Just Add Water

the clock is ticking

The gloomy feel of his dreams didn't match with the next morning's mood. In Mr. Hagen's class, everyone gathered in a circle, carrying their smiles and handmade letters. The Christmas decorations seemed too bright, too enchanting. Everything should be dark and mysterious, he thought. Or else I'm going to forget about my dream.

"You will not believe what I have for Movie Night," Xime gushed while one of the kids in the circle was presenting his Secret Santa letter.

"What?"

"You know how we gained three stars in Mr. Bruner's class, right?"

"Oh. That. I kinda forgot."

"Well unforget it!"

Grover moved closer to them, whispering, "One, 'unforget' is not a word, and two, if you two keep talking we'll get in trouble."

Xime just crossed her arms. "Such a party pooper. Anyway, I'm almost one hundred percent sure that 'unforget' is a word."

"Did you search it up?"

"I didn't have to," she told Grover flippantly. "I'm just smarter than you."

Meanwhile, Percy kept mulling it over. He had forgotten. A couple of days ago, Mr. Bruner had placed the last star-sticker on each of Percy's, Xime's, and Grover's Language Arts notebooks, meaning they got to have a movie night as a reward. The only night where someone could actually watch TV. And you could choose the movie. You could even bring your own cassette.

"You've all earned it," he'd told them discretely, "for being my Star Students."

He'd felt a rush of pride at that.

"I can't believe you forgot about it," Xime was saying, pulling him out of his thoughts. "Like, you forgot that we got TV rights for being Star Students? TV rights, Percy! Do you have any idea what that means?"

"That we get to watch TV?"

"Apart from that, dummy."

His blank expression made her sigh. "Fine, I'll tell you. I was hoping you'd remember, that, well...I just so happen to have the best ever Barbie movie in existence with me..."

"The Princess and the Pauper?"

"Duh!"

"Ximena Fuentes and Percy Jackson," Mr. Hagen called. Instantly, their gazes snapped to him. Their teacher didn't look angry—he rarely got angry, especially now that it was nearing Christmas—but he did have his eyebrows raised. "I sure hope that you two talking won't affect your report card. Remember, kids. It's disrespectful to have people talk over you."

"Yes, Mr. Hagen," they both said.

Grover nudged him. "See? Told ya you'd get in trouble."

Percy stuck his tongue out at him.

Meanwhile, his classmates were clapping, everyone paying rapt attention as two girls hugged one another, right after one of them had read out her letter.

He eyed Xime, his folded paper wrinkling slightly in his hands. He felt nervous, all of a sudden. What if she thought that his letter was lame? And his drawings...well, he wasn't really considered good in art class. Xime was good in art class. He bet that she wouldn't really appreciate the small sketch he'd done of her and Grover eating blue cookies. Did she even like blue cookies—?

His thought was cut short. In fact, he didn't get the chance to give her his Secret Santa letter. Because right as the next person walked up to the center of their circle, the door creaked open. Everyone whirled at the sound. Standing by the door was (in his opinion) the worst teacher ever to exist.