Kaolin had completed her first firm at Half Hitch elementary. She could now barely remember being so nervous on her first day, the whole term in Mrs Kipper’s class had been wonderful and she’d made friends who she felt sure she’d know forever. And the best of all these friends was Olive.
Kaolin and Olive spent all day in class sat together, they played together at break, ate together at lunch, and even walked home to each other’s houses. Of all the great things that had happened this term, becoming friends with Olive had been the best of them.
As Kaolin was packing her blue Half Hitch rucksack at the end of morning lessons before lunch on the Thursday of the last week of term, the speaker high in one corner of the classroom crackled.
“Half Hitchers. This has been the most satisfying term,” said the voice. It was Mrs PerrinPeas, the headmistress.
“Because of this, I am very pleased to announce that tomorrow, on our last day before the holidays, instead of classes we shall have a sports day!”
The whole class looked at each other excitedly. A sports day? Even Mrs Kipper could barely suppress a smile.
The speaker crackled again. “So therefore each class must select four pupils to represent them in the competition. The rest of the class must perform an even more important job, and support as colorfully and loudly as they can. You may have this afternoon to make your preparations.”
Everyone in Kaolin and Olive’s class began to whisper excitedly.
“Alright,” smiled Mrs Kipper. “Now settle down, settle down.”
“Mrs Kipper,” asked Mateo. “What’s a sports day?”
Everyone looked at Mateo. This seemed like a silly question, but then all his classmates realized that they didn’t know either. ‘Sports Day?’ A day of… Sport? And why did they have to select a team?
Mrs Kipper had read their minds. “This is your first year at Half Hitch, and so - like Mateo - who was very wise to ask - none of you have yet experienced a Sports Day. Well. Sports Days at Half Hitch have been occurring for many hundreds of years -“
“Even before you worked here, Mrs Kipper?” asked Alexis.
Mrs Kipper knew that Alexis wasn’t being cheeky on purpose, and so nodded. “Yes, Alexis. Before even I worked here. For hundreds of years before I worked here.”
“And what happens, Mrs Kipper?” asked Olive.
“Well. Each class selects four pupils to form a team to compete against the other classes.”
“To compete at what?” asked Kaolin, sounding a little bit worried.
“At the three games Ms Perrinpeas has decided upon. HOWEVER, the special thing about sports days at Half Hitch is that you don’t know what the games are going to be before they are announced. You must be ready for anything.”
The whole class stared at each other.
“Now”, continued Mrs Kipper, “We need a class team. So. Our team shall be… Olive, Mateo, Alexis and Kaolin.”
Kaolin’s heart jumped up into her mouth. “But why me?”
“Well, because you were the last four to ask questions. Everyone in the class is excellent at running and jumping, and you’re all very clever, so I select you randomly. Congratulations. You are our class team. Now, the rest of you, let’s make costumes and hats and flags.”
The rest of the day went by in a blur. Kaolin was sick with worry, and when she walked home she could barely speak with Olive.
“It’ll be okay,” said Olive. “How hard can it be? We’re first years. They’re not going to give us anything too difficult.”
Kaolin nodded, said goodbye, and went indoors.
At dinner, her elder brother Kit looked at her as she eat her pasta silently.
“I hear,” he began. “That you’ve been selected to play for your class at sports day tomorrow?”
Their mummy and daddy gasped. “Oh, Kaolin! That’s wonderful! Well done!”
“I didn’t earn it, it’s only because I spoke and asked a question,” she said. “Excuse me, I’ve finished dinner. I want to get an early night.”
Upstairs in her room, Kaolin lay on top of her covers when she heard her door open.
“Mind if I sit down?” asked Kit.
Kaolin didn’t say anything, so Kit sat anyway.
“Look. You’ve got nothing to worry about,” he said. “Each class just all does their best and remember - use your imagination. These aren’t normal games. You use your imagination well and you’ll win.”
Kaolin didn’t say anything.
“I promise I won’t beat you on purpose,” said Kit.
Kaolin sat straight up. “But you’re not playing me! I’m in Year One! You’re in year Four!”
“Oh you’ve got a lot to learn about Sports Day,” said Kit. “All classes compete together. Even Year Seven.”
“YEAR SEVEN!” cried Kaolin! “But they’re basically grown ups!”
“Sleep well!” said Kit, giving her head a gentle rub before getting up and leaving the room.
The next morning, Olive was waiting outside Kaolin’s house looking terrified. “Have you heard,” Olive began, “All years play together! We’re done for!”
As they arrived at the school gates they stopped to see the playground decorated with bunting. Every pupil was stood around in colorful costumes waiting for the games to begin.
Mrs Kipper came up with Alexis and Mateo. “There you are, Kaolin. There you are, Olive. Right, now, you four, go and stand over there underneath our class sign.”
In total, there were 14 teams, two from each year. Kaolin could barely speak with fear. She looked around to see if any games had already been laid out, but aside from the flags and the costumes, everything looked the same.”
Mrs Perrinpeas picked up her microphone.
“Welcome all. And thank you again for such a wonderful term. And so - without any further ado… let the games begin.”
Everyone cheered as Olive, Alexis, Kaolin and Mateo looked about them.
“The first game,” called Ms Perrinpeas. “Is… catching.”
Everyone feel silent. All Kaolin could feel was a slightly chill breeze on her face.
She, Olive, Mateo and Alexis waited.
But then, everyone began to look up towards the school roof high above them when an explosion caused a hundred brightly colored objects to fly into the air, and then drop towards them.”
“Catch them!” screamed Olive as they, and the other teams ran forward with their arms held upwards.
SPOOOSH! SPLASH! Suddenly, Kaolin realized she was soaking wet. “They’re water balloons!”
BANG! Another hundred exploded from the roof and rained down on them.
And again! And again they fell!
After a thousand water balloons had soared down towards them there was a big cheer as a Year Six class jumped around in celebration. They’d caught over fifty. Kaolin, Olive, Alexis and Mateo had caught… none.
They were last.
“The next game,” said Mrs Perrinpeas, “is… flying.”
“But I can’t fly…” muttered Kaolin.
As she said it, fourteen huge kites fluttered through the school gates and into the playground.
“Grab one!” she heard everyone shout and then saw Olive dash forward bravely towards the kite closest to her and grasp the string behind it. The kite immediately lifted Olive up and into the sky.
“Hold on, Olive!” screamed Kaolin as her best friend was tossed about in the wind.
All the other classes seemed to have someone attached to their kite, and riding it with some skill, but Olive was dipping and twirling - almost crashing into the ground - and was the only one not to land back with her team, but in a heap by the lunch hall.
They had come last again.
“The final game,” said Mrs Perrinpeas. “Is our most famous game.”
The whole school looked at each other excitedly. It couldn’t be…
“Bell-ringing!” called Mrs Perrinpeas, and as she did do, fourteen colored ropes flew off the school bell which was right on top of the tower on the roof.
Kaolin had had enough of this. She was sick of coming last. Suddenly, she felt angry.
“Let’s GO!” she shouted to her team, and she, Alexis, Olive and Mateo rushed towards their rope.
Kaolin grasped the rope and tried climbing. It was IMPOSSIBLE. The rope felt harsh in her hands and she slipped back down to the ground. Alexis tried. Then Mateo. The other teams already had one of their class getting up past the ground floor windows.
“I’ve got an idea!” said Olive, and stood at the bottom of the rope. “Kaolin. Climb up onto my shoulders and hold on.”
Kaolin did. Soon, she was standing on Olive’s shoulders holding onto the rope.
“Now,” said Olive. “Alexis, you climb up over us both.”
Within seconds, Alexis was standing on Kaolin’s shoulders, holding onto the rope.
Mateo got the idea and climbed up Olive, Kaolin and Alexis to stand high up on his shoulders.
“Now just HOLD ON!” cried Olive from the bottom as she climbed up them all and stood on Mateo’s shoulders! Then, Kaolin began climbing up Alexis, and then Mateo, and then Olive and stood at the top herself! Then Alexis climb them all, and Mateo climbed them all, and soon they were up by the roof.
“Keep going!” panted Kaolin. And as they climbed up each other, grabbing the rope at the top, and then climbed over each other again, soon Alexis found himself at the bell and RANG IT. They’d won!
They slid back down the rope feeling elated. But then, all they heard was boos.
“CHEATS, CHEATS, CHEATS. CHEATS!” chanted everyone.
“Be quiet, be quiet!” said Mrs Perrinpeas.
“The bell ring rope climb is only to be attempted by one team member per class. And so, I’m sorry, Miss Kipper’s class are disqualified.”
Kaolin looked at the ground. She felt distraught. She’d been soaked with water balloons, she’d seen her best friend Olive dragged around by a kite…
“NO!” she called.
Everyone feel completely silent and looked at her.
Not quite knowing why her feet were doing it, Kaolin walked up towards Mrs Perrinpeas.
“No?” said Ms Perrinpeas.
“At the start of term,” began Kaolin, trying to keep her voice as loud and clear as possible despite being terrified, “you told us all, Mrs Perrinpeas, that we were all Half Hichers now. And you told us that a Half Hitch was a knot that sailors used that might not be secure by itself, but used together, in a row, would form a rope so strong that it would defeat anything. You said that that is what kept Half Hitch together. Well we are four Half Hitchers who formed a rope.”
Alexis, Mateo and Olive stepped forward and stood either side of Kaolin. Together, they all linked arms.
Then, Mrs Kipper came forward and stood behind the four of them, in support.
Kaolin stared at Mrs Perrinpeas and was sure she saw a tear form in her left eye and crawl down her cheek.
“Sometimes,” said Mrs Perrinpeas. “It is the teachers who must learn from the pupils. Today is one of those days, and I hope that there will be many more. I declare Mrs Kipper’s class the winner, and three cheers for Half Hitch.”
Everyone cheered, and then Kaolin jumped into a huge embrace with Alexis, Mateo and, of course, Olive.
And looking out of their dancing, bouncing hug, she saw everyone applauding - and none more than one boy in particular. Her brother, Kit.
