The tension in the room was palpable as we pondered over Evie's upcoming birthday. Sitting on Fox's bean bag chairs, we debated the best way to celebrate our enigmatic friend.

"What's one word that describes Evie?" Micheal probed, breaking the silence.

"Pointdexter," Fox replied with a smirk, earning an eye-roll from Micheal.

"Noah?" Micheal turned to him.

"I have many... Geek, dweeb, and..." Noah trailed off, searching for the right word.

"Dante, what about you?" Micheal redirected the question to me.

"Resilient?" I suggested, meeting Micheal's gaze. "Or introspective..."

"Great thought!" Micheal nodded in approval. "Now, what kind of celebration would she like?"

"I heard she's a big fan of the Hunger Games," Fox said.

"Does she have those books?" Crissie inquired.

"I'm not sure," Fox admitted. "Finding a gift for Evie is like solving a complex math problem."

"Then what about history?" Micheal proposed.

"We do not talk about history!" Fox retorted with a frown, evoking a round of laughter from the group.

"What happened in history?" Crissie's curiosity was piqued.

"Fox failed miserably..." Noah chuckled. "She even had Mrs. Catz questioning herself after being asked which Greek goddess the Parthenon was dedicated to."

"What did she say?" Crissie pressed, her eyes widening with anticipation.

"Artemis..." Fox admitted sheepishly, curling into a ball.

"Ma'am has been teaching that chapter for years now!" I interjected. "It's the goddess Athena!"

"OH!" Fox's eyes widened in realization.

"Okay, enough everyone!" Micheal stopped. "We know Fox is the dumbest person to exist in this universe, but that's not important right now!"

"Fox is heartbroken," Crissie replied, embracing Fox in a hug. "It's okay, Fox..."

She let go of her almost immediately. 

"We only have one thing on our list: a Hunger Games collection.." Micheal replied. "Anything else?"

"Nothing?" Crissie said. "It's just books, Micheal..."

Micheal sighed. Just then, Mrs. Laurier entered the room with a knock, bearing a tray of freshly baked cookies.

"I baked cookies for you guys!" Her mother smiled warmly.

"Thanks, Mom," Fox replied, grateful for the interruption.

"I heard you were discussing about Evie's birthday..." Mrs. Laurier spoke. "How is it going?"

"Evangeline is the most mysterious person to get a gift for," I admitted, feeling flustered by the challenge.

The rest nodded in agreement. 

"Yeah, I've known her for years, and she always keeps her interests under wraps."

"It's like trying to solve a puzzle without any hints," Noah added, grabbing a cookie.

Mrs. Laurier chuckled understandingly. 

"Well, I'm sure whatever you decide, she'll appreciate the thoughtfulness behind it."

"We just want it to be special," Fox said earnestly, her eyes reflecting determination. "She deserves that."

"Alright, team, let's get down to business," Micheal declared, leaning forward with a determined look in his eyes. "We need to nail down the perfect birthday gift for Evie."

"Agreed," Crissie chimed in, adjusting her glasses as she surveyed the group. "But let's not forget the disaster in Mrs. Catz's class earlier. What on earth happened, Fox?"

Fox groaned, burying her face in her hands.

 "Let's just say I mixed up Artemis and Athena, okay? Can we please move on?"

"Fair enough," Noah chuckled, shaking his head. "Let's focus on Evie. Any ideas for her gift?"

"I was thinking of a Literary-themed Gift Basket," Noah suggested, his eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. "We could fill it with her favourite books, bookmarks, maybe even some fancy pens or stationery."

Micheal nodded in approval. 

"I like that idea. It's thoughtful and tailored to her interests. Are we all in agreement?"

The group murmured their approval, exchanging nods and smiles. With their gift idea settled, they relaxed into casual conversation, enjoying each other's company as they brainstormed the finer details of their plan.

(...)

Fox squirmed in her seat, feeling the weight of Mrs. Catz's disapproval bearing down on her. Dante couldn't help but wince as he watched his friend struggle under the teacher's scrutiny.

"So, Fox..." Mrs. Catz's voice sliced through the silence, her gaze piercing. "Who was the wife of Zeus in Greek Mythology?"

Fox hesitated, her mind racing to recall the answer. "Uhh...Artemis?" she ventured, her voice uncertain.

Mrs. Catz's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. 

"Is that the only goddess you know?" she retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Fox's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she stumbled to correct herself. 

"Okay, the last answer was Athena, So, Athena?" she tried, desperation creeping into her voice.

I sighed inwardly, knowing Fox's struggles with mythology were all too real. I exchanged a sympathetic glance with Michael, who couldn't suppress a snicker.

But Mrs. Catz was relentless, pressing on with her interrogation. 

"Let me ask you another question...not from this chapter," she said, her voice laced with challenge. "What is the capital of Singapore?"

"Singapore?" Fox echoed, her eyes widening in confusion.

I suppressed a groan, bracing myself for the inevitable. Mrs. Catz's exasperation was palpable as she delivered her verdict.

"Okay, you are not dumber than I expected..." she sighed, shaking her head in disbelief.

Fox's face fell, her shoulders slumping in defeat as the rest of the class erupted into laughter. Mrs. Catz's final words hung in the air like a heavyweight, leaving Fox feeling utterly defeated.

"I am so done with you, Fox," Mrs. Catz declared, her frustration evident in every word.

The bell rang, signalling the end of class and prompting Fox to leap out of her seat. Micheal and I followed suit, exchanging amused glances at Fox's antics.

"That was classic Fox," I chuckled.

"One for the books," Micheal agreed. "Hey, I heard Evie's participating in a spelling bee. You guys planning to watch?"

"Yeah, we're both going," I confirmed. "What about you, Micheal?"

"Unfortunately, I've got some students to wrangle for detention," Micheal sighed. "And the Envirothon is hosting another impromptu meeting."

"You said you'd be free this week," Fox pouted.

"I know, I know. It's just one of those weeks," Micheal shrugged apologetically. 

"Well, we will meet once you are free..." Fox replied.

"Yeah..." Micheal concurred.

"See ya!" I waved to him as Fox and I made our way to the auditorium.

The entire space was bustling with excitement, filled with chatter and anticipation.

"You know, Evangeline is also here..." I overheard a conversation behind me as we found seats.

"Duh! She joins every competition..." remarked one of my classmates, Shanon.

"It makes me wonder why she's even popular," added Camila. "She's just a dork, nothing special."

Their words irked me. Evangeline was far from ordinary, her intellect and dedication setting her apart from the crowd.

"She's more than just a dork," I interjected, facing them. "Evangeline is intelligent, talented, and hardworking. She deserves every bit of recognition she receives."

Shanon and Camila exchanged surprised glances, clearly taken aback by my defence of Evangeline.

"Just because you don't understand her doesn't mean she's not special," I continued. "Instead of tearing her down, maybe you should try to appreciate her strengths."

With that, I redirected my attention to the stage, leaving Shanon and Camila to ponder my words. It was important to stand up for Evangeline, even if it meant going against the opinions of my peers.

The host entered the stage with a big smile. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our annual school spelling bee!" He greeted. " Today, we have gathered here to witness the incredible linguistic prowess of our talented students. Each participant has studied diligently, honing their spelling skills for this very moment. Before we begin, I would like to extend a special thank you to our dedicated teachers who have guided and supported these students along their journey."

The audience erupted into applause and cheers, filling the room with an electric energy.

"Now, without further ado, let us embark on this thrilling competition. May the best speller emerge victorious! Contestants, are you ready? Let the spelling bee commence!" declared the host, his voice resounding with enthusiasm and anticipation.

The spelling bee unfolded with a sense of anticipation, each word a challenge to be conquered. The students from the opposing school exuded an air of confidence and showmanship, adding to the intensity of the competition.

"Cris, spell 'onomatopoeia,'" the judge inquired, setting the stage for the first round.

Cris began his attempt, the tension palpable in the air. But alas, the buzzer sounded before he could complete the word, leaving him with a sense of disappointment.

"A valiant attempt," remarked the second judge, offering words of encouragement as Cris exited the stage, his head hung low.

As Cris departed, his ally Milicent couldn't hide her smug satisfaction at his misfortune.

"Cris is disqualified," announced the host, his voice echoing through the auditorium. "I would like to invite Evangeline Gray to take his place."

The crowd erupted into applause as Evie stepped forward to accept the challenge, her determination shining bright.

"Milicent, spell 'pseudonym,'" instructed the third judge, the spotlight now on her.

Milicent spelled the word effortlessly, her confidence unwavering.

"Excellent. Now, spell 'antidisestablishmentarianism,'" challenged the second judge, presenting a formidable test.

But Milicent faltered, unable to complete the word before the buzzer sounded, leaving her visibly shaken.

"Evangeline, can you spell the word?" inquired the second judge, turning to Evie with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism.

"Of course," Evie replied with unwavering confidence, ready to rise to the challenge.

With precision and grace, Evie spelled out each letter of the word, leaving the audience and judges alike in awe of her skill.

"Correct!" confirmed the first judge with a smile, acknowledging Evie's impressive feat.

The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, celebrating Evie's victory and Hawthorne Academy's success.

But the excitement was short-lived as Milicent, refusing to accept defeat, demanded another chance.

"We cannot accommodate that request," replied the second judge firmly, unwilling to entertain further debate.

Undeterred, Milicent persisted, accusing Evie of cheating and demanding a second attempt.

"It's also evident that she did not-" the judge began, but was interrupted by Evie's own request for another try.

After a whispered discussion among the judges, the second judge relented, setting the stage for one final showdown.

"The word is 'pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis!'" proclaimed the first judge, presenting a word of staggering complexity.

Milicent smirked, convinced that Evie would falter under the pressure. But to everyone's astonishment, Evie confidently recited every letter of the word, her composure unwavering.

"Correct!" declared the first judge, his voice ringing out with authority. "Hawthorne Academy wins the trophy once again!"

The crowd erupted into thunderous applause and cheers, celebrating Evie's remarkable triumph and Hawthorne Academy's victory.

After the event, we caught up with Evie, congratulating her on her impressive performance.

"You aced that!" Fox exclaimed, her admiration evident in her voice.

"Thanks, guys," Evie replied modestly, her smile lighting up the room.

But our conversation was cut short as Fox's phone rang, signalling her departure.

"Ugh, it's my mom. She wants me to take care of our neighbours while she's out," Fox groaned, a hint of frustration in her tone.

"It's okay," I reassured her, understanding the situation. "We can try again tomorrow. Plus, I think Noah is joining us then."

"Thanks for understanding, Dan," Fox responded gratefully, her appreciation evident in her expression. "I'll catch you later."

With a wave, Evie and I watched as Fox walked away, her departure marking the end of an eventful day and the beginning of new adventures yet to come.

(...)

4 more chapters and I can submit it for the contest!

Now question time,

What is something important to you in friendship?

For me, it is loyalty (like Dante)

I value my trust in my friends. If I don't see that in them,

it's the end...