11:00 A.M. - Semifinals
The atmosphere inside the main gym was different now. Quieter. Sharper.
Only four groups remained. The morning buzz that had filled the halls had transformed into a focused hum- anticipation mingled with the faint scent of adrenaline from the freshly wiped deeks.
The digital display above the main stage flickered again, revealing the Semifinal Lineup:
Room 1 - Group 1 (Ezra Miller) vs Group 10 (Jessie Robinson)
Room 2 - Group 3 (Emilia Stevens) vs Group 11 (Ashley Boone)
At the announcement, chairs scraped back, whispers surged, and the last four groups rose to their feet.
Emilia brushed her hair band her shoulder, glancing briefly in my direction before turning toward her assigned room. Across the gym, Ezra Miller and Jessie Robinson exchanged a firm nod before stepping through opposite doors.
The semifinals had begun. Two matches. Ten rounds. No second chances.
Room 1 - Group 1 vs Group 10
Ezra Miller- calm, steady- adjusted his watch, eyes scanning his opponents. Across the room, Jessie Robinson stood tall, his expression unreadable.
Sophomore coordinator Sophie Delgado took her place at the front. "Semifinal Match One- Group 1 versus Group 10. Ten rounds. Begin."
Round 1
"Ezra Miller," Sophie Delgado aid. "Draw the first subject."
He reached in, unfolded the slip, and read aloud: "Physics."
Buzzers clicked almost instantly. Both groups fired answers in relentless rhythm. But Ezra Miller's group precision carved through the chaos like light through glass.
Group 1 leads 1–0.
Round 2
Jessie Robinson stepped forward and drew a slip next: "World History."
Questions flashed faster. jessie Robinson's group sharp recall earned them the redemption to claim the round.
Groups tied 1–1.
Round 3
Ezra Miller drew again, unfolding the slip: "Sociology."
Questions came one after other quickly. Ezra Miller's group moved with quiet confidence, their rhythm seamless, while Jessie Robinson's group stumbled, resulting in their losing of the round.
Group 1 leads 2–1.
Rounds blurred together in quick succession- Psychology, Environmental Science, Mathematics. The rhythm of competition became mechanical: draw, question, answer, point.
By Round 6, the scoreboard glowed steady.
After Six Rounds: Group 1 - 4 Group 10 - 2
Jessie Robinson's jaw tightened. His group refused to yield. They surged back- flawless in the Essay Round and Word Guessing Round, but felt short in the Speech Round, cutting the deficit to a single point.
After Nine Rounds: Group 1 - 5 Group 10 - 4
Sophie Delgado lifted the black draw box. "Final Round - Teacher Round. Jessie Robinson, please draw the subject."
Jessie Robinson reached in, unfolded the slip, and read aloud: "Political Science."
The questions were merciles. Ezra Miller's group was crisp, unwavering- answering four of five correctly.
Final Score: Group 1 - 6 Group 10 - 4
Jessie Robinson exhaled slowly, extending his hand. "Strong finish. You earned it."
Ezra Miller smiled faintly. "You made us fight for it."
Outside, muffled cheers rippled through the corridor as Sophie Delgado confirmed:
"Group 1 advances to the Finals."
Room 2 - Group 3 vs Group 11
Down the hall, the energy was different- colder, more deliberate.
Emilia stood poised, her stance composed. Across from her, Ashley Boone leaned slightly forward, calm but alert. Two leaders of equal resolve- forged by presure and precision.
Sophomore coordinator Marco Reyes stood between them, holding the draw box.
"Semifinal Match Two - Group 3 versus Group 11. Ten Rounds. Begin."
Round 1
"Emilia Stevens," Marco Reyes said. "Draw the first subject."
Emilia reached in, unfolded the slip: "Geography."
Qestions came quickly, Buzzers lit in quick succession, but Emilia's group sharp timing secured them the opening round.
Group 3 leads 1–0.
Round 2
Ashley Boone stepped forward, drew a slip, and read aloud: "Chemistry."
Questions flashed on-screen. We moved like clockwork, answering each question with precision, reclaiming momentum.
Groups tied 1–1.
Round 3
Emilia stepped forward again, drew a slip: "English Literature."
Qestions came one by one quickly. Emilia's group dominated, leaving us little room to respond, resulting in their victory.
Group 3 leads 2–1.
Round 4
Ashley Boone stepped forward, unfolded the slip and read aloud: "Environmental Science."
Questions came one after other rapidly. The air was thick with focus- buzzers snapping like electric sparks. Both sides traded perfect answers until the final question. Emilia's teammate hit the buzzer first, answering in a crisp, steady tone.
Group 3 leads 3–1.
Round 5
Emilia reached for the draw box, unfolded the slip: "Logic."
Each question was a test of precision. Ellis Cohen caught the moment Emilia's group hesitated- he seized it, answering with absolute certainty.
Group 3 leads 3–2.
Round 6
Ashley Boone drew a slip next: "Civics."
Questions came rapid-fire. Emilia's group remained calm through it all, answering with textbook precision,without any delay after flashing the buzzer.
Group 3 leads 4–2.
Round 7 - Essay Round
Marco Reyes placed down the box of Essay topics on the table. "Emilia Stevens, please draw a topic."
Emilia drew a slip and read the topic aloud:
"If I Could Change One Thing About The World"
Miles Dalton and Daisy Fowler were chosen for the round. Seets of paper were passed around. Ten minutes. Pens scratched in steady rhythm. No one spoke. When the scores appeared, our essays ranked higher than Emilia's group.
Group 3 leads 4–3.
Round 8 - Speech Round
Marco Reyes placed down the box of Speech topics. "Ashley Boone, please draw a topic."
Ashley Boone stepped forward and drew a topic: "How Small Actions Create Big Change"
Ashley Boone chose herself and me for the round. Ashley Boone began with confidence- clear, confident, her tone rising with conviction.
Emilia's reply was thoughtful, deliberate, almost poetic- but softer.
When the coordinators conferred, the was close- but the round went to us.
Groups tied 4–4.
Round 9 - Word Guessing
Marco Reyes placed the final category box of Word Guessing topics on the table. "Emilia Stevens, please draw a topic."
Emilia stepped forward again, drawing a topic:"Sports"
Noah Jackson and Ryan Neal were chosen for the round. Sentences blinked across the display- clues forming a single word.
Five minutes, ten questions. Both sides hovered over their buzers, eyes locked in concentration. On the final question, Emilia's teammate buzzed in first- correct. The round ended 7-3 in their favor.
Group 3 leads 5–4.
Round 10 - Teacher Round
Marco Reyes set the box down.
"Final Round — Teacher Round. Ashley Boone, please draw the subject."
Ashley stepped forward, drew a slip, and read aloud: "Philosophy."
Five questions came quickly. Both sides struck fast- confident, unyielding. On the final question. Emilia's group buzzed first, and answered flawlessly, sealing the round.
Final Score: Group 3 – 6 Group 11 – 4
Ashley Boone exhaled, then smiled faintly. "Well played, Emilia Stevens."
"You too," Emilia replied. "You pushed us harder than anyone yet."
When the doors opened, the waiting crowd erupted in applause. Both leaders emerged side by side, their teams trailing behind.
Outside the Gym, at 12:10 P.M. The digital screen in the main hall blazed with the updated bracket:
Advancing to Finals:
Group 1 — Ezra Miller
Group 3 — Emilia Stevens
The crowd broke into cheers.
For the first time in a long time, I felt the sting of defeat again.
I caught Emilia smile- half relief, half disbelief, and Ezra Miller expression across the hall: calm, confident, unshaken.
No words were needed. The rivalry that had simmered past two days was now destined for its final stage.
The Finals awaited at 1:00 P.M.