Oh my goodness, this is going to be interesting...LOL
PROMPT: Write about a story inspired by the phrase, "I'll eat my hat."
Grigory Bunge strutted through the halls with two of his friends at his side. They were headed for lunch, where all the other guildlings could be heard chattering down the hall from the cafeteria.
"I beat that sixteen year old to the ground! He was cryin' for his mamma, while I stood over him in triumph, not even a scratch on me," Grigory boasted.
"Woah!" said his friend, Ferrop. "I think you're as strong as a bull, Grig. Honestly, you could probably beat Olumphia Groundwhich at an arm wrestle!"
His other friend, Jeffet, exclaimed, "Ha! You could beat any hollish warrior by the time you're not a day over fifteen!"
The boys rounded the corner into the cafeteria, making their way to the lunch line and passing many tables as they talked loudly.
Grigory glowed with the praise. "You know, I'll eat my hat if I couldn't beat Janner Wingfeather at an arm wrestle!" he patted the cap on his head.
Most people around him heard, and the rumor snaked its way across all the tables in the cafeteria.
At a nearby table, Janner, Leeli, and Kalmar were sitting with their friends. His friend Thorn nudged him and leaned to whisper in his ear.
"Didja hear? Grigory Bunge said that he would eat his hat if he couldn't beat you at an arm wrestle."
Janner arched his eyebrows and looked back at Thorn. But he shook his head and continued his meal. But all around, kids started looking back at Janner Wingfeather and whispering to each other. Soon, he noticed that the entire mess hall seemed to go quiet.
Leeli looked at Janner. Kalmar leaned over to Janner and said,
"I think everyone is waiting for something. Probably the rumor of Grigory Bunge beating you in an arm wrestle."
Janner sighed. He wad so not in the mood.
"I mean, I can take him-"
"No, Kal."
"I can-"
"Kal! We are not going to let Grigory's big mouth control us. Just ignore everyone."
Kalmar fell silent. then turned back to his friends. It was at that dreaded moment that Janner heard footsteps behind him, and the entire cafeteria went completely silent.
Janner knew who it was, even before the voice of Grigory Bunge rang out and echoed across the walls of the mess hall.
"Janner, Janner, Janner. I don't see the point in ignoring me. What are you, scared of losing to me? I can't judge. I am quite the competition."
Grigory flexed his muscular arm as Janner turned around to face him, which was, Janner supposed, somewhat impressive.
Jeffet, who was at Grigory's side, chanted, "Janner Wingfeather can't take on Grigory Bunge! He is a scaredy! A scaredy! A scaredy!"
Janner sighed, then got up. This was a stupid and humiliating thing to stand up for his reputation.
"Alright, Grigory. I challenge you to an arm wrestle."
Grigory's smile widened, and Ferrop marched over to a nearby table and ordered the guildlings to clear off. They all obediently took their trays and stood up from the table and sat on different tables.
Janner followed Grigory to the empty table, and they took seats across from each other. The two boys faced each other with spite in their gazes. Grigory placed his elbow on the table, his empty cupped hand waiting for Janner's.
Janner accepted, his arm mirroring Grigory's position. Jeffet counted down.
"3...2...1...GO!"
In an instant, the cafeteria became a shouting match ad Grigory and Janner were both grunting and heaving as their arms bulged with veins as their clasped hands wobbled back and forth.
"Weakling! I will...beat...you...easy!" Grigory said between gasps.
Janner kept quiet, focusing on his concentration. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kal leap into the table and was starting a chant, "Janner! Janner! Janner!"
Janner felt his strength falter. He was running out of energy. Grigory took this as an advantage and pressed down harder. Janner's hand went backwards towards the table. He was losing!
Grigory laughed, and sweat trickled down his face. Jeffet and Farrop were both shouting and yelling that Janner was going to lose.
"What an idiot! Are we sure those are even muscles? They look more like indents in his arm to me!"
Laughter.
"He isn't even trying! What a wimp."
Laughter.
"He isn't strong enough!"
Laughter.
"Stupid!"
Laughter.
Janner felt hope draining away, and the unkind words sliced into his heart. He could not, would not lose to a bully.
But his grip was slipping. He could feel Grigory winning. And the chants for Janner were not as loud as they were before.
Janner was losing all hope. He was going to lose. There was nothing he could do about it. The insults thrown at him were getting louder. Janner panted, his strength failing quickly. Maybe they were right. Maybe he was a weakl-
Then he heard it. A soft humming. It was Leeli. A single voice of hope in the darkness.
He tuned out all other sounds and closed his eyes, listening to Leeli. She sang a soft song of hope, of comfort. Somehow, it gave Janner the strength to furrow his brow and heaved, and slowly but surely the weight began to shift, and Grigory began losing!!
The shouting and chanting grew louder, but Janner did nor listen. He only listened to Leeli's soft singing. The song blossomed inside him, flowing through his veins, and he found himself bringing Grigory to his feet, their arms only inches away from the table.
Janner was winning!
"You'll never make it. You're just a weak, wimpy, miserable heap," A growling, strained voice snapped.
Janner looked into the eyes of Grigory.
"No," he said quietly. "As long as I have my family, I will always always be able to make it."
And with that, Janner Wingfeather slammed Grigory Bunge's hand down on the table, winning the arm wrestle.
The whole room went wild. Grigory stared in dismay, and then tended to his bruised hand.
Jeffet and Farrop looked at Grigory, then Janner, then Grigory, and wrinkled their noses in disgust to Janner.
Meanwhile, Janner stumbled back to the table, and Leeli ran over to him and hugged him tightly.
"I knew you could do it!" she exclaimed happily. Kal ran over and gave him a high five. Janner's other friends also welcomed him with open arms.
But Kal had other plans to celebrate. He walked nonchalantly over to Grigory. The whole cafeteria watched as Kalmar grabbed Grigory's hat and stuffed it in his mouth.
"You said you would eat your hat," he said. "So, lunch is served!"
Everyone cheered.