After a few days I went back to school, and tried my best to focus on my classes, trying to keep my grades up. Felicia's funeral had been as good as funerals could go, and since then people had stopped whispering about me when I passed. The strange looks however, hadn't stopped. Apparently I did better than I thought in keeping my grades up, because after the final bell rang, Liz Allen, the most popular girl in school, and leader of the decathlon team (they were going on a trip to DC in a few days one person short), pulled me aside.
"Hey Gwen, can I talk to you?" she asked, drawing the attention of Peter and Ned, who stopped for a second to stare before they continued on.
"Sure." I answered, walking over to my locker to put my books away..
"You're a really smart person and we could use someone like you on the Academic Decathlon Team." Liz explained, as I exchanged stuff from my locker. Usually, I had a free period now, so joining the decathlon team would take that away, but it would also give me a much needed opportunity to make friends.
I fell silent for a moment, considering, before I turned to Liz. "Sure. Why not?" I gave her a small smile, and followed her as she walked to the gymnasium. She pushed open the doors, and everyone stopped what they were doing.
"Guys, this is Gwen. I asked her to join, so she's going to try out." Liz announced and I shifted nervously.
I took a moment to assess the room. There were desks set up, where people were watching or studying. There were two tables set up on the stage, and two people sat behind each. MJ sat against one wall, and she waved when I walked in. "Ok, so how does this work? Do I have to answer questions faster than someone else? Or do I just need to get them right?" I asked the room. I heard a small bell ding, and someone spoke up. "The latter is true."
"Abraham. What I have I told you about using the bell for comedic purposes." Mr Harrington admonished.
"I'm going to ask you a series of questions, and I want you to ring the bell when you know the answer. The faster the better. But if you're incorrect, it doesn't do you any good." Liz explained, as I sat down. She set a small silver bell in front of me, before picking up a red booklet.
"Alright." I nodded, shifting on my feet. I heard the door open and glanced over. "Hi Peter." I acknowledged.
"Ok. First question, what is the heaviest known element?" Liz asked.
The bell dinged as I hit the button on top. "Uranium."
"Correct." Liz smiled. "Next question. What was the significance of the earthrise photo?"
Ding. "That the earth was small and vulnerable compared to the vastness of space." I answered.
"Correct. In place of rhyme in the poem "Passage to India" what technique does Walt Whitman use to establish continuity?"
Ding. "Anaphora, the repetition of words."
Liz kept asking questions, and I kept giving answers. By the end of the test, I had gotten only two incorrect questions.
"You did amazing!" Liz beamed.
"Thanks." I smiled awkwardly, no longer used to receiving compliments.
"You'd better come to the Academic Decathlon with us!" Liz exclaimed, beaming at me.
"Peter's not going to nationals." Michelle announced out of the blue.
"Why not?" Abe asked, from his position on the stage.
"Really, before nationals?" Liz sighed, giving Peter a disappointed look. "Cindy already had to drop out, now you?"
YOU ARE READING
Unlucky
Fanfiction❝Death doesn't discriminate, between the sinners and the saints, it takes and it takes and it takes.❞ **** The two of them don't know it yet, but they have a lot in common, Gwen is a lot dorkier than she might let on, and Peter knows what it's like...
