Page 33 of The Statistically Unlikely Reunion

I hate that most days, I can’t tell whether Arjun’s right.

I have the most experience with programming competitions, but I’m not the wild card that is Brody, who looks at problems with joy and curiosity. I’m not the powerhouse that is Lucas.

Despite the scheduling and managing I do for us, despite the additional research and practice I assign to myself and the fact that Lucas and Brody listed me as the nominal captain and contact person for the team, there is (of course) a small insidious voice that whispers, I am not enough.

I am the weakest link.

And though I need the prize money that could come with a strong showing at nationals, I can’t help but wonder whether the team might be better off with bronze-winning Arjun.

I’m racking my brain for a clever retort, but for once, Lucas beats me to it. Even though we’re in the middle of a large cafeteria, surrounded by competitors and coaches who are filing out, Lucas doesn’t bother to keep his voice down. “Lorelai solved Problem F. No one on your team managed that. Only one other team tonight even attempted F. Meaning even if it was my decision, I’d never replace her.”

“Lorelai’s a freshman in remedial calculus. That puts her at the bottom of the incoming class. I’m in two grad classes.”

“But you still lost.” I find my voice, finally.

“And oh, it wasn’t even close.” Brody crosses his arms and directs this at Dmitry.

Arjun lets out a frustrated huff, not ready to give up. “What kind of a captain are you if you can’t do what’s best for the team?”

“Lorelai’s our captain.”

Brody seconds this. “We call her Red Leader.”

Which no, they have not ever called me that.

“As captain, I’m hardly going to replace myself.”

Arjun’s eyes are narrowed, his tone dripping with suspicion. “You’re kidding.”

Brody does his patented bro/dude shrug, and Lucas says nothing, giving Arjun no choice but to finally, finally look at me. It’s hard—even with my years of learning from my father how to not react, not react, not react—to stand my ground, there’s that much malevolence in Arjun’s eyes. But Lucas comes a little closer, and Brody moves in to throw a careless arm around me.

If I were a more emotional person, I’m sure this is when I’d tear up.

Instead, I raise my chin.

Arjun throws his hands up in the air, a drama queen to the end. “Fine. Your collective funerals.” He stomps away, the petulant forever-victim in his mind.

Lucas waits until Arjun is out of hearing distance before asking, “Red Leader? Since when do you watch nerd movies?”

“Star Wars is mainstream.”

And at the unconvinced looks Lucas and I both give him, Brody finally admits, “I dated a girl who liked to cosplay Star Wars.”

“Brody’s twenty minutes late.” We can’t start the contest without him, even though Lucas and I have both been pulling up practice problems while waiting.

“He’s been consistently late since we won.”

“It’s like he doesn’t understand we should be practicing more now.”

Lucas smiles at me over the top of his laptop, and I look away. I bite down on the side of my lip, worried Mr. Bro Dude is doing this on purpose.

“I’m going to text him.”

Brody’s reply is almost instantaneous.

BRODY: I have parties to host and chicks to do. I’ll be there next time. Scout’s honor.

BRODY: Try to have fun without me.