Hallway and school lockers in R.O.C.A. It's four weeks later, early May 2013

The fencing season is only four weeks long and it goes fast. Michael, even though he's the team's fifth fencer (out of five), has surprised everyone (including himself) with his level of skill. The team hasn't lost any of their matches, and Michael has only lost one.

"You know the state finals are this weekend, Michael," Zach sneered. "I need you to step up your game if we're going to win the team championship."

"I got this. I've only lost one match the entire season, you know," Michael responds.

"Yea, but most of our matches were against home-school co-ops and country-bumpkin Christian schools," Zach says. "You lost to Duck Run's worst fencer and all the schools will be Duck Run's caliber and better, plus all the city schools - Central Christian, Tabernacle, Emmanuel, and St. John's."

"Okay, I said 'I got this'," Michael snaps.

"You better; you know I hate to lose," Zach says.

Michael replies, "Everyone knows that."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Zach questions.

"It means whenever we lose, you make sure everyone knows who made the mistakes and that you were perfect," Michael tells him.

Zach steps in close to Michael and snarls, "That's because I'm the best in soccer, basketball and fencing....and you're a screw-up."

"Back off, Zach!" Michael says as he pushes Zach, who stumbles into Kate almost knocking her over.

"Nice one Fortress," Zach laughs. "You made me run into the nerd-girl."

Michael raises his voice, "She's not a nerd-girl!"

"Oh right, she's more than that," Zach replies. "She's an old-fashion, self-righteous, brown-nosing nerd-girl!"

Michael steps forward toward Zach and says, "Stop it, Zach, or..."

"Or what, Fortress?" Zach counters as he steps closer to Michael. Standing toe to toe, Michael reacts the only way he knows and head-butts Zach right on his fore-head right above his nose. "Oww!" Zach exclaims as he puts his hand to his fore-head and looks at it, there's a tiny bit of blood on his fingers from a small cut right above his nose. "Why, you!!" Zach yells and starts to charge at Michael but three of his friends slow him down and stop him. "It's over Fortress!" Zach yells. "I carried you all this year! I made us a winning school! I made you popular! I made sure you had a girlfriend! But that ends here and now! You hear me, Fortress?"

By now some of the teachers have come out of their rooms and Mr. Justice and Mr. Tumnus get in between Michael and Zack. Mr. Justice raises his voice and yells, "You two young men to Mrs. Grant's office now!" He turns to the rest of the students in the hallway and yells, "Everyone else, get going to your next class!"

Mr. Tumnus replies, "Nothing to see here. Just two guys with 'spring fever'."

A couple days later

Michael is leaving his locker and heading down the hallway when he gets his books knocked out of his arm by an unseen hand. As he kneels down to pick them up, someone else kneels down to help. Michael is embarrassed, so he doesn't look up until there's one book left. Michael's hand touches the other person's hand as they reach for the last book at the same time. He looks up to see Kate's face. She says something under her breath, but he doesn't hear what she said.

Final chorus of Survivor "The Search Is Over" plays:

I was living for a dream

Loving for a moment

Taking on the world

That was just my style

Then I touched your hand

I could hear you whisper

The search is over

Love was right before my eyes

That next Monday

It's the Monday after the state fencing finals. Michael does far better at the competition than he'd ever dreamed. Red Oak Christian wins the team championship by narrowly beating Emmanuel Christian Prep. Amos talks Michael into entering the singles competition, where he wins all the matches in his bracket to advance to the finals against his undefeated teammate Zach. Michael manages to stay with Zach as the finals begin, even tying Zach with two "hits" (fencing points) for each of them. But Zach is able to get Michael off balance and score two more "hits" to win the title and take home the trophy.

"Hey, it's Mr. "Number two" Fortress," Zach sneers as the boys around them laugh or snicker.

"Zach said "Number two"!" Amos says which creates more laughing and snickering.

Michael ignores Amos and the other boys. "Zach," Michael says as he nods to him.

"Good job at the tournament, Michael," Zach replies. "You really surprised me."

"Thanks," Michael answers.

"You know," says Zach. "I just didn't think you had it in you to be that good."

Michael asks, "So, I surprised you, huh?"

"Yea, you did," says Zach.

"Then would it surprise you more if I beat you?" Michael challenges.

"Of course it would!" Zach laughs. "Wait, what are you saying, Michael?"

"That I could beat you," he replies.

"What?!" Zach laughs out loud. "What... you want a rematch?"

"Yes, I want a rematch," Michael answers. "And I'll show you that I can beat you!"

"Ohh, that's great, Michael, I think that can be arranged," Zach says. He huddles with two of his friends who were also fencers on the team. They talk in hushed tones for a few minutes, and then Zach walks back to Michael, and speaks to him so only a few students nearby can hear. "Okay, here's your rematch, Fortress. Friday night...in the gym...midnight," Zach pauses then says, "No safety equipment - no helmet, no chest protector, no gloves, no safety point." The boys around them all gasp 'ohhh'. "Nothing...," Zach says.

"Nothing?" Michael questions.

"Nothing," Zach replies. "Got that?"

"Got it," he answers.

"Good, see you tomorrow night," Zach says.

"See you there," Michael answers.

Kate and Maranda walk by just then catching the guys last few barbs, and Maranda remarks, "Men, and all their testosterone!"

The next day

"Michael Fortress, what on earth are you doing?" Kate asks.

"What do you mean?" Michael replies.

"Zack...the duel...?" Kate answers. "People are starting to talk."

"Ohh, that," he says.

"No safety equipment? Are you crazy?" she exclaims.

Michael answers in annoyance, "No, I'm not. I know I can beat him. It's like a chess match. In the finals I was maneuvering him into position and..."

"And?" Kate interrupts.

"And he got lucky," Michael answers.

"What if he gets lucky again?" she asks.

"Why do you care anyhow? You've been mad at me since the stupid spring dance," he tells her. "Why Kate?"

Kate stands up, her hands on the desk to steady herself and she raises her voice. "Because we're supposed to be friends! We've been friends for thirteen years, and our families have been friends ever since I ran into your dad's legs," she exclaims. "Or have you been too busy being popular and dating pretty girls to remember that?"

Michael is taken aback and stammers, "I... I'm sorry. I... I don't know, but I've got to do it."

Kate lowers her voice, "No, you don't!"

"Yes, I do!" Michael exclaims. "I've got to do it for my dad and your Grandpap who taught us what this school has always stood for - honor, integrity, the Gospel. We've left those things behind."

"But, they're not worth getting hurt or killed," she tells him.

"And because you were right, Kate!" Michael exclaims. "I've let Zach push me around and control me all year....and it ends...tonight!"

"But, Michael, you...," she says.

Michael interrupts, "No, I've made my mind up. You can't talk me out of it!" He grabs his books and stomps toward the door.

"Why are you so stinking stubborn?" Kate grumbles.

Michael calls over his shoulder as he exits the room, "I get that from my mom!"