Queen Boys

Chapter 13: Lessons from the Competition

It was the day of the Spring Fling dance and the Mathletes competition. But since I was grounded, I couldn't go to the former. Everyone else was getting their dapper suits on, while I was in my forest green polo shirt and khakis. Cliff drove us to the venue of the competition, and it didn't surprise me one bit to see the amount of people who came.

"That's lit, love the turn out this year," Ringo declared with his hands on his hips. I looked at him puzzled, as there were like 10 people in the stands.

"Alright you guys, it's all you. Make me look good out there," Mr Kane said, and I swallowed the lump that was in my throat as I assumed my position. My stomach was in knots just from being in there at all.

"Paperhouse, you no good sons of bitches, you no good sons of bitches," Ringo chanted and Mr Kane approached me. "Nervous?" he asked, and I let out a breath that I didn't realise I was holding.

"Yeah." I replied honestly. "Don't be, you've got this. There's nothing to break your focus... because the Paperhouse girl is not very cute," he whispered the last part in my ear, right as the only girl on the Paperhouse team blew kisses at me. She wasn't hideous, but she certainly was no Veronica.

"Hello everybody, I'm your host Norman Sheffield, and welcome to the London High School Mathlete championship! Let's start the competition, here is the first question." Mr Sheffield then hit the red button, and the projector showed a problem on the screen. We only had 120 seconds to answer the question, hit our buzzer, before answering the questions into the microphone.

My palms were drenched, and Paul had answered it already. Then Paperhouse answered the second one correctly.

Oh shoot, my ruse with Veronica had come back to bite me a second time- I was very rusty on all this.

~~~~

"Where's John?" Mrs Deacon asked the patriarch of the Deacons.

"He went out," came the response, much to her confusion. "But he's grounded."

"Are they not allowed out when they're grounded?" Mr Deacon asked, leading to the woman huffing and grabbing her car keys.

At the dance, Elton was at the table having people put in votes. He was wearing a sparkly purple tuxedo, while Joni was in a lilac gown with a black bodice in the middle.

"Don't forget to vote for Spring Fling King and Queen people! These twats are representing you for the whole calendar year!"

"I'm voting for Freddie Mercury because he got hit by that bus,"

"I'm voting for John Deacon, because he pushed him,"

"He's supposed to be grounded! And he let him out!" Mrs Deacon explained to Ms Springfield, having to yell over all the noise.

~~~~~

Back at the Mathletes competition, we were tied. Now we have to go through a sudden death round. Sounds intense for anything else, but since its math we're talking about, it really isn't. Each team gets to pick their leading player for this round.

"Abbey Road, who do you select?" Mr Sheffield asked, and Ringo chose the Paperhouse guy with the longest hair. Alan Longmuir.

"We pick Rapunzel," one of the Paperhouse guys nominated.

"John Deacon." Mr Sheffield said, and I rolled my eyes. "Call me Deaky! OMG that's me." I realized, right as Julie gestured for me to get to the middle with Alan.

This bloke really needs to moisturise his face, his outfit looked like it was picked out by a blind Catechism teacher. And that's when I realised that making fun of Alan Longmuir wouldn't stop him from beating me in this championship.

"Contestants, please find the limit of this equation."

Calling someone else mean wouldn't make you any kinder. Calling someone stupid doesn't make you any smarter. And ruining Freddie Mercury's life definitely didn't make me any happier. All I could do in life was solve the problem right in front of me.

Buzz!

"The limit is -1." Alan guessed, and I sighed. Shite, we lost. Or so I thought.

"The answer is incorrect," Mr Sheffield announced, before adding. "Now remember, this is sudden death, and if Mr Deacon can get his answer correct, then we have a winner."

Limits. Why can't I remember anything about limits? Limits, that was the week Ronnie had newly cut bangs, oh gosh she was so pretty. Ok, focus Deaky! What was on the board behind Veronica's head? If the limit never approaches anything...

"The limit does not exist. The limit does not exist!" I exclaimed with a grin.

"Our new champions, the Abbey Road Mathletes!" Mr Sheffield announced.

My team and I cheered in victory, and I couldn't be happier about this win. Mr Kane was elated, and I definitely saw Cliff and Julie leap into an embrace at the corner of my eye.

I shook Alan's hand before returning to my teammates. To rub it in, Ringo ripped his shirt in happiness.

"How do you like me now? You like that? Get some, get some!"