A New Hope (The Second Chance Series Book 2) (16 page)

“This is awesome.” Jake said as they filed into the classroom they were using during breaks. “We have never been this far in the lead after the first round before. Now we get a break. Because we are the leaders we don’t have to go back out yet. We have about two hours because they will take the lowest scoring team and the second highest scoring team in each category and put them against each other then they will break for lunch for an hour before we’ll go. We were the leaders in all three so we will be in the next round against the third team. Then round three will be the winners from each part of round two. If we can win round two in each category we will all advance. I don’t see that as a problem though.”

Karla looked at Jake and asked, “In round two we will have to hit the buzzer and answer the question out loud correct?”

“Yes. The first team to answer the question correctly gets the point. In this round there are fifteen questions and we get two points per correct answer.”

“You’ll do great, Karla.” Conner assured her with a smile as he grabbed her hand.

“Yes, you will.” Jake said with a reassuring smile. “Now they have sandwiches, chips, cookies and drinks set up for all of us if anyone is hungry. It’ll be a while before we get the chance to eat again.”

“Come on guys, I’m starving.” Conner said and tugged on Karla’s hand a little.

“You’re always starving, Con.” Callie teased her brother. “I’m a little hungry too though.” Conner laughed and they walked next door to the room where the food was.

Once they had their food Conner, Callie, Karla and Rylee sat at a table together and a moment later Jake and Daniel joined them and started talking. “You four are doing great.” Daniel said then took a huge bite of his sandwich.

“I am so nervous.” Karla confessed.

“You have no reason to be nervous.” Jake assured her. “You are the smartest person I know, including myself.” He grinned at her.

“He’s right.” Daniel told her. “We could have put you in any of the groups and you would have excelled, but we needed Callie in the math group. She scored fifteen of our thirty points by herself today. I was stumped by a few of the equations and she answered them without even thinking about them. It was amazing to watch her brain work.”

Callie blushed and looked at the table. “I was just doing what I was brought onto the team to do.”

“You went above and beyond what any of us expected. During practice you pretty much let the rest of us take the lead, but today you stepped up and showed everyone what you can do. I’m very proud to have you as part of this team.” Daniel told her and gently touched the back of her hand.

“I don’t speak up much in practice because Vicki and Jennifer are always giving me looks like they don’t want me there. I knew that today I could prove to them that I belong on this team.”

“Well I think that anyone who doubted you no longer does.” Daniel told her with a soft smile. “Why didn’t you tell me before now about the looks they give you?”

“Because they really don’t bother me. I was just waiting until today’s competition to put them both in their places.” Callie answered with a grin. When she looked at the table Vicki and Jennifer were sitting at they were both gaping at her and that caused her grin to grow wider. “I think I accomplished my goal.” She said and nodded in the direction of their table.

Jake and Daniel looked in the direction she nodded and caught the expressions on the girls’ faces before they quickly looked away. “Excuse us a minute guys.” Jake said and motioned for Daniel to follow him.

When they walked over to the table Vicki and Jennifer were setting Callie laid her head on the table. “This is why I didn’t say anything before now.” She mumbled into the table.

“You should have.” Conner told her. “No one has the right to make you feel less than you are, Cal.”

“I know, but with everything that was going on with Chase I didn’t want to stir up anything else. I’m worried about him and I’m glad he’s been opening up to Dr. Peterson.”

“We’re all worried about him, but this isn’t about him, it’s about you.” Karla told her.

“Shush, everyone. I’m trying to hear what they’re saying to Vicki and Jennifer.” Rylee said and they all went silent and listened.

****

“Vicki, Jennifer, we’d like a word with you please.” Jake said when he stopped at the table. 

“Okay.” Vicki said and everyone except her and Jennifer left the table. “What’s up Jake?”

“We were just informed that the two of you have been giving Callie Newberry a hard time.” Daniel said as he sat down beside Jennifer.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Vicki said quietly.

“I’m talking about the looks you’ve been giving her during practice and the looks we saw you giving her just now.” Jake told her. “We are a team and we need every member of this team to win. As juniors you both know how this team works.”

“I don’t think she has what it takes to be on this team.” Jennifer told them.

“Are you kidding me?” Daniel asked is shock. “She answered fifteen of the thirty questions today by herself. Two of which you couldn’t even answer.”

“Daniel, you’re only defending her because you like her. You used to stand up for me like that too.” Jennifer said with venom in her voice.

“You’re right, I do like her, but that’s not why I’m defending her. I’m defending her because she deserves her place on this team. Her, Conner, Karla and Rylee are going to lead this team to a victory at Nationals this year.”

“You think highly of a group of sophomores.” Vicki said with disgust.

“Victoria, you should think highly of them too. You were at the meeting last year and you know that they are the four smartest kids in school. Karla tested out of high school in eighth grade, but chose to experience high school life, which is lucky for us. Conner and Callie both tested at twelfth grade levels in eighth grade and Rylee did too. Are you telling me that we can win nationals without them?” Jake said. He was starting to lose his temper with these two and was wondering if he needed to start looking for replacements for them.

“I think we could if you would give us the chance.” Jennifer said and Daniel looked at her like she’d lost her mind.

“Are you kidding me? We placed sixteenth in Nationals last year after barely winning state. Without Conner we wouldn’t stand a chance in Science and with the combined brain power of Rylee and Karla the rest of us in the History group could sit back, twirl our thumbs and still win the rounds and if Callie left we wouldn’t make it to State, much less win, in Math.” Daniel told them both. “If you two drive her away I’m walking too because I refuse to be embarrassed because you two can’t look past your own selfishness to see what’s right in front of you.”

“Are you serious?” Jennifer asked and stood up from the table.

“I am completely serious.” Daniel told her. “We may have dated last year, but you dumped me remember? Now I’m telling you that if you drive her away I’m walking and I’m one hundred percent certain Conner, Rylee and Karla will too. They are closer than any group of people I know and they will do anything to protect the others.”

“Ladies, all I want is for everyone to get along. If you two can’t accept Callie as a part of the Math group then you two can be replaced. End of discussion.” Jake said and stood up. “Now I’m going back to my lunch. We have just a little over an hour before we’re up so I suggest you all calm down, eat and get ready to kick some butt.”

The rest of the day passed smoothly. Their team won by twenty points total and that put them in the top spot for Regionals, but it was just the first competition. Callie answered thirteen of the fifteen Math questions and succeeded in completely putting Jennifer and Vicki in their places. After accepting the trophy for winning today, Daniel walked up to them.

“Can I talk to you for a minute alone please?” He asked Callie.

“Umm…sure.” Callie answered and followed him out of the room.

Once they were in the hall Daniel turned to look at her. “I know you and Chase broke up a couple of months ago and I was wondering if you would want to go to the movies with me next Saturday.”

Callie stood there for a second, shocked by his question, before she answered him. “Umm…sure. I think that would be fun.”

His smile lit up the room and he pulled her into his arms and hugged her. “Thank you.” He whispered into her hair before letting her go.

“You’re welcome, Daniel.” She said with a smile and they walked back into the gym and joined the rest of the team.

When everyone started leaving Jake gathered the team together. “Great job today everyone. I think we deserve a little victory party. Who wants pizza?” When everyone shouted their agreement Jake laughed and continued. “There is a pizza place about five minutes from here. How about we all meet there and have some fun?”

Everyone agreed again and Karla, Rylee, Callie and Conner went to tell their families. Jake and Daniel walked over with them.

“Mom, Dad,” Callie called out and they all looked over as the kids approached. “The team is going out for pizza. Is it alright if we go too?” She asked not only her parents but Rylee’s mom and Leslie and Andrew too.

“I don’t mind.” Karen said with a smile, “But how are you getting back home?”

“We will make sure they get home safely, ma’am.” Daniel answered.

“Andrew, Leslie, is it alright if I go?” Karla asked. She really wanted to go, but she would respect their decision if they said no.

“As long as Callie, Conner and Rylee are going I don’t see a problem with it.” Leslie answered.

“Neither do I.” Andrew said, but looked at Jake and Daniel. “Make sure she’s home by ten boys.” He told them.

“Yes, sir.” Jake answered with a smile. “I have a seven passenger SUV so I’ll probably be the one bringing them all home.”

“Drive carefully, son.” Andrew said with a stern look and Jake smiled at him.

“I always do, sir.” He said, not intimidated by Andrew.

Karla laughed and hugged Andrew. “I’ll be alright, Andrew.” She said and let him go. Then she hugged Leslie and Elliot. “See you when I get home, little brother.” She said before she let him go and walked to Conner.

Once their families left they walked out of the school and climbed into Jake’s SUV. When they made it to the pizza place they all walked in together and the rest of the team cheered loudly.

“Well that was unexpected.” Conner mumbled and Karla laughed.

“Yes it was. Wonder what it was about.” She said softly.

“That was because you four are going to be the ones to lead us to the National championship we have been trying to get for years.” Jake said from behind them. “Our school hasn’t won Nationals since 1977 and we were starting to doubt we would ever win again. Now that we have you four we know we can.”

“Yeah, no pressure there.” Rylee said sarcastically and Jake laughed at her.

“Not trying to put any pressure on you at all, but you all answered today like it was the most natural thing in the world. I’m a senior and you and Karla knew more of the answers than I did. You’re both exceptionally brilliant and we couldn’t ask for better additions to the team. Callie and Conner are too. I have high hopes for us this year. Now, let’s eat. I’m starving.”

“Me too.” Conner said and Karla elbowed him playfully in the stomach.

“When are you not starving, Conner?” She asked playfully.

“When I’m sleeping.” He said with a serious expression, which he failed to keep when she stuck her tongue out at him.

  He pulled her to him and kissed her softly before he walked to the counter and ordered their pizzas. Daniel joined him at the counter as he was ordering. “I asked your sister to the movies.” He said before he ordered his pizza.

Conner wasn’t at all surprised by this. He had seen the way Daniel looked at Callie during practice and he had heard what was said earlier today. “Okay. I’m cool with that as long as she doesn’t get hurt. Chase really hurt her and I can’t watch her go through that again.”

“Conner, I like Callie, I have for a while now and I noticed what she was going through when her and Chase broke up. That’s the main reason I didn’t ask her out until today. I want to get to know her outside of practice and competitions. I want to see if there’s anything between us.”

“I know how that goes.” Conner said and looked over to where Karla was sitting with Callie and Rylee.

“How long have you and Karla been together?” Daniel asked him.

“Officially? Since the Valentine’s Day. Unofficially? Since the moment we met. It was an instant and strong connection that we both fought for too long.” Conner answered him, but didn’t take his eyes off Karla. When she looked up and saw him watching her she smiled and blew him a kiss before she turned her attention back to what Callie was saying. “She’s my,
the one,
that you read and watch movies about. I can’t see myself with anyone but her beside me when I picture my future.”

“Wow. That’s deep man.” Daniel said. “I hope it stays like that for you. You two are great together.”

“Thanks man.” Conner said just as the pizzas were slid on the counter for him to get. Daniel helped him carry them to the table before he went back, got his own and joined them. The conversation turned to the next competition and the evening passed quickly.