The Mega Cookie Contest

"Everyone please head to the auditorium for an important announcement at 9:00. Thank you, have a nice day. Also, don't forget to buy merch from the school store."

Everyone is whispering about the assembly. Would it be a police officer come to say some rules? Or an early holiday? Or an upgrade to the school? New I-pads or computers? Extra tests? A bake sale? A carnival? None of the teachers know either.

When everyone is settled into the auditorium, kindergarteners in the front, 8th grade in the back, the principal walks onto the stage.

"Hello everybody-" The microphone screeches. "Sorry-so, umm, welcome everybody. We have an important announcement to make."

"You already told us that, but what is the announcement," someone from the crowd yells. A few clap and some say yeah

The principal blushes a bright red. " I'm getting to that part." He clears his throat. "All across America, other principals are also saying this speech. 'Cause, all across America, there's a series of contests. Contestants are groups of four, and each school is having a competition to see which team will represent their school. Me and Ms. Maydole have decided on a contest. The team that wins the contest will represent our school."

"What's the prize," someone shouts from the center of the auditorium.

"The prize is a trophy, a lifetime supply of cookies, 10 grand for each teammate, and 10 grand for the school."

Cheers and whoops rise up from the kids.

"And the contest is. . ." The principal takes out a notecard and clears his throat. "the biggest cookie. Because of the lifetime supply of co-"

The roar that rose from the auditorium was so loud, that miles away, people could still hear it.

In the middle row, four people looked at each other and made a silent agreement that they would be a team.

***

"Alrighty, Liam, what's first?"

"Flour! We need 9 cups!"

"Aisle 11, left side, third shelf from the bottom," Amelia tells Theo.

Theo darts to Aisle 11, his gaze scanning the third shelf up on the left side. "Found it!" Theo grabs a ten-pound bag of flour and rushes it to Edith.

Edith examines it. "Good."

"4 teaspoons baking soda," Liam pipes up.

"Aisle 11, left side, 4th shelf from the bottom."

"Found it!

"Good."

"2 teaspoons salt."

"Aisle 11, left side, shelf above the bottom shelf."

"Found it!"

This goes on for a good 21 minutes before the four kids' carts are filled.

These four kids are the same kids that made a silent agreement to become a team. They each have different skills. Edith is the leader. Liam is the brains. Amelia is the memorizer. And Theo is the muscle.

Edith, Amelia, and Liam have been best friends since kindergarten. Theo transferred in second grade. They all made a pact to stay together in third grade. Now they're in fifth grade, and the pact hasn't been broken yet.

"You know, we have to pick a name," Theo shouts to the team from aisle 6.

"Get the eggs, then we'll talk," Edith quickly responds.

Theo grabs the eggs, and darts back. "I think we should be The Champions."

"Yeah, we have to win the contest to be the champions."

"No, I mean, our team name should be The Champions."

"That's too braggy." Liam pipes in.

"So?"

"So I want it to be a nice name."

"The Champions sounds nice to me."

"All in favor of The Champions, raise your hand," Edith interrupts.

Theo and Edith raise their hands.

"Okay, what do you think we should be called?"

"Leta. Or Tela. Those are our Initials."

"All in favor of Leta or Tela, raise your hand."

Liam raises his hand.

"Amelia, what about you."

Amelia bites her nail. "Sorry Liam, but I'm gonna have to go with The Champions."

Liam groans. Theo pumps his hand in the air.

"Anyway, we got to keep going, or else we won't have a single chance to win, which means name, or no name, we're out. So hurry."

***

Ding

Amelia's thumb hits the cancel button.

"Guy, it might be ready!"

Theo puts on a pair of mitts and sticks them in the oven, pulling out an enormous cookie.

Edith then sticks a toothpick in and shows it to Liam.

"It's ready." Liam grins. "After we let it cool, it'll be awesome."

***

"You guys good to go?" Ms. Meyer asks from the front seat.

"Yeah Mom," Theo responds."We're going to win the contest!"

"Theo, come help us bring it out of the trunk. Theo hurries over and grabs the box, lifting It over his head as he walks to the front doors.

"Love you, Theo!"

"Love you, Mom!"

They march to the principal's office. When they get there, Edith speaks up.

"We would like to turn in our submission to the contest. Our team name is The Champions."

"I'm sorry hon, but that team name is taken. The deadline is in five minutes, so if you can come up with a quick team name before then, you can enter." The helper's voice is sugary sweet, but the words are not.

The four look at each other and come to a silent agreement.

Edith places her hands onto the desk and leans forward. "We are The Winners."

"I'm sorry hon, but we haven't judged yet, and you still need a team name. No one is the winner yet."

"No, that's our team name. The Winners."

"Okay hon, but that's also taken."

"Alright, we are The Teal Team."

"Okay dokey. I'm writing it down. How big is your cookie again?"

"Four feet."

"Okay. I just wanted to know. It doesn't go on the form though. The judges decide how big they are."

Edith is starting to get a headache. "Have you entered us into the competition? If yes, then we're going now."

"Yes, I have. You can go know. Bye!"

***

"Alrighty. The judges have told us that it was a very decision, in the end. But only the best cookie can win." The principal reads from a stack of notecards, and he flips to the next one. "It was a tie. So we will have a first to three rock paper scissors shoot battle to determine the winner." He flips to the next notecard. "The winners are. . . The Champions, and The Teal Team."

The auditorium erupts, and There many pats on the back, and high-fives.

"Please make your way to the stage, where you will have your final battle."

He flips a notecard, as eight students walk to the stage.

"Please tell the school who the team leader is."

"Raymond," A voice pipes up. "He's the leader for our team."

There is no hesitation as Theo steps forward.

"Edith is our team leader."

Edith and Raymond our pushed to the front.