Page 16 of A Fowl Match

“Look who’s being evasive about a man now?”

“Touché. Maybe once you tell me I’ll tell you, how’s that sound?”

So, she doesn’t deny it was a love interest.

“Okay, I’ll let you get to bingo. Knock ‘em dead.”

“I will! Don’t fail me at that chicken race!”

“I won’t. See you next week!”

I end up leaving with more questions than I came with. Who is H and why did she look so sad when I handed her the notebook? I might have to do some investigation work on my own.

Chapter 9

Violet

“Itgivesmegreatpleasure to welcome you all to day one of Thornwood Valley’s Annual Spring Festivities. Today’s event is the chicken race!” Constance announces to the town with a megaphone. “I know everyone hates it when I talk about rules, but listen carefully. We’ve had issues in previous years when the rules were not addressed. So, I have to read them now.”

A few people boo the idea of rules. Constance rolls her eyes. “Hey! No booing!” She scruffs her head and continues on with her spiel. “Rule number one, don’t nudge or push the chickens to help them. Rule number two, don’t move from your spot on the line. Rule number three, no profanities; there are children in attendance. Please. When you hear the whistle the partner at the red line will release your chicken. The first chicken to make it past the green line will win this challenge. Once each team passes the finish line we will keep track of your placing. The top seven teams will be put on the bulletin board to proceed to next week's competition. And the last two teams to cross will be eliminated. For anyone watching there are refreshments on thetables to my right.” She points a manicured nail in the direction of the drinks.

All of the teams are lined up in a straight line on the grass field. Olive stands next to me, wearing a green sweatshirt. Every team has color coordinating shirts with our names on the back. Dustin and I both wear purple sweatshirts. Our faces are painted with a purple stripe under each of our eyes. And I’m wearing a matching sweat band around my forehead. Dustin refused to wear one, but I don’t blame him. We all look the part, but we also look absolutely ridiculous. I think the gossip mill purposely gave our teams colors based on Olive and I’s names. I wouldn’t be surprised.

Constance’s voice echoes through the megaphone again. “Contestants please make sure you are standing on the painted line in the grass. Get ready to release your chicken in three—two—one.” The whistle sounds in a flash.

I release Helga to the wolves. She must have stage fright or something because she just stands there, unmoving.Do not look at the other teams and focus only on our team, Violet.It's extremely hard not to peek at the competition to see if they are having any luck. Dustin is straight across from me shaking the bag of mealworms, looking laser focused. “Helga, you can do this. You are stunning! Glowing! Radiating the essence of love!”What in the world is he saying? “Don’t give up on me now, remember what we practiced! You are strong! You lay the largest and best eggs out of all the hens!” he shouts over the roaring noises surrounding us.

She eats up his encouraging words and starts trudging through the grass straight to Dustin. I’m screaming, throwing my hands up in the air. Hoping that she will continue strutting to make us win this one. It would be the first time an Orpington ever won the week one competition.

Tourists and locals surround the park, their muffled voices cheering for different teams. I feel the adrenaline pouring from the atmosphere. Some even shout, “go Helga.” I feel like a proud chicken mother. Helga’s at the final stretch of grass before the green line. She only has three feet until she passes the finish line.

Come on Helga, you can do this.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Mason’s Americana two feet away. She’s so close my hands tremble. Sweat drips down my back, riveting across my cool skin. I’ve always lost the chicken race, and I swear if we could just get this one win, I might cry, happy tears, of course.

Then Helga does it, she speeds up with every ounce of energy left and races across the finish line, earning our team first place. I can’t believe it! Dustin scoops her up, jumping up and down and spinning her around.

Constance's voice booms through the megaphone. “We have a winner! Helga from team purple, they are now the champions of the chicken race!”

The crowd of fifty or so tourists and townsfolk roars. Then the next few chickens cross the finish line and are announced one by one until all of the teams cross. I don’t hear any of it though, I’m too focused on the buzz of our win. My face is beaming with a huge genuine smile. As soon as I hear, “That concludes this week's chicken race. Great work everyone!” from Constance, I beeline it across the track straight to Dustin. He pulls me and Helga into a bone crushing embrace. Smiling with joy, he spins us around through the air. My feet dangle off the ground, my hair swooshes around my face. Dustin sets me down back on solid ground. We stare at each other for a few minutes, grinning in triumph. For a split second—which feels like forever—our eyes lock and I get this tingly spark of emotion in my chest. Or it’s just the nerves combined with dizziness from the spin. I fall into his blue-eyed spell and can’t break our eye contact.

I can’t believe he smiled.

Constance’s voice brings me back to reality. “I have one more announcement before we get to the food. Annie’s is providing ribs, chicken, and fries for everyone. This year is special because it marks the twentieth anniversary. So with that being said, with each challenge there will be a small prize. Team purple, you won an all-expenses paid dinner at The String Cheese tonight only. So, you better take advantage of it!” She looks in my direction. “Also, the second and third place winners will get a free pepperoni roll coupon!”

This has to be a ploy; she knows very well Dustin and I didn’t get along. Bigger forces are at play here. Why does it have to be tonight only? The matchmaking forces of the gossip mill are definitely behind this. But I can’t complain. I am a sucker for that cheese filled pepperoni roll. And I will be eating dinner there with or without Dustin.

“Oh, I almost forgot! The winning team can only get their free meal if they both show up.” Constance’s voice booms yet again. The woman can read my mind; it’s infuriating and kind of concerning.

“You sure looked chummy with Dustin.” Olive pokes my side.

“Oh please, we were just celebrating a win. Nothing’s going on.”

“Mhmm, keep telling yourself that. I saw the way you were looking at each other.” Then she skips away to grab some food.

We were just celebrating a win. That’s all.

Chapter 10

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