Nova’s Tales: Series of stories about a school kid who is notorious and troubles everyone around him. This story focuses on a dogeball competition held in his school. He and his friends learn and pay to win the competition while their parents witness it.

The voice was coming from the television, “The story that I am going to share today will give you creeps…” Nova enters the house after attending his school, “Welcome home, mom. Let’s go out for lunch today.”

“Welcome, Nova.” Coco Jones and her sister Messi said in unison. Messi had come to stay for a week with the Jones. “But we don’t have that kind of money in hand.”

“Messi, what are you saying? Should you be saying that you don’t have money to kids? Why don’t you think before saying anything?” Coco fired at her.

“She said the same.” Messi thought. She replied to Coco, “Leave that, sister. Nova, you are supposed to say ‘I am back’.”

“Messi is right. When will you learn to say it correctly? Now go and wash your hands.” Coco said.

“Everyone every time shouts at me. I am going.” Nova removed his bag and ran inside the kitchen.

“There is nothing to be upset about.” Coco sees a paper peeping out of his bag. “It looks like a notice to me.” She opens the paper and after reading it, “It’s about a dodgeball competition.”

“A dodgeball competition in Nova’s school?” Messi questioned.

“Yeah! Every year they conduct a dodgeball match.” Coco replied.

“Oh, I did not know.” Messi concluded.

“I will definitely come to cheer for you.” Coco directs it to Nova.

“Sure.” Nova responded.

“Nova, can I come too?”

“You wish to come, Messi?”

“I have loved dodgeball from my childhood days.”

Coco laughs and comments, “You have been playing only dodgeball from childhood. You don’t know how to play any other game. Am I not right?”

“I was a dodgeball champion,” Messi fires back.

“Oh, I did not know about this.” Nova looks surprised.

“Nova, let’s go out now.”

“Why?”

“To practice dodgeball.”

“Nooooooo…”

In the late afternoon, Coco goes to the super-mart with Lola to do some shopping.

“Hello, good afternoon,” Coco greeted Finn’s (Nova’s friend) mom.

“Good afternoon,” replied Mrs. Jackson.

“I hope to see you at the school for the dodgeball competition.”

“I guess I won’t be able to come.”

Coco and Mrs. Jackson visits the coffee shop and settles down to continue their conversation.

“Why you don’t want to come?”

“Finn doesn’t want me to. He says that he won’t be able to concentrate on his game if I am there.”

“How?”

“Whenever I am present, he gets nervous and can’t focus.” She looked very sad. “I really want to watch him play.”

Coco left for home after spending some time with her. All the way home, she kept thinking about Mrs. Jackson. “Finn’s mom looked so worried.”

“Are you all ready?” Messi shouted from their garden compound. “Take this.” She throws the ball towards Finn. It’s aimed at him but lands into drainage. “Get it out now.”

“I can’t do it,” Finn responded.

“Yes, you can do it. Now get that ball out,” Messi shouted.

Elvis murmured to Nova, “Your aunt is an angry woman.” Elvis, Rocco, Nova and Fritz were standing in a line watching them play.

“Aunty…Aunty.”

“Nova, stop disturbing me. Let me teach your friend here.”

“What are you doing, Nova?” Elvis asks.

“Trying to distract her.” Nova continues dancing.

“Stop doing that. We have come here to play dodgeball and not waste our time.”

“Stop dancing, Nova. Let us practice now,” Fritz adds.

“We are not here to dance. You need to focus,” Messi complained.

“Hello, everyone. How is the practice going?” Coco reached the house and asked.

“Mom…Mom. Please explain aunt.”

“What is it, Messi?

“Nothing. They are here to practice. And I thought I’ll help them a little.”

“We don’t want to practice with you,” Rocco complained.

“Why don’t you all take a break for a while? I have got some pastries.” She showed them the bag in her hand. All the kids were so happy that they jumped and rushed inside the house.

“Don’t forget to wash your hands.” Coco shouted back.

“You did not do the right thing. They have the match tomorrow and they need to practice. If they won’t practice, they will lose.”

“Listen to me…”

“No, I will not. We will practice again within couple of minutes.” She walks away inside the house.

“Listen Messi, I have got something for you.” Messi stops and Coco shows a pamphlet for a job opportunity to wear a mascot costume. Messi had been looking for a job after she came to the town.

“I hate you.” Messi giggles at her efforts.

“So is it clear now.” Messi had created the game plan on the paper while the kids were eating. “When the ball comes from here,” pointing at the dot, “Elvis will move here, and Finn and Rocco will be here, “pointing at different spots, “Are you all listening to me?” They all stopped eating and looked at her.

Coco enters the room with a tray filled with cups of milk, “Let them finish their food peacefully.” Looking at the kids, “Now let’s finish the milk and do not listen to what Messi aunt says.”

“You should not say that.” Messi protested.

Putting the tray on the table, Coco said, “If you all win, your moms will be so much happy. I hope everyone’s mom is coming tomorrow.”

Elvis answered first, “My mom is coming, aunty. And do you know she is getting a digital camera with her to shoot our victory?”

Coco looked at Finn once Elvis was done saying. Finn replies, “She is not going to come, aunty. Because I asked her to.”

“Why would you do that?”

Nova interferes and answers, “Finn feels nervous playing in her presence.” Coco covers his month and says, “Did I ask you anything? Keep your mouth shut.”

“Finn, your mom also wants to see you play.”

“I know, aunty.” He whispered.

Next day when leaving for the match, “I have to do something so that Mrs. Jackson can come watch the match.”

“Are we ready to leave?” Messi enters the room and questions her.

“I can’t believe you woke up so early.”

“There is nothing to be surprised about.” Messi replied with a little frustration.

The day was pretty sunny and while walking on the road towards their destination, Messi said, “Do you know Finn plays really well? If I give him a little more training, he will play even better. I am sure his mom would also want to see him play today.”

“Yeah, you are right. Finn’s mom really wants to see him play today. But she isn’t coming.”

“I remembered something,” Messi exclaimed excitedly.

“What did you remember?”

“You go ahead. I will join later,” Messi turns and runs back on the road they came from.

“Where are you going? Coco shouts. Messi replies, “I will be back soon.”

At the ground, the kids had gathered in the middle with their teacher Caley. Team Lily was on one side of the coat and team Rose on the other side. Caley made the announcement, “The match will commence shorty between team Rose and team Lily.” Everyone cheers for their supporting team.

“Thank God I am on time before their turn arrived.” Coco thought. The whistle blows and the match starts.

“Where is Messi?” Coco looks everywhere if Messi has arrived.

Caley speaks over the mike, “Is everyone ready? Let’s start.”

Coco sees Messi walking towards her with a teddy tagging along. “A teddy?”

“I am back. Has the game started?” Messi asked.

“Game has not started. Who is this with you?”

The teddy greets, “Hello.” Coco gets shocked.

“It is Finn’s mom inside.” Messi whispers it in her ear.

“Oh what?” The teddy waves its hand and moves it to rub her head.

The game starts and the opposite team were badly beating the Rose team.

“That kid is playing so well,” Messi claims as a kid, Heston, from the opposite team hits the ball on Finn.

“You are right. In Rose team, it is only Nova and Finn playing well.

“With Nova in the team, I will not be able to focus on the game,” thought Heston. Nova was dancing at his spot.

Heston looked at Finn and warned him about his next throw. Finn got scared.

Messi shouts, “Finn, remember what I taught you. Do exactly that. We are with you.” The teddy next to her was cheering and dancing for him.

Heston shouts and throws the ball, “Take this.” Mrs. Jackson in that mascot teddy shouts, “Finn.”

Finn smiles and grabs the ball. He throws it to Heston and it hits his face. The ball rolls down on the ground. Everyone cheers for him, “Well done.”

“I caught the ball.” Finn excitedly speaks. Messi hugs the teddy and says, “Finn did it. I can’t believe it.”

“Well played, Finn,” said Caley.

“I did it,” Finn shouts and dances. The game continues and Finn plays very well. The opposite team were not able to catch his thrown balls. And he was expertly grabbing the balls coming his way. His confidence was back.

Nova shouted, “Finn, you are playing ooowe-sooomee.”

Finn laughs and wishes, “I wish mom was here, she would be so happy watching me play well.”

Soon the game came to an end. Rose team won.

“My son is a winner,” dances Mrs. Jackson.

“Thank you, Messi.” Coco was happy to see Mrs. Jackson so happy.

“I had told you, Finn will do it. He was going to be a winner.”

“And Mrs. Jackson could witness it because of you.”

“I got the idea from the ad you got.”

“The job ad I gave you at home?”

“Don’t you agree with me now that I am much smarter than you?”

“No way. You got this idea because of me. How did you become smart here?”

“The truth is I am very much talented, even more than you.

“I don’t think so.” Coco smiles and feels proud for her sister.

Moral of the Story: If you are talented, show it. Don’t be nervous of your own blood (Make them feel proud of you).

Tip: Reach out to your family and friends for help and make sure to help those who reach out to you.

In Nova Series: https://dgj.suc.mybluehost.me/thoughtssinwordss/short-stories/kids-diary/nova-series-lets-bake-a-cake-mom/