The narrator, Yuris, shares her childhood story of growing up with her single mother and older brother, Ivan. Ivan is described as being jealous and resentful towards Yuris, who is depicted as a shy and talented child who loves playing chess. As they grow older, Ivan's behavior becomes increasingly problematic, and Yuris struggles with selective mutism.
Yuris meets a boy named Greg, who is a chess master, and they develop a connection. However, Greg is hiding a secret: his mother has a mental condition, and he is taking care of her in a haunted house. Yuris discovers this and promises to help Greg, but Ivan interferes and reports Greg's mother to the authorities, leading to her being taken away.
In the aftermath, Greg's mother is brought to Yuris' home, and Ivan's behavior is confronted by their mother. Ivan is sent away to live with their aunt, and Greg thanks Yuris for her kindness. The story concludes with Greg and Yuris agreeing to compete against each other in a chess championship.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The narrator, Yuris, is from Arizona and has a brother named Ivan.
2. Their mother worked as a chef in a small restaurant.
3. Ivan and Yuris' mom were raising them alone, as their father is not present.
4. Ivan felt that his mom favored Yuris and didn't have enough money to buy him things he wanted.
5. Yuris had selective mutism, a condition that causes her to go mute in certain situations.
6. Yuris was very interested in chess and became a skilled player.
7. Ivan was not interested in studying and often got into trouble at school.
8. The family's financial situation improved when Yuris started winning money from chess tournaments.
9. Ivan became jealous of Yuris' success and started causing problems for her.
10. Yuris met a boy named Greg at a chess tournament, and he became a significant character in her life.
11. Greg's mom had a mental condition, and he was taking care of her.
12. Ivan found out about Greg's mom and threatened to call the mental hospital to take her away.
13. Yuris' mom helped Greg and his mom, and they stayed with them for a while.
14. Ivan and Greg got into a fight, but were eventually separated by their moms.
15. Yuris' mom decided to send Ivan to live with their aunt in the countryside due to his behavior.
16. Greg apologized to Yuris for doubting her and thanked her for her kindness.
17. Yuris and Greg decided to compete against each other in the national chess championship.