Memories

Volunteer - Jayden

"Alright, so you ten will be counting votes. One per age group. And, you will be assigned to another to recount. Taryl Lind, the head of the age 8 group, will hand out your volunteer assignments. We have used your volunteer sign up sheets to determine your assignments, since there may be conflicts of interest, so there should be no overlap. Otherwise, come talk to me or Ms. Lind about reassignment," Mr. Jackson O'Velle tells the ten of us as Ms. Lind hands out our assignments. I've been assigned to the age 10 and 16 groups, which means I won't be counting my cousin's age group.

My cousin, Carlie, just turned eight and this is the first competition she's allowed to compete in. I used to compete in these, but after a year, I found them boring and decided to stop doing them. But, that was ten years ago. A lifetime ago.

"You may all watch the competition, and you will be texted when we have completed our judging—which will be around 4:00 PM. If you have any questions, please find one of us and we can answer it." The ten of us leave the judges to do whatever, finding the snack table and eating our breakfast we were deprived of this morning since we were required to be here at 6:00 AM.

"What's the bet Jaida Holen will be competing this year?" One of the girls I've been volunteering with for five years, Olivea, asks. She has been asking this question since I first met her at the world's competition five and a half years ago. That one was in Illinsun, one of the many countries in the East Region, which was a long flight, but thankfully my dad had a work assignment there, so it was like one big family vacation.

"Honestly, actually a bit higher than before, considering it'll be her final year to compete. What about Jackson Price? Isn't this also his final year?" Wilkes, another guy I've come to know from volunteering over the years, shrugs. To any household, Jaida Holen and Jackson Price have been the topic of conversation at least once. Scratch that, at least a dozen times. They are both legends, even when they were eight. Both of them tied with the highest score possible at the world's competition their first year running.

"To be fair, no one even knows where either of them are anymore. Jaida dropped off of the face of the earth eight years ago and Jackson copied her a year later." Yes, they both did. And no one knows anything about their whereabouts.

"Well, with all of the press the two of them were getting, it's not much of a surprise. Jaida and Jackson were eight when they basically won. I think I agree with their decisions," Another guy, who is new this year to the volunteering team, argues.

"Good point. But still, it's their final year to compete. What about you, Jayden? Are you finally going to compete for the first time this year?" Olivea asks, looking straight at me. No one really knows about the couple of competitions I did when I was eight because my record doesn't even show it. Plus, it's not like I remember much anyways, so it doesn't even really feel like I competed all those years ago.

"It really depends. I'll see." I shrug, feeling a vibration in my pocket from my phone. "Sorry, it's my aunt. I've got to take this." Walking away from the group, I pull out my phone and answer, hearing the soothing voice of my aunt.

"Hey, Jades. Carlie is super nervous for her first competition. Is there any way you can just give her a few tips to help her out?" She asks, and I think about it for a second, before caving.

"I'll ask the judges and if I can, I'll text her some tips and tricks," I reassure my aunt, before going to find one of the many judges here. There's not many of us, and I recognize a lot of the volunteers that have been doing this for a while, and it doesn't take very long for me to find one of the forty judges, who are all in pantsuits, and ask them for permission.

"Hi, can I help you with something?" Ms. Lind asks, noticing my presence immediately even though she's talking with a couple of other judges.

"I was wondering if I was allowed to send a few tips to my cousin who's competing here. She's eight, but just really nervous," I blurt out, and she just smiles.