Extraordinary Losers 3 by Jessica Alejandro Page B

feeling utterly bored. I felt like Uncle Andy in his guard post.
    It was the school’s annual sports meet. Because we had our own little stadium, Sports Day was held in school and we didn’t have to travel. So, unlike other schools, we couldn’t take the whole day off. The day was planned such that lessons would still resume from 12 noon to 1:30 pm for the P5s and P6s, which was a complete waste of time, in my opinion!
    I really wanted to listen to my music but I couldn’t put on my headphones. Even Uncle Andy had it better. He could listen to his songs as and when he liked! Hot air was blowing from a tiny fan in the spectator stand and I felt like a pig getting roasted alive.
    Sports Day is lame. First, only five per cent of the school gets to participate. The sumo-like kids shine in the short putt event. The hyperactive kids show off in the hurdles and jumping events. And the runners are usually made up of the same old ones who do nothing other than run. Well, I guess every dog has its day, and this is their day to shine. The rest of us are made to sit, squint, clap, shout, sit again, scratch, fan ourselves and look as sporty as we can in our brightly-coloured house T-shirts.
    â€œJust sit and ch-ch-cheer, I guess. No?” Mundi scanned the sea of children who couldn’t keep still. Blue, red, yellow and green, they were settled into different houses.
    The four of us – Janice, Clandestino, Mundi and I – belonged to Red House. I was no athlete. Neither was Janice, and certainly not Mundi. The annual school sports meet was a spectacle of talents and only Clandestino could take part. Boring! I was itching to compose a new poem about Sports Day.
    After a string of unexciting events, Clandestino rose and skipped down the steps of the grey stadium. “Hey, my event is next,” he said as he winked.
    â€œAll the best, man,” we said, offering our own little handshake.
    â€œSure! I can definitely beat those guys. But of course, I will take my time. I don’t want to be toooooo obvious. So I’ll play it cool.” He winked again and shuffled down the steps. Whenever he winked, we knew we were about to witness magic.
    â€œClan, your shoelaces!” I reminded him.
    Clandestino bent down, and in less than a second, tied his shoelaces into a dead knot. “Watch me soar.” He winked a third time!
    We were thrilled! Imagine watching Clandestino in all his glory! If you didn’t already know, Clandestino was fast. And by fast I don’t even mean speed-of-a-car fast. He was more like speed-of-sound fast. And for once, he could show off his talent. At the school sports meet!
    â€œYay!” Mundi clapped, then wrung his shorts in anticipation. “Go show them, Clan! No?”
    Out of the blue, a strong arm brushed past me. There was a tattoo on the arm with the initials CH. What did it stand for? It was a familiar brush. A hostile and purposeful one.
    I looked up to a hideous face. Adam looked down at me, his facial muscles contorting. Who else in the world had bulging muscles on his face?
    Adam had been involved in the great Vandal Scandal not long ago. The four of us had almost exposed him, and now, he had revenge written all over his face.
    Behind him were Leonard and Justin. The three of them were the Basketball Pros, the cool guys, the ring leaders and the trendsetters in school. Next to them, we looked like a bunch of losers.
    â€œNot so fast, losers. You forget that he will be running against me,” Adam said, lifting his chin. “Mundi, just because you won the National Math Olympiad competition does not mean you’re cool! Only NERDS like you win.”
    â€œYeah, those with no life. Just like Clandestino out there,” Justin parroted.
    Mundi’s tongue licked his lips nervously. “But he w-wi-wil-will…”
    â€œWi-wi-wi-will WHAT?” Adam challenged him.
    â€œWi-wi-wil-will LOSE!” they yelled. Droplets of saliva