The Geek Revolution ✓

43 | trophy

A / N :

I used to be Benjamin > Terrence all day, but now that I'm 70% done writing Terrence's prequel, I've developed a major soft spot for T. So, at the moment, it's 50/50 between my boys.

Are you team Benji or team Terry?  (Your answer might affect how you perceive this chapter, hehe.) Or team someone else?

Enjoy!

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EARLIER THIS MORNING, BENJAMIN AND the rest of Carsonville's two Eastern League teams left for the third round of the competition, held, again, at another school. He calls me when they arrive, with not much time left to spare before the competition kicks off.

Despite his best efforts to smooth his voice, I can still hear his shaky breaths in every word, though it may just be amplified by the static of the phone call. "How was the ride?"

"Terrible," Benjamin replies glumly, "I spent the hour going over formulae, theorems, sequences, everything."

"Well, I know you'll do really well today."

"But there's no guarantee we'll win."

"I never said you'd win," I point out mirthfully. "I said you'd do really well, and I know that. You're competitive, you're intelligent, and for some crazy-ass reason, you actually enjoy solving puzzles. You're made for this."

Nothing can be heard from the other side of the line except for a breathy, whirring noise and the background chatter from whatever hall the competitors are waiting in. "Hello? Come on, I'd like some feedback on my pep talk."

He eventually replies, sounding distracted. "Sorry. I'm not feeling so great—"

"—understandable—"

"—but, thank you," he says relievedly. "I feel a bit better."

"No problem."

"I, um, have to go. They're collecting all the phones as a precaution. Talk later."

"Okay, good luck."

I pocket my phone, walking to my classroom. Benjamin would never admit it, but I could hear it in the way he spoke that all his self-confidence had fled, despite all his training. Impressively, Benjamin has been part of the Mathletes for all of his high school career.

Kyler has even shown me some newspaper archives, from what we managed to salvage after the Monarchy destroyed them, with a young Benjamin smiling unnaturally at the camera. Admittedly, he's not very photogenic. But, he looked happy.

I have mixed emotions toward mathematics, but anyone can see how happy — and competitive — it makes Benjamin. His history with Mathletes spans more time than I know. He wants to win as much as I want the Revolution to succeed, so much that it consumes him.

Though the Revolution is practically my life right now, there's always been something else driving him through high school. If anything, I'm glad he has other priorities to keep him grounded, keep him from being sucked into this mess.

He keeps in mind that there was a time before the Monarchy, and there'll be a time after.

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