The next day began with unusual energy, as if the universe had decided that the chaos of the previous day wasn't enough. Olivia was obsessed with the rematch of the croquet tournament, and from early morning she announced that this time everything would be even more epic. As we were having breakfast in the Hart Estate dining room, she was already explaining her new absurd rules with the same passion someone might use to plan an international event.
"Listen carefully, because I've perfected the rules for this tournament," Olivia said, holding up a sheet full of handwritten notes in her extravagant handwriting. "First, each player will have their own personalized background music while playing. This will add drama and style. Second, we'll have an official jury to oversee the game and ensure no one cheats."
Ellie, who was busy spreading jam on a piece of toast, looked up, intrigued.
"A jury? Who will it be?"
Olivia smiled widely, pointing toward Charlotte, Ellie's younger sister, who was sitting in a corner playing on a tablet.
"Charlotte will be our impartial judge. After all, she's eight years old and has infallible judgment about what's fair… or at least I think so."
Charlotte didn't even look up from her tablet, completely absorbed in some cartoon.
"What? Me?" she asked distractedly, not fully understanding her new role.
Sack burst out laughing, unable to contain himself.
"Olivia, you're putting too much weight on Charlotte's little shoulders. Besides, I doubt she'll pay much attention to the game."
Olivia made a dismissive gesture with her hand.
"It doesn't matter. We just need her to say who wins at the end. Now, let's move on to the rules. Third rule: any player caught cheating will be penalized with negative points. And fourth rule…"
Lindsay interrupted, frowning.
"Wait, wait. Penalties for cheating? Olivia, this is croquet. We're not playing at Wimbledon."
Olivia crossed her arms, pretending to be indignant.
"Exactly, Lindsay. It's croquet, but we're taking it to the next level. So get ready, because today we'll find out who the true champion is."
An hour later, we were all dressed again in our finest clothes, standing in front of the croquet field. This time, Olivia had strategically placed speakers around the area, and when it was my turn, a classic piano melody began to play, as if taken straight from a romantic movie.
"Now your musical skills come into play, Lindsay!" Olivia exclaimed, winking at me.
I laughed, positioning myself in front of my ball.
"Thanks, I guess. But I still think this music won't help much."
As I played, I noticed how the rivalry between Sack and Olivia reached new levels. During Sack's first turn, he pretended to be injured after hitting his ball poorly.
"Ow! I think I hurt my elbow," he said, grabbing his arm with a dramatic expression.
Olivia rolled her eyes.
"Please, Sack. That won't work on me."
But then, during her own turn, Olivia discreetly moved her ball a few inches closer to the hoop.
"Olivia!" I shouted, pointing at her suspicious movement. "Did you just move your ball?"
She shook her head, pretending innocence.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm being extremely honest here."
Sack burst out laughing.
"Sure, Olivia. As honest as always."
Ellie, on the other hand, was completely focused on winning. She had brought a notebook filled with strategies she had scribbled that morning.
"According to my calculations, if I hit the ball here, I can create the perfect angle to pass through the next hoop," she explained, trying to calculate the trajectory with her mallet.
However, when she tried to execute her plan, she accidentally sent the ball flying into the bushes.
"No way!" she exclaimed, frustrated.
We all laughed, including Charlotte, who had finally put down her tablet to watch the chaos.
"I think you should all give up," she said, with the seriousness characteristic of young children.
When the match was reaching its climax, with the score tied and everyone nervous about the final result, something unexpected happened. A goat that had escaped from the barn ran onto the field, and before we could stop it, it grabbed one of the balls in its mouth and ran off with it.
"No! My ball!" Olivia screamed, chasing after the goat with her arms outstretched. "Give me back my moral trophy!"
We all stood there with our mouths open for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. The scene was surreal: Olivia running after the goat, shouting things like "This is sabotage!" and "Someone stop that animal!"
Sack approached me, wiping away tears of laughter.
"Well, I think that means the game is over."
I decided to seize the moment.
"I declare an official tie. No one wins, no one loses. We're all equally ridiculous."
Ellie nodded, though she was still looking in the direction where the goat had disappeared.
"But technically, the goat won. It took the ball."
Olivia returned panting, visibly frustrated.
"This can't end like this. Tomorrow we'll organize another rematch. And this time, make sure all the goats are locked up."
Just as we thought the game was over, Olivia turned to Charlotte with a mischievous smile.
"Wait, Charlotte. As the official judge, you decide who the winner is. Who do you choose?"
Charlotte blinked, surprised by the sudden responsibility. Then she smiled widely, as if she had just remembered something.
"The winner is… Olivia!" she announced, triumphantly raising Olivia's hand.
Olivia celebrated, clapping her hands together and waving them in the air as if she were an Olympic champion.
"I knew it! I knew I had the talent to beat all of you!"
Sack frowned, looking at Charlotte suspiciously.
"Wait a second. Charlotte, did Olivia say something to you before the game started?"
Before Charlotte could respond, Olivia quickly interrupted.
"Oh, please, Sack. Don't be paranoid. It's obvious I picked the best judge possible. No one can bribe an eight-year-old."
But just then, something fell out of Charlotte's sleeve: a shiny card with golden letters that read "FREE PASS TO THE AMUSEMENT PARK." In the upper-right corner, clearly written, was the name "Olivia."
Sack, Ellie, and I looked at Olivia, who was already opening her mouth to justify herself.
"Wait! This isn't what it looks like! I just… wanted to make sure Charlotte had a good incentive to do her job properly."
Ellie burst out laughing.
"Olivia, you literally just bribed an eight-year-old with amusement park tickets."
Olivia crossed her arms, pretending to be indignant.
"Technically, it was an ethical exchange. She did her part, and I'll fulfill mine."
After a few moments of general laughter, we decided to leave it as an official tie. After all, we all knew that winning or losing didn't matter as much as enjoying the shared chaos. Olivia, though defeated by her own discovered cunning, accepted the result with grace… well, almost.
"Alright, alright. It's a tie. But next time, there will be no goats or bribes. Just pure skill."
We all laughed, unable to take her seriously. In the end, the day had been a success: a hilarious disaster, but a success nonetheless.