A plastic bottle jammed the track halfway through, and Mia had to remove the top panel while Selena explained the circuitry to the judges.

I loved that they did not pretend the machine was flawless.

They described the problem, found the cause, and started again.

Gavin arrived thirty minutes late and stood near the back of the auditorium.

I noticed him before Selena did.

For a moment I hoped he had come because he understood how much the event mattered.

After the judges finished, he approached her with a paper bag from an expensive electronics store.

“Thought you might want a new tablet,” he said.