Thank you, Audrey, for your assistance, Pablo resumes studying for the tournament for which Audrey requested help.
After the World History quiz on Friday, in which the center football player sits on Pablo's left, the B-team players finally got their answers as to whether their parents could drive them to the tournament.
"Do you have answers to whether your parents can drive us to the tournament next Saturday?" Pablo asks his teammates at the start of the practice.
"It appears that mine can't" Gerard answers them.
"Mine can't either!" Lilina states, matter-of-factly, about their predicament.
"Luckily, my parents can drive to New Orleans, but they want all of us sleeping at their place next Friday" Nadine's answers raises Pablo's eyebrows.
"Now that we solved that issue, we can go back to practicing" Pablo adds.
"One more thing: for next Friday, keep your homework for the long road trip to New Orleans and back" Lilina comments on what to do on the road.
"Please, give Pablo a chance to contribute on every question!" Warren warns the teams for the drill.
For this drill, moderated by Audrey, Pablo's group is in the position of trailing by 70 points and there are 2 tossups left to go. Last time, it was either I power or I don't even buzz in, he muses while the first tossup begins. The first tossup is a question in an area he's still not comfortable with in a quiz bowl context, so he lets Josiane answer it.
However, on the bonus part, the first bonus seems to be about some sort of drug.
"Opioids!" Pablo answers that bonus part.
"Prompt on opioids" Audrey feels like Pablo hasn't been specific enough.
"Fentanyl" he answers about the opioids.
"Criminal organizations used the China White variety of fentanyl to make counterfeit versions of this drug" Audrey continues reading the bonus.
"Oxycontin" Pablo keeps answering this bonus.
It's a little too early to tell, but I think Pablo is on the right path, Audrey makes a mental note of where she feels Pablo is on the learning curve. To her eyes, he seems to be where the potential for gains is greatest, and the more the season goes, the slower the progress.
After this drill ends, Pablo texts his parents about sleeping at Nadine's place next Friday, along with the rest of the B-team. For which he needs to have a talk with his parents long before it takes place, around the dinner table.
"So Nadine's parents want to have your squad sleeping at their place on Friday night?" Pablo's father asks his son, to make sure he understands the arrangement.
"Yes, they feel like it's going to make the squad's life easier on Saturday morning" Pablo explains to his parents.
"I guess, better sleep at another quiz bowler's home than at some of your football teammates'; I think your quiz bowl teammates are more responsible" Pablo's mom then texts him a list of supplies he ought to prepare for the sleepover.
For the next few days, Pablo decides to intensify his studies in hopes that he will reach his target of averaging one tossup per game at LQBA Fall Invitational South.
But on Friday, he packs his football home jersey, his toothbrush, laptop and pants as appropriate for quiz bowl on top of what he would normally carry for school. As a result, his backpack is full.
When he meets Audrey at the weight room that day:
"Good luck at the LQBA Fall Invitational South!" Audrey wishes on him.
YOU ARE READING
Can't Stop the Questions
RomancePablo, a sophomore playing tight end for Venomous Agendas High, plays the best football game of his life, but as the season comes to a close, his coaches tell him he can't rely on football to go to college, forcing him to buckle down on academics fo...
