“Painting my nails. I’m hoping Trevor calls me later.”
“Make him take you out on a date first this time,” I say. “Anything other than just taking you straight back to his place.”
“You’re so boring.” Ronnie is probably sticking out her tongue at me, which makes me smile. “But lucky for you, I love you anyway.”
I consider telling her about the four guys I was checking out inside, but there’s no real point. There’s not really anything to tell.
“No, you’re lucky I love you.” I finish my yogurt and stuff the trash back into my lunch bag. “I’ll see you when I get home.”
“Hopefully you won’t.” Ronnie giggles and hangs up.
As I get out of the car, I can’t help but smile. I definitely got lucky when I was paired to live with Ronnie last year as a freshman. We had immediately become best friends, and it’d only made sense to continue our awesome duo situation into our sophomore year.
When I head back inside, I return to my same seat in the auditorium. Partly because it really is a good seat, but in the back of my head is the little thought that this way those four guys will know exactly where to find me if they want to.
“I hope everyone had a good lunch,” says Mr. Kellan after taking his place at the podium again—from the correct side of the stage this time. “Our first event of the afternoon will be the Skewb.”
The last few events before lunch looked like normal Rubik’s Cubes, just with more than three rows, but these are weird ones again. They’re almost normal, but with pieces randomly poking out, making them less cube-like. The following event, which Mr. Kellan calls “Square-1,” is similar.
“All right folks, it’s time. The events you’ve all been waiting for. The traditional three-by-three-by-three cube events, beginning with the one-handed solve.”
The competitors file out onto the stage and take their seats, and I sit up a little straighter when I see two of the guys fromearlier walk out. They’re the oldest competitors in the group by a good amount; the others look to be in middle school or younger.
“Judges, you may begin inspection when your contestants are ready.”
All of the competitors grab their cubes, which are the typical Rubik’s Cubes that I’d been expecting to see all day, and start their inspections, then set their timers and begin solving. I’m nearly holding my breath, watching them twist the cubes one-handed with such speed that their fingers are a blur.
The guys win first and second place, followed by a boy who can’t be older than nine. They’re all going to Nationals, and I learn that the tall guy with dark hair in a button-down is named Elliot Carter and the blond with red-framed glasses is Felix Grey.
For having just won their event, they don’t look overwhelmed or excited, only determined and certain.
Next up is the blindfolded round, and the other two guys are in this one. They’re once again the oldest guys up there, but this time it looks like a few of the other kids are at least in high school.
As soon as they have completed their inspections, they pick up their blindfolds from the table and tie them around their heads, and the judges confirm that the blindfolds are completely covering their eyes before allowing the competitors to set their timers.
As the competitors begin solving the puzzles, I’m in awe. I’m not even sure how they’re doing it. They’re not as quick as the other rounds, which makes sense given the additional challenge of the blindfolds, but it’s pretty close.
One of the guys in the group I’d been checking out finishes first and the other finishes third. I note down their names, Lukas Wagner and Sebastian Lange, too. For the article, of course. Absolutely not because I want to cyber-stalk them later andfind out everything I can about these good-looking Rubik’s Cube wizards.
The next event is the 3x3x3 individual category. The guys don’t compete in this one, which surprises me. And disappoints me, a little.
“Our final event for today’s competition is the team relay,” says Mr. Kellan as covered cubes are placed on each table. “Teams, if you could please come to the stage.”
All four of the guys enter alongside three other teams of four. I’m certain they’ll feel how hard I’m staring at them and try unsuccessfully to make myself look at something—anything—else, but they don’t appear to realize I’m out here ogling them. Which is both disappointing and reassuring.
The teams all sit down at the small tables, one team per row, one cube per person. The inspection stage goes exactly as it has for all of the events, each competitor quickly looking over their cube before setting it down and placing their hands palms-down on the table, the timers setting to zero.
Elliot, the dark-haired guy who had taken first place in his solo round, is the first up from the guys’ team, solving his cube in seconds. As soon as he drops the cube on the table, Lukas grabs his own and his fingers begin to fly over it. Felix goes third, and tensions are high when Sebastian snatches up his cube at the exact same time the fourth member of one of the other teams does.
I hold my breath until Sebastian slams his solved cube down on the table a literal second before his competitor. The other two teams finish moments later. But it seems in these competitions, seconds matter. A lot.
The judges do whatever it is they do on their clipboards and deliver their papers to the podium.
“Congratulations to our winners!” Mr. Kellan holds his arm out to indicate the guys as the audience, half of whom havealready begun to gather their things to leave, applauds. “Not just in this event, but throughout the day. Let’s have all of today’s winners up here onstage.”
As the winners from each event file up onto the stage and stand in a disorganized clump, Karen comes back out with a box of prize ribbons. Mr. Kellan reads out the winners’ names again and passes the ribbons out, gifting each competitor a handshake as well.
“Thank you again for coming out to support our competitors, and we hope to see you all at ICF Nationals to support our solvers there as well,” he says. “Let’s give all our winners and competitors a final round of applause.”
