Chereads / The Core Universe : A Series / Chapter 8 - Not the winner?

Chapter 8 - Not the winner?

" Bro, wake up! It's late. We shall miss the slot, " Alpha shouts in my ear.

I check my watch. It's already twenty minutes past eight. The sun has already rose into the sky. I put on clothes and hurriedly follow Alpha.

On the way I meet a girl. I don't take time to look at her. I have admired her for so long. She is my long time crush. I dispel all the fears in me and approach her. I forget that I have a project and begin to walk slowly to the school where the congress is being held.

The presentations have already started. We were to present first but I was not there. I know that our project is the best and it will get through. We are the everyone's favorite. Even when she asks me to sit near her in the auditorium I don't deny. I forget all of the project and begin to think of romance. 

Our time has come. I have not rehearsed even. The other four members who include Alpha go to the judge and start to report my absence. I run faster to where they are. The place is raised a little bit and I see thousands of students and teachers sitting facing us."

Are this the ones I'm going to speak to? Oh I'm doomed. I shall try my best to present it. I must get the contract. All my future investment depends on this," I think.

"Ok, I've granted you permission. Make sure you use the little time possible to present your project," The adjudicator tells us.

"Ladies and gentlemen, here are the greatest team of all the years, Team Alpha! Team Alpha is the prize winning team for the last twenty years. Will this achieve it," the Master of Ceremony announces.I suppose this to be a sarcastic remark.

"Did you carry the prototype?" Alpha asks raising his eyebrows.

"No, I thought you came with it. Oh no. What shall we do then? We are eating into our presentation time, what shall we do then?" I ask as I look at Yvonne, the girl who brought all this trouble.Tonny clicks loudly and leaves the stage. The other two want to leave but Alpha stops them.

" I'll go for the prototype. The stage is yours now. Deal with the theory and I shall go for the prototype. Expect me in three to eight minutes. Remember we have only few minutes as the judge said. Go!" he says with his commanding childlike voice.

I walk to the raised part of the stage and begin to present. The time that Alpha shows up I will say now see it.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Lighters Hone 1 drone is a lightweight drone oriented to travel at high speeds without collision. Incorporating Artificial intelligence and robotics mechanisms is this lightweight aircraft. The aircraft can be used to transport urgently needed goods and even personnel. The unique features that the aircraft has is the ability to pass through foggy and stormy areas without loosing the signal. That's not all, with its dynamic features that enable it to change from a hypersonic hydrogen propelled jet engine into a helicopter enables it to land on top of buildings, hills and smaller aircraft can be used to deliver parcels directly to your house. Not in the compound but inside the house, passing through any of the open doors. The defense mechanism it has is used to ensure that the goods are safe during the entire journey. The best thing is that it can never be hijacked. Do you want to see it? There's it. "

Alpha flies the prototype across the auditorium. The taller the guy the higher it rises. When it reaches the wall it rapidly changes direction and comes back to the stage. It transforms into a helicopter and land into the box Alpha had carried it with.

" That's it's hangar. Like it."Applauses and murmurs everywhere. Then silence as the chief adjudicator comes to the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen,... I'm sorry to say this. The Team Alpha from our this year's host had a good presentation but the misunderstanding that happened right before the presentation is what denied them marks. If not for one of them leaving the stage they would have been crowned champions. To our hosts let's learn to solve misunderstandings by a more civilized manner instead of interfering with group projects. The winner of the this year's tournament is, Team of zeal from Walton group of Schools. Clap for them. Also clap for the ones who participated. It's not easy to be confident. "

He sits as applauds go on. I ho back to Yvonne. She walks away. I sit in pain.

" People just love to see others succeed. But sometimes failure is there. How will I solve the feud between we and Tonny? "I silently ask me as many depart.With my heart in pieces, legs becoming weak, tears in the eyes and a speechless tongue I approach our coach who is still sitting on one of the benches in the auditorium. Next to him is our gorgeous math teacher who is always smiling. Our coach is filled with fury and is frowning. I quickly kneel and look down. 

Then with a remorseful tone I say, "I'm sorry sir. It was all my fault. I overstayed at a party yesterday. When I got home I was completely exhausted. I slept after midnight and woke up very late. I haven't even ate something from the morning. I just ran here then bumped into a girl. Due to my stupidity I saw wooing is better than our project. That's why I never realized the mistake. I'm so sorry sir. Please forgive the others. They've done nothing wrong. I'm the one who did wrong. "

Tears can be seen trying to force themselves out but I stop them. Then, Helen, our math teacher tells me to stand up. She says that the coach has already forgiven us. This is not the first time something like that happening to him.

" You two can make a nice couple. Why don't you marry each other?" Alpha says jokingly as we all laugh. We are just four of us. Tonny is missing.

"We are planning for a big wedding. Arthur will be our Master of Ceremony. I liked how you surprised the audience. From nowhere a buzzing sound was heard and up there we saw a plane. I wish on our wedding day we shall just appear on the altar magically. Can you sell to us the prototype? "

" No," I answer, " As we have failed to get a sponsor to invest in it. We shall tell our parents to start a joint company that will be manufacturing, distributing and controlling them. That's it. Alright? "

" Ok. Then. Coach do you agree with it? "

" As always, this boys are always great thinkers like you. Together we shall go far. We can leave now. You won it," he says as we stand up and say a word of prayer then everyone departs for home.