When Kevin started high school, he kept his world small. Things change when he enters his junior year though.
practice was BRUTAL 😫
i swear coach is trying to kill us before playoffs
how was the quiz bowl meeting?
same old, same old
just reviewed stuff for the next meet
sounds like you survived
barely 💀
2 hours of straight drills
i almost died
anyway, saw you at lunch
uh, okay?
i eat lunch everyday so what’s your point?
my point is you weren't eating
you were in a freakin trance
like intensely focused
was probably just thinking about the match
nah, i doubt it
you were staring at someone
really hard 👀
what?
i wasn't
i was just looking out the window
nice try, you used that one last week 😂
you were laser-focused on 1 person
don’t even deny it
no idea what you're talking about
dude, seriously?
you were practically burning a hole into that senior
can’t deny that, can you? 😂
shut up
I KNEW IT
you got it BAD, man
okay, fine
maybe i do look over there sometimes
i’m sure even you can’t deny she’s good-looking
good-looking, huh
so what are you waiting for?
start talking to her
are you crazy?
Have you even met me?
well yeah lol
you are my best friend
and you're smart as hell
girls are into that
girls are not into the ability to name all the vice presidents in chronological order
girls like guys who are
you know
like you
confident
sporty
normal
first off, normal is boring
second, find and keep your balls for 10 seconds, man
not even 10 to just say hi
plus she's a SENIOR
tick tock 🕒
she'll be gone in like 8 months
you're gonna spend the rest of your life wondering "what if"
that's why i can't!
she's a senior and probably popular
i’m a nerd who gets excited when the daily double is about geography
so what? she's just a person
a person who could ruin me with one laugh
so no thanks
i’d rather wonder than find out the answer is "ew no"
anyway
i gotta study for the next match
so let's drop this
seriously
fine, i’ll let it go
for now
but you're selling yourself short big time, man
yeah, whatever
talk later
Sure enough…
it's official
what is?
do you finally admit golf is a real sport?
no 💁♂️
graduation was yesterday
she's gone
oh
damn
soooo
not to be that guy
just say it
i'm not gonna say "i told you so"
you just did 😟
but i might have mentioned something about a ticking clock 😟
like 8 months ago
yeah, i know
and thanks for reminding me
i feel greeaaat
hey, i tried to get you to move!
i know
i just couldn't
i'm such an idiot
a whole school year
and i didn't say one word to her
c'mon, man
don't beat yourself up about it
why shouldn't i?
it's true
i'm a coward
i just sat there and stared
and now she's gone
probably going to some huge university
and gonna meet some frat guy who's caption of everything
"captain of everything" 🤣
bro, you're spiraling
i'm not
i'm just being realistic
i had chances and blew them all
gonna be thinking about this for years
what if she was secretly into shy quiz bowl guys and i missed my shot??
okay, let's be real
probably not 🤷♂️
BUT that doesn't mean you didn't have a shot
you just never took it
exactly
which makes me an idiot
no, it makes you human
and maybe a little bit of a wimp
but mostly human 😁
and look
it's high school
this isn't your last chance to get a girl
it was just your last chance at her
...and that's supposed to make me feel better?
well, yeah
think about it
you're gonna be a senior
king of the school
i'm gonna be captain of the quiz bowl team
it's not the same
just fucking own it, okay
then you're off to college
new place, new people
a fresh start
a clean slate
whatever you wanna call it
point is college girls are different
they actually think the smart thing is hot
you really think so?
i mean
i'm hoping so for your sake 😅
ugh
fine, whatever
i've got the national qualifiers to prep for anyway
probably better to just focus on that
no more distractions
that's the spirit
bury yourself in the 19th century british monarchs or whatever it is you do 🤓
shut up
but thanks, i guess
it kinda worked
alright, man 😂
hit me up later if you wanna play some games
to take your mind off things
i'll let you know if i'm in the mood for it
thanks
no prob
Time passes, and Kevin enters college as a Quiz Bowl scholar. He expects college life to be just like his last year of high school, but that expectation is broken during the orientation program.
MARK
MARK MARK MARK
YOU ARE NOT GONNA BELIEVE WHO'S HERE
jesus, chill!
i'm imagining you shouting and all i can think of is a dog barking 🤣
i don't care what you think right now
so who's there?
THE SENIOR
FROM OUR HS
SHUT THE FUCK UP
NO FREAKING WAY
I KNOW
i saw her in the crowd during the scholar introductions
i nearly had a heart attack on stage
i thought i was hallucinating
guess what happened next
you puked? 🤣
oh fuck you
🤣🤣🤣
she came up to me after the intros
WHAT
SHE
came up to ME
😲
just walked right up, confident
and she was like "you were amazing up there" and said her name's Tina
you just found out her name??
yes
so it took you two years, including going to college, to finally learn her name
that's a freakin record, dude
shut up
that's not the point
did she recognize you at all from hs?
nope
which is good
she just knows me as the "quiz bowl scholar guy"
but more importantly, dude
she asked for MY NUMBER
👀!!!!
talk about going from lagging behind to shooting to the lead
and she said "we should hang out!"
bro, this is insane
the universe just handed you a complete do-over on a silver platter
I KNOW
well, don't screw this one up!!!
i'll try not to 😅
Though Mark had been joking, Kevin keeps his words in mind especially when Tina texts him first, determined to not waste this chance.
hey!
it's tina
from orientation today 😊
sending you a pic just in case!
oh wow hey
i’m a little shocked, honestly
i wasn't expecting you to actually text
ofc i’m gonna text!
i wasn't kidding when i said we should hang out
and tbh i only came up to you cuz i thought you were really cute up there on stage
oh
oh wow
thanks
not really used to hearing that
especially not after a quiz bowl speech 😅
are you kidding me?
what's not to like?
a guy who’s that smart AND that cute?
that’s like
a total unicorn 🦄
i dunno about "unicorn"
but thank you
i’m serious!
brains are 100% my thing
it's really impressive 😊
good to know 😳
so quiz bowl scholar...
what’s your major?
wait
let me guess
history?
or maybe philosophy?
i'm guessing it's smth super smart
close
political science
with a history minor
what about you?
communications
with a minor in...
trying to find the best coffee shops near campus 😋☕
a very noble pursuit!
it is!
but i'm also taking this polsci 101 elective
tbh it's already making my head spin lol
i'm def gonna need a tutor
maybe you could help me study sometime? 😊
well
i could probably help you out
perfect!
if it wasn't obvious
i was hoping you'd say that
😳
we should def have a study session
the sooner, the better!
i’m free pretty much whenever
when i’m not buried in readings that is 😅
cute 😊
well, dw!
i'll make sure it's way more fun than your readings
oh
i'm glad you think you'll find studying with me fun!
you're def adorable 😊
anyway
i gotta run to meet a friend
i'll text you tmr, smarty pants?
yeah, definitely
talk to you tomorrow, Tina