Chapter 11
I have to wait until the first speaker has finished before I can slip into the classroom. The shame of this sets my cheeks on fire. True, I could pretend to be double entered in the tournament and that’s what most of the kids in the room are thinking. Except one. Ryan.
He glowers at me, all fierce eyebrows and eyes. I barely have time to register this because the judge in the back of the room calls out:
“F-13. You’re up next.”
When I stand, she asks, “Have you caught your breath? We can always skip and come back to you.”
It’s a nice offer, and she looks like a nice judge. I wish I could see her name, but her badge is covered by a scarf looped around her neck. The air around me grows tense. It’s like I can feel the other kids bristle. Coming in late is bad enough. I cannot m
