Okay, so I kind of made this fanfiction due to the country's latest fascination with spelling bees, but here goes anyway:
Note: I haven't seen the movie Akeelah and the Bee so I if this story is related at all to the movie, it is not intended to be.
2nd Season
Spellbound
Laura crossed her fingers hoping Miss Beadle would not call on her. "Please don't call on me, please don't call on me." She whispered.
Mary looked at her sister. "Laura, what are you doing?" She asked.
"Hoping Miss Beadle won't call on me. You see…" Laura tried to explain, but it was too late.
"Laura Ingalls, why don't you come up to the board and try this problem." Miss Beadle smiled.
Laura's head whirled around to the front of the room. She saw the multiplication problem on the board. She cringed. Laura walked up to the chalkboard and tried to work out the problem, but she couldn't. She scribbled a few numbers that came into her head. Putting down the chalk she looked at Miss Beadle who in return shook her head. "I'm sorry Laura, but your answer is incorrect. You really need to start practicing math problems at home. Have Mary help you, okay?"
Laura felt embarrassment rush over her has she headed back to her seat. It was bad enough that she got the answer wrong, but for Miss Beadle to call her out like that made her even more upset.
Mary tried to console her sister at recess. "Laura, it wasn't as bad as you are making it out to be. Not everyone is good at math. Look at Willie, he gets answers wrong everyday."
Laura sighed. "It's not that I got the answer wrong, it's that she told the whole class I was bad at math. Not only that, but she told you to help me."
Mary was confused. "Well, so, I am good at math."
"Exactly! You are good at everything. I'm not. The only thing I can do is hit a ball and spit, and that won't get me far in life."
The bell rang and the children went back inside the school. After they all got settled in their seats, Miss Beadle had an announcement for them. "Class, the state of Minnesota is putting on a state spelling bee. So, I've decided that Walnut Grove should participate. We are going to practice for a few days here at school, and then next week Mr. Wilkins, the school board Advisor, will watch as we put on our own spelling bee. Whoever wins will be asked to participate in a regional bee, and then whoever wins that bee will be asked to participate in the state bee, which will be held in Minneapolis.
Laura's eyes lit up as Miss Beadle explained the rules. Spelling was her favorite subject, and for once she thought that she might be able to win something. Miss Beadle divided the class in half and had them stand in two rows. Laura was in the back. By the time it was her turn half of her line had been eliminated. She hadn't realized it until then, but the person in front of her was Nellie Oleson.
"Nellie," Miss Beadle started, "spell GRACIOUS"
Nellie stood still as a post, "gracious," she repeated, "G-R-A-C-I-O-U-S, gracious."
Miss Beadle smiled, "Good, Nellie." She directed her attention to Laura. "Laura, please spell BENEFICIAL."
Laura pronounced the word in her head. BEN-A, no that's not right, BEN-E-FICIAL, I think, or is it an "I". Well, I'll go with "E" because it is only practice. "Beneficial, B-E-N-E-F-I-C-I-A-L, beneficial."
Miss Beadle looked surprised. "Correct!"
Laura smiled. She couldn't believe she spelled the word right. They continued to practice, and eventually she and Nellie were the only two left, and Laura won.
"Ma! Pa!" Laura yelled as she ran through the front door of her home. "Guess what?"
"What?" Pa asked as he snuck a roll that was being saved for dinner.
Caroline gave him a glare. "Charles! That's for supper."
"Ma, listen. Guess what? We had a spelling bee at school today, and I won! I beat Nellie Oleson! We were the two finalists."
Charles smiled. "That's great. What did you win?"
"Well, I haven't got to the best part yet. The best part is that next week some school board advisor is coming to watch the bee and whoever wins gets to go to a regional competition and whoever wins that goes on to a state competition. I am going to win it all!"
"Well, you better start studying, Laura." Said Caroline.
"Oh, I will Ma. This is just like when Mary went to the state finals for that boring math competition."
"Hey! It wasn't that boring, Laura." Mary smiled. "See Laura, you are good at something."
The school of Walnut Grove continued to practice words each day until it was time for the big competition. Laura was nervous, but for once she had been studying. She had studied her words everyday for over an hour. And now it was her time to prove what she knew.
The competition started early that Monday morning. Laura smirked when Mary was eliminated during the second round. She knew it was wrong, but Mary was good at everything, and this was Laura's turn. To Laura, this seemed like the longest bee yet. Finally, there were only two contestants left. It was no surprise that the two contestants were Laura and Nellie; after all they had been battling it out the week before. Laura would win, and then Nellie would win, and then Laura, and then Nellie, and it went on like that for every practice. But this time it wasn't practice-it was the real deal. Nellie went first.
"Nellie, please spell RHETORICAL."
Nellie smiled. "This is easy," She said with confidence, "rhetorical, R-E-T-O-R-I-C-A-L, rhetorical."
"I'm sorry, Nellie," frowned Miss Beadle. "That is incorrect. Laura, please spell RHETORICAL."
Laura thought for a moment. Well, I thought Nellie had spelled it correctly. So, what was wrong? Let's see, R-E-T-O-R-I-C-A-L, the end sounds correct. Maybe there is a silent letter, RE, RHE, yeah, that's it RHE, not RE! "Rhetorical, R-H-E-T-O-R-I-C-A-L, rhetorical."
"Congratulations, Laura, you just made it to the district spelling bee that will be held in Mankato!" Mr. Wilkins proclaimed.
Laura ran over to Mary and gave her a great big hug. "I can't believe it, I can't believe it!"
"I can Laura; you are the best speller in this school, and hopefully in the wholes state! I am so proud of you!" Mary declared.
The wagon headed into the town of Mankato. The Ingalls were all dressed in their Sunday best. Ma had bought Laura new shoes for this occasion since her old ones were all scuffed. They entered the building were the bee was being held. Laura was registered, and then she had to leave her family and enter a room with all of the other contestants. They were given a talk about what was expected and then they were directed to an auditorium. Laura spotted her family sitting in the seats in the audience and waved to them. The house was quieted and the mayor of Mankato gave a speech. After the speech the spelling bee began. Laura listened to each word carefully. These were a lot harder than the ones she had practiced at home. Still, she listened and spelled them to herself to see if she was right, and she was, for the most part. As each round went by, she sighed in relief knowing that she was safe. Before she knew it, she and a boy named David Brown were the final two contenders. They battled it out, word after word, each time spelling it correctly, but then the word came that David did not know. It was ACOUSTIC. David spelled it with two C's after the A, Laura recognizing his mistake spelled it with one C and won the regional competition.
"Laura Ingalls, you have won the spelling bee competition of Mankato, and you are now eligible to enter the bee in Minneapolis for a grand prize of fifty dollars. All expenses will be paid for you and your family's trip to Minneapolis." The mayor explained as he handed Laura a certificate.
"Ma, I'm scared these words are going to be even harder. The words in Mankato were bad enough." Laura said as her ma braided her hair.
"Now, Laura, just do your best, that is all we ask. Just keep your strategies; they have been working so far." Ma reminded her.
"I suppose." Laura paused, "Ma, the grand prize is fifty dollars. Just think if I won $50 dollars. We could have so much! We wouldn't have to worry this winter about food or anything."
"Laura, don't worry about us. Fifty dollars would be nice, but don't fret about it. Whatever is supposed to happen will happen."
"You're right Ma."
"Now, let's go! We don't want to be late." Ma said opening the hotel door.
The registration process was just like the one they had gone through in Mankato, only this time there was more chaos and more media. It seemed like everywhere Laura turned there was a camera. The cameras were making her nervous because they made her feel as if this event was the most important ever, and if she lost the whole world would know because it would be photographed in every paper. Laura shook her head trying not to think such negative thoughts. Again, she was separated from her family, headed to a room for the contestants, and then to the auditorium- a really big auditorium. The competition started. Laura thought the words seemed easier than the words in Mankato. Even still, she tried spelling out every word that was given.
"Oh, I hope I win." Said a girl near Laura.
Irritated, Laura shushed her. "I'm trying to concentrate."
"Listening to other's just makes me even more nervous." The girl stated.
Laura looked at the girl. She reminded her of Nellie. She had curly blonde hair, and blue eyes-and her clothes were the finest Laura had ever seen.
"What's your name?" The girl asked Laura.
"Laura Ingalls," Laura said staring straight at the stage in front of her, focused on the competition. "What's your name?" Laura asked. She had to be polite.
"Natty Nelson. My family is the richest in all of Minneapolis. I just have to win; I mean this competition is taking place in my hometown. It would be such a let down if the richest family didn't win."
Laura knew this girl was trying to psyche her out, so she just ignored it. Ironically, she and Natty made it into the final round and then were the final two left.
This is my chance to show the snobby rich girl that the poor can be winners too. I proved it to Nellie, now I just need to prove it to Natty.
"Laura, please spell the word, CONSCIENTIOUS." The mayor said.
Laura froze. She had never heard of this word before. She didn't even know where to begin. All she could think about was what Natty had told her. Laura couldn't concentrate. "Could you repeat the word, please?"
"CONSCIENTIOUS."
Laura swallowed hard. "Conscientious, C-O-N-S-C-E-T-I-O-U-S, conscientious."
"I'm sorry, Laura, that is incorrect. Natty, if you spell this word correctly then you will be Minnesota's state spelling champion. Please spell, CONSCIENTIOUS."
Natty stood proud, and said as snobby as ever, "conscientious, C-O-N-S-C-I-E-N-T-I-O-U-S, conscientious." She smiled.
"Congratulations, Natty Nelson of Minneapolis you are our new state spelling champion!" The mayor announced.
Laura was disappointed. She didn't know what to do, but she put on a brave face for the audience. But, when she saw her pa, all she could do was hug him and cry.
"There, there, Laura. It will be okay. You did your best. You came in second place in the whole state. That says a lot." Pa told his little half pint.
Laura wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffed. "It's not the losing that bothers me Pa; it's just that Natty is so rich. She has everything. I just wanted this one thing, but I couldn't even get that. I don't ask for much. So how come some people get everything and other's nothing? It's not fair."
"Let me tell you something Laura, some people are meant to have almost everything while others aren't. It's just how it's supposed to be. Now, Natty may have won the spelling bee, but think about all that she hasn't won. I bet she hasn't won the sense of pride after a long hard day of working on the farm, or I bet she hasn't won the feeling of extra special bonding with her family after spending a long winter sharing what they have left for food, or I bet she hasn't won the feeling of love and support that you feel when your whole family comes to your competitions, and not even her father comes to her's." Pa pointed over to where Natty was. There she stood getting her picture taken with an older woman who looked like she could be her grandmother. (Laura later found out that the lady was her nanny, and her parents were too busy running the store to come to the bee) "You see Laura, we may not have the money, but in many other ways we are so much richer than Natty. So, in reality you are the real winner, Laura Ingalls."