D. MacHale - The Reality Bug

“How do you like Davis Gregory so far?” Mr. Pike asked.

“Uh… fine, I guess.” Mark didn’t understand where this was going. “You were looking forward to meeting me? Mark Dimond?”

“Absolutely.” Mr. Pike laughed. “I saw your battling robot at the county science fair. I was impressed, but when it took the state prize, I knew I had a star coming to school.”

Mark had built a battling robot as a science project that literally destroyed the competition. It had a hook that trapped its prey, a shovel that flipped its victim over, and then a buzzsaw that went in for the kill. Mark never lost. He had thoughts about going on one of those TV shows to test his baby against the big boys, but after the state prize he decided it was better to go out on top, and intact. So he retired his killer robot and forgot all about it. Until now.

“Your design was light-years ahead of the other students,” Pike continued. “I was thrilled when I heard you were coming to Davis Gregory.”

Mark wasn’t used to getting compliments. “It wasn’t all that hard,” he said with his eyes down.

“You’re being modest,” Pike said. “Have you thought about joining Sci-Clops?”

Mark couldn’t believe it. Sci-Clops was a science club that was made up of the brainiest students at school. It was legendary. At least with the science-geek crowd. Having Sci-Clops on your record was an incredible plus if you wanted to go to a top engineering school after high school. There were even a few former Sci-Clops students who got into MIT.

“Are y-you serious?” Mark asked. “You mean, the Sci-Clops?”

Pike laughed. “Sure, how many are there?”

Mark’s face turned red with embarrassment. Pike put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Think about it,” he said. “We’d love to have you.”

Mr. Pike left Mark standing there speechless. It took a while for him to put his brain back into gear and say, “Y-Yeah. Sure I’ll join!”

But it was too late. Pike was already gone.

Mark was stunned. It wasn’t just because he had been given the chance to join a club that he never considered himself good enough for, it was more that somebody had actually recognized him for having done something well. As he stood in that hallway, he sensed an alien feeling growing inside. It was pride. He still wasn’t sure if he was good enough to join Sci-Clops. Confidence was still something he had to work on. But it made him feel great that at least one person, besides his mother, thought he had something special going on. Mark’s second day of high school was definitely turning out better than the first.

Except he still had to face Courtney. The thought made his stomach turn, so instead of going directly to the practice field, he ran after Mr. Pike.

Courtney, on the other hand, was not having a great day. She had tried to shake off the horrible practice of the day before and arrived at school ready to regain her rightful place as the girl who set the standards by which everyone else was judged.

She failed.

Word had spread how Courtney the Unbeatable had suddenly become Courtney the Diminished. Friends gave her sympathy and wanted to know what went wrong. Girls and guys she had intimidated for years wanted to know if it was true. Had Courtney lost it? Some kids were devastated at the thought that their hero could have feet of clay. Others simply wouldn’t believe it. Many quietly enjoyed seeing someone so mighty get knocked down a few pegs.

Courtney did her best not to show how upset she was. People always envied her. Now that envy had turned to pity. That was the worst. As the day wore on, she kept smiling and telling people she was fine and simply had an off day. But inside, the fire was burning. She couldn’t wait for the end of school so she could blast onto that soccer field and put some serious hurt on the nonbelievers.

A crowd had gathered around the field. More kids showed up for this practice than Courtney had heard showed up to watch the games. She was used to having an audience when she performed, but not like this. They were there to bear witness. They wanted proof that all was right with the world, or that it was the end of an era.

From the moment she stepped onto the field, Courtney played angry. It was the worst thing she could have done. It meant she tried too hard and allowed the other girls to hang her out todry. They dribbled around her; they wouldn’t pass to her; they stole the ball from her. During sprints, they left her in the dust.

Courtney looked really bad. The harder she tried, the worse it got. Her confidence was shattered. As she ran down the sidelines she’d see the faces of kids she had dominated in years past. Some looked disappointed. Others stunned. Still others had smug smiles that said: “Payback is sweet.” She tried not to look into anyone’s eyes, friend or foe. They all hurt the same.

The crowd didn’t hang around long. They saw all they needed early on. The rest was like staring at a car wreck long after the dust settled. But the worst indignity was yet to come. When practice was mercifully over, Courtney ran toward the school locker room.

“Courtney! Hang on!” It was the coach, Ms. Horkey. She jogged up to Courtney and the two walked toward the school together. “Tough day,” Ms. Horkey said with sympathy.

Courtney could only shrug.

“Look,” Horkey said. “I know this is hard for you. I’ve watched you play since you were barely old enough to kick a ball. I know how good you are. Don’t get discouraged.”

“I won’t,” Courtney said, feeling totally discouraged.

Then Horkey dropped the bomb. “I think it would do you a world of good to start playing with the junior varsity team.”

Courtney stopped short. “You’re cutting me?” she said, barely able to say the words.

“No,” Horkey assured her. “But you need to work on fundamentals. It’s not a horrible thing. It’s rare for a sophomore to be on varsity anyway.”

“There are two other sophomores on varsity,” Courtney pointed out. “Look, Ms. Horkey. I just had a slow start.”

“I know. But look at the big picture. You’re not up to the level of the varsity players. If you stayed here, you’d be working to keep up, rather than getting better. On the JV level you’ll be more competitive. Then next year you can-“

“Next year! I’d have to wait a whole year to get back on the team?”

“You’re still on the team, Courtney. You’re just playing at a level that’s better for you.”

“On the loser level, you mean,” Courtney snapped at her.

“No,” the coach corrected. “On the level that is going to help you improve. You’re not a quitter, Courtney. You’re going to get better, but you’re going to have to work at it. Maybe you’re not used to that.”

Courtney wanted to scream. But the truth was, the coach was right. Courtney had never had to work all that hard to be good. Maybe she didn’t know how to.

“It’s really for the best,” Horkey concluded.

“Yeah, sure,” Courtney said under her breath. Horkey then jogged ahead toward the school.

Courtney wanted to run home. She didn’t want to go into that locker room and get changed with all those girls who looked at her like a loser. She wasn’t a loser. But at that moment, she sure felt like one.

“Courtney!” Mark yelled as he ran up to her. “The most amazing thing happened! I got asked to join Sci-Clops!”

“Cyclops? Like the monster with one eye?”

“No,” Mark laughed. “Sci-Clops with an s-c-i like in science. It’s only the most respected science club in the state. Is that incredible or what?”

“Yeah, that’s great, Mark,” Courtney said, not sounding as if she meant it. She continued walking toward the school.