The Derp Games

Chapter 14

Peewee and I slowly walk to the auditorium where the 3rd and final round of the Derp Games will take place.

He takes my hand,

"Well this is it. At least one of us is going to lose."

He's right. There are only four people left in the games, and only one person comes out as a victor. I think back to who is left in the competition; Cradle, Smash, Peewee, and me.

"Well, maybe not," I say. I don't even know where I'm going with this.

"What?" says Peewee.

"Maybe we can..." I stop myself.

"Maybe we can...what?" says Peewee again, obviously losing patience with me.

"I don't know. I guess I'm just trying to look on the bright side, but I can't think of any other way this could play out," I say," If one of us is going to win, I want it to be you."

"No, Dogpiss...I-" Peewee starts

"Shut up. I'm not letting you lose. You actually have friends. I wouldnt want you to be humiliated in front of them. But for me, It doesn't matter if I lose. I only have one other friend; Garth. And besides, its not like I'm going to die or something..." I say, rolling my eyes.

He looks at something in the distance, lost in thought.

I expect him to say something, but he doesn't.

Then the loud boom of Ranch Puncherman's voice interrupts us,

"Ladies and gentlemen! This is the final round of the Derp Games!"

The crowd screams our ship name over and over.

"Shut up!" says Ranch.

The crowd goes silent.

"I mean...Yay for Peepiss!" says Ranch nervously, "This years reflexes competition is...Bing-Bong! It's like ping-pong, but there are a few rule changes. There will only be one round. You get a point when the ball bounces on the table and the opposite team doesn't hit it. However, if you hit out of bounds, or the ball does not hit the table when passed to the other team, the other team will receive a point! Each side will switch off serving the ball. This is going to be a quick game; the first to 3 points wins The Derp Games!"

Bam. I'm done for.

I've never played ping-pong in my life, or whatever the hell bing-bong is.

Peewee takes my hand.

"The teams have already been prepared," continues Ranch, "Team one is Dogpiss and Peewee! Team two is Cradle and Smash!"

I've never actually got a good look at Smash before. I turn my head to see a small version of the Hulk, furiously stomping his way to the ping-pong table.

Yeah, Peewee and I have no chance.

*****

Somehow, Peewee and I end up in front of the table. Across from us is two pairs of glaring eyes.

I return their look.

"Peewee will be serving first," says Ranch, "Go!"

Peewee hands me a short paddle shaped object and takes one for himself. I watch him throw a small ball up into the air and hit it down the table. The ball glides past Smash, easily earning us our first point.

"Oh my god! Peewee! You did it!" I yell.

Peewee smiles, "I told you I was strong."

I hear Cradle quietly shouting at Smash, "How did you not hit that! You're such a noob!"

Smash gets angry. His brow furrows and his mouth forms a straight line, his jaw protruding from his face. He takes the ball and smacks it with such force that it breaks through the table.

Peewee stares at me with wide eyes.

"That counts as a point! The score is

1-1," says Ranch.

Now it's my turn to serve, I throw the ball into the air and hit it with my paddle.

The ball swings through the air and is hit back to us by Cradle.

Peewee hits it again and it whizzes past Cradle's paddle.

The score is 2-1.

If Peewee or I can get this last point, One of us will win the Derp Games...

Cradle picks up the ball, throws it into the air and hits it towards.. Me.

I hit the ball and it shoots past Smash, who hasn't moved much since Cradle yelled at him.

I won! I WON! VICTORY IS MINE!

I do a little cheer and then I see Peewee next to me.

His expression is blank.

"Good job. You earned it," he says flatly.

I completely forgot about letting him win. But what was I supposed to do? The ball was coming towards me. Was I supposed to not hit it?

The more I think about it, the more I realize that that could've worked. They could've scored that point, bringing the score to a tie. Then Peewee would have had to serve, an he could have easily gotten the point.

I feel bad for him...

"Don't you leave just yet, fellow tributes and sponsors!" says Ranch," Dogpiss has won, but this year we're doing something quite different! Dogpiss was part of a team, with Peewee. And because she won the games, so did he!"

We both won! He won't be humiliated!

"LET'S HEAR IT FOR PEEPISS!" says Ranch.

The crowd cheers and chants our ship name, as we are escorted out of the building.