Fair Game

It’s hot.

I’m out here at the edge of a sunbaked baseball diamond, letting my eyes go unfocused so I can distance myself from the game. Sweat is dripping into my eyes, and they’re stinging, so I can’t see anyway.

I’m waaay outfield, as far away from the action as I can be. No one bothers me out here; they don’t actually want me to participate, and the feeling is mutual. I was, as always, the last one chosen for a team. I say “chosen” with big, fat air quotes. Really, I was the only one who didn’t get chosen. 

PE teachers are the worst for showing favoritism. Well, that’s not really true - I guess the English teachers do it too. Only they pick me first. 

Anyway, back to the PE situation: Mrs. Marcus names two captains, who just happen to be her star students. In this case, they are Maggie and April. 

Maggie starts off by choosing the third-best athlete in the class (after herself and April). No one is surprised. April takes the next one down the line. 

It’s always the same process - there’s a break in the ratings when Maggie appoints her best friend. The nomination is an obligatory one; Lily isn’t the greatest at sports, but she’d be offended if she didn’t place.

Do I intentionally name the best students when I’m choosing my team for the spelling bee or the debate session? Well… I guess I do.  Of course, I want to be the leader of the geek champions!

Next, April chooses one of her closest friends. (Maggie and April can’t stand each other, by the way.) They go back to choosing by athletic ability, until it gets down to the mediocre players. After that, the choices are just random, except they both avoid picking me.

Eventually, they have even numbers and I’m left standing there. I shuffle my feet, scraping the side of my shoe in the dust while I wait. Little reddish swirls rise in the hot air and dissipate. I’ll guarantee you, Maggie can’t spell “dissipate”. I smirk to myself.

Mrs. Marcus sends me to Maggie’s team, and tells her student assistant to play for April’s team. That’s not fair. Hallie will help them win - because obviously she’s a superior athlete - and Maggie’s team will think I made them lose. I don’t really care, but the balance would be better if Hallie and I were on the same team.

I think about that.

Maggie is in my English class. What if, next time there’s a spelling bee… what if I choose her to be on my team? Because I’m sure to be one of the captains. I can’t pick her first - that would be too obvious - but I’m thinking about second. That would throw everyone off guard. 

I’m so involved in my plot, I don’t even realize the game is over until everyone starts heading in. Mrs. Marcus gives out the score, which everyone else already seems to know. April’s team is the winner. (I called it, didn’t I?)

Everyone on the winning team gets an “A” for the day; the losing team gets “B”. That’s not fair either; my average daily grade is usually a “C”. Even a loss is a win for me.

“Hey, Genius,” Lily snarks, “can you even pretend to try?”

She’s only saying that to impress Maggie. She’s such a sycophant - and I’m sure  she probably doesn’t know the meaning of that word. I shrug and ignore her comment.

Wouldn’t you know it? There’s a spelling bee in English class. I’m one of the captains, and James is the other. We’re pretty evenly matched, and our rivalry is friendly. 

I get the first pick, and call Aaron. James - logically - names Kayla, who is another of the good spellers. I hesitate. Should I do it? 

“Maggie,” I state firmly. The whole class gapes at me, including Maggie. Mr. Webb’s face is neutral. 

Mr. Webb is tall and thin, with extremely long arms and legs. Some of the kids call him “Spider” behind his back. They think they’re clever, and they kind of are, except I’m pretty sure he knows. He might even appreciate it, being an English teacher, but he doesn’t acknowledge it.

The teams are complete, and off we go. This time, the numbers are even. Mr. Webb gives a word, uses it in a sentence to clarify, then says the word again. We’re supposed to repeat the word, then spell it.

“Sapphire. The cat’s eyes were a clear sapphire blue. Sapphire.”

“Sapphire. S-A-P-P-H-I-R-E,” I proclaim.

James flawlessly completes “Chalcedony”. Well done!

Aaron is next, with “Amethyst”. Whew - he doesn’t reverse the “E” and the “Y”.

Kayla spells “Beryl” correctly.

It’s Maggie’s turn. 

“Diamond. The diamond sparkled in the bright sunlight. Diamond.”

Maggie rolls her eyes.

“Diamond. D-I-M-”

Mr. Webb points Maggie to her seat. “Diamond” is not that girl’s best friend!

We get through gemstones and move on to elements. It’s my turn again.

“Molybdenum. M-O-L-Y-B-D-E-N-U-M.” 

We make it through Rhodium, Caesium, Antimony… Then Mr. Webb throws a curveball. Surprise.

A few of us get it and giggle; the rest look confused. 

“Surprise. Mr. Webb likes to use the element of surprise. Surprise.”

“Ohhh…”

Corey has to speak up. He has to.

“But Mr. Webb, ‘surprise’ isn’t an actual element - you know, on that chart thing? Is it?” He second-guesses himself, and looks at his teammates for confirmation.

I hear someone mutter, “Duh.”

“All right, class!” Mr. Webb claps his long hands twice - cupping them to amplify the sound - and looks sternly at us. 

“Focus. No - ” he holds up his hand to ward off any more smart mouth remarks.

“Kayla, your word is ‘surprise’”.

The distraction puts her off her game; she misses the first “r”, and goes back to her seat without prompting. She sits with her hands covering her red face, mortified. I feel her pain. I know she knows how to spell “surprise”.

I sneak a glance at the clock. Five more minutes until the cleanup bell rings. Aaron and I face off with James and Cami, who is a dark horse in this competition. It’s partly luck - she’s fairly good, and just happened to get some of the easier words.

Mr. Webb reaches into his armory and pulls out a few grenades. He lobs one at me.

“Onomatopoeia,” I repeat, feeling a little flushed. I can spell it perfectly well in my head. “O-N-O, M-A-T, O-P-O, E-I-A,” I enunciate carefully, splitting it into four equal portions and ticking each letter off on my fingers. I blow air out, puffing my cheeks.

James spells “Acquiesce” slowly, but perfectly. Three minutes until the bell…

Aaron’s word is “Innocuous”. He starts out, “I-N-”… and pauses. I can tell he’s not sure if there should be one or two Ns. I’m holding my breath. “N?” he continues, and I relax. “O-C-”… “C?” Aaron instantly realizes the second C doesn’t belong, but it’s too late. We’re finished.

It’s a formality; Aaron returns to his seat first, and I follow. He shoots me an apologetic grimace, and I shrug one shoulder nonchalantly. Mr. Webb clears his throat, bows his lanky body theatrically, and announces the obvious:

“For five points extra credit - The winners are…  James and Cami!” 

The cleanup bell rings.

A few minutes later, the final bell rings and the exodus begins. English class is last period, it’s Friday, and everyone wants to get out of there. Mr. Webb motions me over to his desk. 

“Why did you do that?”

“Do what?” I’m puzzled. I don’t think I did anything wrong…

“Pick Maggie.”

I pause, trying to figure out how to explain. Finally I shrug and answer simply,

“Fair game.”

He nods, and gives me extra credit.