The Consolation Prize

"How is this possible?!" Olivia exclaimed, arms crossed and an expression so dramatic it looked like it came straight out of a telenovela. We were in the hallway outside the auditorium, surrounded by teams celebrating or lamenting their results. We had lost the competition.

"There's nothing strange about it," I replied, trying to sound calm as I adjusted my fake glasses, though they were no longer necessary. "Our project was incredible, but we competed against seniors with much more experience. They've been working on their projects for six months, plus they have years of accumulated knowledge. There was no way we could beat them."

Olivia looked at me as if I'd said something offensive.

"What do you mean, 'no way we could beat them'? We're Team Genius! They should've built a monument to us before announcing the winner."

Lindsay intervened before Olivia launched into one of her endless monologues.

"Olivia, calm down. We did our best. Besides, no one expected us to get this far. These kinds of competitions are for projects that take months to develop, not weeks."

"Exactly," I added, leaning against the wall. "Three months isn't enough to compete against teams that have been working on this for six months, and they're senior students with way more experience. We improvised half the way because we didn't even know we'd be here until yesterday."

Olivia pouted, but Lindsay quickly hugged her to prevent an emotional breakdown.

"Listen, it's not all lost. This was just the beginning. Next year, we'll register officially, and we'll definitely win."

Olivia lifted her head, a mix of determination and wounded pride in her eyes.

"Of course we'll win. Next year, we'll be unstoppable."

Just then, one of the judges, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, approached us. He greeted us with a kind smile.

"Excellent work, team. Your project was one of the most innovative we've seen this year. Although you didn't win, I want to congratulate you for your dedication and creativity."

"Thank you," Lindsay responded, bowing her head slightly. "It means a lot to us."

The secretary nodded before saying goodbye, leaving us with a bittersweet feeling. Olivia was still muttering something about "the jury clearly not understanding our genius," but Lindsay and I decided to ignore it.

As we prepared to leave, a young woman holding a tablet approached us. She wore a badge around her neck that read TechMed Scientific Research Magazine .

"Hi, guys," she said with a professional smile. "I'm a reporter from TechMed . I'd like to talk to you about your project. Would you be interested in having us publish an article about it in our next digital edition?"

Olivia's eyes widened.

"An article? About us? Of course, yes!"

Lindsay raised a hand to stop her.

"Wait, Olivia. What exactly does it involve?"

The reporter explained that they wanted to highlight our model as an example of student innovation and how it could revolutionize public health in the future. She also mentioned that it would be an international publication, meaning our work would reach a much wider audience.

"It sounds good," I said, looking at the girls. "But we should make sure we're all okay with it."

Olivia was about to accept without a second thought, but Lindsay intervened again.

"What's the scope of the article? Can we review it before it's published?"

The reporter nodded.

"Of course, we'll send you a draft for approval. We just want to ensure the message is clear and reflects the impact of your work."

After a few minutes of negotiation (mostly led by Lindsay), we agreed. Olivia took it as a "consolation prize."

"At least we didn't leave completely empty-handed," she said, pretending to be indifferent, though her eyes sparkled with excitement.

A few days passed, and finally, it was time for the article to be published. The magazine announced it on their website and social media, highlighting our project as an example of university innovation. Olivia was ecstatic.

"We're famous!" she declared as we walked into Applied Mathematics class together. "Get ready for autographs."

"No one's going to ask for our autographs, Olivia," I reminded her, though I couldn't help laughing when she pulled a marker from her backpack and held it like a magic wand.

To everyone's surprise, some classmates did approach us to congratulate us. One even asked if we could explain more about the project after class. Olivia seized the opportunity to launch into an impromptu speech about differential equations and medical drones, though I don't think anyone really understood what she was saying.

When Professor Anderson entered the room, he looked at us with a proud smile.

"Before we begin, I want to congratulate Lindsay, Sack, and Olivia for their incredible work in the final projects competition. You've brought prestige to this university and shown that innovation knows no limits. I'm very proud of you."

Olivia raised her hand as if she were at a press conference.

"Thank you, Professor. We knew that without your guidance, we never would've achieved this. We also want to thank our fans, who have supported us unconditionally throughout this journey."

The entire room burst into laughter, including Professor Anderson.

"Well, it seems you have talent not only for math but also for showmanship, Olivia."

Lindsay rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling.

"Thank you, Professor. It means a lot to us."

When class ended, Olivia was still acting like a celebrity. She even tried to get us to sign a notebook as if it were a historical artifact.

"This is going straight to Stanford's Hall of Fame," she said, holding the notebook as if it were an invaluable treasure.

"I think you're taking this too seriously," I commented, though I couldn't help laughing.

"Too seriously? Sack, we were just published in an international magazine! This is just the beginning. Next year, we'll win the competition and have our own Netflix documentary."

Lindsay placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Breathe, Olivia. Let's enjoy this moment before planning world domination, okay?"

Olivia smiled widely.

"Okay. But only for now."

That night, as we walked back to our dorms, our conversations revolved around how our families had reacted.

"My parents called me right after the article came out," Lindsay said with a shy smile. "My mom was so excited she almost screamed on the phone. She said she's proud of me, but… you know how she is, she also mentioned that she hopes I keep working hard."

"And what did your dad say?" Olivia asked, curious.

"My dad was more brief. He just said, 'Good job, sweetheart. Keep it up.' But I know he was proud. I could tell by his tone of voice."

Olivia nodded, then smiled widely.

"My parents called me too. My mom wouldn't stop saying that she always knew I was special and that this just confirmed her theory. My dad, on the other hand, told me something like, 'Good job, honey. Now go for the Nobel Prize.'"

We all laughed, but then Olivia frowned.

"Though, to be honest, I think my mom still doesn't fully understand what we did. I think she thinks we invented a medical robot or something."

"And you, Sack?" Lindsay asked, looking at me. "What did your dad say?"

I pulled out my phone and showed them a simple message I'd received that morning. It said: "The article has been published. Stay focused."

"As always, straight to the point," I commented, putting my phone away with a small, forced smile. "My dad isn't the type to express emotions easily. But I know it means he's… well, satisfied."

Olivia raised an eyebrow.

"Satisfied? That's all he said? Not even a 'good job' or something?"

"That's not his style," I replied, shrugging. "He's more of the 'if you do something well, keep doing more' type. I guess that's his way of saying he's proud, even if he never says it with words."

Lindsay looked at me with a mix of understanding and sympathy.

"It must be tough not getting that kind of direct recognition."

"It's not so bad," I said, trying to downplay it. "At least I know he's paying attention to what I'm doing. And, well, I'm not the type to constantly seek praise either."

Olivia smiled.

"So, we're all officially blessed by our families. Well, more or less."

Lindsay shook her head, laughing.

"I don't know if it counts as a trophy, but it's definitely something worth celebrating."

Lindsay paused, as if remembering something important.

"Oh, and by the way, my parents said the article also benefited the hospital. You know, Sapphire Grove Hospital. Apparently, the Grove name in the publication generated quite a bit of positive attention for them. My mom said some important partners are already interested in collaborating with them thanks to the recognition."

Olivia's eyes widened.

"Wait! Are you saying your project not only made you famous but also the Grove empire?"

Lindsay shrugged, though she couldn't hide a proud smile.

"I guess so. I never thought something like that could happen."

Olivia raised her water bottle as if it were a champagne glass.

"To Team Genius, to our parents, and to next year, when we'll win everything."

We clinked our bottles and continued walking under the lights of the campus.