Hello! This story may be slightly confusing, but I don't know. Please comment anytime that you see a typo so I can correct it. Thank you!

I dedicated this to TabbyR_TabbyL for a secret reason. We are real life friends, by the way. (I don't know if TabbyR_TabbyL knows what it is, but that is the point of it being a secret...) I will probably dedicate the next one to my conspicuous friend.

Ha-ha-ha-ha I took a fan-girl test and I got: GO SEEK HELP. NOW.

~The Dex Fanatic

     "Spell anomaly." The teacher said in her New Jersey accent. *

"A-N-O-M-A-L-Y. Anomaly means--"

"--Ah, dear, I'm quite aware of what it means,"

She forced a laugh, and rolled her eyes when she thought Sophie wasn't looking. But this five-year-old saw everything. She saw the other contestants scowl at her and roll their eyes.

"She's the anomaly," one whispered. His companions snickered, and Sophie felt tears prick her eyes.

Either Ms. Veneropoli and Mr. Sweeney hadn't heard Michael and his friends, or they didn't care. Bile rose in her throat as she thought, Probably the latter. Mr. Sweeney stood up and announced who would be moving on to semi-finals in alphabetical order.

In his nasal, droning voice he said; "Benjamin Cook; Benjamin Brown," Sophie hand shot up. She didn't want to be a pest, but she couldn't stand it.

Mr. Sweeney sighed, "Yes, Miss Foster?"

"Not to be an irritant, sir,"

"Oh really?" Michael snickered. "Just a anomaly, then?"

"It's an anomaly! Not 'a,' you vapid brute!" she cried.

"Anyway, I couldn't help but perceive that you put Ben Cook before Ben Brown. Since you pr-said that the, uh, list of semi-finalists would be in alphabetical order, I thought that perhaps you would appreciate it if I corrected your error. "

"I-" Mr. Sweeney was interrupted by Ms. Clearwater, the principal who was on stage as well. Ms. Clearwater did not hate Sophie like most of the rest, or if she did than she did not show it, for which Sophie was grateful.

"Thank you, Sophie. I was just about to point out that mistake to Mr. Sweeney as well, but you saved my soar throat the pain." She smiled kindly, and Sophie relaxed a bit.

"Ah, yes. Well, continuing," Mr. Sweeney cleared his throat. "Clara Washington," Clara's brother cheered. "Ethan Jackson; Florence Cunningham; Grace Cunningham; Kelly Washington; Mackenzie Albright; Mary Potter; Sophie Foster, of course; Therese Loyer; and Zoe Grace. Congratulations to all." Everyone clapped politely. "And first up is Benjamin Brown." Mr. Sweeney grudgingly announced. Sophie smiled on the inside, but she still felt hurt. She wanted to go run into her parents' arms, and hear her father call her "Soybean," the name she pretended to dislike so much.

"Ben," said Ms. Veneropoli, "Your word is 'Radiant.'"

"Um, Radiant. That would be R-A-D-I-A-N-T. Radiant." The audience clapped, and Ben C., Clara, Ethan, Florence, and Grace all passed, spelling affront, slovenly, nemesis, ruffian, and brutal. Kelly stumbled over clarity, spelling it as clearity. Mackenzie used 'f' instead of 'th,' and Mary spelled mystical as mistical. Then, it was Sophie's turn. She walked up to the microphone, praying that they wouldn't make fun of her again, or at least not too much.

"Go get 'em, Soybean!" Her father cheered from the audience. She blushed and waited for her word.

"Sophie, your word is enlightened."

"Enlightened. That is spelled E-N-L-I-G-H-T-E-N-E-D."

"Correct, you may take your seat."

Seven remained, and the words went up a few notches. "As well as correct spelling, you will be judged on speed and confidence." Said Ms. Clearwater. "I wish you all good luck, and I remind you to join us for ice-cream later!" She winked, and handed over the microphone to Benjamin Brown.

"Spell habitual." Mr. Sweeney told him as Sophie pulled out a few eyelashes, the tears still pricking her eyes.

It took Clara a moment to get extemporize, and even longer for Ethan to get vehemence. Florence slowly spelled incoherent, and Grace failed her spelling of impenetrable. Sophie confidently skipped over to the microphone, reassured by Ms. Clearwater's encouraging words.

"Impenetrable is I-M-P-E-N-E-T-R-A-B-L-E!" She immediately exclaimed. Therese then very slowly incorrectly spelled enthusiasm.

After Sophie received an "Exemplary Speller! (Can you spell that?)" certificate, she ran to find her parents. She saw Michael's parents reprimanding him, thank goodness, and she saw his companions pushing kids out of the way so that they could get ice cream first. Finally, she saw her parents, her mother holding two-year-old Amy, in serious discussion with Ms. Clearwater.

She ran over to them, and Sophie's father saw her first. "Hey, Soybean! Great job out there!"  He picked up his first-born daughter and kissed her on the forehead. Finally, she let the tears come out. "Will you p-please," she begged in between sobs, "just take me h-home now?" Her father comforted her, said something to the principal, and started carrying Sophie to the car.

Tears soaked her father's jacket, Sophie shook and shivered from her sobs, and she climbed into her car-seat. Her mother sat next to her, rather than in the front, and Sophie rested her head on her lap. Sophie's mother held her tight and comforted her, then they drove back to the peace of their home.

That chapter was probably longer than most will be, but I wanted to write the full Spelling bee. I've never been to a Spelling bee before, so that was my imagination. I hope that it is a little accurate? :-)

The asterisk below is a note from the first line.

*I wasn't sure what that accent is called, so I just said New Jersey.