It isn't until now, sitting behind my team's table, that I begin to understand why I want to be here so badly. It isn't for Professor Janet or the rest of my math team. It's not even for school pride. And despite all the whispers and odd stares I get from everyone who thought I was dead, this still feels right.
This competition is something I understand. It's something that I can, to a degree, control and know how to approach. Sure, I don't know what questions they're going to throw at me or what the other team will be like, but math is something I can control, and it's unchanging. No matter how you approach it, two plus two will always equal four.
Tony, Sarah, and Phillip all gape at me as I take the last seat at the table.
