The Seventh Grade Wars

CHAPTER 20: JK

As the days went by, Jessica got more and more excited. She planned the party two weeks from now, because she said that was when her parents wouldn't be home. They would be going to the opera in New York City. 

Jessica had Harriet, who was the artistic one on the team, design a bunch of flyers on the computer and print them out. She then sent us to post them all over the school, especially on the other Sides. 

"But...if this party is for A Side only, why are we putting the flyers up on A and B Side?" asked Yvonne. 

"To make them jealous," said Jessica, rolling her eyes. "That's why we're throwing this party in the first place!"

"Oh," said Yvonne uncertainly. 

Me, I was pretty glad for the party. Jessica didn't have me think up any more pranks because she was so focused on getting everything right. I could kick back and relax. 

The day of Jessica's party arrived. I packed my swimming clothes in my backpack and was heading out the door. 

"Johnson, where do you think you're going?" she asked.

"Mom, I'm just going to a party," I said. "I'll be back in a little while."

"I wish you'd have told me this earlier, Johnson," she remarked. 

"Sorry," I said quickly. I was going to be late. 

"Who's going to the party?" she asked. "No older kids, I hope."

"No, just some seventh graders," I replied. "It's a pool party, Mom. At somebody's house."

"Are there parents home?"

"Yes," I lied. 

"And what's in the bag?" She motioned to my backpack. 

"My swimming things," I said. I didn't tell her that I'd snuck some other things in there, too.

My mom nodded. "All right. Go on. But I'm trusting you with this, Johnson. Don't blow it. Remember how it turned out last time."

Yep. She'd grounded me for playing football. 

"Okay. Thanks, Mom," I said, and rushed out of the door. 

I remembered where Jessica's house was from the meeting there a while ago, so I was able to walk there this time, instead of taking my bike. Already I could hear loud, booming music coming from the backyard, meaning the party had already started. A giant banner was draped across the front of the gate, with the words WELCOME A SIDERS printed on it. 

I headed around the back, where everything was in full swing. Kids jumped off the diving board into the Malboys' giant swimming pool, dug into the buffet set up on the side, and lounged around on brightly colored deck chairs. Jessica approached me, wearing a neon-colored bikini. 

"Thought you wouldn't make it here today, JK," she said evenly. She was holding a glass of something carbonated in her hand. 

"Well, I'm here now," I said. "Um, nice party. You organized everything yourself? How'd you get all the money?"

She calmly took a sip of her drink. "I have my ways," she said. "I just borrowed a credit card."

"You're going to get arrested someday," I told her. 

Thomas rushed over just then, sopping wet. "Hey, man," he said. "The guys are just starting a game of water polo. Wanna join?"

"Sure," I said, glad to be rid of Jessica. "Just let me put my swim clothes on."

I ducked inside the house to find a bathroom, and returned back outside. I jumped into the pool, which felt downright refreshing on such a hot day. 

When I surfaced, I realized I'd caused little tsunami wave over poor Danny, who was standing on the pool steps, spluttering. 

"Sorry, man," I said. 

"It's okay," he squeaked. 

"Wanna play water polo?"

He shook his head. "No." His ears looked even bigger with his hair plastered down over his head. 

We were just in the middle of a intense game of water polo, when I suddenly heard loud whooping and cheering. I turned around to see a band of kids dashing into the backyard. They wore T-shirts and jeans, indicating they weren't invited. 

Jessica couldn't have gotten there quicker. She stood in front of one of the boys with shaggy hair, who must have been their leader, and put her hands on her hips. "What are you doing here?" she demanded. 

"We're C Siders," said the boy, "and we're here to crash your party!"

His gang cheered and sprang into action. Carrying squirt guns and spray paint cans, they lunged into the party, spraying everyone they could find and writing large messages on the side of the house. One of the kids unplugged the speakers, and the music stopped. 

"Hey!" screamed Jessica. "Get out of here, you morons!" She got hit in the face with a blast of water, and instantly started cussing her head off. 

Jessica's older sister Avril stomped out of the house. "What's going on?" she cried, but only received a blast of water aimed at her.

Danny squealed from behind me. He'd gotten out of the pool, but I saw one of the intruders run up to him and shove him back in. I immediately swam over and pulled him out.

"Stay back," I commanded him, and yelled to my friends to come over. 

"Ryan," I said. "Pass these water balloons out to everyone. Thomas and I will get the gardening hose."

"Got it," said Thomas, catching on to my plan. 

"What about me?" demanded Alfonzo. 

"Uh, Alfonzo...you just cause mass chaos."

He nodded and ran off. Thomas and I dashed past two kids who were turning over the buffet table, and grabbed the gardening hose. I switched it on, and water started to gush out. 

"Let's go, man," said Thomas. We reentered the party scene, and started spraying all the C Siders we could find. The hose was so powerful we even managed to knock one of the girls down, a wispy little blonde girl who instantly was picked up again by a tall, curly-haired boy. 

Ryan's gang pelted them with water balloons and Alfonzo threw chicken nuggets and slabs of lasagna at them. The shaggy-haired boy called, "Retreat!" And they all scrambled away. 

"Shut off the hose!" somebody yelled, and I dropped the hose, running back around the house to turn off the water. When I returned to the pool, I saw that most everything had been destroyed. There was food floating in the pool, water everywhere, and the skins of water balloons strayed around on the ground. The tables and chairs were overturned, and there was a giant message spray-painted on the side of the house in red, green, and blue letters: C SIDE WUZ HERE!!!!

Jessica had gotten pushed into the pool. She climbed out, makeup and black stuff running down her face. 

"Those—rotten—C Siders!" she exclaimed. 

Danny shook his head next to me. "I think," he said quietly, "our amazing plan has backfired."