. "And a reminder, I challenged you to this game because I see the potential of an advanced player in you, but it is up to you to realize that potential."

"Oh shove your self righ-"

"Tessa!" Sarah shouted, she then got closer to me. "Maybe don't shout at him before he picks. I don't want something worse."

He chuckled. "I see chest pieces in you both. Tessa, the fierce knight. Refuses to play by the rules. Gives you an advantage no other piece has but is worthless without strategy. Katherine, the bishop, scared to move straight. Preferring to dodge obstacles when possible. A powerful piece when the board is set up just right."

I stepped forward looking at him in the eye. The smug bastard. "You wrote rules. You aren't just forcing us to be your slaves or something. What is this horseshit about two minutes for two punishments. You should give us a fair amount of time!"

"Tessa, I would be violating the rules if I didn't pick. I told you that I would if you didn't within two minutes," he paused. "How about a middle ground. Clara, come here."

The principal's attention was broken as she came over to Samuel. "Yes?"

"Girls. Would you consider it a better alternative if I elected to have Clara here pick?" he asked.