I escaped the chilly, austere environment as I slipped out the cafeteria through the double doors. I had just won two medals in Academic Octathlon in science and essay. Out of habit, I pulled out my iPhone to text my parents. A quick swish and a blue bubble appeared. I put on my headphones and stuck my phone in my pocket. Looking forward to joining the Academic Decathlon class the next year, I already knew I could make the team. The first Wednesday of my junior year, I gazed around my Academic Decathlon class. I could just tell who would make the ‘A’ team, of course including myself. A lot of students had joined because of the class’s false impression of a plain study hall. I looked down at Pilgrim at Tinker Creek and started daydreaming of the prospect of attending State and then Nationals with my friends. My friend, Ivan, …show more content…
Raja told me,” I answered. “Alright, if that’s what you think.” As the semester went on, I found I was right. Everyone I had marked on that first Wednesday had made the A team. Except for Erica. She had come from behind and scored higher than anyone expected. "No matter," I thought. After Thanksgiving break, we had a full week of quiz bowls. On Thursday and Friday, I went up against Erica. Erica knew all the answers automatically and got all the points. I was disappointed, but I again deemed her terrific performance as luck. The time of truth had come. Mid-December rolled by and Districts had arrived. By the middle of the tournament, I was fourth place. Districts would decide the whole team and staying at fourth would only make me the alternate. The day went on and the final test’s scores hadn’t come in yet. I was tied for fourth with Erica and Tom’s sister, Isabel, was ahead of us at second. I criticized myself for ever thinking of Isabel as an easy-going senior. The scores came in. I looked at the rankings. I had dropped to fifth. To my dismay, I wasn’t even the alternate. Isabel and Erica both made the