Chapter Text
Marcy Park sat on her bed in her room, headphones in, listening to The Brobecks’ newest album, when her mom’s voice drifted up from downstairs. She groaned, rolling her eyes before dragging herself to her feet.
Sitting on the counter was a letter addressed to her. Great. Mail. She opened it and skimmed over the words.
Dear Miss Park,
blah blah blah… As you were a participant in last year’s spelling bee, you are invited to be a guest viewer at the 26th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
“Wow,” she thought flatly. An invitation to relive my greatest trauma. She paused, then sighed. Well… it’s not like I have anything better to do.
Marcy shoved the letter in her pocket and went back upstairs in a hurry. School was starting up again soon and this 26th annual bee or whatever was the least of her worries. Last year when she switched schools, she had no friends at Putnam (not liked she tried to talk to people though) so this year was no doubt going to be the same. But Marcy never really had friends to begin with, hell the closest people she'd even think about calling her friends were the other kids from last year's bee…
She stopped in her tracks when she remembered them. True Marcy's not a people person, she actually kinda liked being around that group. “I wonder if they’ll be there too as guest viewers”
—
The question stuck with Marcy for the rest of the week, popping up when she least expected it. By the time the day of the 36th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee arrived, Marcy found herself scanning the room before she even realized what she was looking for.
She put her headphones back in to block the noise of the crowd as she sheepishly made her way to the front row. She was about to lose hope and call her mom to pick her up when she heard someone from behind her screaming her name.
She turned around to see behind her a familiar ginger boy jumping up and down waving at her, and next to him a boy scout waving his baseball cap in the air.
She was taken back a little but couldn't help but smile. She walked over to the two and Leaf practically jumped on her pulling her into a hug with Chip following close behind him.
“Well, if it isn't miss six languages” Chip said laughing. “Nice to see you, too,” She said, rolling her eyes. “Glad I saw you, the four of us thought you weren't coming tonight!” Chip said excitedly, finally letting go of her. “Four of us?” Marcy asked. And just as she said that out of the corner of her eye she spotted Olive and William walking over.
“Ever heard of waiting up for people, Boner boy?!” William yelled. “Hey, it's not my fault you're slow!” Chip yelled back. The two of them started to bicker as Olive ran up to hug Marcy. “It's nice to see you again Marcy!” Olive said with her usual Olive charm.
It was a little crazy to Marcy that everyone seemed to be just the same as they were the day of their bee. But Marcy liked that fact.
After all of them caught up with each other they found their seats near the front and sat down. Chip and Leaf were talking like crazy, and it looked as if Olive and Will were holding hands? Marcy laughed to herself at the sight, when something caught her eye. An empty chair next to her.
Something was wrong. Marcy did a double take and counted the faces again and came up one short. Wait where was Logainne? She turned to ask, but the gym filled with applause as Rona stepped up to the microphone.
“…And our final contestant,” Rona said, her voice ringing out, “Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre.”