𝙸𝚏 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 [𝐿𝐸𝒮𝒯𝐸𝑅 𝒜𝒱𝐸𝑅𝑀𝒜𝒩]

Ch. 8: Detention

We were in science class at school. I had already got detention because I punched Banksie in the face on school property.

"That's right. The red is oxygen. Now, What are the blue balls?"

All of us started cracking up.

"Tommy?"

"Uh, Hydrogen?"

"That is correct. Now put them together and you have a molecule that makes up 96% of your body. What is it?"

"Pizza?", Tommy answered.

There was knocking on the door.

"It's the principal. I'll be right back. Work on H2 CO3. It's a goody."

Karp turned to face Charlie. "How'd the forfeit go, Spaz-way?"

"Did you score?", Peter asked.

"Leave me alone, guys. I don't wanna talk about the team."

"Oh, yeah, sure. Coach's pet. Everybody knows he likes you the best.", I said stating the obvious.

"Likes his mom, you mean.", Karp corrected.

Charlie pushed his desk aside and started to fight Karp.

"Take it back, Karp. Take it back now!"

Connie pushed them apart and grabbed Karp's jacket.

"Leave him alone, Karp."

"Hey! You have no right shoving Karp.", he pushed her back.

"Don't push me!", Connie told him.

Guy jumped out of his seat, "Don't push her, she's a girl!"

"Lay off."

"Don't shove, Peter."

Everybody started fighting. I just sat there and enjoyed what was unfolding. The people who despised Charlie right now, like me v.s. The people that stood up for him. Tammy was actually doing her work.

The principal and teacher came in and yelled at them to sit. "What do you have to say for yourselves."

"What the fuck?", I said smugly.

"Ms. McKay Detention tomorrow since you already have it today."

Averman looked across the room at me wide-eyed. I just laughed.

Then Charlie said, "Quack."

Everybody joined in, except me, I didn't feel like have another detention.

"Detention!"

Everyone was writing on the board, 'I will not quack at the principal.' Whereas, I was writing, 'I will not punch kids in the face on school property.'

Bombay looked at my part of the board. "Tough day, huh."

"What do you want?", I said and the whole room stared at him.

"I want to talk to you guys.", he said.

"People!", Tammy said disgustedly. I could really care less if I was called that or not.

"Right, people. Sit down please, all of you!"

"I wish we could.", I said. My feet really hurt.

"Okay, don't sit down. Look, What's done is done. I want to be your coach again."

"You wanna coach a bunch of Losers?", Averman asked.

"No, I want to coach the Ducks."

"What about the things you said? You said we didn't deserve to live.", Karp said.

"Karp I was being sarcastic. Do you know what that means?", He responded.

"No.", Karp said sarcastically.

"Okay, then you do. I didn't mean those things the way they sounded. You guys know what it's like to be misunderstood, right?"

"Yeah, of course. We're kids.", Peter replied.

"So... Can you forgive me? Can I be your coach again?"

"What about Banks?", Guy questioned.

"He can be on the team if he wants. He should've been with us all year. It's you guys who were cheated. But let's forget about all that crap! We're a team right?"

A chorus of 'yeahs' went across the room.

"I made you guys, and I'm sticking with you. So, what's it gonna be? We can play tomorrow night and still have a shot at the playoffs... or we could forfeit again and the season's over. Peter, what do you say?"

"Well... I guess it would help if we practiced first."

"All right. Let me see if I could get you out of detention. And did you guys really quack at the principal?"

"Yeah.", Charlie said.

"Are we Ducks, or what?"