Crushing on the Geek(40)
Cindy and another girl came out not too long after Tamara, but they sat down at the far end of the hall, leaning against the lockers. Tamara wanted to asked them how the team was faring, but was too afraid to know. She peaked in the room, searching for Hayden. He was concentrating on the board and didn't notice her. On his shoulder a small blue ball of light hovered. Couldn't anyone else see it?
As the day wore on the team trickled into the hall one by one. By noon only Hayden and Greg remained in the tournament. Lunch was a quiet affair. The team was in second place, which under normal circumstances would have been great. It wasn't enough to save the Halloween dance, though.
“Between us,” Tamara listened to Greg talking to Hayden, “we need to win ten more. If we win ten more, we should have it.”
Hayden nodded, “We'll see what happens. We're getting down to the nitty-gritty.”
“You'll be fine,” Tamara interrupted startling both of them, as she wrapped her arms around Hayden's neck. Greg disappeared leaving them alone for the final minutes of their lunch break.
“I'll make you a deal,” Tamara whispered, after giving him a quick kiss, “If our team wins and we save the dance, I'll let you take me to the dance.”
“Time!” the intercom announced, “Players who are still active in the tournament please return to your stations.”
Hayden pulled Tamara in for a quick kiss before heading back into room five-eighty-five. Tamara followed on his heels and stood by the back wall. The hands on the clock seemed to get stuck when she was waiting for someone to make a move. Small crowds formed around each table and Tamara half-expected them to begin to cheer and chant, like at sporting events.
Seven o'clock was the end of the tournament. Whatever games were in progress were allowed to finish and then points would be tallied. Seven o'clock found Tamara biting her tongue not to scream and cheer like she were a cheerleader instead of an athlete.
“If I added right, we've won!” she said, pulling Hayden into a quick hug.
“That's what I was about to say!” he laughed.
“Attention players!” Mrs. Kelly's voice sounded from the intercom, “Thank you all for attending today's tournament. We hope you've all had lots of fun and made new friends.”
“Whatever,” Tamara sighed, “Just get to announcing the points.”
“I will be annocuing winners now. In third place, with twenty seven points is Heartsville High School. Congratulations, Heartsville. In second place with thirty eight points is Nearvalley Senior High School. Congratulations, Nearvalley. It's with a lot of pride I tournament and the chess season the first place winner of this tournament and the chess season. In first place, with thirty nine points: Congratulations, Central Glade High!”
Applause roared around her, but Tamara turned to Hayden and pulled him into a quick kiss.
“So will you go to the dance with me?” she grinned.
“Only if you don't make me go as a faerie.”
Tamara laughed and kissed him again, “No, I think we've had enough encounters with faeries to last awhile.”