Mr. Garcia continued to stand outside, watching. Marianne wondered if he could hear them and if he’d be upset with Marianne for distracting his team.

But they were on to something, she could feel it, and she couldn’t stop.

“I know I don’t know you guys that well yet. But Dan, you’re funny, you’re sweet, I like you a lot,” Marianne said. “Being smarter than any other guy in school is like the fifth coolest thing about you. Nina, you seem like you’re really sensitive and you think about people’s feelings, which is really nice.” She wanted to add that it was especially nice in this ruthless Quiz Quest environment, but she kept that to herself. “Plus, that geography brain thing you have going on really is incredible. And I’d love to see you do ballet, because I bet it’s super beautiful.” Marianne couldn’t stop. She could’ve said even more. She could tell these kids really needed to hear this. “And, Vi, you’re a future president-of-everything. A boss lady. One of those women with those business suits that walks around New York City on her phone telling everybody what to do and they just do it. Powerful!” Marianne could tell Vi would think she sounded silly, but she didn’t care. Everything she’d said was true.

“Agreed—extremely powerful,” Dan chimed in.

“Thanks, Marianne!” Nina beamed.

“You’re welcome,” Marianne said. “Come on in, Mr. G!” she yelled out.

Dan scooted out of his way as he entered.

Mr. Garcia glanced from kid to kid. “Are we ready for a little scrimmage?”

“Sure, why not? Let’s give it a whirl,” Dan answered.

Marianne clapped. She couldn’t help it.

“Go, team!” she shouted, finally letting out the words she thought Mr. Garcia should say. “Remington has nothing on us!”

Dan laughed and sat back down.

“That’s the spirit,” Mr. Garcia said, and he gave Marianne what may have been their first shared smile.

It was so funny how after a lot of hard days, every even somewhat-good day felt like a holiday.

As practice ended, Marianne booked it to her mom’s car parked outside. They had a lot of homework to do. But mostly she wanted to tell her how she’d taught some of the Quiz Quest kids to work together a little better as a team.

The late-afternoon sky was an ominous gray.

Before she could open the car door, Marianne heard someone call her name.

Vi jogged up behind her, her backpack so heavy it didn’t even bounce up and down against her back. It was like an anchor.

Vi stopped Marianne before she got to her mom’s car.

“I’m not obsessed with Addison,” Vi said.

Marianne didn’t know what to say. It certainly seemed like she was. But it also wasn’t really Marianne’s business.

“She was my only friend,” Vi continued, her glasses fogging up a bit in the cold mist. “And I mean that literally.”

Marianne tried to conjure Addison in her mind’s eye. Addison S. was one of three Etheridge Addisons, and she was the one who was friendly with all sorts of kids. Marianne wouldn’t know how to put her in a group in any way. They’d had math and science together in sixth grade, and all Marianne remembered was that Addison was given her own more advanced work to do and she set up shop in the back corner by herself.